This book views the war on terrorism from Kenneth Burke's perspective— dramatism and the related concept of victimage ritual —and the problematic of ruling liberal societies.

Man is a mechanic, and works beautiful forms out of natural organisms. He cuts, bores, malleates, melts, casts in matrices, and spins, various articles.

This isn't working, the Cascader thought. I must try a different approach. You were killed once yourself, we'ren't you?

Seeing so much suffering for so long hardened his heart.