An explorer comes to a forest, one he’s not seen before. He’s been in forests before, but not one as dense and dark as this one. He could stop, and make predictions about what it might be like, but however long he takes, the forest yet stands before him. Our national outlook is like this, overcoming even the smallest, most distant places.
The delusional will deny there’s a dark forest, the fearful will sit still, and the faint-hearted will go around.
Americans are neither delusional nor fearful nor faint-hearted.
Predicting, however, is not exploring.
If an explorer, then an exploration: one either goes in or abandons the effort to more intrepid men and women.
Better to rely on past experiences, present understanding, and ongoing observations, walking cautiously but confidently into the forest.
On the other side: something better, either discovered or, if necessary, created.
