them meaningfully. What happened? We used to be a 'git-er-done' nation, famous for our no-nonsense pragmatism and entrepreneurial spirit. Today, in contrast, we seem hopelessly gridlocked, more content to point fingers than find solutions.

We can't simply blame our leaders, however. Meaningful changes to our economy, our political culture, and our social institutions (such as health care), no matter how necessary, spook citizens too, especially if they involve sacrifice. We don't want to pay higher taxes to maintain benefits or increase security. We don't want the government to reduce social services to balance budgets. And we're not willing to make alterations to our lifestyles to avoid environmental trouble in the future. It's no wonder everyone feels frustrated and angry.

It's all part, I’m afraid, of what author and social critic James Kunstler calls our "reality-challenged" society. In the real world, actions (and inaction), have consequences. We know that, of course, because we see it every day in our personal lives. We used to experience it as a nation too. But today, we live in a kind of Fantasyland. Thanks to the miracle of fossil fuels, our buy-it-now-pay-for-it-later economy, our unquestioning faith in technology, and our belief that we can have a 'sustainable' future without creating a sustainable present, we act like consequences don't exist. Or don$, t matter. Or can be deferred indefinitely. But as Kunstler repeatedly warns, the trouble with this attitude is simple: sooner or later, reality will bite. Hard.

This summer, it sharpened its teeth.