Sleeping on Top of the Mountain
The complacency of a lone superpower has saturated our society. A generation has grown without the challenge of Sputnik and the conception of an untouchable nation has developed. A similar situation arose in China after millenia of isolated power. They awoke realizing they quite possibly were not on top and it has been a hard road back. America is suffering a similar fate. What American child does not grow up believing the US is the greatest of nations? Yet, by what standards can we make such a statement? America’s youth may be sliding down the hill as they slumber, to open their eyes to a world that has escaped the palm of their hand. We need to take a sober look at the education of our children.
On waking, he found himself on the green knoll whence he had first seen the old man of the glen. He rubbed his eyes–it was a bright, sunny morning. The birds were hopping and twittering among the bushes, and the eagle was wheeling aloft and breasting the pure mountain breeze. “Surely,” thought Rip, “I have not slept here all night.” — Washington Irving Rip Van Winkle
May 18th, 2006 at 11.46
No matter where you fall on various political hotbuttons, pride is one of those things we need work against for sure. There are more than enough examples of nations who suffered because of it.
May 21st, 2006 at 12.25
This has nothing to do with your post but I noticed your avatar, is that you rock climbing? Are you a climber?
I’ve been climbing a little over a year now, heading down to Warsaw, MO as often as possible. I hear there are some decent climbs in Columbia is that true?