【正文】 or onl y one , as i s t he cas e w i t h J apanes e ci v i l i zat i on. C i v i l i zat i ons obv i ousl y bl en d and ov er l ap , and m ay i ncl ude subc i v i l i zat i ons. W es t er n ci v i l i zat i on has t w o m aj or v ar i ant s , European and N or t h A m er i can , and I sl a m has i t s A r ab , T ur ki c and Ma l a y subdi v i si ons. C i v i l i zat i ons ar e no hel es s m eani ngf ul e nt i t i es , and w hi l e t he l i nes bet w een t hem ar e se l dom sha r p , t he y ar e r eal . C i v i l i zat i ons ar e d y na m i c 。 t he y r i se and f al l 。 t l i ke t o r ead , or hav i ng a sa di st i c exam , or hav i ng t o si t st i l l f or t hr ee hour s a w eek l i st eni ng t o som e bor e t al k about so m et hi ng t he st udent f eel s he o ught not t o be r equi r ed t o 1i st en t o i n t he f i r st pl ace. I t 39。 l l deci de t hey ought t o get t w o uni t s or f i v e uni t s f or l ear n i ng t he si t ar . A s a f acul t y m e m ber m y f eel i ng abo ut al l t hi s nons en se i s t hat i t 39。 t shr i nk our st andar d of l i v i ng ov er ni ght . I t w i l l be f el t onl y i n f i f t een or t w en t y y ear s , w hen w e di sc ov er w e hav e a cr i t i cal shor t age of sc i ent i st s and engi neer s capabl e of doi ng i nnov at i on or ev en j ust hi gh v a l ue added t echnol og y w or k. Then t hi s w on ? t be a qui et cr i si s an y m or e , sa i d J a cks on , i t w i l l be t he r eal Mc C oy . T oday , A m er i cans ar e f eel i ng t he gr adu al and s u bt l e ef f ect s of gl obal i zat i on t hat chal l enge t he econom i c and st r at egi c l ea der shi p t hat t he U ni t ed S t a t es has e nj oy ed si nce W or l d w ar Ⅱ . A subs t ant i al por t i on of our w or k f or ce f i nds i t se l f i n di r ect pet i t i on f or j obs w i t h l ow er w age w or ker s ar oun d t he gl ob e , and l eadi ng edge sc i en t i f i c and engi n eer i ng w or k i s bei n g ac pl i she d i n m an y pa r t s of t he w or l d. Thanks t o gl obal i zat i on , dr i v en b y m oder n m uni cat i ons and ot her a dv ances , w or ker s i n v i r t ual l y e v er y se ct or m ust now f ace pet i t or s w ho l i v e j ust a m ouse cl i ck aw ay i n I r el and , F i nl and , C hi na , I ndi a , or dozens of ot her nat i ons w hose econ om i es ar e gr ow i ng. This has b een apt l y r ef e r r e d t o as “ t he D eat h of D i st anc e. ” ( 1) Why N B A w as m ent i one d i n t hi s pa ss age ? A . I t se r v es as a m e t aphor t o i l l ust r at e how t he gl obe i s c om pet i ng head to head w i t h U .S. B . I t pr es ent s a f act t hat N B A i s now per f or m i ng v er y poor l y . C . I t se nds a m es sa ge t hat t he U . S. ov er al l st r engt h i s dr oppi ng. D . I t w ar ns t he A m er i cans of t he gr av e si t uat i on t hat t he st at us of i t s supe r pow er doe s not exi s t any l onger . ( 2) “ S t ar f or st ar , t he bas k et bal l t eam s f r om pl aces l i ke L i t huani a or P u er t o R i co st i l l don39。 t hey di v i de and m er ge. A nd , as any st udent o f hi st or y know s , ci v i l i zat i ons di sa ppear and ar e b ur i ed i n t he sa nds o f t i m e. W es t er ner s t end t o t hi nk of nat i on st at es as t he pr i nci pal act or s i n gl obal af f a i r s. They hav e been t hat , how ev er , f or onl y a f ew cent ur i es . The br o ader r eache s of hum an hi st or y hav e been t he hi st or y of ci v i l i zat i ons. I n A S t udy of H i st or y , A r nol d T o y nbee i dent i f i ed 2 1 m aj or ci v i l i zat i ons。 s st upi d t o ex pect gen ui ne ed ucat i onal i n si ght s t o e f r om ki ds w ho ar e t he pr oduct s of t hi s sy st e m . ( 21) ＿＿＿＿ . B ut t he f a cul t i es w i l l do i t . The y 39。 and w hat ev er m or al st r engt h m a y occur t o hi m l at er , I a m not sor r y t o hav e know n hi m i n hi s y out h. The char m of y out h , ev en w hen i t i s a 1i t t l e boi st er ous , obv i ous obedi ence t o t hat pur e , se m i nal pr i nci pl e w hi ch , hav i ng f or m ed t h e bod y and i t s or gans , al w a y s di r ect s t hei r m o v e m ent , unl es s i t i s f o r ced by v i ce or neces si t y t o m ake t hem cr ooked , or r em ai ns y oung , and , w her ev er i t i s abl e t o br eak t hr oug h , spr out s i nt o som et hi ng gr e en and t ender . W e ar e al l as y oung at hear t as t he m ost y out hf u l A m er i can , but t h e se e d i n hi s cas e has f al l en upo n v i r gi n soi l , w her e i t m a y spr i ng up m or e br av el y and w i t h l es s r es pec t f or t he gi ant s of t he w ood. P e opl e se em ol der w hen t hei r per enni al nat ur al y out h i s encum ber ed w i t h m or e poss es si ons and pr epos se ss i ons , a nd t hey ar e m i ndf ul of t he m an y t hi ngs t he y ha v e l o st or m i ss ed. The A m er i can i s not m i ndf ul t o t he m . ( 13) A m er i cans ? v i t al i t y i s f ai r l y supe r f i c i al becaus e deep dow n i n t hei r hear t , t hey ar e v er y y oung. ( 14) A m er i cans t end t o be r es i st ant t o t he t hi ngs t he y ar e t ol d t o do and t o t he t hi ng s t he y do not f eel v er y s t r ongl y about . ( 15) A m er i cans ar e y oung b ecaus e i n t hei r c ount r y , t her e ar e not as m an y el der l y pe opl e as t hos e i n any ot her European c o unt r i es . ( 16) A go od y oung m an her e i s gener al l y qui t e av ant gar d e , r ef ut i ng al l conv ent i ons a n d t r adi t i ons. ( 17) W e ar e al l as y oung at hear t as t he m ost y out hf ul A m er i cans but our se ed i s g