Language and the Politics of the Swarm

Last week, I learned the term “murmuration.” It refers to the simultaneous movement of a large group of birds, typically starlings, who fly and change direction together. I’m clearly no ornithologist, but I’ve been thinking about this phenomenon lately, and I mentioned it to a friend, who helpfully provided the terminology. I had told her that our politicians and media—and, I’ll add now, enthusiastic Democrats—have been behaving as a swarm, like a flock of birds all turning at the same time. Miraculously, I am still able remember those ancient days from an entire month ago, when, for example, Kamala Harris was considered, among progressives, an untenable presidential candidate to replace Biden—whom these same people supported with near-unanimity until, in the matter of one night, they suddenly reached near-unanimity that Joe had to go.