Every civilization sees itself as the center of the world and writes its history as the central drama of human history.

The basis of association and antagonism among countries has changed over time.

Expectations should not always be taken as reality; because you never know when you will be disappointed.

The larger society has to recognize some degree of autonomy for the minority: the right to practice their own religion and way of life and to some extent their language.

It is my hypothesis that the fundamental source of conflict in this new [post-Cold-War] world will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic. The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural. Nation states will remain the most powerful actors in world affairs, but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future.

Collective will supplants individual whim

The core of the American set of beliefs has remained pretty constant.