One of the worst cliches in travel writing is “land of contrasts,” for it can be used to describe any number of places. But perhaps no place fits the description better than the United States. We have some of the world’s most overweight people and some of the world’s most health-conscious. We have terrible schools and great universities. For presidents, we’ve had Jimmy Carter and Donald Trump. Though it’s not clear if this last one is an example of our many national dichotomies or an indication of our national decline.
