Politics The Elephant in the room...The GOP today

You seem to want to focus on all the nice things. History is replete with not-so-nice-things. American exceptionalism is no exception. (See what I did there?)

The fact is, America isn't so different. What makes America different from its European roots? What makes American history different from the brutalities elsewhere? You bring up a good point though. Most nations likely subscribe to some form of exceptionalism. These are tragic myths. Maybe it's the postmodernist in me, but I can't see what you see and ignore all the other things. You see the shining city on the hill like it's some fresh vision from the Bible. I see a nation with the same blood on its hands as any other. I see a nation with the same dark past as any other. I see a nation with deeply disturbing current problems as any other.

America isn't special. It's not a snowflake. It's not on a mission from God.

America is a maturing superpower whose imperial influence is waning. America is an overindulgent nation running out of places and people to exploit. America is approaching a decadence that will see its continued corruption of democracy and capitalism. I'm not sure if anything can stop or reverse this.

I appreciate your idealism. However, beneath all the good that you see lies a reality that many of us cannot ignore.

 

Can't we just get down to everyone has their strengths and weaknesses?

Some are natural potentials and resources.
Some are developed.
Some are due to their character.

And these all change according to the winds at the time.

 

Al Gore is an Islamosocialist plant, obvs.

 

While I personally have some concern that a media outlet is owned by a potentially extremist and outside owner,
it is no more than "The Washington Times" being owned by the Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon (they cater to the "right", btw)

But you can't promote Laissez Faire capitalism in America...when it is convenient for American corporations and agendas,
then turn right around and restrict it according to ideals of owners you may not agree with.

In the end, I have to follow the same principles I always do...which is try to KNOW the source of your information and who's putting it out.
Filter it accordingly...

Now this takes some effort and awareness...which many are not good at...or they just don't want to take the effort.
As long as whatever they are reading caters to the notions in their head already.

For example, I don't read The Washington Times anymore or I take anything they say with a certain grain of salt.
But many on the extreme Right love what they say and how they say it...not thinking that there is "coloring" coming from a Korean "cultish" religion.
Not that there's anything wrong with it coming from another nation, but it IS an outside the nation source.
(BTW...I don't read it because of their tone and bias...not because of source)

But is this any worse than Fox's Rupert Murdock who is from Australia?
Or the Koch brothers taking over the Heritage Foundation?
Or on the other extreme, Chinese industry buying up other media outlets themselves...
Russian? French? Brazilian?

Are we only concerned with those nations that have agendas or ideals different than America? Or is it ALL outside nations??
Seemed to do well with Japan buying up things in the 80's, they were our enemy at one point. The Brits??

Or is it only those that oppose a party's agenda or ideals???
And that's where we get to the heart of the matter.

Know your material, know your source.
Think for yourself.

Ooo...but that's hard.

 

Charming. I like how the website looks like it was designed by a 15-year-old in 1996.

 

Yeah, of course the right-wing media is going to have a fit about this. Imagine that. News that isn't all about America.

If it's not Amerocentric, it must be anti-American.

 

Once you leave the US for longer than a 2 week vacation you start to see that the government, corruption, and policies it promotes aren't much different than any other country in the world.

We just have better movies that tell us what we're doing is righteous and best, and that we're the good guys and good guys don't do them bad things.

 

It's totally a matter of influence and capability. It's more than just the movies, but that's certainly a part of it.

 

Oh, you just don't like many Americans' ego and audacity at times.

But there are plenty of nations out there that cater to their own pride and prowess.
I'm not saying it's right...but we're not going to beat ourselves up with it either, nor should any other .

To get back on topic, it's just that this particular party has a significant portion of its membership that wraps itself in the flag,
whether they've had any outside comparison or not. (usually not)

Is America "better"? No.
Does it have quite a few advantages. Yes.
Does it have some characteristics that help leverage its position? Yes.

But this is like saying a rich person is better or worse than a poorer person.
That rich person isn't better...but they do have some advantages and opportunities which the other doesn't have access to. Nor are they wrong to do so.
Nor is a pretty person, or an intelligent person, or someone who has a "knack" at something.

But simply, you just don't want that person being crude enough to brag their advantages over others.
Unfortunately, a significant volume of membership of the GOP in their pride of their nation, their zeal gets the best of them.
But then again, so do others. (French, Russian, Brits, Germans, etc...and so on...)

Let's not beat a dead horse...let's just say that America has benefited from significant resources and efforts, and leave it at that.

 

rogue49

You're misunderstanding my position.

You're also doing what Ace was doing: Looking at the good stuff and downplaying the bad stuff. You're looking for a silver lining. That doesn't really account for much when you look at the net effect of American exceptionalism square in the face.

You then go on and pull a tu quoque by pointing to other nations. We can talk about exceptionalism in other states if you want, but we were discussing American exceptionalism because we were discussing the GOP, many of whom still believe in it like it's a virtue.

I'm arguing it's not.

It's not just ego that concerns me; it's also ignorance.