KING CARNEY CATCHES THE WAVE
Mark Carney may wish the memes would stop - but in the age of political satire, commanding the tide is often the quickest way to make it rise.
Many centuries ago, King Canute commanded the tide to stop.
According to the famous account, he did not expect the sea to obey. He wanted to teach his flattering courtiers that even a king was only a man-and that earthly power ended where God’s sovereignty began.
Then came along King Carney.
After telling the Trump administration to “stop doing memes,” Canada’s prime minister stepped into the great sea of satire and attempted to command its waves.
The sea responded exactly as seas usually do.
It produced another wave.
Every complaint became a caption.
Every protest inspired another picture.
Every demand for seriousness supplied another punchline.
Now King Carney is surfing helplessly upon the very tide he wanted stopped-his crown crooked, his dignity soaked and his lectern transformed into a raft.
Canute approached the sea to demonstrate humility.
Carney approached the sea with irritation.
One king understood the limitations of human power.
The other became a meme while trying to stop the memes.
Only God commands the sea.
Politicians cannot even command the sea of satire.
