I have a foreboding of an America in my children’s or…
““I have a foreboding of an America in my children’s or grandchildren’s time—when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the key manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what’s true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker foresees a decline in democratic agency as economic and technological power concentrate, leading to public disengagement and superstition.
In simple terms: America may lose control over its future.
Key Takeaway
Guard democratic participation and critical thinking.
Themes
democracy
technology
economy
culture
media
Mood
concerned
hopeful
Type
prescriptive
analytical
When to use this quote
- education reform
- policy making
- media literacy
- community organizing
Key Concepts
power concentration
information overload
civic disengagement
Questions to Reflect On
- How can citizens reclaim agency in a service economy?
- What safeguards can prevent knowledge monopolies?
A Different Perspective
The prediction may be overly pessimistic and ignore potential reforms or innovations.