The Cold War diplomat, George Kennan, a former U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union, was an old-fashioned patriot who served his country because he believed in America.

Kennan influenced U.S. foreign policy as few diplomats or other public servants do. His policy of containment helped us avoid outright war with the Soviets, while waiting until the Soviet Union dissolved, surpassed by a politically and economically superior West.

Two trends in his beloved country bothered Kennan during his later years, For one, he feared its citizens were too involved in consumerism.

Secondly, he feared Americans were too prone to see complex issues in simplistic terms.

We might remember his admonitions when our political campaigns descend to tweetable sound bytes.