Never Mind a Perfect Civilization — What is an Adequate Civilization?

I grew up with Japan as an economic powerhouse, outstripping the U.S. in electronics, automobiles — everything modern except spaceflight. A generation after inflicting a bombing campaign on Japan that left few buildings standing even before we dropped two atomic bombs, this country watched Japanese banks buying up prime real estate in our cities. Japan was leading with both innovative designs and quality manufacturing.

These ruminations were touched off in a debate about the world’s economic woes. We had begun…