Are you one of those individuals like myself who read the news, look around, and wonder where we're headed as a country or a people? There's so much to be concerned about: the environment, social ills, political strife, budgetary woes--the whole collective fabric seems to be crumbling, often leaving me with a vague sense of unease concerning our future.
How long can America remain ascendant? Where will we stand 10 years from now, or even next year?.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/01/opinion/01diamond.html
Even in my best moments there's still a nattering feeling at the edge of my mind that fills me with existential dread. Reading the following op-ed article this morning in the New York Times snapped this often fuzzy picture into a clear reality... either we straighten up or we're going to sink the "unsinkable," the S.S. American Republic.
Does this sound familiar:
...the kings were preoccupied with their own power struggles. They had to concentrate on fighting one another and keeping up their images through ostentatious displays of wealth. By insulating themselves in the short run from the problems of society, the elite merely bought themselves the privilege of being among the last to starve.
Or this:
History also teaches us two deeper lessons about what separates successful societies from those heading toward failure. A society contains a built-in blueprint for failure if the elite insulates itself from the consequences of its actions.
All the more reason to get rid of the demagogue at the top--it's the only way for us to survive.