Seth Ackerman wrote:
>
> Humans like a
> certain degree of predictability in their affairs.....
>
I would make this much stronger -- humans cannot survive without a fairly substantial degree of predictability in their lives. The appearance of order out of chaos runs through all of western literature from the Iliad to Pound's Cantos and beyond, and the necessary striving for order in everyone's life is the bedrock on which conservative, reactionary, and viable left movements are grounded.
Take away the works of literature which revolve around the agony of change and you will eliminate most of the world's literature.
Carrol
P.S. Imagine that the brakes in autos failed frequently and at altogether unpredictable times. Crossing the street at a green light would be a _real_ adventure, but would hardly be defensible as adding spice to life.