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[mavo]

America is one of my favorite countries and even though i think America isn't clearly the best country in the world (there isnt one) there are exceptional things for it, such a rich country for a 300m population is ultimately what causes america to be that dominant.

And is not like they aren't talented, things like film and popular music (as in jazz, pop, rock) were pushed real forward by Americans.

 

[Incandenza]

Because we were, in lots of ways, for a little while after WW2. Old habits die hard

The "greatness" of the 40s-60s was less a matter of being great and more a matter of not giving a shit about the people we were hurting to get there

 

[inky]

So you're saying in certain contexts the meaning changes.

*Mind blown*

This is what I mean in being purposely obtuse about it.

It's like being contrarian for contrarian's sake, and doesn't disprove the larger point being made.

How am I being contrarian just for being contrarian? Maybe stop being ignorant and understand what I am saying. If in context the meaning of something changes, then you understand not everyone lives in your "context", right? So people can have different views and things can mean different things to different people.

So saying everyone everywhere strictly understands one thing as only one thing is categorically wrong. At least Einchy had the ability and presience to make the distinction between the English speaking world and everyone else. And I'm not trying to "disprove" a point being made, I saw a comment and added to that conversation.

 

[Speevy]

Americans are the best, and the worst. They take everything to the extreme

Yes, we are extremists.

 

[DOWN]

America is still the world’s biggest superpower. California alone is the world’s 5th largest economy and Americans in general do have good consumer spending ability.

It’s not necessarily the best, but the influence is still arguably top notch.

Putin himself conceded America is still the most powerful country.

There’s problems to be sure tho.

 

[Wamb0wneD]

It's just nationalism. All countries have it to some degree.

In some countries this shit gets parroted in school over and over again (America or Turkey for example) And in others it doesn't.
That stuff has to be kept away from children.

 

[GameAddict411]

The United States is definitely unique in many aspects, especially in the past. The US was the leader of the free world until Republicans fucked it up. Culturally, the US casts a very long shadow all over the world. It's the richest and most powerful country by far. But it's not perfect by any means and there are a lot of fucked up shit that still happens in this country. But the same could be said about any other country.

 

[facetheslayer92]

All my favorite entertainment/music comes from the United States specifically California and is exported all across the world so it's hard for me not to say that our culture is exceptional.

 

[WaterAstro]

It's propaganda.

Nationalism is stupid.

 

[Wamb0wneD]

I always keep reading how rich America is when they have how many trillions in debt and how many people are homeless and how many people go bankrupt because they land in a hospital and can't afford a health insurance?
Maybe distribute that wealth a little bit better... OH WAIT THAT'S COMMUNISM!

 

[Quotient]

It influence extends across the whole globe, whether through music, movies, literature, to technology and innovation. It has one of the biggest economies and most powerful militaries.

 

[linkboy]

All 300 million of us huh? To be clear I've heard people sitting at a nice dinner and complaining that Americans call football soccer. Nothing to do with politics. Just filling dead air with America bashing.

All 300 hundred million, no. But the people who go around and spout stuff like the questions the OP mentioned, yes.

I live in South Dakota, I interact with people like that on a daily basis. You know, the people who wear "If you don't love America, get the fuck out" shirts and act like this country is the greatest thing to ever exist. Those are the people I was referring to when I made that post.

It's one of the biggest reasons why I don't let people know I was in the military. I've had people give me the "thank you for your service" (which is ok), and then immediately assume I'm a Republican and start spouting off bullshit about liberals and the rest of the world.

 

[lightskintwin]

How am I being contrarian just for being contrarian? Maybe stop being ignorant and understand what I am saying. If in context the meaning of something changes, then you understand not everyone lives in your "context", right? So people can have different views and things can mean different things to different people.

So saying everyone everywhere strictly understands one thing as only one thing is categorically wrong. At least Einchy had the ability and presience to make the distinction between the English speaking world and everyone else. And I'm not trying to "disprove" a point being made, I saw a comment and added to that conversation.

Why did that distinction have to be made on an English speaking American board? For all intents and purposes, everybody knows who you're referring to when you talk about America or Americans.

This is nothing new. Latin Americans aren't ignorant of this.

You've added nothing to this discussion.

 

[Skellig Gra]

If you call that bashing i don't know. Thats like people complaining that the german language sounds like shit. Maybe tell those people to talk about something more significant then.

There are more extreme examples. My point is if we are so unimportant and non-exceptional why do so many people care to constantly snipe at us. This thread as an example plus the countless other "why do Americans do x?" threads we see on here. It's especially noticeable on GAF where the vast majority of Americans here openly acknowledge our short comings yet foreigners still feel the need to complain about us on a daily basis.

 

[Shredderi]

Growing up I used to look up to the US and I wanted to even move there when I was an adult.

These days it's easier and easier to look at the US like this:

 

[Speevy]

Growing up I used to look up to the US and I wanted to even move there when I was an adult.

These days it's easier and easier to look at the US like this:

I like that guy. He's a great American.

 

[wbEMX]

Dropping this in here. Overused as hell, but it's more relevant than ever.

 

[Future]

In some countries this shit gets parroted in school over and over again (America or Turkey for example) And in others it doesn't.
That stuff has to be kept away from children.

I don't remember much in school but the pledge of allegiance. And that was just a routine thing similar to standing up for the national anthem in a sports game. I don't remember thinking "America is awesome" after it heh

 

[Skellig Gra]

All 300 hundred million, no. But the people who go around and spout stuff like the questions the OP mentioned, yes.

I live in South Dakota, I interact with people like that on a daily basis. You know, the people who wear "If you don't love America, get the fuck out" shirts and act like this country is the greatest thing to ever exist. Those are the people I was referring to when I made that post.

It's one of the biggest reasons why I don't let people know I was in the military. I've had people give me the "thank you for your service" (which is ok), and then immediately assume I'm a Republican and start spouting off bullshit about liberals and the rest of the world.

If you get away from the main cities in any country you will find more and more nationalistic people. I don't see that as a uniquely American thing. There are just more of us so it seems louder.

 

[Attack You]

Edit: Actually, that makes no sense wrt to the topic. Sorry.

 

[Clockwork5]

Because we will fuck you up, that's why.

 

[lightskintwin]

All 300 hundred million, no. But the people who go around and spout stuff like the questions the OP mentioned, yes.

I live in South Dakota, I interact with people like that on a daily basis. You know, the people who wear "If you don't love America, get the fuck out" shirts and act like this country is the greatest thing to ever exist. Those are the people I was referring to when I made that post.

It's one of the biggest reasons why I don't let people know I was in the military. I've had people give me the "thank you for your service" (which is ok), and then immediately assume I'm a Republican and start spouting off bullshit about liberals and the rest of the world.

There are different versions or interpretations of American exceptionalism. The conservative version or interpretation is one I assume the majority of American Gaf disagrees with.

 

[Wamb0wneD]

There are more extreme examples. My point is if we are so unimportant and non-exceptional why do so many people care to constantly snipe at us. This thread as an example plus the countless other "why do Americans do x?" threads we see on here. It's especially noticeable on GAF where the vast majority of Americans here openly acknowledge our short comings yet foreigners still feel the need to complain about us on a daily basis.

Maybe that's because people on GAF generally are open minded people that engage with people from other countries now and then. You won't find many people here that wear MAGA hats in rl. Simply because most of them get banned, yet Trump is president and fucking Betsy DeVos is in charge of the education of your youth ie. your future.

The picture your country is painting of itself outside of GAF still tells the rest of the world that a large part of America doesn't want to know anything about their shortcomings as long they have to pay fewer taxes. That you get lumped together with them by people who tend to generalize is unfortunate. Just make them aware of it, people are able to learn after all.

I don't remember much in school but the pledge of allegiance. And that was just a routine thing similar to standing up for the national anthem in a sports game. I don't remember thinking "America is awesome" after it heh

The sole fact you have a pledge of allegiance in effing school is already problematic enough, whether the brainwashing worked on you personally or not. Not to mention shit like the president having to swear on the freaking bible when inaugurated.
A president who doesn't tell his citizens how America is the best country on earth and the blessed land and blah blah blah won't get elected. Shit's borderline crazy.

 

[linkboy]

If you get away from the main cities in any country you will find more and more nationalistic people. I don't see that as a uniquely American thing. There are just more of us so it seems louder.

I'm well aware of that, and you're right, it's not uniquely an American thing. However, there isn't another country on the planet that has the influence that the U.S. does, so that ups the ante.

Now look at this from the perspective of someone from Europe and the rest of the world. They're going to see and hear the people who are the loudest, which happen to be the people I described. It may or may not be how every US citizen believes, but that's view that will be project as a whole.

It doesn't help when you have an election and reward the party that represents that by giving them the most power they've had since World War 2.

 

[inky]

Why did that distinction have to be made on an English speaking American board? For all intents and purposes, everybody knows who you're referring to when you talk about America or Americans.

This is nothing new. Latin Americans aren't ignorant of this.

You've added nothing to this discussion.

Because this is a thread about American exceptionalism, and the name distinction between a whole continent and a specific country can be attributed to several things such as the Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny, and even that history of why Americans took the name of the continent for themselves (going back to their expansionist nature and as a warning to Europe to stop interference) is relevant to the topic.

I'm perfectly aware Latin Americans aren't ignorant on this, in fact that's my whole point. You might still be though, considering you took offense to someone making a simple correction to your distinction between "North America" as a continent vs America, and subsequent correction where in fact, in context, all parts are actually called the same. The tangent started with the argument that people would identify as Americans in LA countries, which I did not make.

And I'm still not sure why are you so offended by simple corrections. Some people prefer to be accurate about it. This might be an English speaking American forum after all, but people from every country and different backgrounds participate in it just the same, offering different perspectives that you are somehow irritated by.

 

[MegaMelon]

Because we will fuck you up, that's why.

Great that you guys are powerful but it's a shame that when we need you to help a lot of the time you guys will somehow end up fucking everything up. See: the middle east.

Something something great power no responsibility because FREEDOM amirite?

 

[Skellig Gra]

The sole fact you have apledge of allegiance in effing school is already problematic enough, whether the brainwashing worked on you personally or not.

The pledge of allegiance is fine. If people actually paid attention to it we'd be a lot better off here. "Liberty and Justice for all"

 

[lightskintwin]

Because this is a thread about American exceptionalism, and the name distinction between a whole continent and a specific country can be attributed to several things such as the Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny, and even that history of why Americans took the name of the continent for themselves (going back to their expansionist nature and as a warning to Europe to stop interference) is relevant to the topic.

I'm perfectly aware Latin Americans aren't ignorant on this, in fact that's my whole point. You might still be though, considering you took offense to someone making a simple correction to your distinction between "North America" as a continent vs America, and subsequent correction where in fact, in context, all parts are actually called the same. The tangent started with the argument that people would identify as Americans in LA countries, which I did not make.

And I'm still not sure why are you so offended by simple corrections. Some people prefer to be accurate about it. This might be an English speaking American forum after all, but people from every country and different backgrounds participate in it just the same, offering different perspectives that you are somehow irritated by.

I'm taking offense that this is useless to the discussion of this thread.

The point being is that everybody knows who you're referring to when you talk about America and Americans.

 

[inky]

I'm taking offense that this is useless to the discussion of this thread.

Then stop quoting them? So hard.

 

[Aselith]

You guys aren't even called "America".
America is continent, not a country.

Actually we are. In the same way that Kleenex is what you call a tissue, USA dominates the America brand.

If there's one thing that America is good at, its marketing ourselves which why exceptionalism is still a thing and why unfortunately Trump is our perfect President.

We need to do better

 

[Deleted member 284]

I'd like to see anyone get elected in a nation saying that about their nation.

He's president. That's the whole thought behind MAGA.

 

[Speevy]

Anyone who's ever said death to America doesn't mean Canada.

 

[Arkage]

The US still accounts for more GDP than any other country in the world, and even the entire EU. So it's objectively the strongest at producing value for the global economy. But that isn't what some people view as exceptional, so ¯\_(&#12484_/¯

 

[lightskintwin]

Then stop quoting them? So hard.

I can't help it, I'm American. LOL

My bad at taking it out on you.

I was more annoyed with Coriolanus tbh but took it out on you instead.

 

[Skellig Gra]

He's president. That's the whole thought behind MAGA.

 

[Wamb0wneD]

The pledge of allegiance is fine. If people actually paid attention to it we'd be a lot better off here. "Liberty and Justice for all"

Maybe, but you're still pledging allegience to a country, as a child. That's one step away from full nationalism where i come from... but is that really all you want to respond to from my comment? I thought we were getting a polite discussion going lol.

 

[Shoeless]

Dropping this in here. Overused as hell, but it's more relevant than ever.

Damn. I'd never seen this before. Thank you for posting it, that was a great piece.

 

[Geist-]

It's a pretty exceptional thing to have both the highest scientific contributions in the world as well as one of the highest contributions of stupidity in the world. We're just really great at everything.

 

[inky]

I can't help it, I'm American. LOL

My bad at taking it out on you.

I was more annoyed with Coriolanus tbh but took it out on you instead.

I should've known. ;P

I apologize too then. We can move on.

 

[Jezbollah]

As the old joke goes, you can gather people from all around the world into a room, and they never realise how much they have in common, until an American walks in..

 

[TankRizzo]

It seems that Hating America is the new black on GAF

 

[milanbaros]

Actually we are. In the same way that Kleenex is what you call a tissue, USA dominates the America brand.

If there's one thing that America is good at, its marketing ourselves which why exceptionalism is still a thing and why unfortunately Trump is our perfect President.

We need to do better

Who calls a tissue Kleenex? Americans?

 

[TheLaughingStock]

I always keep reading how rich America is when they have how many trillions in debt and how many people are homeless and how many people go bankrupt because they land in a hospital and can't afford a health insurance?
Maybe distribute that wealth a little bit better... OH WAIT THAT'S COMMUNISM!

The US has a net worth well over $100 trillion and treasuries are a fundamental component of the US financial system that ensures that it balances and functions smoothly. Not providing universal health care or refusal to provide homes for the homeless are political decisions as an FYI. America may not be the greatest country on Earth but it is very rich indeed.

 

[Rhomega Beta]

A lot of people who think this way have never stepped foot outside of the US, much less the state they live in.

They've never been to other countries, nor do they care to go. They don't care about the rest of the world's problems unless America can benefit from it.

In short, they're a bunch of selfish, ignorant morons.

I say this as an American who was in the U.S. Air Force for 11 years. I love what this country should strive for, but I hate what it actually is.

My dad was in the Air Force for 16 years, and lived in Germany for most of the '80s. He's a Tea Partier and has no intention of going back out of fear of violence from Muslims.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Maybe, but you're still pledging allegience to a country, as a child. That's one step away from full nationalism where i come from... but is that really all you want to respond to from my comment? I thought we were getting a polite discussion going lol.

In regard to the other stuff. You have to take the good with the bad. There are loads of dumb Americans but that's just like any other country. We just have a larger population. So we also have lots of amazing people who are behind some of the greatest advances of our age. Google, Netflix, Apple, Amazon etc. Isn't it a bit hypocritical for someone to be anti-American yet use so much of our stuff?

 

[meppi]

People from other countries still say they'd rather be here for the opportunities it presents to them.

No matter how much I dislike my country, and how much I'd like to live somewhere else, America is very low on my list of places I'd possibly move to.

 

[linkboy]

The pledge of allegiance is fine. If people actually paid attention to it we'd be a lot better off here. "Liberty and Justice for all"

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"

This is in the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. Yet, slaves didn't gain their freedom until 1864 and women did't get the right to vote until 1920 (97 years ago).

This has been an issue with the country from the very beginning.

 

[Wamb0wneD]

nvm.

 

[Skellig Gra]

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"

This is in the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. Yet, slaves didn't gain their freedom until 1864 and women did't get the right to vote until 1920 (97 years ago).

This has been an issue with the country from the very beginning.

100% agreed. The issue isn't the pledge or the document it's the failure to understand the ideas behind the platitudes.

 

[GoldenCrow]

I like that guy. He's a great American.

Brian Cox is British (Scottish).