[oldalum]

Well one thing Senegal (and other "s**t-hole" countries) may have going for them is that they take personal responsibility and community seriously. Too bad they can't be all about the american exceptionalism of getting yours while letting others suffer.

I have at least a flicker of optimism that we as a country are capable of learning from experience. Except for the military and some other scattered denizens, we're soft mainly because we've had it easy. I would not be surprised if we came out of this pandemic with some greater sense of communitarianism, especially if the first year of what I expect to be a Biden presidency is not torn with even greater partisan controversy. He's obviously not going to please everyone, but I hope his promises of healing the country are realized to even a slight extent. I think he's going to win over some majority of the country if he manifestly tries to govern in a non-divisive fashion. But maybe I'm even more of a fool in my old age.

[oldalum]

Well one thing Senegal (and other "s**t-hole" countries) may have going for them is that they take personal responsibility and community seriously. Too bad they can't be all about the american exceptionalism of getting yours while letting others suffer.

I have at least a flicker of optimism that we as a country are capable of learning from experience. Except for the military and some other scattered denizens, we're soft mainly because we've had it easy. I would not be surprised if we came out of this pandemic with some greater sense of communitarianism, especially if the first year of what I expect to be a Biden presidency is not torn with even greater partisan controversy. He's obviously not going to please everyone, but I hope his promises of healing the country are realized to even a slight extent. I think he's going to win over some majority of the country if he manifestly tries to govern in a non-divisive fashion. But maybe I'm even more of a fool in my old age.