Yes a "post-historical paradise". That is what we currently occupy. Simon Reynolds recently released a new book titled: "Retromania Pop Culture's Addiction to its own past". It covers a similar theme to this from a music perspective, that we have entered a post creative artistic world. All the new music being released or is rehash of earlier music. The big question is whether this is just a European or American phenomenon or an inevitable human destiny and that we are simply ahead on the curve, a post-historical humanity?

totally agreed with the ny reader

If President Obama's self-congratulatory announcement of Bin Laden's death did more to set himself up as a punchline rather than a paladin, the ensuing drunken "frat party" atmosphere that desecrated Ground Zero, where the remains of countless victims are still interred, was - or should have been - an embarrassment to the whole country. As I watched the U.S. news networks get caught up in this festal mood, I wondered whether one brave reporter might dare show a side-by-side shot of the pandemonium at Ground Zero and footage of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza who danced on their rooftops on 9/11. None did. While I make no analogies between the deaths of 3000 innocents and the one tyrant behind their murders, as an American, I would argue that, even if the joy felt by many is perfectly understandable and justified, this cannot and must not be a license to abandon all reason and dignity, particularly when the world is watching. Therefore, while I applaud Mr. Murray's candid analysis of reactions across the pond, the unseemly conduct of the relative few in my own backyard has cast a large shadow on a nation whose global influence continues to diminish and whose position as Leader of the Free World is now more a matter of perception than fact.

A sad time. United States forces kill leader of a Islamo-fascist cult engaged in war with the West, and all our 'morally superior' Leftwing friends can do is find even more tenuous and extravagant ways to critique America.

"States are only able to feel beyond history because there are other states, like Israel and America, who remain in it, who kill our enemies for us and keep us safe because we do not have the inclination, the time or the money to so distract ourselves from our pleasures." How true. And how shameful for us.

Excellent article Douglas, as too was your performance on Question Time. If its any consolation, I for one was very happy to hear that Osama had been killed. Well done America! Jim, I have to agree with John. You comment is dreary and ill-informed.

Another top article Douglas keep up the good work. As for the below comment by Jim Graham, why don't you have some respect instead of labelling someones writing as ''bollocks.'' Nobody is asking you to agree with it, showing respect is the least you can do, but of course you're so up your own backside thinking you know it all yourself you haven't even got the decency to do that. You just sound like a miserable old fart quite frankly! Haha

Nearly ten years after publication, Douglas Murray comes up with a badly written rehash of Robert Kagan’s Paradise and Power (hardly the masterpiece that Murray makes out). Kagan’s thesis is well written, forcefully argued but mostly his analysis is skewed and his conclusions are wrong. Murray attempts an analysis of supposed European attitudes to the death of Bin Laden and then interpret it within Kagan’s framework. Bad writing is the sure sign of confused and lazy thinking. Instead of sticking to his proposal and marshalling appropriate evidence he uses the death of Bin laden to turn in and out of so many blind alleys and one way streets. The most egregious example being, “as physically obese and morally decadent as it is possible to be” when talking about the results of European welfare arrangements. Now I’ve travelled a bit, both in Europe and the USA, and I must say it is only in the USA that obesity is noticeable as an everyday fact. When I hear the phrase “Morally decadent as it is possible to be”, I think of Caligula, The Hellfire Club, Sodom and Gomorrah not welfare queens living in council estates. This is simply bollocks and the whole article is littered with this stuff. As it turns out his whole piece is based on a couple of liberal lawyers asserting a preference for a courtroom, some beards protesting outside the American embassy, a Guardian editorial, some handwringing from the Archbishop of Canterbury and, most comically, Murray’s own appearance on question time. When I pay £4.50 for my copy of Standpoint I expect better than lacklustre and thoughtless prose and a weak rehash of an old book.

Bin Ladens death was suiside by soldier. He could have surendered...