The article Can America Keep Up? in US News & World Report was illuminating. The best quotes on America's industrial drive happen at the beginning of the article:
"Every one of the early warning signals is trending downward. We're all fat, dumb, and happy, which is one reason why this is so insidious."
"We had more sports-exercise majors graduate than electrical-engineering grads last year. If you want to be the massage capital of the world, you're well on your way."
The article has a gloomy disposition, and it mainly has to do with the information industry in which the US does lag behind some countries, but it does get good points across.
Americans are passively engaged a good portion of the time. Instead of seeking truths and opportunities, we become dormant recepticles intellectually and industriously, expecting everything which is good and right to just occur.
And we are secure. Our police/justice system is fair in general. Everyone is respectful of each other's rights and liberties in general. We don't fear death, we wait for it.
Maybe that's what drives me more now than ever, since I've seen how life can be without security. I've been a half-second from death. I've been in a command-structured society.
The article is right when it talks about how our lifestyle was built from the past, and now we are enjoying the benefits. And our comfortable state could vaporize. And such a change will creep up on us instead of happening instantaneously.
So go read that non-fiction novel. Go develop that skill. Skip that vacation. Use that money to learn something useful, to contribute to something outstanding. And always motivate those close to you.

posted by Brett @ Saturday, March 25, 2006