Sissy nation

Sissy Nation refers to the end of empire; and as coined by cultural journalist John Strausbaugh, specifically to the end of the American Empire. Strausbaugh is quick to point out, in his book Sissy Nation , that much of the western world isn't far behind the United States in unraveling the individualism, the personal integrity, and the gumption that made America great. He stresses that the "ideals" of America are sound, and that they have served to provide an excellent model upon which to build a nation, but that the average American's dependence upon virtual reality, consumer goods and branding, escape, or just wanting to be entertained is leading to the decay of the nation and the emergence of a new breed—the American Sissy. According to Strausbaugh, we choose "sissy leaders" who, at best, tell us whatever we want to hear in order to get elected, and at worst, lie to us and manipulate us in accordance with our fears. And our fears, fueled by the popular press, are many.

The author likens the fall of America to that of the Greek and Roman empires, but seems saddened that we've cycled so quickly, that our empire is coming to an end just at the point it came into its own—powerful enough to influence mankind for the good.

Strausbaugh's inspiration for the book comes, in part, from George Orwell, whom he quotes at the opening:

We have now sunk to a depth in which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men

— George Orwell

Jason Cooper, at Library Professionals , compares Sissy Nation with Curtis White's, The Middle Mind: Why Americans Don't Think for Themselves.

Sources:
Sissy Nation: How America Became a Culture of Wimps & Stoopits ISBN: 978-1905264162, (pages 2-3), published by Virgin Books USA, New York, NY, 2008

Orwell, George; Essays Everyman's Library, New York, NY, 2002 ISBN-13: 978-0375415036

White, Curtis;The Middle Mind: Why Americans Don't Think for Themselves. HarperOne, New York, NY, 2004

http://books.libraryprofessionals.com/2008/02/coming-to-shelf-near-you-sissy-nation.html

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