The theme of this issue is “size.” Big ships, big buildings, big data.
Jude Russo’s cover story examines the decline of the American shipping industry. Ships are the primary means of transporting international trade from point A to point B, and are also a critical element of America’s national defense. If it ever becomes necessary to move tons of supplies from our shores to, say, the Pacific, the U.S. Navy cannot handle the task alone. Merchant ships are called upon to assist. If there aren’t enough of them, that will be a problem.
The decline of American shipping is evident in both production and manpower; we are not building ships or training sailors in the same numbers as we once did. Some of the reasons for this are familiar from other industries where production has declined, and some are unique to the shipping industry.
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Why do men build skyscrapers? Most people’s answer is selfishness. In the case of the Gulf oil bosses who commission record-breaking towers, and the architect Adrian Smith they hire to design most of them, the answer is the same: to do God’s will. TAC regular Nic Rowan profiles the man who built Burj Khalifa. Look out for a cameo from Donald Trump at the end of the article.
The takeover of the American dating scene by apps has coincided with a decline in marriage rates and birth rates. Something is broken in American romance—and AI is about to make things a whole lot worse. Robert Mariani has experienced Silicon Valley’s distinctive ethos up close, and his word for it is Safety thinking. It fears real life and seeks to eliminate the dangers of life by relegating human interaction to the virtual world. Mariani is looking for a better way.
One of the articles in this issue has a bittersweet note. Bradley Devlin has been with TAC for three years and has risen to political editor. He is now moving on to new challenges. Thankfully, he leaves readers with one final meditation before he goes. Bradley is a proud son of Yorba Linda, California, the hometown of President Richard M. Nixon. Living in Washington and encountering the Deep State has given Bradley a new appreciation for his hometown hero. He writes eloquently about the man and the place. Farewell, Bradley, it was a pleasure working with you.
