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Is American Style On A Roll?

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In this photo, cultural critic Walter Kirn, author of "Up in the Air,"  is pictured in his home in  Livingston, Mont. (AP)
In this photo, cultural critic Walter Kirn, author of "Up in the Air," is pictured in his home in Livingston, Mont. (AP)

As Congress takes up legislation today to approve free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia, the tech world is waiting for Apple to roll out the latest model of the iPhone.  It's the world's most popular smart phone, and the news reminds us of a conversation with novelist and cultural critic Walter Kirn.

Writing in the New York Times, Kirn said, "Sorry, you prophets of cultural decline, but American style is on a roll again." Kirn believes American design is reshaping the world "from the lowly hamburger, which is American style on a bun" to Apple, which he says outmatches "the hottest Paris runway shows."

Guest:

  • Walter Kirn, author of “Up in the Air”  and “Lost in the Meritocracy: The Undereducation of an Overachiever”

This interview originally aired in January 2010.

This segment aired on October 4, 2011.

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