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Website Wednesday
An interview today which comes from the website Alter.net (definitely worth a bookmark and regular checking.) AlterNet is a liberal/progressive news website which discusses current issues of importance, some of which never make the MSS.
http://www.alternet.org/world/154453/why_the_american_empire_was_destined_to_collapse/
You can read this url and see exactly what you will be reading: The American Empire was destined to collapse. Pretty straightforward. But the author being interviewed, Morris Berman (who also discusses his book, Why America Failed) takes us back to 1584 to find the seeds of our downfall.
Let me use the hackneyed phrase "this is must reading" to say Americans and all the rest of the world should read this article. Most Americans won't get it and Berman explains why as you read along but I think the rest of the world might. For they have seen us as the "bully on the block" for centuries. (Can you think of more chutzpah than the Monroe Doctrine?)
I've always felt that no one people is different than another but different groups of people value different standards. For example, if you find a group of people with a lot of scholars, you'll find education was an important value and that value received the encouragement to continue. (And perhaps, in more primitive times, better food and comforts because what they did was valued.)
I witnessed an anecdotal incident the other night as the boy had basketball try-outs for 3rd to 5th graders. I watched small third graders aggressively chase the ball and then make extremely good baskets. Does that mean 8 year old kids naturally understand and master the game? No, that means somewhere within their families and society sport's aggression and skills are valued. (Side note: At 10, the boy was the tallest one there [he's taller than I and I'm not short] but he doesn't have an aggressive bone in his body. Why? Because you don't teach or value aggression in big boys unless you are looking for trouble.)
Berman addresses the qualities valued by the American society (don't miss the story re: the Indian scouts coming across the Donner party) and traces our long march from the phase of exploration to today's phase of decline.
It's very worth a read, and a discussion.
http://www.alternet.org/world/154453/why_the_american_empire_was_destined_to_collapse/
You can read this url and see exactly what you will be reading: The American Empire was destined to collapse. Pretty straightforward. But the author being interviewed, Morris Berman (who also discusses his book, Why America Failed) takes us back to 1584 to find the seeds of our downfall.
Let me use the hackneyed phrase "this is must reading" to say Americans and all the rest of the world should read this article. Most Americans won't get it and Berman explains why as you read along but I think the rest of the world might. For they have seen us as the "bully on the block" for centuries. (Can you think of more chutzpah than the Monroe Doctrine?)
I've always felt that no one people is different than another but different groups of people value different standards. For example, if you find a group of people with a lot of scholars, you'll find education was an important value and that value received the encouragement to continue. (And perhaps, in more primitive times, better food and comforts because what they did was valued.)
I witnessed an anecdotal incident the other night as the boy had basketball try-outs for 3rd to 5th graders. I watched small third graders aggressively chase the ball and then make extremely good baskets. Does that mean 8 year old kids naturally understand and master the game? No, that means somewhere within their families and society sport's aggression and skills are valued. (Side note: At 10, the boy was the tallest one there [he's taller than I and I'm not short] but he doesn't have an aggressive bone in his body. Why? Because you don't teach or value aggression in big boys unless you are looking for trouble.)
Berman addresses the qualities valued by the American society (don't miss the story re: the Indian scouts coming across the Donner party) and traces our long march from the phase of exploration to today's phase of decline.
It's very worth a read, and a discussion.
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