The underlying philosophy of David Brooks' op-ed piece here
explains so much of American history, and also why, as Neil Diamond sang,
"They're Coming to America." As you read this, you can almost hear
the anthem growing louder. No wonder we're known around the world as naive
optimists. But without this can-do attitude, wouldn't we all still be living
in the caves? Thankfully, enough dreamers over the centuries had the
strength to "dream the impossible dream" (with apologies to Don Quixote).
here's
something about our venture into Iraq that is inspiringly, painfully,
embarrassingly and quintessentially American.
No other nation would have been hopeful enough to try to evangelize for
democracy across the Middle East. No other nation would have been naïve
enough to do it this badly. No other nation would be adaptable enough to
recover from its own innocence and muddle its way to success, as I suspect
we are about to do.
American history sometimes seems to be the same story repeated over
and over again. Some group of big-dreaming but foolhardy adventurers head
out to eradicate some evil and to realize some golden future. They get
halfway along their journey and find they are unprepared for the harsh
reality they suddenly face. It's too late to turn back, so they reinvent
their mission. They toss out illusions and adopt an almost desperate
pragmatism. They never do realize the utopia they initially dreamed
about, but they do build something better than what came before. (my
italics and underlining)
This basic pattern has marked our national style from the moment British
colonists landed on North American shores. Overly optimistic about the
conditions they would find, the colonists were woefully undercapitalized,
underequipped and underskilled. At Jamestown, there were three gentlemen and
gentlemen's servants for every skilled laborer. They didn't bother to plant
enough grain to see them through the winter.
But they learned and adapted. Settlement companies were compelled to send
more workers, along with axes, chisels, scythes, millstones and seeds.
Eventually the colonies thrived.
Centuries later, it was much the same. The guides who aided and fleeced
the pioneers who moved West were struck by how clueless many of them were
about the wilderness they were entering. Their diaries show that many
thought they could establish genteel New England-style villages in short
order. They leapt before they looked, faced the shock of reality, adapted
and cobbled together something unexpected.
And it is that way today. We are tricked by hope into starting companies,
beginning books, immigrating to this country and investing in telecom
networks. The challenges turn out to be tougher than we imagined. Our
excessive optimism is exposed. New skills are demanded. But nothing
important was ever begun in a prudential frame of mind.
Hope begets disappointment, and we are now in a moment of disappointment
when it comes to Iraq. During these shakeout moments, the naysayers get to
gloat while the rest of us despair, lacerate ourselves, second-guess those
in charge and look at things anew. But this very process of self-criticism
is the precondition for the second wind, the grubbier, less illusioned
effort that often enough leads to some acceptable outcome.
Today in Iraq local commanders seem to be allowed to try anything. We are
allowing former Baathists to man a Falluja Brigade to police their own city.
We are pounding Moktada al-Sadr while negotiating with him. There is talk of
moving up elections so when an Iraqi official is assassinated, he is not
seen as a person working with the U.S., but as a duly elected representative
of the Iraqi people.
Some of these policies seem incoherent, but they may work. And back home
a new mood has taken over part of the political class. The emerging
responsible faction has no time now for the witless applause lines the
jeering jackdaws on left and right repeat to themselves to their own
perpetual self-admiration and delight. Even in a political year, most
politicians do not want this country to fail.
There are, for example, members of Congress from both parties who feel
estranged from this administration. They feel it does not listen to their
ideas. But in this troubled hour, they are desperate to help. If but a call
were made, they would burst forth with intelligent suggestions: about Iraq,
about political tactics, about getting additional appropriations.
Remember, the most untrue truism in human history is that there are no
second acts in American life. In reality, there is nothing but second acts.
There are shakeout moments and, redundantly, new beginnings. The weeks until
June 30 are bound to be awful, but we may be at the start of a new beginning
now.
This article can be found at:
www.nytimes.com/2004/05/18/
opinion/18BROO.html?n=Top%2fOpinion%2fEditorials
%20and%20Op%2Ed%2fOp%2fColymnists%fDavid%
20Brooks
