State of the Union

Bush disappointed me. I’m sure he’s really torn up about it, too.

In his State of the Union tonight, he spoke of goals for the future when it comes to technology and competitiveness in the world market. He paraded his new “initiatives” for cultivating the talent and creativity of the next generation by giving “our Nation’s children a firm grounding in math and science.” (Is this truly the best way to foster creativity?) He pronounced increased funding for scientific research and a plan to train more math and science teachers. Wonderful.

When it came to the character and culture of America, however, the president spoke in vagaries. Where were the initiatives? Where was the funding? Where was the push for more “arts and humanities” education? We were led to believe that no such efforts are required – everything is fine in this department. He trotted out a litany of statistics about declining abortions, fewer unwed mothers and dropping crime rates, and passed this off as evidence of moral progress. “These gains are evidence of a quiet transformation – a revolution of conscience, in which a rising generation is finding that a life of personal responsibility is a life of fulfillment.” Is it just me, or does anyone else fail to share the President’s optimism about American mores?

Perhaps this is simply an inexorable feature of a capitalistic society. When the dollar is the bottom line, culture gets the shaft. Training high school students in art, music and history does not prepare them for high-paying jobs. It does not ensure our competitiveness in the endless race for technological superiority. It isn’t quantifiable. It isn’t practical. Arts and humanities are nice for hobbies, but not for serious careers.

President Bush mentioned that, “we must never give in to the belief that America is in decline, or that our culture is doomed to unravel.” I disagree. There is one condition under which we should give in to this belief – when it becomes true.