Now, look at another, more modern, period of fifty years. Since I was born in 1942, television has reshaped American culture, jet air travel has opened the world to ordinary people, the falling costs of long-distance transport have generated a rising tide of global trade, retail stores the size of football fields now dot the landscape, computers and cell phones are ubiquitous, and the Internet has made it possible to work, seek out entertainment, and shop without leaving home. Millions can instantly tweet about their evanescent likes and dislikes. Yet, all in all, the last fifty years’ changes
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