To the editor:
Re: "Stuck in the middle with you," April 24.
A long time ago in the study of evolutionary biology, the concept of convergent evolution was put forward to explain the odd way in which a restrictive environment forces various relatively unrelated species toward a common, almost idealized design. Hence dolphins, tuna and ichthyosaurs and penguins all are nicely streamlined.
The same is true in automobile design and even politics.
Mr. Claxton shouldn't be surprised by this phenomenon, however. Whether this political move to the centre by disparate parties of the Left or Right will "keep the middle class ticking along" remains to be seen.
I would argue that having as many people (and governments) sitting in the "mushy middle" might be just the ticket for survival when the next crash occurs. At the moment, I wonder if the middle class and political middle ground will exist by the end of this decade, so increasingly determined (and violent) are the tribes of Man, be they ideologically driven in politics, religion or economics.
Paul Baumann, Vancouver
