The Free Press, 30 Sep 2010 – Live And Learn? During the past 75 years – going back to what was the height of the Great Depression – the US has, by any standard, grown immeasurably stronger and richer. But as our economic power wanes and our military supremacy is challenged by asymmetric warfare, an entirely different issue arises: have we grown any smarter? And in asking this particular question, I’m not focusing on the K-12 education crisis we’re suddenly all alert to, though that’s bad enough.