Balagan is the Hebrew term for "mess," and it can refer to anything from a disorganized desk to geopolitical problems. Israelis are quite familiar with this notion and utilize it frequently. When something goes wrong or someone is upset, they say that everything is a balagan. Israel was founded in 1948 by refugees who had just escaped communism-inspired chaos in Europe. Since then, Israel has functioned as a country where everyone is expected to be responsible for themselves; there are no handouts or lollipops. Those who cannot take care of themselves are left behind so that others can go on living their lives in peace. As far as I know, this concept was first used by Israeli writer Aharon Appelfeld in his novel I Love Lenin's Dream. Here's how he defines it: "A balagan is an event that upsets your plans or interferes with your activities - a fire in the forest, for example, or an earthquake - and which causes you worry because you haven't made arrangements for any of its possible consequences." Nowadays, the word is commonly used by Israelis of all political stripes. Whether you're a leftist, a rightist, or somewhere in between, if you ask anyone here what ails them, they will almost always answer "a balagan".