# How long will the U.S. last? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 18, 2003, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315 "2003-09-18T05:27:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/61 "2003-09-19T19:50:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dal\_timgar \* > time ain’t what it used to be. > > How fast did technology change 1000 years ago. We are riding a much faster roller coaster. What effect is the exchange of info over the internet having on society? Can’t be measured. When was the last time you heard planned obsolescence mentiond on television? I last heard it in 1979. > > I think lasting the next 50 years will be hard. The American Dream is too dumb to last, may go into nightmare mode. > > Dal Timgar \*\* What? No plug for basic accounting and depreciation? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/62 "2003-09-19T19:52:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dal\_timgar \* > \*\*time ain’t what it used to be. > > How fast did technology change 1000 years ago. We are riding a much faster roller coaster. What effect is the exchange of info over the internet having on society? Can’t be measured. When was the last time you heard planned obsolescence mentiond on television? I last heard it in 1979. > > I think lasting the next 50 years will be hard. The American Dream is too dumb to last, may go into nightmare mode. > > Dal Timgar \*\* This type of statement would have more credibility if: a) Some evidence of disintegration could be demonstrated to exist at the current time. b) A reasonable scenario were given for the demise of the US and what the residual will look like. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/63 "2003-09-19T20:15:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Mace \* > The US is not “confronting” the rest of the world. Right now we are confronting Iraq. The disagreement we have with many Europena countries is simply about the tactics of dealing with Iraq. As we are talking about the entire of span of existence of the US (past and future), this particular spat will be but a tiny blip on the radar screen. > > Don’t lose sight of the forest for a single tree. I am not saying the USA has declared war on the rest of the world (yet). But it is a fact that this administration has pursued a unilateralist policy in most respects and this is ticking off the said and aforementioned “rest of the world”. Kyoto. Steel tariffs. Iraq. Guantanamo. The USA has decided not to play along to get along. It has decided to go it alone and the rest of the world ain’t pleased. This can only hurt the USA in the long run. Let’s hope the next president understands this better than the present one. President Bush senior had a _much_ better understanding of international relations and I am surprised his son has shown to be such a yahoo. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/64 "2003-09-19T20:19:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by msmith537 \* > we are not an empire that will fall and crumble as our outer providences fall to barbarians. Damn straight. All them slackers took over Seattle, and you’re still around. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/65 "2003-09-19T20:49:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > \*\*I am not saying the USA has declared war on the rest of the world (yet). But it is a fact that this administration has pursued a unilateralist policy in most respects and this is ticking off the said and aforementioned “rest of the world”. Kyoto. Steel tariffs. Iraq. Guantanamo. The USA has decided not to play along to get along. It has decided to go it alone and the rest of the world ain’t pleased. This can only hurt the USA in the long run. Let’s hope the next president understands this better than the present one. > > President Bush senior had a _much_ better understanding of international relations and I am surprised his son has shown to be such a yahoo. \*\* North Korea, Israel/Palestine, Afghanistan, Iran (nuclear issues), Liberia, are all examples of the US being very much in sync with our major industrialized allies. I think you’re over-reacting to the Iraq situation. (Kyoto is a joke, and has nothing to do with Bush.) It’s only one issue. Granted, it’s a very large issue, but you need to see the bigger picture. When European countries start withdrawing their diplomats from the US, I’ll get worried. We’ve got a LONG way to go before that is even a remote possibility. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/66 "2003-09-19T22:54:51Z")
Look I am not saying the USA is going to disintegrate tomorrow. All those predictions of doom and gloom are silly. What I am sying is that the strength of the USA is to be found is strong partnerships with the rest of the developed world and those who advocate isolation and unilateralism are fools. They think America can go it alone but the fact is the NO country can go it alone and when you depend on others and others depend on you then you have to go along to get along. I am not saying the policies of the new Bush are leading America to disaster. I am saying they are not good for America or for the world. More of those policies would be even worse. I am not saying that is what will happen, I am saying they are bad. The rift with France is not the end of the world but it certainly isn’t good. The disputes with the EU over protectionist tariffs are not the end of the world but they are not good. America cannot impose its will on the rest of the world so it has to learn to get along. People who think America can just go it alone are fools and such policy would be the fast lane to disaster. I am NOT saying that is happening. I am saying it would be disaster if it happened. Just before the Iraq war we had a lot of people here proposing such policies: screw the French, screw everybody, we’re America. That arrogance has probably cost the US millions. Bush the elder took a very different tack and the USA paid a minor share of the first Gulf war which was mainly paid by allied contributions. Look how different it is this time around. America’s greatest strength is in its allies. Alienate them and it has lost its main strength. ---
**Author:** ![Shanti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shanti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shanti)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/67 "2003-09-20T03:53:28Z")
It is not just the third world countries that have starving people in their lands. The US has it fair share as do we. All politicians cream off the top, that’s how they make their safe little homes for themselves, and how the sleep straight in their beds at night. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/68 "2003-09-21T07:42:51Z")
I’m betting on a lot longer than most other forms of government in this world’s history. America has the benefit of possessing one of the most coherent socio-economic structures in all history. For all of the upheaval and “future-shock” that nations of late have had to endure, I see the United States doing a commendable job of self-government, the present administration _withstanding_.\* In fact, I’m going to start a Great Debates thread about this right now! \*\* Yes, you heard it, here first. Even the nearly ridiculous incompetence shown by Shrub’s Traveling Carnival of Horrors is preferable to 99% percent of what has gone before in most other countries. A lot of this has to do with an incredibly equitable and durable compact called the “United States Constitution.” My pride in this document is indescribable.\* ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/69 "2003-09-21T11:12:03Z")
Did Blix actually say Iraq destroyed all their weapons a decade ago? If so, he’s on serious crack, because his own teams found WMD in 1998. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/70 "2003-09-21T11:56:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by adaher \* > \*\*Did Blix actually say Iraq destroyed all their weapons a decade ago? > > If so, he’s on serious crack, because his own teams found WMD in 1998. \*\* Is this the same Hans Blix who commenced as chief weapons inspector on March 1, 2000? If so, what teams are you talking about? Want to produce a cite to explain? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/71 "2003-09-21T12:04:19Z")
I thought Blix was the head of UNSCOM in 1998? Perhaps I’m wrong. But even so, it seems inexcusable that he would not be aware of such basic information about the country he was inspecting. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2003, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315/72 "2003-09-21T12:22:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by adaher \* > \*\*I thought Blix was the head of UNSCOM in 1998? > > Perhaps I’m wrong. But even so, it seems inexcusable that he would not be aware of such basic information about the country he was inspecting. \*\* Well, you are wrong. What’s this “basic information” of which you speak? Post some specifics, so that it can be compared to what Blix actually said. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-the-u-s-last/202315.md?page=3)