20/20 Hindsight

The term "20/20 Hindsight" of course refers to the phenomenon whereby someone or some group gains perfect understanding of an event after it has happened. The gaining of such knowledge through retrospection, rather than being aware of circumstances as they unfold in real time, is constantly causing second (and third) guessers to become often justifiably upset.

If only the obvious dots had been connected concerning the 9/11 hijackers, which in 20/20 hindsight were glaringly apparent! Or the many warning signs/red flags which were overlooked or ignored, allowing Bernie Madoff to continue his epic swindle. Or the California kidnapping and imprisonment of a young girl by a known sexual predator (which went on for 18 years until discovered). And on and on.

Now we are experiencing 20/20 hindsight conerning the alleged perpetrator of the horrific Fort Hood massacre -- one Maj. Nidal Hasan, an apparent failure as an Army psychiatrist counseling (!) soldiers with emotional issues. Not to mention his anti U.S. rantings (from an Army officer) and many other obvious clues he planted--but no one noticed enough to say or do anything. How typical. Now, when it's too late (13 dead, 31 injured) as usual a lot of people have belatedly awakened (see the Virginia Tech massacre, etc.) that a very disturbed person was roaming around freely. It's too scary to get involved beforehand, but oh the (safe) benefits of 20/20 hindsight.

TNB believes that today's wondrous technology should permit the development of 20/20 foresight (not to be used for investments, gambling and other selfish pursuits). Let him know where some can be obtained.