Decius wrote:
] The United States is good at two things. Being rich, and being
] rebellious.
]
] The first is the product of two geographic accidents and one
] extremely intelligent decision.
]
] We were close enough to Europe to provide an exciting,
] temperate, and vast destination for the bored and downtrodden
] of the 19th century, and yet far enough away to keep us from
] taking much more then a few bruises when the place collapsed
] on itself in the 20th.
]
] The extremely intelligent decision was to keep the church out
] of government affairs. Thomas Jefferson accurately predicted
] that our southern, "priest ridden," neighbors would succumb to
] corrupt ineptitude for centuries.
]
] We peaked about 1955. The space program, adjusted for
] inflation, made our present fiscally unilateral adventures in
] the middle east look like a minor expense.
]
] We're still quite accustomed to being the richest people on
] the planet and few seem to be aware that we're in decline. If
] our military expenditures don't suck us dry the coming
] implosion of Social Security and Medicare certainly will.
]
] In 40 years we're not going to be the richest anymore.
]
] Neither cost should be underestimated. The domestic concern is
] now quite well documented. On the other hand, Islamic
] fundamentalism is an ancient, intractable hate that flourishes
] because it gives meaning to lives that have none.
]
] Can we really replace that meaning with economic purpose? We
] can't even create economic purpose here at home.
]
] The other thing, besides being rich, that Americans are good
] at is rebellion. Our culture is the space that exists between
] the dress codes of protestant piety and the cloud of pot smoke
] emanating from the local motorcycle bar. You are taught how to
] be, and they you are taught not to be it.
]
] Our heros aren't the ones who worked together to solve the
] problem. They're the ones who stepped outside and succeeded.
] We don't care about the team. Only the star quarterback
] matters to us.
]
] Americans are good at going off in a garage somewhere and
] doing something innovative on one's own. Rebellion is at the
] heart of that. Thats why the hacker scene was so edgy.
]
] Thats the one hope we have that we can really build a future
] on once our geographic blessings are spent and everyone else
] gets an education.
]
] And we're killing it. Between the outsourcing, and the attack
] on options, and the skittish contraction of meaningful
] technology investment, we're eliminating the dream that you
] can go out and work on the edges and be successful.
]
] Sure, Steven Levy found people doing innovative things in
] Silicon Valley after the crash. There are those among us who
] don't care about taking risks because they could loose almost
] all of their net worth without having to change their
] lifestyles. They are bored and have nothing better to do then
] tinker. Are we really hanging the future of our economy on a
] few guys who are rich enough to create their own space
] programs for fun?
]
] One in one hundred are successful and the more we scale this
] back the more good opportunities will slip through our
] fingers.
]
] Today technology innovation consists of screwing up the DNS
] system. And its not just there. We've even forgotten how to
] make good music. Our endless co-option of the rebels has been
] too efficient. The rebels don't have anything more to say.
]
] Taxes and Terrorism. Thats all I can see for years to come.
] And I'm sick of it already. We heading into a Japanese style
] socio-economic malaise.

Good stuff... ummm, thanks Tom I wasn't bummed enough already this evening. ;)

RE: Malaise