John, I think a lot of the people replying to your letter are prematurely "diagnosing" you. They have never met you and do not have the qualifications to do so. Obviously, you should be tested for any organic or psycholigical problems, but your sense of "not knowing what's going on" may have more to do with your age than anything else. I felt like a zombie most of the time in high school. Basically, I was bored out of my skull. Luckily, I was involved in a few activities, like being in the school band (and had a few equally "weird" friends), to get through it. You may also be making the classic mistake of thinking that other people DO know what's going on. It has taken me a long time to figure out that the very people who seem to know what they're doing are the very ones who are more in the dark than any or us. If they are so insecure that they need to make such a show of being in control and appearing to be "normal," they may be the ones with the real problems. High school is like some kind of social tortue chamber with the sole purpose of obliterating all aspects of individuality. It thrives on the herd mentality and can make anyone who does not follow along unquestioningly feel like a complete freak. If I were you, knowing what I know now, I would re-evaluate the people who are calling themselves my "friends" and think about finding more people that I can truly relate to even--and maybe especially--if they are considered outsiders too.

Ooooohhhhh.....the hardships of privileged white women. How do you do it? Your capacity for finding new and more trivial things to whine about is astounding.

Exactly which decade are you living in? You are a perfect example of the paranoia that infects the far right. THE COMMIES ARE COMING! THE COMMIES ARE COMING! BE AFRAID! BE VERY AFRAID!

I should have said: "a rejection of any kind of intellectual progress."

It's difficult to imagine the conservative movement getting much dumber. It's always been based on ingorance, paranoia and any kind of intellectual progress. I think we should give Republicans their own country so they could run around bumping into each other and falling down like Monty Python's Upper Class Twits.

Girls, has it occured to you that wanting a strong, protective father figure is the very reason that YOU have voted for so many old white guys over the years and, in so doing, have held back your own gender's progress? Yes, Joe Biden makes a very good impression, but if you are, in any way, attracted to Charlton ("Happiness Is A Warm Gun") Heston or Henry ("Dr. Stangelove") Kissinger--both of whom are ultra-right Republicans--you have some serious psycho-sexual issues. And, you are negating the very praise you showered on Mr. Biden--a legitimate progressive.

The most ludicrous aspect of all of this is that Sarah Palin has reached her tenuous grasp of the issues only after being tutored by the "best minds" of the Republican Party.

Thanks for the encouragement. I don't know where you live, but here in the hinter lands (where, as my father used to say, the average age is diceased) it is nearly impossible to meet anyone of an intellectual-artistic bent. Most people give me "the RCA Dog look" when I start talking about books or music or paintings or letfist politics or just about enything that has nothing to do with drinking, fucking or bitching about work. It's easy to say, well, JUST MOVE. But, in these economic times that is out of the question for now. And, frankly, I have pretty much given up the hope of meeting a woman who is up to my (possibly unreasonable) standards. I am lost in the darkness.

Sarah and Ladies,

I appreciate your attempts to balance the overwhelming amount of male-bashing that goes on regularly in this column with all this gushy-girlie appreciation of Mr. Biden. But, given the fact that Broadsheet is based on the premise that men are stupid, emotionally retarded, violent, animalistic clods, it is, too little too late. And, as much as you claim that classy intelligent men turn you on, the evidence, in my experience, does not bear that out. My observation has been that most women under the age of 50, almost without exception, go for big dumb jocks (preferably with money). Sorry, but, all of this "enlightented feminism" just doesn't ring true. It might have some credibility if it were not a complete fantasy. I will believe it when I see it in reality.

For Christ's sake, does she ever stop smiling? You get the feeling that she could tell you your grandmother had just died(or that your son had been killed in Iraq)and her expression would never change. Her whole approach, trying to get by on charm alone, shows some kind of deep insecurity. She literally NEEDS to be liked. Unfortunately, the qualities that are so precious in a 17-year-old girl are just kind of sad in a 44-year-old woman. She reminds me of one of those moms who flirts with her kids' friends.

One of my favorite Molly lines concerned Pat Buchanan's speech at the Republican Convention. (Dear Lord, was there a time when he was a actually a candidate for president?) She said his remarks "probably sounded better in the original German." Damn, she was funny and smart and incisive and original and, ultimately, very compassionate toward those who were not fortunate (emphais on fortune) enough to be born rich Republicans. I miss her like crazy. Compared to her, Maureen Doud is autistic. Someone else I miss is Kurt Vonnegut. He was quite ill when most of this craziness began and died before things got even weirder. I'm sure he'd have some wonderfully sardonic comments to make ragarding the huge bags of gas who claim to represent American values. Thank Buddah for Jon Stewart, David Letterman and Keith Olberman.