It is my privilege to share workspace with a soon-to-be-distinguished student of history, Ryan Sayre “Prayers” Patrico. Like other advocates of civilization, Ryan is shocked and dismayed by the almost total ignorance of history among young Americans. The only consolation I can offer him is that this is not simply a case of American barbarism.

This past weekend I had a great conversation about politics with a lively and intelligent seventeen year old. At some point I mentioned, in passing, the fall of the Berlin Wall. He interjected, “When was that, around 1997?” This would have been depressing enough coming from an American, but my young interlocutor was a European exchange student. And by “European” I mean born and raised in Frankfurt.

O tempora, o mores!