Back in the day there were big infrastructure projects, the interstate highway system, nuclear fission reactors, USA was once a leader in rail, but now it seems USA can’t build any infrastructure at all, HDI is lowering, life expectancy is not as high as most other OECD countries. Anyone know what happened to cause this?
I disagree. Great man theory talks about a whole society and implies everyone in each generation is that way. And that its like a natural cycle that happens over and over. Its bullshit.
This is more a natural consequence of nepotism. Its not that there arent plenty of really capable and smart Americans who could be running things. Its that all the rich assholes put their dumbass kids in positions of influence and then died leaving those dumbass kids in charge of everything.
People who dont have to work for things tend to both take those things for granted and not be as capable. So nepotism picks are usually pretty bad at their jobs compared to a merit hire. As nepotism becomes more and more acceptable, because the people in charge now are nepo babies themselves, the issue just becomes worse and worse.
Great Man Theory ascribes history to the actions of individual “great men.”
Failson analysis is no different. It’s just not a material or actionable analysis.