On 16 September 1985, when the Commerce Department announced that the United States had become a debtor nation, the American Empire died.
Interpretation
The quote reflects the shift in America's global economic status and its implications for the nation's power and identity.
Gore Vidal's quote captures a pivotal moment in American history when the country transitioned from being a creditor to a debtor nation, symbolizing a decline in its global influence and a change in the perception of the American Empire. The statement suggests that such economic shifts not only affect the nationβs financial standing but also signal a deeper, more existential crisis regarding its role and authority in the world.
In practice
During a lecture on economic shifts, one could cite this quote to illustrate the consequences of national debt.
We must declare ourselves, become known; allow the world to discover this subterranean life of ours which connects kings and farm boys, artists and clerks. Let them see that the important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
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The important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
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The thing to do is to concentrate on the seer and not on the seen, not on the objects, but on the Light which reveals them.
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