Even a Blind Squirrel Can Find a Nut Once In a While

This post is part of an emerging series of essays about the Battleground of the Splintered American Psyche that will be assembled in a complete volume of “A Field Guide to American Cultural Complexes” at the end of the project.

Copyright © 2025 Thomas Singer

Even a Blind Squirrel Can Find a Nut Once In a While

The Blind Gambler: A Squirrel Finds the Bomb
A caricature of accidental power and reckless fortune at the edge of global consequence.

This image satirizes the surreal dynamics of Trump’s geopolitical decision-making, especially in volatile arenas like the Iran conflict. It casts the President not as a strategist but as a blind squirrel—lucky, bold, and utterly unaware of the stakes. The acorn-bomb symbolizes both the seductive power of military might and the absurdity of stumbling into dangerous success. While humorous on the surface, the image probes a deeper question: what happens when power is wielded through impulse and accident rather than vision or accountability? The American psyche here is embodied in a figure of uncanny luck, charismatic denial, and mythic exceptionalism—raising concerns not just about the leader, but the national fantasies that continue to enable him.

Commentary: Placing Trump’s Bombing of Iranian Nuclear Facilities in Context

The fact is that none of us know what Trump’s bombing of nuclear facilities in Iran will mean for the Middle East and the rest of the world. Those “not knowing” include Trump, Vance, Rubio, and Hegseth whom I have heard collectively referred to as the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse or alternatively as The Three Stooges Plus One. It could turn out that the bombing will result in significant change for the better in the Middle East and lead to relative peace and prosperity in the region. It could also lead to a further hardening of rivalrous factions in the area and give birth to its next generation of strife and bloodshed. We simply don’t know what is going to happen. Anyone who has bought into the notion of the total obliteration of Iranian nuclear facilities and/or the imminent emergence of positive transformation in the region that is deserving of the Noble Prize for Donald Trump has surely drunk the MAGA Kool-Aid or fentanyl. And anybody who says that Trump’s armed American intervention will certainly lead to another round of fierce fighting in the region must also be viewed with skepticism. We simply don’t know. In that context there are many ways Trump’s actions can be understood and interpreted. I offer one that suggests Trump may have been very lucky to stumble into an opportune moment of which, for whatever reasons, he took great advantage. And we could interpret such good fortune for Trump as being attributable to his being a very lucky blind squirrel who came across the treasured nut quite by accident or that he is, in fact, a world class genius at “the art of the deal” who deserves the Nobel Prize. It is hard to think of Trump as someone who resolves conflict and makes peace by dropping bombs. He seems far more suited characterologically to spawning division and hatred or sowing chaos and destruction in both national and international arenas.

Iconography:

• The Blindfolded Squirrel (Center):
  Rendered with human-like posture and wearing a red tie and stylized hair resembling Trump, the squirrel gropes forward with a confident grin. The blindfold suggests ignorance or denial, yet its swagger implies unwarranted self-assurance.

• Acorn-Shaped Warhead (Foreground):
  A nuclear bomb painted like an acorn lies at the squirrel’s feet. It symbolizes both danger and reward—suggesting that what he has stumbled upon might be treated as a prize, despite its devastating consequences.

• Crumpled Maps and Cards (Scattered Ground):
  Torn Middle Eastern maps, poker chips, and discarded intelligence briefings hint at the recklessness of strategy-by-instinct. The chaos on the ground evokes haphazard decision-making, intuition over analysis.

• Watchful Creatures in the Shadows (Background):
  Other animals—representing allies, adversaries, or wary observers like Israel, Iran, and the global community—peek out from trees or shadows, unsure whether to intervene or recoil.

• Golden Light and Red Sky (Atmosphere):
  The glowing light from above feels almost divine—suggesting a mythic sense of favor or destiny. But it’s set against a blood-red horizon, implying volatility and potential for fallout.