We have always lived in the New Abnormal.

The tale of the kamikaze pilot is a gruesome and chilling story, arising out of the death throes of a doomed Japanese empire, at the end of World War II.  Its history portrayed by Hollywood war movies tells the story in fiery, gorish and glamorous ways.  Reality, as usual, is much more complex.  

These pilots were not hateful fanatics, self-consumed in inhuman and evil ways.  Rather research shows they were young and intelligent, men of good standing, who were nabbed by an evil system that was focused on waging war at all costs, until the end - even conscripting good men to fly suicide missions.  

These young pilots were unknowingly caught in the web of a system which was all-consuming, driven by the interests of a militaristic, nationalistic, self-consumed elite.  They did not see themselves as heroes dying for the glory and protection of an empire.  As they became aware of their fate, they referred to themselves as being driven to be murdered, murdered by their own leadership, a fanatical leadership who held all power.  

This was not normal.  This was abnormal.  Heard this before?  

These days, we are always talking of the new normal, now the new abnormal, as if this is the first time in history.  Wrong!   The new abnormal has always been with us, arising strikingly at different times in history - World War I, World War II, the list continues.  We do not live in such a unique or unusual time.  However, we do live in a specific time when we are being overcome by the abnormal.  

This is leading us somewhere - not to the end of time but to great shifts in time.  A change of epoch in history?  We do not know.  We just know that humanity has come this way before.  Instead of throwing up our arms in desperation, it may be time to read history and learn from it.  It may be time to read the true story of the kamikaze pilots, the tokkatai, who realised how stupid was their lot in life.  But what to do?  Sound familiar?