Cats That Look Like Hitler

Back in the early, fun, and exploratory days of the Internet, there was a site that collected photos of “cats that looked like Hitler.” Also known as Kitlers, there were cute and kind of ironic. I just thought of this as I was washing dishes, since someone gave me a mug with cats on it, and one looks like a Kitler.

I guess it’s still there.

I find it less cute now that authoritarianism is on the rise around the world, and self-identifying neo-Nazis are marching for their cause—which is so antithetical to mine, I can’t even fathom what passes for their reasoning.

I know everyone is a hero in their own story, and I’m sure they think they have legitimate grievances and positive goals, but from my perspective they are doing evil for the sake of evil.

I’m reminded of that Twilight Zone episode, “The Howling Man.” A lost visitor comes to a monastery and, despite all warnings from the abbot, frees the man of the title. He turns out to be the Devil who unleashes evil into the world.

My Steampunk novel, Watchers of the Dawn, suggests a crack in the Earth’s core has created certain vibrations that induce humans to commit evil acts. Both my explanation and that of Rod Serling make more sense to me than why people in the 21st century, who should f******* know better for gods’ sake, would embrace evil as their goal in life.

I keep reading positive predictions of the future that suggest that this is some sort of transition for the human race into a better era, but I just hope we all survive long enough to see that happpen.