How Did We Get Here, Anyway?

Seems like a great question to ask at a time like this.  Some may recall my mention of Jill Lepore’s 2018 historical opus, “These Truths” in a post a few months ago.  My thoughts often return to her analysis and exposition of factors that figured centrally in the foundation and evolution of this country over the past 400 or so years, and especially now in the midst of pandemic-era protests and extreme racial tensions.  To get a flavor of Lepore’s take on things, spend some time on this introduction: