On being American.
by,
Malcolm Mackley.
I am English and 79 years old. My own life has been an adventure, and I consider myself very fortunate to have been born as a ‘baby boomer’ in 1947, immediately after the 2nd World War.
Until recently, America has been a distant presence on my mind, and for some reason or other, I have avoided serious engagement with the USA. As a past academic scientist, turned engineer this required certain sacrifices, but my ‘gut reaction’ was to sense that the USA was not for me.
During my lifetime, America has been the dominant global power and for example it is ‘almost certain’ that The UK and other European countries would now have been under the control of the Nazi party if the USA had not been persuaded to join the Allies during the 2nd World War. It was the USA (for better or worse?) that masterminded the discovery of the atomic bomb and the USA military and their politicians, that then brought about an abrupt end to the whole global war.
Anyone that has lived in the East of England will still be aware of the current American presence in terms of USA military airfields and for those who have lived as long as me, name places such as Greenham Common will be familiar. The USA became the ‘anti-communist’ global peacemaker of the world.
Now, in the 21st century, world power is changing. During my lifetime China has transformed from a country controlled by a ‘ruthless’ Chairman Mao; to a world power in nearly every aspect of everyday life, including military muscle. America has changed too. The USA is now the dominant global player in terms of IT (Information Technology) and in the last twenty years it has become, through horizontal drilling and fracking technology a net exporter of fossil fuels, meaning that it is no longer dependent on other countries for energy.
The current President of the USA has also changed the whole dynamic of the USA from an anti-communist country to a global ‘deal operator’ where financial gain is the most important aspect of life.
History has shown that World Government leaders can wield huge amounts of power and so; let us hope that whoever in the future is in global power will help to make the world (not just their own country); a better place for all of the world’s future generations.
01.8.2026
