I guess I hadn’t really thought of the first decade of the new millenium in such pessimistic terms, but according to Time Magazine, “the first 10 years of this century will very likely go down as the most dispiriting and disillusioning decade Americans have lived through in the post–World War II era.”
They make a compelling case: Y2K, 9/11, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and the economic collapse just to name a few. (To read the entire article, go here).
In spite of or maybe the direct result of these incredibly difficult and even tragic moments and experiences, for some people this was the decade they chose to become heroes – the firefighters in NYC, the activists that have emerged, the humanitarian efforts of the global community, the soldiers who served courageously and with integrity, and the people who have sacrificed much to help their families and to help others. Maybe we could also make a case that this was the “decade of heroes.”
Would you agree with Time’s assessment?
What are the heroic moments you have seen?