The Big Picture: America, The Shining City on the Hill

[original doom]

People don't like Americans, generally, because you're loud, fat, obnoxious, arrogant and you're involved in almost every major conflict in the world. You're genocidal and stupid. That's the perception, not "oh my god these guys are so awesome I'm jealouuus".

who do the europeans actually like ?

 

[Fawlty]

“We do bad things better”. You really are an exceptionally dense mob arnt ya? Do you tell black people that have suffered in your country that they suffered “better” than most?

Americans love to say freedom isn’t free, and I guess emotional awareness isn’t either!

Slavery would really obviously be the major notable exception, along with the decimation of natives. You should have intuitively understood that aspect of my post.

 

[hillelslovak87]

That is a whole lotta cringe crammed into one post

The deus vult boys are still here, they're still q- you get my point.

 

[Islam Imamate]

I've posted before about how America does bad things "better" and more humanely on balance, with notable exceptions. I also believe A.E. is something vaguely real, but our insistence on it is childish and shameful most of the time.

To me American exceptionalism is a fact of life for better or for worse. Of course we have the most dominant military by far but it goes beyond that; we have the most dominant pop culture industry that exerts a lot of influence around the world and we also have the foremost research institutions and the most dynamic multinational corporations and so on. Many countries can compete with us on one or more of these metrics but none can surpass us on all of them. Whether or not this has been a net positive for the world is a different discussion, certainly I like to think so but I am open to criticisms of American hegemony.

 

[ShinkanPo]

Buddy, I think this might be the best, least crazy post i've ever seen you make

Word!!! This is why I never block pipol here.

 

[ShinkanPo]

To me American exceptionalism is a fact of life for better or for worse. Of course we have the most dominant military by far but it goes beyond that; we have the most dominant pop culture industry that exerts a lot of influence around the world and we also have the foremost research institutions and the most dynamic multinational corporations and so on. Many countries can compete with us on one or more of these metrics but none can surpass us on all of them. Whether or not this has been a net positive for the world is a different discussion, certainly I like to think so but I am open to criticisms of American hegemony.

I am not from USA but I dont know what I will do without American or European pop culture.

Do you know any substitutes?

I dont think I can relate to Japanese Pop. I am not that weebo enough.

 

[San Marino]

The world is certainly a more violent and insecure place because of the U.S.

No better friend - no worst enemy. We like to keep it that way...

 

[Islam Imamate]

I am not from USA but I dont know what I will do without American or European pop culture.

Do you know any substitutes?

I dont think I can relate to Japanese Pop. I am not that weebo enough.

J-pop and K-pop are the go-to alternatives to US culture. Some places also like Bollywood but I am not sure if you would.

 

[salamander]

If American Exceptionalism exists, its least exceptional facet is its never-ending fucking droning on about how exceptional it is.

The most representative American moment of all time is Tim Sylvia wearing his heavyweight belt in WalMart.

Liver punch.

 

[The ScorpioN]

Silly. I assume you're comparing the US to some imaginary Utopia you've created in your mind, because you can't be comparing us to any other country that exists or has ever existed on the planet and think we have not been an overall exceptional addition to what you consider to be the cream of that crop. I would submit we are the greatest country to ever grace the planet earth, but I've course I may be biased a bit. We're far and away #1 in any of these categories:
Healthcare
Social mobility
Access to higher education



Except that's false. Patently false and silly. This is still the best place to move from poverty, and I mean abject poverty to middle and upper-middle class that there is anywhere in the world. And people coming here from India, China and many other places realize and prove this year after year. Educated people from all over the planet come here and show our (generally) sorry and complacent native-born asses how education and hard work lead to great success, here.
I also know several people who make six figures (or seven in a couple cases) and are very comfortable---who came from abject poverty here in the US. A solid, overflowing handful who fit in that category. That I know personally and know where they came from. One that got a baked potato for dinner 6 nights a week growing up and something "special" (i.e. not that special) one other night. Another where there was a plastic garbage can full of rolled oats in the corner of the kitchen and you made yourself and your younger siblings a bowl if you got hungry. Because that was your option if you were hungry. Rolled oats, or rolled oats. I know a man who had four brothers and they got a new shirt to share for school pictures each year and didn't always have shoes. Five boys, one shirt for pictures. Obviously, only one of them was wearing a shirt that fit properly in their photo each year. A couple where the situation was even worse. Crazy stuff. Yet somehow, without any connections, without a dime to their names coming out of high school, with no leg up or privilege of any kind, they succeeded here. To be fair, all were blessed with intelligence but that didn't do it, either. It was a "different" kind of attitude and ethic towards education and hard work that got them there. The same as the immigrants who find the same success. The formula seems simple.
That, and I feel like the ones I know always knew in the back of their minds that they wanted to have some bacon with their oats or a steak with that baked potato. lol
But there are few (if any) other places on the planet where you will find this happening with regularity. Yet it still does here. Every year. Year after year. Education, talent and hard work are greatly rewarded here without any caste system or concern about your race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, not a damn bit of it matters to your success. Only your own choices. And it permits the natural transfer of wealth as well. To the right people. Those who work for it and deserve it, get it.

Great post and great video. Friedman also says something very profound - "people vote with their feet". There's a reason people flock to Western racist oppressive societies, and especially to evil America.

 

[Supereem]

Slavery would really obviously be the major notable exception, along with the decimation of natives. You should have intuitively understood that aspect of my post.

so when someone claims the US is exceptionally great, one must also assume a disclaimer that this does not take into account the worst things your country has done?

If we can just ignore the faults then on that basis everyone can claim greatness.

I will admit your country’s response to covid-19 has been exceptional, and not in a good way. Perhaps this will be an eye opener for the US to finally grow up and join the modern world.

It’s time to become a 1st world country.

 

[TheOldMan]

I have a better idea: How about you shove your America hating bullshit right up your fucking ass?

Bend the knee to the greatest country in history.
You only wish you could live in our beautiful land.

so when someone claims the US is exceptionally great, one must also assume a disclaimer that this does not take into account the worst things your country has done?

If we can just ignore the faults then on that basis everyone can claim greatness.

I will admit your country’s response to covid-19 has been exceptional, and not in a good way. Perhaps this will be an eye opener for the US to finally grow up and join the modern world.

It’s time to become a 1st world country.

 

[PrinceOfPain]

I mean, the US won WWII.

America was on the winning side, yes.

 

[Limbo Pete]

Silly. I assume you're comparing the US to some imaginary Utopia you've created in your mind, because you can't be comparing us to any other country that exists or has ever existed on the planet and think we have not been an overall exceptional addition to what you consider to be the cream of that crop. I would submit we are the greatest country to ever grace the planet earth, but I've course I may be biased a bit. We're far and away #1 in any of these categories:
Healthcare
Social mobility
Access to higher education

 

[Prutfis]

Silly. I assume you're comparing the US to some imaginary Utopia you've created in your mind, because you can't be comparing us to any other country that exists or has ever existed on the planet and think we have not been an overall exceptional addition to what you consider to be the cream of that crop. I would submit we are the greatest country to ever grace the planet earth, but I've course I may be biased a bit. We're far and away #1 in any of these categories:
Healthcare
Social mobility
Access to higher education



Except that's false. Patently false and silly. This is still the best place to move from poverty, and I mean abject poverty to middle and upper-middle class that there is anywhere in the world. And people coming here from India, China and many other places realize and prove this year after year. Educated people from all over the planet come here and show our (generally) sorry and complacent native-born asses how education and hard work lead to great success, here.
I also know several people who make six figures (or seven in a couple cases) and are very comfortable---who came from abject poverty here in the US. A solid, overflowing handful who fit in that category. That I know personally and know where they came from. One that got a baked potato for dinner 6 nights a week growing up and something "special" (i.e. not that special) one other night. Another where there was a plastic garbage can full of rolled oats in the corner of the kitchen and you made yourself and your younger siblings a bowl if you got hungry. Because that was your option if you were hungry. Rolled oats, or rolled oats. I know a man who had four brothers and they got a new shirt to share for school pictures each year and didn't always have shoes. Five boys, one shirt for pictures. Obviously, only one of them was wearing a shirt that fit properly in their photo each year. A couple where the situation was even worse. Crazy stuff. Yet somehow, without any connections, without a dime to their names coming out of high school, with no leg up or privilege of any kind, they succeeded here. To be fair, all were blessed with intelligence but that didn't do it, either. It was a "different" kind of attitude and ethic towards education and hard work that got them there. The same as the immigrants who find the same success. The formula seems simple.
That, and I feel like the ones I know always knew in the back of their minds that they wanted to have some bacon with their oats or a steak with that baked potato. lol
But there are few (if any) other places on the planet where you will find this happening with regularity. Yet it still does here. Every year. Year after year. Education, talent and hard work are greatly rewarded here without any caste system or concern about your race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, not a damn bit of it matters to your success. Only your own choices. And it permits the natural transfer of wealth as well. To the right people. Those who work for it and deserve it, get it.

Wrong. Lol at best healthcare, social mobility and access to higher education.

The us ranks like 27th on the social mobility index.
You have millions without healthcare insurance.
The best schools cost 100s of thousands of dollars.

I hope your post was sarcasm

 

[PrinceOfPain]

We're far and away #1 in any of these categories:
Healthcare
Social mobility
Access to higher education

I sure hope that your belief in American exceptionalism doesn't rest on these laurels. Only one is true.

You are #1 at blowing up other countries, letting pandemics spread wildly, and getting shot at school though.

 

[San Marino]

 

[Supereem]

To me American exceptionalism is a fact of life for better or for worse. Of course we have the most dominant military by far but it goes beyond that; we have the most dominant pop culture industry that exerts a lot of influence around the world and we also have the foremost research institutions and the most dynamic multinational corporations and so on. Many countries can compete with us on one or more of these metrics but none can surpass us on all of them. Whether or not this has been a net positive for the world is a different discussion, certainly I like to think so but I am open to criticisms of American hegemony.

You include military but not healthcare? More Yanks will die to corona then anyone else. Exceptional indeed.

 

[PrinceOfPain]

I will admit your country’s response to covid-19 has been exceptional, and not in a good way. Perhaps this will be an eye opener for the US to finally grow up and join the modern world.

It’s time to become a 1st world country.

Become a 1st world country?
Given their response to covid-19, I think you might have to lower the bar a little bit, lol. They've got the toys of a first world nation, but it's been really enlightening watching the ineptitude that wields some of those toys on full display. And this at a time when the democratic race to find a presidential candidate was just run between the wild gesticulations of a ranting old man a few months removed from a heart attack, and the confused ramblings of a bumbling old man a few months away from full-blown dementia.

The impeachment farce.
The backfiring of the Ukraine scandal (on all parties, from what I can tell).
The absurdity surrounding the Kavanaugh confirmation.

It's all just absolutely ludicrous pettiness.

To be fair, as far as covid-19 goes, it's not just America.
I live in a developing world "shithole" and am as quick as anyone to point out the idiocy and incompetence of our leadership. But watching this pandemic unfold, with Boris Johnson boasting about shaking hands with CV patients while Trump insisted that it would be resolved by a "miracle" (wtf?), has very much made me appreciate having leaders who didn't wait until the bodies piled up before taking swift, decisive action; mobilising the state at every level; engaging the private sector in attempts to cushion the inevitable economic blow; responsibly addressing the country and calling for unity and strength through the coming sacrifices; etc.

At no point did we have leaders encouraging us to enjoy the Chinese New Year festivities, without a worry in the world for the virus that had clearly become a problem by then.

ETA: on a semi-related side note, as much as China fucked us all over with this pandemic, I do find it amusing when Americans, who are residents of the new covid-19 epicentre because of their irresponsible handling of it, talk about the world making China pay.
Guys, dishonestly reported stats or not, at the rate things are going China's going to have annihilated local occurrences of the virus long after the rest of the world has to continue quarantining itself from you or risk ongoing outbreaks.

 

[Supereem]

Become a 1st world country?
Given their response to covid-19, I think you might have to lower the bar a little bit, lol. They've got the toys of a first world nation, but it's been really enlightening watching the ineptitude that wields some of those toys on full display. And this at a time when the democratic race to find a presidential candidate was just run between the wild gesticulations of a ranting old man a few months removed from a heart attack, and a the confused ramblings of a bumbling old man a few months away from full-blown dementia.

The impeachment farce.
The backfiring of the Ukraine scandal (on all parties, from what I can tell).
The absurdity surrounding the Kavanaugh confirmation.

It's all just absolutely ludicrous pettiness.

To be fair, as far as covid-19 goes, it's not just America.
I live in a developing world "shithole" and am as quick as anyone to point out the idiocy and incompetence of our leadership. But watching this pandemic unfold, with Boris Johnson boasting about shaking hands with CV patients while Trump insisted that it would be resolved by a "miracle" (wtf?), has very much made me appreciate having leaders who didn't wait until the bodies piled up before taking swift, decisive action; mobilising the state at every level; engaging the private sector in attempts to cushion the inevitable economic blow; responsibly addressing the country and calling for unity and strength through the coming sacrifices; etc.

At no point did we have leaders encouraging us to enjoy the Chinese New Year festivities, without a worry in the world for the virus that had clearly become a problem by then.

ETA: on a semi-related side note, as much as China fucked us all over with this pandemic, I do find it amusing when Americans, who are residents of the new covid-19 epicentre because of their irresponsible handling of it, talk about the world making China pay.
Guys, dishonestly reported stats or not, at the rate things are going China's going to have annihilated local occurrences of the virus long after the rest of the world has to continue quarantining itself from you or risk ongoing outbreaks.

Indeed, perhaps I have too much faith in the yanks to develop a first world nation anytime soon, and the pandemic may even push them further backwards.

when China makes you look incompetent you know you have massive problems to address.