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Op-Ed Columnist - What’s Our Sputnik?
- billswift 17y agoBest lines: They got rich digging inside themselves, unlocking their entrepreneurs, not digging for oil. They took responsibility. They got rich by asking: "How do I improve myself?" Not by declaring: "It’s all somebody else’s fault. Give me a handout." When I look at America from here, I worry. China is now our main economic partner and competitor. Sure, China has big problems. Nevertheless, I hope Americans see China’s rise as the 21st-century equivalent of Russia launching the Sputnik satellite - a challenge to which we responded with a huge national effort that revived our education, infrastructure and science and propelled us for 50 years. Well, what is our national project going to be? Racing China, chasing Al Qaeda or parsing Harry? Of course, to a degree, we need to both race China and confront Al Qaeda - but which will define us?
- billswift 17y agoI am afraid it may be too late. Once people get used to whining, excuse making, and mental laziness it can be nearly impossible to start acting responsibly again. See my response to Bruce Schneier's latest column http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1058448 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1058448 also see http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1056904 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1056904