American exceptionalism

[Ardent15]

It seems that many Americans of all political stripes have this concept of America being, "the greatest country on Earth."

One of the problems with this, is that it's frankly, condescending and a bit insulting to citizens of the other nearly 200 countries in the world. Also, it's so subjective which country is the "best." And I also see a lot of people who've never been to other countries proclaim it to be the "best nation on Earth."

I really think this kind of thinking-that we are somehow special, and that we're better than others-is foolish and dangerous.

[mrcheerful]

1. PLays very well with tea baggers and other knuckle dragging types

who think they are special because they were born white in the USA. Even more amazing is they believe they had something to do with being born white and american :crazy:

[msongs]

2. most people probably think the same about their countries - a common concept nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Actually you'd be wrong

been outside the US recently?

[JuniperLea]

3. Same goes for religion... eom

[maxsolomon]

4. if yu ain't beeleev in Murkin Xsepshinlizm

yu iz u commnist soshlist fashist an yu needz tu GIT OWT!

do i really need to post this :sarcasm:?

[Mist]

5. Often followed by "you can be anything you want to be in this country!" As if somehow

one is prevented from being what you want anywhere else.

[treestar]

6. Interesting concept - I can see saying it is the best one to me

It's my country and it would be perfectly acceptable to me if others felt that way about theirs.

But you're right that thinking underlies the idea that we save countries by attacking them militarily, like Iraq.

[proteus_lives]

7. There is no "greatest country"

Or greatest town, people, religion or whatever.

I think America is a great country but there is no such thing as perfection.

[maxsolomon]

8. most people who espouse this idea have not been out of this country

or gotten seriously ill without money in it.

[DirkGently]

9. It's the term Cheney uses to describe his "philosophy"

and it's central to the entire species of wrong-headed thinking plaguing the country. It expresses itself in terms of judging things in terms of who people ARE, rather than what they do. It's not imperialism when WE invade, or warcrime when WE torture, or theft when bankers steal. Both corporatism and religious fundamentalism are based in large part on this thinking, which is better described as hypocrisy or entitlement.

We need to talk about it more, and I applaud the post for bringing it up for discussion.

[choie]

10. American Exceptionalism is poisonous

and the cause of so much ill in this world.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Well blame Winthrop

or actually the revival of him at the beginning of Empire, oh around the 1870s.

You know the City on the Hill speech...

And yes, it is more than just a small problem but I am afraid it won't go away until the Empire collapses... Rome and the Brits had the same problem... sans winthrop of course.