America has plenty of problems. But for July 4, Jim and Mike have a simpler message: America still rocks. The Axios co-founders go Behind the Curtain to explain why Americans are living through one of the greatest moments in U.S. and human history, even as patriotism falls, trust erodes and pessimism dominates the national mood. They discuss the gap between how America feels and what the country still gets right: freedom, entrepreneurship, innovation, democracy, capitalism, energy, military strength and the everyday decency of normal people. The bottom line: America is imperfect, noisy and often frustrating. But it is also young, resilient and still full of possibility.
Timestamps: 00:00 – Why America feels broken 00:38 – The collapse in national optimism 01:22 – Why the bad feelings are real 02:51 – The facts behind American progress 04:28 – Why cynicism dominates the news 05:22 – America’s advantages 06:19 – What capitalism and democracy still produce 07:15 – The entrepreneurial boom Jim sees coming 07:44 – Why most people are still normal 09:31 – How broken institutions get rebuilt 10:00 – The small things that still unite Americans 11:43 – Why 2026 feels different from 1976 12:47 – Can America repair itself?
Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
canisgallicus 