By looking disaster squarely in the face, the ancient Greeks sought to create a communal sense of responsibility and courage, spurring citizens and their leaders to take the difficult actions necessary to avert such a fate. Today, after more than 70 years of great?power peace and a quarter?century of unrivaled global leadership, Americans have lost their sense of tragedy. As Hal Brands and Charles Edel argue here, the United States has forgotten that violence and war have been all too common throughout human history, but catastrophes are not inevitable—so long as we regain an appreciation of the world's tragic nature before it is too late.