Jim, thanks for the nice reference to my new piece The Great Progression. There’s a lot of themes in my piece that are in sync with your preoccupations. Some might not totally align. Happy to discuss at any point.
Peter, thanks — and yes, I have read and thought about the whole thing! I think we are more in sync on most issues than differing. (One difference, as you're probably aware: I'm long on record as being dubious of explicitly generational approaches to politics and social development, so I've gone light on the "boomers do this, Millennials do that.." kind of discourse. I do understand that you're talking about these generational changes as part of much broader shifts in eras, in paradigms, and in possibilities — and I'll all on board for that broad approach.)
And we're in sync on the inevitably of, and value of, renewed immigration in the US, and most of your other themes. I will be in touch off-line to see if we could discuss, in some public form (a podcast, or whatever) the places where we agree — and then the gray-zone areas, notably including what is ahead of China. And what might be ahead for national-level politics in the US.
(Also as noted, these are all presentations or pieces that I find thought-provoking in understanding where the US and the world are right now, and what might be coming next. Tom Ruby's essay is built on very different assumptions from yours but is also worth reading in my view.)
Happy to keep flushing out these complex themes. I do not welcome a new Cold War with China, if that is what you are referencing, and I am hoping that won’t actually come about. But I am trying to think through the repercussions of that, positive and negative, in the coming decades, particularly on the cohesion of American society. (I don’t know if you know, but I did a stint as a correspondent in Asia, including time in China after Tianamen.) I do think the larger, broader point is that the coming era is going to be much different, and I think more positive, than the current conventional wisdom. And it will get clearer and clearer though out the 2020. More later.)
Jim, thanks for the nice reference to my new piece The Great Progression. There’s a lot of themes in my piece that are in sync with your preoccupations. Some might not totally align. Happy to discuss at any point.
Peter, thanks — and yes, I have read and thought about the whole thing! I think we are more in sync on most issues than differing. (One difference, as you're probably aware: I'm long on record as being dubious of explicitly generational approaches to politics and social development, so I've gone light on the "boomers do this, Millennials do that.." kind of discourse. I do understand that you're talking about these generational changes as part of much broader shifts in eras, in paradigms, and in possibilities — and I'll all on board for that broad approach.)
And we're in sync on the inevitably of, and value of, renewed immigration in the US, and most of your other themes. I will be in touch off-line to see if we could discuss, in some public form (a podcast, or whatever) the places where we agree — and then the gray-zone areas, notably including what is ahead of China. And what might be ahead for national-level politics in the US.
(Also as noted, these are all presentations or pieces that I find thought-provoking in understanding where the US and the world are right now, and what might be coming next. Tom Ruby's essay is built on very different assumptions from yours but is also worth reading in my view.)
Happy to keep flushing out these complex themes. I do not welcome a new Cold War with China, if that is what you are referencing, and I am hoping that won’t actually come about. But I am trying to think through the repercussions of that, positive and negative, in the coming decades, particularly on the cohesion of American society. (I don’t know if you know, but I did a stint as a correspondent in Asia, including time in China after Tianamen.) I do think the larger, broader point is that the coming era is going to be much different, and I think more positive, than the current conventional wisdom. And it will get clearer and clearer though out the 2020. More later.)
Thanks Peter. And again congratulations on a really valuable essay, whose timing (like that of the whole Big Think issue) may be exactly right.
You are modeling a vision of how to heal this land that doesn't involve mortal combat. I need to take heed. Thanks.
Thank you!
Great post, as usual. Here's hoping the pro-progress story is the right one.
And loved the mention of Ladybird. It is one of my favorite films. Another great one is Eighth Grade. The dinner scene at the end is unforgettable.
Thank you — and thanks for the tip on Eighth Grade, which I have not yet seen.
More fascinating stuff from a great journalist, in his element -- for our benefit
Thank you Bob!