I remember a time when Americans expressed awe almost to the point of cliché. I can understand it after my first view of Snoqualmie Falls and the Columbian dam. You don’t hear so many positive expressions anymore as the country struggles with a new kind of civil war. My sense of awe comes from the arts these days – the perceptions of ‘inspired’ writers, musicians and other artists.

But what about the benefits of feeling small in the face of the universe? And would the converse mean that the search for individuality and fame is a bad thing?