Over the last few years I have spent a lot of time in San Francisco. At least every other month, if not more. And this is in the context of visiting America and California in particular for a lot longer.

There really is a California state of mind. And for the last few years it has been – to me anyway – on a bit of a downvibe. I don't know whether it was the growth of an anti-war movement in the city of San Francisco that helped feed that, or a post 9/11 feeling of being under siege or a continuing caution after the tech wreck….

Anyway for the first time in a long time, this week I have noticed a real difference. There is real sense of optimism here. And enthusiasm. And energy.

I thought for a moment that this was because there is anticipation that the Democrats might get a majority of the senate in the mid-term elections…. but now I am thinking that it is not that.

I think that America is moving past the inward-looking mood it has been in since 9/11. I think that people are more stoic than they used to be in one sense – and somehow paradoxically they are also much more optimistic.

And this really does translate into San Francisco being an exciting place to be!

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Posted in Main Page by Chris Gilbey No Comments Yet