Kurt Andersen's assessment of America's current state of crisis and how it has gotten here is very good. He does a wonderful timeline of America's growing cynicism and excess from the end of WWII to Reagan to now, when it all ends. However, I think he is too optimistic. I don't think Americans are as good, moral, or as full of potential for living in more humane ways as he makes them out to be. I hope they do. But perhaps he has more trust in this country than I do. My favorite part of this essay, however, is when he says
"But at least as much of the new America of the 2010s and beyond will be the result of transformed sensibility, changes in our understanding of what's important and sensible and attractive, and what feels hollow or silly or nuts."
Yes, my hope is there.
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