All Power Wanes... Including America's...

 

“As long as the language of national superiority is the common language of politicians and public figures, there is a hidden payload in that language, and that payload is white supremacy. Learning to talk about America as a good society, as a society with a shared purpose, outside of raw global supremacy, is a really important symbolic first step.”

“This moment, our becoming a number-two economic power in the 2020s, brings American students into the conversation about American history in a more global frame: We’re no longer looking through American eyes at the rest of the world but at America through the eyes of the rest of the world.“

Following is a brief excerpt from an article entitled The Future of Decline in America, written by Jed Esty. An informative article well worth the read

America, after being the world's most influential and powerful force in the world for the past 100 years, is entering its period of decline. I personally believe its been in decline since 1970 and the Richard Nixon years. As has been the case with every great power throughout history the decline will continue, and, sooner rather than later we will lose our super power nameplate. Something we should actually be more than happy to shed. For this will give us a chance to reorder our priorities. If we're smart we'll work to become a better, more compassionate, more inclusive, more equitable, fairer, freer,  and spiritually a more honest nation. Or at least we can and should work to realize those ends.

“Simply put, from 1820 to 1920 Britain was the dominant power in the world. From 1920 to 2020 America was the dominant power in the world. Now we have to look from 2020 to the next 100 years, and it is going to be a different story,” he says. “How did Britain handle its phase of contraction on the world stage, and what are the lessons for America from that?”

Discourse about the decline of the United States, he says, is contradictory, pronouncing either “‘We’re always going to be at the top,’ or We’ve fallen from our pedestal.’ Neither is true.”

It is inevitable that the U.S. economy will be eclipsed by China and other nations, he says. “But, most importantly, it’s not a cliff dive for American security, American prosperity, American life, if we become the number-two or number-three-sized economy in the world. The process will continue to be slow, and, in fact, it might be very good,” he says. “The U.S. can move forward while its power wanes.”

American identity as based on pure power—the greatness, the biggest, and the best forever—needs to be phased out, he says.

“We should try to move past superpower nostalgia as quickly as we can, and instead think of American identity in terms of older and more powerful stories – the ideal of creating a more equal, more just, more inclusive, and more sustainable society,” says Esty. “I think the number one new story is emphasizing the need for American goodness rather than American greatness.” (emphasis mine)

Complete article BELOW the FOLD