"If one were to choose a single word to characterize that [American] identity, it would have to be more. For the majority of contemporary Americans, the essence of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness centers on a relentless personal quest to acquire, to consume, to indulge, and to shed whatever constraints might interfere with these endeavors." Those "intent on curbing the American penchant for consumption and self-indulgence are fighting a rearguard action. … The point is neither to deplore nor to celebrate this fact, but simply to acknowledge it."
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"Beginning with the election of John F. Kennedy in 1960, the occupant of the White House has become a combination of demigod, father figure, and, inevitably, the betrayer of inflated hopes. Pope, pop star, scold, scapegoat, crisis manager, commander in chief, agenda setter, moral philosopher, interpreter of the nation's charisma, object of veneration, and the butt of jokes – regardless of personal attributes and qualifications, the president is perforce all these rolled into one."
Message 25443705 |
