These are the truisms, what Jacques Ellul calls the Commonplaces of the modern political world.

FORBES: What Debate? Obama v. Romney Was Incumbent Alpha v. Challenge Alpha

Awkwardly for those who like to accentuate the positive, some of the commonplaces of interfaith discussions are implicitly challenged by the vote.

ECONOMIST: Islam and Switzerland

Today's expensive luxuries and rarities become tomorrow's affordable, widespread commonplaces.

FORBES: Who Woulda Thunk

As well as repeating certain familiar commonplaces and negotiating certain familiar taboos, participants in inter-faith gatherings do sometimes run into real questions, that make a difference to the world at large.

ECONOMIST: Islam and the West