It's a Hard Knock Life

It's a Hard Knock Life - Michael Barone examines why so many American teenagers - TV-addled, poorly-eductated, with very low expectations thrust upon them - grow up to create the world's wealthiest nation, most vibrant economy, most innovative technical sector and most powerful, competent military. And in so doing, he uncovers a dichotomy I've wondered at myself; the split between the Hard and Soft sides of American life:

Soft America took over much of society because in the early and middle 20th century, America seemed to many people to be too Hard. Not many kids made it up the educational and job ladders. Much work was hard labor, and in the 1930s, jobs were scarce and charity inadequate. Educators wanted to make schools Soft, and New Dealers wanted to shield people from the marketplace with strong unions and Social Security. By the 1970s Soft America was trying to Soften Hard America with guaranteed incomes, job tenure, and comparable worth (bureaucrats, not markets, setting salaries).

In the 1980s and 1990s Hard America fought back. Surging private-sector growth brushed aside attempts to Soften the Hard economy. The military, hobbled by public contempt after Vietnam, built a voluntary force in which people could gain benefits and honor by performing. Politicians started passing laws to make the people who run the schools accountable for results. A sensible society wants to keep some part of itself Soft: We don't want to subject kindergartners to the rigors of the Marine Corps or to leave old people helpless and uncared for. But a sensible society also understands--and the military has been driving home the lesson--that Soft America lives off the productivity, creativity, and competence of Hard America. And that we have the luxury of keeping part of our society Soft only if we keep most of it Hard.

Don't you hate it when bloggers say "It's all worth a read?" Me too. But dammit - it IS all worth a read!

Posted by Mitch at May 10, 2003 05:00 PM