Decline Is in the Mind

Pajamas Media ^ | 17 Feb 2011 | Victor Davis Hansen

[Rummyfan]

It’s over? Really?

In the last two years, we have a heard a constant litany of “decline,” as in America is over as it once was. Fifth-century AD Rome is often evoked, as are the contemporary economic miracles in China and India to “prove” inevitable American waning. A few of the more imaginative declinists see us as Justinian’s Byzantium, a crumbling power vainly trying to hold on to a world long lost, with a Detroit no different from a half-populated failing Byzantine city in the Levant. This time around — remember our past serial crushing by the supposedly superior Soviet system of the 1950s, the Japanese, Inc. ascendancy of the 1970s, the EU soft power dominance of the 1980s, and the present Chinese supermen of the 21st century — we really, really, really are through, as if semi-literate suburban lounging American teens, with baggy pants, ears plugged with hip-hop, and sleeve tattoos will soon be slaving away to satisfy their new growling Tiger Mom People’s Republic bosses.

The gloomy prognoses come from both the anguished conservative who sees the culprit as the erosion of American individualism and self-reliance, and the new Obama coalition that thinks a sense of exceptionalism abroad is synonymous with arrogance and imperialism, and at home was symptomatic of an inherent unfairness, a downright mean country that, thank god, had to change. The one gags at the foul whiff of decline, the other sees it as an aroma of welcome reset. Both confess it is here, both unwelcomed and welcomed.

[stuartcr]

It’s not over, just changed...which to some, is the same.

[tet68]

Nixon pretty much summed it up when he said,
“ A recession is any time people lose confidence in the future and think there are no answers.”

[Brad from Tennessee]

I remember too many “declines” in sixty years. Some were actual national declines—a perfect storm of economic retraction, brushfire battle fatigue, the last generation's last sigh, strategic confusion, paranoia of newly emerged adversaries, “Going out of business” signs. But a month later that sign would still be in the front window and someone would tell me the shopkeeper was always “Going out of business”—a marketing technique.And I would start to notice a new, younger crew of people running things with self assurance. The economy would lurch out of its nap and our adversaries would see a sleeping giant wake up and eye the horizon hungrily. But most declines were just rumors or the personal neuroses of journalists who projected their weak delusions back on a world that they could never quite taste or feel or admire for the art form it is.

[screaminsunshine]

We are going down the tubes and the house of cards is falling. It can and is happening here.

[Twinkie]

When one sees the rot and decay in cities like Detroit that have been Democrat controlled forever, that’s not just in one’s mind. It’s REAL. When one loses the common sense to distinguish between REAL and FANTASY, they’re in bad shape.

[org.whodat]

The country and the economy would be in fine shape if we removed a few million illegals and stopped supporting their sorry asses. The unemployed would have jobs and the free market would set the wage level. Now if we could just ship wall street and the chamber of commerce out with the illegals.

[RoadTest]

This country will not come back until it invites Jesus Christ back.

[Check6]

yeah .... and Rummy did us a big favor by putting us into two VIETNAMS.