Our California always is a preamble to America’s future. Our present is likely your tomorrow.
What was bequeathed to us from a state of 15 million—magnificent aqueducts, once brilliantly designed freeways and airports, superb universities and schools, perfectly engineered reservoirs, and downtowns of majestic skyscrapers—in a California of 41 million are frozen in amber or in decay. They have few updates and even fewer replacements. The decrepitude recalls the weedy forums and choked fountains of Vandal-era Roman cities, which is what happens when a later parasitic generation mocks but still consumes what it inherits but cannot create.
Our great universities, once the most esteemed in the world from Berkeley and Stanford to UCLA and USC, grow burdened with commissars, too many of their outnumbered faculties are weaponized, and their students have never been more confident in their abilities, and with so little reason for that confidence.
A return to syllabi and grading standards of just 30 years ago would result in mass flunkings. Failure on tests apparently means the test, not the test taker, is found wanting.
Another great read from Prof. Hanson.
FR Index of his articles: Victor Davis Hanson on FR
Town Hall: Victor Davis Hanson on Town Hall
American Greatness: Victor Davis Hanson on American Greatness
His website: Victor Davis Hanson
Please let me know if you want on or off this new VDH ping list.
As a reminder, Professor Hanson has asked that we do not post the full article of his writings. Thank you for following the link to finish his article.
Victor’s an interesting case. Clearly very smart and his historical context is reliably fun.
But he’s been a senior colleague with Henry Kissinger out there at the Hoover for decades and reliably avoids the full catastrophe in progress. Biden’s admin has probably had 5 million illegals entering every 6 months.
It’s not just a cast flabby country and growing caste system we have, but a depopulation agenda and a full on CCP social credit lockdown and control system, complete with a programmable CBDC with a surveillance and weapon state built right out there in Silicon Valley.
Nothing needs to be added but my emotional connection to his brilliant “Voice”. Thank you VDH.
On your PING list please. Thank you for collating this.