On 8/27/2008 12:10:37 AM, Warren Ockrassa ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: > On Aug 26, 2008, at 9:49 PM, Rceeberger wrote: > > > You have a weird perspective. It > isn't that America is moving down, > > it is > > that so many are moving up into our realm. > > Beg to differ. In the last three or so decades we've > seen a rise in > disparagement of education,* particularly in the sciences, a loss of > critical thinking ability in the general population, and a trend > toward becoming a service-based economy. This doesn't strike me as > evidence that the US is holding its own; the sense to me is one of an > empire in decline. > > * When intellectuals are called "elitists", for instance, I disbelieve > that things bode well. > While I would agree that intellectualism is and has been the subject of much trash talking, our standard of living has risen during my lifetime modestly while it has risen dramatically in much of the developing world (Frex China). It seems to me that a narrow focus on ones hobby horses and axes is not conducive to a critical appraisal. Life here has not begun to suck while no longer sucking in other parts of the world.
xponent Your Apple Is Not My Orange Maru rob _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
