2020-05-08 – Back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, a common trope of sci-fi was a computer or robot getting more and more agitated after encountering a logical paradox until it finally crashed or exploded.

Here is a typical scene from Star Trek in which Kirk, Spock, and McCoy (with Harry Mudd) used the “logic bomb” quite literally to disable a group of visiting androids. In this video the logical paradox was a lie. (Don’t know why this is rated TV-14. Click on I Understand and Wish to Proceed to see the video. It’s pretty funny, especially Mr. Spock.)

Programmers long ago figured a way around the logic-bomb problem, and computers never exploded, even if they encountered one.

But I’m wondering whether logic-bombs can cause actual living-breathing human beings to explode—at least figuratively. And I think the answer to this question is being revealed by the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The logic-bomb is Donald J. Trump. And the paradox, as in the Star Trek episode, is a lie (or 18,000 lies and counting).

I see this in the agitation of Trump supporters when:

• They are asked to wear a mask;
• They are asked to social distance;
• They are asked to wash their hands.

You’d think that someone is pointing a gun at them. And they’re ready to point their guns right back at you.

I can see wanting to get back to normal. I can see out-of-work people wanting to get back to work. But mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing would make it much easier to start opening things up again. So which is it? They’ve been told a lie about safety measures. It’s a paradox.

It’s been paradox after paradox for more than three years. They were told Trump would Make America Great Again, but the lie of that is being exposed by the pandemic. People are getting sick, people are losing jobs, people are losing health insurance, people are dying. America doesn’t look so great.

So the logical brain looks for a solution:

• It’s Obama’s fault!
• COVID-19 is a hoax designed to take away our freedom!!!!
• Closing down churches on a whim!!!!!!!!
• All I need to protect myself is some Clorox!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• The doctors and the nurses are the real bad guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And with each false solution, the temperature goes up, the eyes get wilder and more desperate, smoke escapes from the ears.

Will this logic bomb explode? Sadly, in many places across the country, the explosion seems imminent. But it’s really not necessary. These paradoxes are tricks of the mind. You might think that there’s no way out, but you’re probably overlooking something.

Most people in this country know the way out of this paradox: Get rid of the liar-in-chief! Will the hard-core Trumpsters figure it out—before they burst? Or die like the androids from the Star Trek episode with smoke coming out of their ears?

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