It reminds me when I stood for the first time in Tiananmen square about 8-9 years ago.  We were paying the taxi driver and I hadn't turned around yet, and when I did there was the famous square, about the size of the entirety of central Portland.  I was told there had been a million people there at times.  I knew intellectually it was going to be China's century but that was my visceral experience of is power.  On that trip to china and two more that followed I was struck how China today must feel like it felt to arrive in America in the later part of the 19th century.  In the Education of Henry Adams, "The Dynamo and the Virgin, Adams describes the power of industry, this machine, industrial ants led by invisible tycoons inside impossible skyscrapers.  And a complete and utter believe in modernism.  With dictatorial direction, central planning, and a believe in science and technology, in America then there was no imaginable end in sight. And it must seem that way for China today.  We were there telling them about "small is beautiful" kind of solutions like bioswales rather than gigantic filtration plants.  Impossible to hear. 

The other thing is this.  They only need us for as long as it takes to create a middle class in China that can purchase as much as we can.  Once they have done that then we will be pretty much irrelevant. 

We increasingly know that.  But, not in the heartland or the Tea Party.  They still think we are at the center of the universe.  As though Copernicus had never gotten his message across.  But, the world has already moved on.  My fondest dream is that as our empire shrinks we will be graceful during our fall.  Its pretty doubtful.  We're doing exactly what Bin Laden predicted.  Spending the last of our resources through military expenditures instead of our education system or entrepreneurship or innovation.  Failing once again to understand that our melting pot is the source of our genius and power, not the singular gene strand of a bunch of white dudes.  The single most important difference between the American empires and others, putting aside the inglorious and abhorrent history, is the interaction between the predominate white-European "founders" and the African American culture.  Odd that slavery would bring us the one thing that makes us stand out, created what is unique about our empire.

Americans still have this image of America from World War II.  In their archetypal 35mm slide bank what they see are images of the people in Italy, France, and other countries welcoming us with parades as Hitler was defeated.

And another curiosity.  The America of post world war II is still revered.  Well and before that the America that brought the world Jazz.  There are iconic photos and posters where ever you look of Elvis or Satchmo  That is the America that is still loved.  And a curious disconnect.  American innovations are still celebrated.  A new credit card announcement describing itself as "white gold" (the color of the card) has three items to reflect what you can buy:  a digital camera, blackberry smart phone and an Ipad.  I suspect they had a conversation about replacing the Blackberry with an Iphone but that would seem a little Apple-biased.  But, I don't think the person on the street thinks of it as "American," and America that adds up to a singular and all powerful cultural force.  It just doesn't add up.  America doesn't make sense anymore.  We can elect a black leader--incredible--but then in a year his time to grab hold of history and change it disappears.  We can create Ipads yet spend all our money on drones to hunt down terrorists and use untranslatable phrases like collateral damage.  "Sorry dear I got us fish for dinner but lost two of our children..."

To experience the visceral crash of cultures and why we might be hated by a few people try watching the following youtubes. 

I think we should meditate on grace.  How can an empire decline gradually, gracefully, with less power move into our "golden years" and not cling to our youth trying to play Tackle football.  And think how badly even by empire standards we blew it.  For example, Japan and England were or attempted to be dominate empires but they were after all small islands and expanded beyond their carrying capacity...and our excuse was what exactly?  In just the right latitude and enough resources to last a reasonable population with the appropriate spiritual believes that fed our needs and not our greed and understood the power we sought comes from the spirit not a mall--for a long long time.  So even less excuse than they had.  But now can we slip down the league standings, like the Yankees, just ending up in the middle of the league standings but thinking that is just fine. But we don't even get that.  I mean our national sport, football while the world plays soccer.  I think of the Australian attitude which seems to be something like, hey we're like what in the top what 50 countries in terms of power, standard of living, etc.  And that's cool--no worries mate.

For Fall of the American Empire.  watch some of the MTV Sweet Sixteen birthday celebrations.  The one I "like" best is Cindy's which I can only find on Itunes and they won't let me just copy it on to my blog.  But look through a couple.  Also then view the Saturday Life parody of the MTV show.  And what is unbelievable if you watch the parody first is that its not much of a parody.  Kind of like the Sarah Palin "parody."

http://gigglegirl.onsugar.com/Scarlett-Johansson-Spoof-Sweet-Sixteen-Saturday-Night-Live-1131276

http://www.mtv.com/shows/sweet_16/video.jhtml?filter=fulleps

Then watch micro-capitalism at work in Africa as a contrast, inspiring TED talk:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jacqueline_novogratz_on_an_escape_from_poverty.html

Then if you need hope when you are done watch Paul Hawkin talk about the actions of over 1 million groups working for social and environmental justice and Stand by Me song in a global music studio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1fiubmOqH4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM

And for a Cliff Notes quickie about how the world is changing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWvyY05nTTc