And what makes him such a quintessentially American author (besides the obvious and often noted racism) is his preoccupation with the fear and inconceivability of age. America's monuments, architecture, and (colonizing) culture are all relatively new, and we're obsessed with the new and the young. We must always be "revolutionizing," always destroying and rebuilding, even if only superficially. Most of our oldest structures and institutions are infantile on an international scale. We can't really conceive of a city like London being founded in 43 CE. That seems impossible, might as well be an alien civilization.
Being aware of the eons past and the inevitable eons that will come to pass are anathema to America broadly, and to capital entirely. It's 100% short term growth. We're terrified of history, whether because we don't want to face our horrific foundations or because acknowledging history means recognizing that the world once existed without us, without dominating global capital and American influence, and will again someday, god willing.
