Steven Howard Johnson has written this book to raise a question: “If America truly knew what it was doing, what would be different?” — and to offer an answer: “Our civic ethos would illuminate our responsibilities; our craftsmanship would guide our solutions.” With a BA from Harvard, an MBA from Stanford, and years of consulting work, Johnson has been trained by experience to profile the clash between “What Is” and “What Might Be” in almost any situation. This quest has produced a consistent finding: America’s pundits and public intellectuals are skilled at rationalizing “What Is” but repeatedly unable to illuminate “What Might Be;” America's stuckness is therefore no surprise. If America is to realize its higher promise, argues Johnson, it will turn its attention to “What Might Be” and will focus on fulfilling its larger responsibilities.
