An Interesting Perspective on the U.S.
Conrad Black, the wealthy and controversial newspaper mogul recently released from jail, is a fine writer who summarizes his thoughts on the present state of the U.S. in a National Review Online column titled "Decline, but Not Inevitable Decline" - "The U.S. is in deep but not irreversible trouble."
His optimism for our country - based on what I feel is an accurate analysis of the true meaning of what we have done to ourselves over the last 60+ years - is one that effects positively my view of where we are.
I recommend reading the article for another perspective, whether you agree or not. The first two paragraphs are worth sharing below, just in case you don't use the above link:
"For decades, I have been a militant anti-declinist in terms of America’s place in the world. The United States is a proud, determined, hard-working, talented, patriotic nation and people, and it is not over-extended in the manner of empires of the past that took over the lands of others and eventually collapsed under the weight of the over-ambitious hegemon. Thus came the twilight of all previous empires, from the Persian to the Russian, including several versions of the Chinese, and even the astounding nautical and commercial empire of Holland, built on the acumen and enterprise in the 17th century of scarcely a million avaricious and seafaring Dutch.
But the United States merely uprooted the native Americans (to make way for imported slaves, initially) and then swamped, thinned, or drove them into Canada before the riptide of settlers moving west. It had no interest in hanging on to Cuba, unfortunately for the Cubans, or the Philippines; President Cleveland was opposed even to accepting Hawaii as a territory; and the acquisition of Alaska by Pres. Andrew Johnson was seen as a “folly” for decades. There is no immutable or irresistible force of history ringing down the curtain on America. Yet the country is in decline. It is not logical and is certainly not irreversible, but that is not entirely relevant, because it is happening anyway."
His optimism for our country - based on what I feel is an accurate analysis of the true meaning of what we have done to ourselves over the last 60+ years - is one that effects positively my view of where we are.
I recommend reading the article for another perspective, whether you agree or not. The first two paragraphs are worth sharing below, just in case you don't use the above link:
"For decades, I have been a militant anti-declinist in terms of America’s place in the world. The United States is a proud, determined, hard-working, talented, patriotic nation and people, and it is not over-extended in the manner of empires of the past that took over the lands of others and eventually collapsed under the weight of the over-ambitious hegemon. Thus came the twilight of all previous empires, from the Persian to the Russian, including several versions of the Chinese, and even the astounding nautical and commercial empire of Holland, built on the acumen and enterprise in the 17th century of scarcely a million avaricious and seafaring Dutch.
But the United States merely uprooted the native Americans (to make way for imported slaves, initially) and then swamped, thinned, or drove them into Canada before the riptide of settlers moving west. It had no interest in hanging on to Cuba, unfortunately for the Cubans, or the Philippines; President Cleveland was opposed even to accepting Hawaii as a territory; and the acquisition of Alaska by Pres. Andrew Johnson was seen as a “folly” for decades. There is no immutable or irresistible force of history ringing down the curtain on America. Yet the country is in decline. It is not logical and is certainly not irreversible, but that is not entirely relevant, because it is happening anyway."
Labels: Society
posted by Jim | 10:18 AM
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