Neal Gabler has an excellent column at the Boston Globe called “One Nation, Under Delusion.” He writes that the myth of American exceptionalism is going to be our downfall.

One of his arguments is that we’ve often had government that is better than the people. That’s kind of a tenuous point, I think. Basically, he’s saying that at times outstanding leaders have come forward who inspired America to do the right thing or make progressive change, even when politically unpopular. One could quibble those were exceptions rather than rules, but on the whole Gabler makes some good points.

The conclusion:

The Greeks understood that the gods punished mortals for their hubris – for feeling that they were godlike. They knew that overweening pride preceded a fall. One suspects that nations are no more immune to punishment than individuals. A nation that brooks no criticism, a nation that feels it is always better than any other, a nation that has to be endlessly flattered and won’t face the truth, a nation whose people think they possess some special moral exemption and wisdom, a nation without humility is a nation spoiling for calamity.

We’ve been living in a fool’s paradise. The result may be a government that is as good as the American people, which is something that should concern everyone.