January 5, 2009

• Most Important Changes in 2009?

  Socrates Cafe has asked the question:
  What will be the most important change be during this coming year:
  1.In the World?
  2.In the United States?
  3.In your personal life?
  I will comment on the first two; the third will naturally follow what happens in the World and US during the next year.

  I think there will be a more positive World opinion regarding the U.S. - It would, after all, be difficult go much lower in world esteem. The World seems to have a certain concept of what the U.S. is and how it should act. Our actions during the past century were for the most part pretty positive; we generally abandoned colonialism, made a sincere effort to achieve "good neighbor" status with our western hemisphere neighbors, and after a slow start, became a world leader in espousing national self-rule and democracy. Because of our open society and self-developed wealth, the U.S. became one of the most desirable places to immigrate to.

  Unfortunately, U.S. actions during the past decade have almost destroyed the favorable image and friendships we had so carefully built up, but this favorable image will be fairly easy to reestablish - simply stop doing all those things which so infuriate our friends and stop labeling all those who are not 100% with us as enemies.

  A major change in internal attitudes will be necessary for these things to happen, and I see clear indications that our attitude is changing - especially one from paranoid fear (Which is unnatural for Americans and is probably politically induced by the paranoid attitudes of some of our resident politicians) to a more realistic view of the world and our place in it.
  Twenty years ago, did you think you would be required to remove your shoes before boarding a plane? Is that common practice throughout the world?

  I see a new more hopeful America emerging - and leading the world once again - by example, not force.

  • 2:11 pm
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