David Brooks, the New York Times' token conservative (and a brilliant writer and speaker) had occasion recently to visit China's Sichaun Province, where just months ago, a devastating earthquake killed 70,000 people. Expecting to find trauma, grief, tears and kvetching, he found tough, optimistic people, thankful for the help they've gotten and generally positive about the future.
Where were the grief counselors? Where were the Chinese versions of the great American grief merchants? Where were the government provided debit cards? Brooks found none of this, and wonders aloud at the end of his article whether we aren't a nation of whiners. Uh, yes, we are.
I mean, can you imagine the miasma of grief that would accompany the deaths of 70,000 Americans? Hell, we lost less than 2000 in Katrina nearly three years ago, but we still listen to the victim industry complaining about how forgotten New Orleans has been (don't get me started on this one).
Friday, August 15, 2008
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4 comments:
I'm just glad that we are in a position to be that sympathetic to our losses. It is a luxury, and I for one am glad to have it.
But is it a luxury we can afford, or is it the luxury of a society that has peaked and is in decline. I ask this honestly, because your answer (or at least my interpretation of it) leads me to deduce a sort of "evolution" of society in your view...that we have evolved to a place where we can be sympathetic. Where does this evolution lead? Is the luxury you speak of ultimately additive or does it weaken the society?
Teenage rebellion and university level "women's studies" departments are also "luxuries" found in our society although I'm not sure that either of them strengthen us as a people.
Well said, Tom de Plume.
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