The Decline of the WASP

by Peter Schrag

Used Book

Hardcover

Published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Murtaza]

Can a country exist without a cultural center? The United States is currently engaged in an experiment of finding out. That loss of center came about after the preeminent American type, the WASP, began his slow exit from the scene. Since the time of the country's founding the WASP offered an example of what an archetypal American was and should aspire to be. The centrality of his persona often covered up the actual diversities of his society, but to some degree everyone aspired to WASP-ishness. Even the Nation of Islam culturally appropriated aspects of WASP culture in creating their movement! This old already saw WASPs on their way out, but it did not go into great specifics as to what demographic, economic, or cultural changes were driving that. Instead the author simply muses about what WASPs once were to America and what the country might have to hold itself together without them in the middle.