Are the days of "American exceptionalism" over?
American exceptionalism is the belief that the United States is either distinctive, unique, or exemplary compared to other nations.[1] Proponents of it argue that the values, political system, and historical development of the U.S. are unique in human history, often with the implication that it is both destined and entitled to play a distinct and positive role on the world stage." [en.wikipedia.org]
I would argue that American exceptionalism was never real, that it was an ideal used to justify American actions, in my lifetime anyway.
In 2023, the world no longer views America as an exceptional society. But perhaps more importantly, neither do Americans. This is illustrated in the self flagellation of past sins by the woke movement. The reassessing of history in stark reality. The civil unrest and polarization of society. Unfortunately, US leaders seem to want to cling to glories of the past. Some humble pie would not go astray with some.
We live in interesting times.
I have never believed that my country or any country is exceptional or the best in every sense of the word than any other country and those who do are spouting jingoistic nonsense. It is the sort of nonsense that fuels base rhetoric and a tool in the hands of divisive politicians.
Hillary Clinton gave a speech on it, quite a scary one full of ego and hubris
@puff [time.com]
Is the above a link to the speech made by Hilary Clinton?
@ASTRALMAX She has done several. Shows how delusional some in power are. She assumes much on what the rest of the world thinks. I know it's old, but don't think she has changed her tune.
Same publication, a bit more succinct. [time.com]
Every country is exceptional in some ways, but every country thinks that it was even more exceptional in the past.
In fact the past was just grim everywhere. These are the exceptional times, enjoy them before they fade, and start to resemble the glorious past, when most people died before they were forty, and most people had never seen a book, let alone read one.
I remember a world exhibition of culture where US represented themselves as Hollywood. Which is often a ripped from many other cultures like a corrupted art form , highly polished. US sold out many of their industries to Russia (Change from communism) and China 30 years ago. Now whinning and dumping many their bad feeling towards them, instead of pulling themselves up by their own boot straps.
LGBT work often with the poliical woke almost like a new cult. It's very difficult to have a debate with them coming to the table with evidence and facts. And when you do, they get rude and call you a racist, white supremacist, bigotry, BSers and everything esle under the sun. There is good and bad in every group, Im not against anyone or group yet it seems there is too many narcissists for me to handle. Then the Government throws money at them for political and education jobs because the Government has become anti- family. Trans gender medical clinics have gone fron 1 in 2007 to 300 clinics till now, a 300times increased. We could all be all gay by 2040.if this keeps up.
Puff, I agree with your every word here. The older I get the more I see that I am not as proud of my country as I once thought I was. Maybe it is because these days I am taking a deeper look at everything.
To be honest it took me living in Asia for many years to wake me up and realise we weren't as good as we thought we were. A lot more "freedom" in Thailand than Australia.
I will agree with you on this, more or less. The U.S. has achieved some great things but at the same time has done some terrible and unjustifiable things. American exceptionalism sounds a lot like MAGA and their belief that America was great at some point in the past while failing to acknowledge that America was not so great for minorities, women, gays, and people of color.
I will disagree strongly on your skewed comment on the "woke movement". Many (woke) people want the sins of the past simply to be acknowledged and condemned rather than ignored or white-washed. The U.S. has done a multitude of terrible things over the course of its history and we need to face the truth rather than try and bury it.
The woke movement was needed agree, but I referred to it here as a sign society is ripping apart. I agree with what you say, but the talk of repatriations is very decisive.