Entrance to the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels (flickr)
I live about a 10 minutes' walk from the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels, a group of 6 institutions housed in an elegant building located on the stately Rue de la Régence. From September 11th, 2015 through January 2016, this Museum hosted an exhibition entitled "2050: A Brief History of the Future."
The exhibit's title and subject matter come from a book of the same name written in 2006 by French economist Jacques Attali. As you might guess, the book is an anticipatory glimpse into the future of mankind, full of complex economic and geopolitical hypotheses. Specifically, it foresees a progressive build-up of the current governing economic system of "Hyper-Capitalism," whose intrinsic tensions and imbalances lead to a frightful era of "Hyper-Conflict" that - if mankind don't completely obliterate itself - will then result in the establishment of a worldwide "Hyper-Democracy." This domino effect that Attali foresees is kicked off by the occurrence of a first, more fundamental event: "The End of the American Empire."
(link)
Now, as a U.S. native living in Europe for the past 2 years, I've learned that 'Merica! does not exactly roll off the tongue over here the same way it does in Dallas or Denver or DC. Just as any American living abroad will tell you, one must come to grips with a certain perspective of the United States from the outside that looks quite different from what is seen on the inside. To be sure, this "outsider" perspective has its limitations too, as I often find it difficult to explain to people the motives behind the American approach. However, I have found that the outsider perspective oftentimes gives a more honest assessment of the results of the America's decisions - especially regarding foreign policy, whose effects can be felt closer to home on this side of the world. That's why I'm thankful for this perspective, which has given me a strong dose of humility, something that many Americans could benefit from. Still, I found myself somewhat surprised by Jacques Attali's prediction when I finally wandered through the 2050 exhibit back in November: THE END OF AMERICA? REALLY?
You see, despite all of the criticisms that one is liable to hear about America when abroad (unrestricted gun access, the death penalty, a law enforcement problem, a racism problem, an over-consumption problem), people still acknowledge the important role that the United States must play on the world stage. America must continue "to lead and lead vigorously," not just as a military superpower, but as a torchbearer of innovation, democracy, and freedom around the world. For decades, this idea has given many people hope, but I'm afraid that hope is waning fast - especially in light of the news coming out of the US in recent months.
Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump (link)
Perhaps it should be no surprise that the U.S. Presidential Election has now been hijacked by a big-talk salesman who mainstream Republicans are now lining up to call a con artist and a false prophet. After all, America is no stranger to being ripped off by a good salesman. Does anyone remember Enron? Or Bernie Madoff? Or the housing bubble collapse in 2008?! America has a robust recent history of getting talked in to horrible ideas by people who are quick-of-tongue and light-of-brain. And in that sense, I think Jacques Attali is very much on to something.
It is no mistake that he predicts an era of "Hyper-Capitalism" to be closely tied to the "End of the American Empire." Now, whatever your views are on Capitalism, let's acknowledge that Capitalism has at least brought some net good to the world. But let us never confuse Capitalism for Salesmanship. Capitalism at least provides a market where one can receive a good, exactly as it was promised. Salesmanship is about making a deal, no matter what is promised, and then seeing what happens after the handshake.
America's problem is not only that we have fallen for bad salesmen, but we have in turn become bad salespeople. Rather than leading in the world, we have tried to sell the world a product. And guess what? They ain't buying it. Worse still, the packaging of our product continues to deteriorate. Since when did "Making America Great Again" mean building massive walls to keep out people desperate for a better life? Since when did defending freedom mean torture and the violation of human rights?
President John F. Kennedy addressing the American public (1962) link
If we looked to the past, we would be reminded of what has made America great: the pioneering spirit of its people. We have always seen something brighter that is worth pursuing. We have refused to accept the status quo - whether it came in the form of repressive taxes, a collapsed economic system, or unjust civil rights laws. We have gotten it wrong many times, and we must face those mistakes, but we have to keep trying.
That is why I have included the video below. I created it from an excerpt of John F. Kennedy's acceptance speech for the Democratic Presidential Nomination on July 15, 1960. It is one of my favorite speeches of all time, and I believe it perfectly sums up the American spirit. I have set it to the music of the Christopher Nolan's film "Insterstellar", whose soundtrack was written by the renowned Hans Zimmer. I would ask you to sit back, listen closely, and let Kennedy's words remind you of what made America great, and the work that is still to be done: