In today’s Charlotte Observer (July 18, 2007), NY Times columnist
David Brooks chats about the differences between President Bush and Leo Tolstoy and their theories of history.

While praising the presidents’ self-confidence in the face of the realities in Iraq, Brooks notes that “Politics is a thin crust on the surface of culture“. David goes on to make an interesting point on how Tolstoy believed that the chaos of everyday experiences is more significant than our leaders policies in shaping history.

I like David’s point about the role culture plays in our views of the past. Policy dilemmas aside, the final say of history is often rich in hindsight and short on the bravado of the times.