It seems to me that America is tired. Exhausted. We seem to be overwhelmed. Running in place. Drowning.
I contend that the soul of America was changed by 9/11, that Americans went from being an extroverted, optimistic, can-do people to an introverted, paranoid, do-I-have-to? people. The old soul of America was the pursuit of happiness. America's post-9/11 soul seems to me more like China's: survival. In both China and America, survival as the soul is absurd. Neither country's survival is in danger. But for both peoples "the animating principle" seems to me survival.
Maybe Americans are tired of the pursuit of happiness.
Image: Going Under, Nancy Merkle.
