Conversation

It is often assumed that the rise of "excellence" as a societal ethos in the US in the 1980s (originating from the 1950s looped past Japan for a gravity assist) was a response to the creeping "mediocrity" of the 60s/70s. That wasn't mediocrity. It was cronyist corruption.
Replying to
The (good) mediocrity in the US in the 60s/70s is what gave us the computing revolution. Note that in the 80s the Japanese tried to take the lead on that betting on an "excellence" ethos and failed.
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