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A commentary about the shortcomings of western civilization from someone that doesn't understand what makes our civilization a success.

All the other civilizations have large powerful governments that intervene in their society. The West's strength comes from the fact that governments are generally restrained, slow, and more power and freedom is given to individuals. Governments are supposed to not be able to get anything done.

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The author frames this from the perspective of a government official making a choice, but I think the useful observation here applies to anybody making a choice - that in periods of stability, the weight of the status quo is an impediment to development when the summed benefit of development is great, but the individual benefit is small, we choose the safe default option over the riskier option that might more honestly reflect our desires. Therefore times of (and after) chaos and catastrophe, are periods of rapid development, because the dead weight of the status quo is diminished. This seems a reasonable thing to say, and seems even more appropriate is you're mechanisms for development are decentralised.

The internet, GPS, nuclear energy, novel vaccines, the interstate system, space flight, the Panama Canal, electrification of Appalachia, 99% adult literacy. Yup glad we didn’t need government action to get these done

Most of the highlights of Western Civ have been a result of collective action. If anything the libertarian mythos that was synthesized in the late 70s is our greatest weakness.

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