Name: The American century.
Date of birth: 1941.
Status: Dead.
Now hold on a minute. A century is 100 years, right? Congratulations on your rudimentary counting ability.
But you said the American century began in 1941. It did. The term was coined by Time publisher Henry Luce in February 1941, in an editorial designed to convince the United States to enter the second world war.
Yes, that’s very nice, but … The editorial urged the US to forego isolationism to become a kind of global missionary, seeking to help countries most in need under “the triumphal purpose of freedom”.
Right. But it’s 2017. Again, well done for knowing very basic things.
2017 minus 1941 is 76. We’re only three-quarters of the way through the American century and you’re already saying it’s dead. Don’t shoot the messenger! I’m only repeating what others are saying.
Oh yeah? Like who? Samantha Power, Obama’s ambassador to the UN, who tweeted “The end of The American Century” last Wednesday. And the German newspaper Die Welt, which proclaimed the end of the American century on Friday.
What has caused all this? Donald’s Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement yesterday.
Oh God, that. It’s an act of such colossally short-sighted self-interest that the US can no longer justifiably call itself a global player. But you already knew that.
Well, that seems a shame. What was the best thing the American century gave the world? At its peak, it set an exemplary can-do template. It showed the world that any of us can achieve anything we want, so long as we’re single-minded and competitive.
And the worst? The Trump presidency, which showed the world it’s probably not so great to give someone whatever they want just because they’re single-minded and competitive.
Should I be feeling as depressed as I do? Nope. Trump’s withdrawal might not be able to happen for four years, and hopefully he won’t be president by then. Plus, one president’s stupid decree won’t stop the rest of the world – or millions of sensible Americans, for that matter – from caring about climate change.
Phew. Don’t get me wrong, though. We’re still screwed. We’re still all definitely screwed.
Do say: “The American century is dead!”
Don’t say: “Long live the final century!”
