Point: It Is the Best of Times / Counterpoint: It Is the Worst of Times
Point: It Is the Best of Times
Byline: Nick Stryver
LONDON – June 1789 – O, what a time to be alive! Things in general are settled forever! Everything is precisely as it should be, with a few men of genius at the apex of society and the masses toiling for a pittance below—and liking it. There are absolutely no seeds of mass unrest and violent social turmoil inherent in this system, and anyone who disagrees is a treasonable heretic who ought to read Adam Smith. Or – a far more preferable option – pay a considerably smarter friend to explain Adam Smith to him while he tries to marry a wealthy widow. I shan’t judge either way.
Counterpoint: It Is the Worst of Times
Byline: Jacques 1
PARIS – June 1789 – O, what a time to be alive! There are a few idiots (who pay their friends to explain Adam Smith to them) at the apex of society, while the masses toil for a pittance below. As I told my friends Jacques 2, Jacques 3, and Jacques 4 – who are NOT members of a secret revolutionary group I am leading, whatever would have given you that idea? – everything inherent in this system shall cause mass unrest and violent social turmoil class antagonism. Or – a far more preferable option – I shall cause the mass unrest, and everyone else shall feel the violent social turmoil. I shan’t judge either way.
Nick Stryver (point), Jacques 1 (counterpoint)
