Of Thee I Sigh.

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  • Author(s): O'Rourke, P. J.
  • Source:
    World Affairs. Jul/Aug2012, Vol. 175 Issue 2, p7-14. 8p.
  • Additional Information
    • Subject Terms:
      AMERICAN national character; TECHNOLOGICAL innovations; SCIENTIFIC development; BABY boom generation; INVENTIONS; HISTORY
    • Subject Terms:
      UNITED States
    • Abstract:
      The author presents a rant-style discussion of what he views as the U.S.'s fall from greatness as of 2012. He offers a list of ways in which the U.S. is no longer number one in the world, saying that it no longer claims the tallest building, the fastest car, the biggest or fastest passenger airplane, or the longest bridge. He also cites the shrinking of the U.S. space exploration program and failure to build a high-energy particle collider. He blames the baby boom for robbing the U.S. of its spirit of bold invention and triumphalism, arguing that the baby-boom generation is self-involved and focused on hedonistic aims. He acknowledges that this generation did achieve the technological innovations associated with computers.