There was a meme a few years ago that suggested men think about the Roman Empire with absurd frequency. Just like I rarely think of death, so too I almost never think about Rome. My thoughts turn to ancient Greece and Athens far more often, but even that doesn’t add up to much. I didn’t like the original “Gladiator” film and had no interest in the sequel.
My disinterest, I hope, mirrors the world’s thoughts about the United States these days. When I traveled back in the 1990s, the world thought about us constantly. Our culture was dominant, our technology was taking over rapidly. Some people pushed back aggressively, others accepted readily. But there was no escaping us.
This is no longer the case. When I travel the world now, I see far less American influence. This is progress. As other countries have become less obsessed with America, it is time for us to become less obsessed with ourselves. And if we are so inclined to back away from the world, then let’s do so honestly. If the American people would rather spend on food security or sustainable farming programs close to home, may the budget cuts to international projects be transferred dollar for dollar to domestic efforts, instead of funding trillions in tax cuts for the wealthy.