November 30, 2023, is not an ordinary day for the United States, on this day, two giants passed away one after another. The death of 99-year-old investment legend Munger and former Secretary of State Kissinger, who is over 100 years old, means a huge loss for both industries, especially Kissinger, which is a major loss for the whole world. It also marks the loss of a rational and pragmatic voice in the United States, which poses a huge challenge to the future.
These two long-lived elites, one from the ** and the other is a representative of the business community, witnessed the process of the United States becoming a global hegemon, and their departure is the end of an era and also indicates three signals for the future of the United States.
First of all, the era of the United States may be coming to an end. At 99 years old and 100 years old, although it is an unusually long life expectancy compared to the current average life expectancy, there are many iconic figures of similar age behind them. Carter has entered the stage of hospice care, and elites such as 93-year-old Buffett and 92-year-old Soros have entered old age, which may indicate that the era of American pride is coming to an end.
Second, the United States seems to lack the right people. Kissinger in politics and the elite in business circles are old compared to the age of the current American candidates. They have turned the tide in many crises and contributed to the direction of the U.S. economy and politics, but the current U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and other people may not perform as smoothly as their predecessors.
Third, the end of an era. The departure of Kissinger and Munger is not only a matter of the best people in American politics and business, but also symbolizes the end of an era. It is also questionable whether the West will be able to create iconic figures like Soros and Kissinger again. The world is changing dramatically, especially since 2023, with wave after wave of de-dollarization, indicating that the United States is gradually losing its qualification for global hegemony.
The United States should be prepared to embrace this historical trend, as Kissinger argues in his book "On China", China has always sought to accumulate comparative advantage, and the American generation has lasted long enough. They are gradually leaving, and perhaps it is time to start a new era.