Expanding--not limiting--Expectations

A recent article in Time magazine described a trend in lifestyles in which things are scaled down—low cost of living, low taxes and low government services and, of course, lower income.  It talks of living in micro houses, the size of a two-car garage, and “living off the grid.”  This article was written about Texas, and describes this lifestyle as “the Texas Model.”    I suspect that the trend is more widespread.

That isn’t the California model and I’m grateful.  Here we live high and spend more—sometimes outrageously.  We earn more and we have more government services.  But what else?  Throughout our history we have created, we have invented and we have innovated.  The movie industry began here led the world in film technology and artistry.  The aviation industry headquartered here was vital in war and in the country’s economic growth which followed.  Without the electronic advances made in Silicon Valley we would not have been able to put men on the moon or hand-held computers in everybody’s pockets.  We have pioneered in medicine (remember Dr. Salk?) and medical technology.  Our agricultural technology developed high yields and fed much of the country.  Our wine industry, young by European standards, has produced wines that rival those of the ancient vintners of Europe.

Indeed, the idea of increased expectations bodes well for the future.  This is my hope for the whole country in the new year.