Over a century ago, Ralph Waldo Emerson travelled to the Midwest to meet with a group of intellectual and political leaders, to discuss the organization of a rational world. After many days of debate on the subject of nationalism vs. internationalism, and the organization of a world community, it was decided that the future capital of the world should be in Constantinople. At this point, Emerson stalked from the- conference, with the comment: “Impossible. It's too far from Concordl”

Today, as the distance from Constantinople to Concord has dwindled, our concept of the future and of ourselves has faded. The influence, self-confidence, and poise of the American intellectual has declined.