As a country we often go through periods of prosperity accompanied by numerous complaints. Tocqueville captured it well when he said that Americans believe in the infinite perfectability of man or even more to the point he said,

�Among democratic peoples men easily obtain a certain equality, but they will never get the sort of equality they long for. That is the equality which ever retreats from them without getting quite out of sight and as it retreats beckons them on to pursue. Every instant they think they will catch it and each time it slips through their fingers. They see it close enough to know its charms but they do not get near enough to enjoy it and they will be dead before they fully relish its delights….That is the reason for the strong melancholy often haunting inhabitants of democracies in the midst of abundance and of that disgust with life sometimes gripping them in calm and easy circumstances. Men hold onto equality not because it is precious to them but because they think it will last forever.�

In addition to Samuelson’s take, I think many believed that the Iraq war would be “easier” than it is and that we would have it all wrapped up by now. I think that it casts a large shadow over current times. Of course it is hard and grueling, but too many contemporary Americans believe that hard things are signs of defects. One of the major parties is already talking “defeat”. It suggests a greater vulnerability than people care to admit.

We are supposed to be “perfect”, perhaps god-like. We should be strong enough to effortlessly subdue a vicious enemy but not hurt anybody. We’re supposed to make peace between Sunni and Shia in the desert but not work up a sweat. We give ourselves tall orders like fighting but wanting everybody to like us at the same time. I think this is a continuation of something I wrote about in Tantalizing Times (pardon the shameless self promotion).