A Brief History of American Impatience

Can we reclaim what’s lost? Turn any article into a podcast. Upgrade now to start listening. Members can share articles with friends & family to bypass the paywall. Every year, I stay for months in a rural French hamlet. During my first week, I catch myself tapping my foot when waiting in the supermarket checkout line. Invariably there is a person in front of me who slows things down—a woman decides to write a check to pay for her groceries—who does that in the U.S.? Want to see more of The Dispatch in Google search? Add Us as a Preferred Source Thomas Dichter is a cultural anthropologist who has worked in international development for five decades. More from Thomas Dichter