The second reason is more fundamental: the waning sense of purpose and conviction that characterizes Western democracies today. Whereas, say, Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan clearly confronted the Soviet Union in their speeches at the Berlin Wall, a succession of Western leaders has spoken in nods and winks about the crisis in Ukraine and China’s aggressive stance toward its neighbors.
第二个原因更加根本：成为当今西方民主一大特征的目的和信念感的消失。尽管（比如）肯尼迪和里根等美国总统在柏林墙前的演讲中明确反苏联，但他们的后辈西方领导人对乌克兰危机和中国对其邻国的逼人立场只能说些无关痛痒的话。