Is America’s exceptionalism unique? (interviews, generation, Afghanistan, FBI)

[Randomstudent]

As to the OP. I tend to not like the phrase "American Exceptionalism" because it is steeped in providential Christianity, which I simply do not believe in.

With that said. I think America has been very successful and that success has made us exceptional and given us the ability to do what we can. With that said how well we as Americans use that power will determine how long we can remain exceptional.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by TRUEGRITT

If not our door anymore then who's?

China, India, Taiwan, Korea, UAE to name a few. Those are the places of the future.

[TnHilltopper]

Originally Posted by Randomstudent

As to the OP. I tend to not like the phrase "American Exceptionalism" because it is steeped in providential Christianity, which I simply do not believe in.

With that said. I think America has been very successful and that success has made us exceptional and given us the ability to do what we can. With that said how well we as Americans use that power will determine how long we can remain exceptional.

You don't have to believe in gravity if you do not wish to, but it still exist non the less. After reading some of the responses here as well as on the forum in general, I think there are some who not only see America in terms of "American exceptionalism" but see it in terms of American supremacist.

In a great many ways America is exceptional, I think this would be a consensus view here, but where you say, "given us the ability to do what we can", I suggest as Andrew Bacevich also suggest, that this instills a sense of obligation to do what we can.

As far as foreign policy is concerned, a big problem is that too many are standing on the beach looking over the horizon across the sea and asking to "do what we can" when someone needs to turn around and look at the state of our own country, its eroded and crumbling infrastructure, massive dependence on energy (also our greatest national security risk) our troubling economic state, an education system that is becoming laughable, etc...

[Ellis Bell]

Originally Posted by Visvaldis

America is an economic and military giant but a cultural dwarf, and socially regressive.

What other country can a person walk into, bringing with their culture, and be greeted with open arms? Just asking, because apparently I am missing something.

[Ellis Bell]

Originally Posted by jm31828

No, this isn't really what they are saying. Everyone knows the good things we have done, however you have to be wearing blinders to not see that we have abused our power over the last few decades, doing some things that caused a lot of harm to people and places around the world.

America threw the first punch? Educate me.

[Ellis Bell]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

I guess I don't automatically equate exceptionalism with arrogance. In my head I think that being an American is an honor but also a responsibility. I think all gifts come with responsibilities. So to me, the things about being an American, the way I see the world, the historical legacy that informs my worldview is not something I take lightly. I see it as a privilege and honor that I've always felt comfortable and free to express my opinions, about my government, about political and public figures, about American society in general. I was brought up to think of that freedom as a special one. (Isn't that American exceptionalism?) But I wasn't brought up to think that freedom is exclusive to the United States, or that democracy was exclusive or even that democracy was always better. American culture is unique in the world, not always superior to every other country, but with our freedoms and wealth it was the country that people around the world aspired to live in.

I think then, that it's not suprising that other people around the world not only immigrated to our country in large numbers, but also strived to make their country more like ours. That's why American branding was successful for so long. From the 1940's and even before, American products were popular abroad not just because the products were desirable, but because they represented the American way of life. But as the global economy has developed, and other nations transformed themselves into the modern world, the American brand has lost some of its cachet. The rest of the world doesn't share all our values. Much of the rest of the world looks back at histories and traditions that go back much further than ours, and they value their legacy in the same way we do ours. Much of the rest of the world have deep ties to religion that are far different from ours, and I think it's perfectly rational that they want to hold on to their historic values and beliefs, whether those values and beliefs have a place in American culture or not.

But I think that American exceptionalism has the tools to deal with that. We have a heritage of tolerance. And we have a heritage of adaptability. The freedoms that our Founding Fathers established and protected, they rest on a bedrock of tolerance and flexibility. To me, that's very special. I think that that is something that other nations who look back thousands of years, who are entrenched in those much older cultures, don't always have that tolerance and flexibility. That may be why Australians and Americans often seem to have a special affinity. The can-do, make-do, will-do attitudes are often entwined with a willingness to reject accepted wisdom, and a willingness to experiment and try new things, or try old things in new ways. Maybe to me, that's what American exceptionalism is. The Founding Fathers were willing to experiment, to invent a political system that was new to the world, to borrow from history and to apply those things in new ways. If that's what makes American exceptional, then it's alive and thriving, isn't it? People inventing new things, people starting business. The optimism that was so integral a part of the new country the Founding Fathers formed, I still see that in American society. Yes, sometimes it crosses over into the dark side and becomes arrogance. But other times it's not just willing to work with the rest of the world to make things better, it's eager to do so.

I tried to rep you, but it wouldn't let me. (emphasis mine)

[jetgraphics]

Originally Posted by TnHilltopper

Are Americans truly exceptional among all the people of the world?

Once they were.

At one time, each American was a sovereign, a king without subjects, unique among the peoples of the world.

Bet you were never taught that the American people are sovereigns... individually sovereign.

"The people of the state, as the successors of its former sovereign, are entitled to all the rights which formerly belonged to the king by his own prerogative."
Lansing v. Smith, (1829) 4 Wendell 9, (NY)

"At the Revolution, the sovereignty devolved on the people and they are truly the sovereigns of the country."
Chisholm v. Georgia, 2 Dall. 440, 463

"It will be admitted on all hands that with the exception of the powers granted to the states and the federal government, through the Constitutions, the people of the several states are unconditionally sovereign within their respective states."
Ohio L. Ins. & T. Co. v. Debolt
16 How. 416, 14 L.Ed. 997

Sadly, that sovereignty was surrendered over three generations ago.

[Randomstudent]

Originally Posted by TnHilltopper

You don't have to believe in gravity if you do not wish to, but it still exist non the less. After reading some of the responses here as well as on the forum in general, I think there are some who not only see America in terms of "American exceptionalism" but see it in terms of American supremacist.

In a great many ways America is exceptional, I think this would be a consensus view here, but where you say, "given us the ability to do what we can", I suggest as Andrew Bacevich also suggest, that this instills a sense of obligation to do what we can.

As far as foreign policy is concerned, a big problem is that too many are standing on the beach looking over the horizon across the sea and asking to "do what we can" when someone needs to turn around and look at the state of our own country, its eroded and crumbling infrastructure, massive dependence on energy (also our greatest national security risk) our troubling economic state, an education system that is becoming laughable, etc...

I think you are misunderstanding me...unless you believe the idea that God is causing America to be successful is akin to gravity. I do not believe in providential Christianity, or any idea that promotes deities playing favorites with nations. I do believe that in many ways America is exceptional.

As far as foreign policy is concerned I think the big problem is that too many Americans think they know more about about other countries then the people living there. Now there is no doubt that due to our resources, technology, reputation and military we have the power to do a lot of stuff. I think we would be best served using our power and reputation to work as an honest broker rather then trying to impose what we believe is fair on the rest of the world. This is because the latter will bleed us dry and limit our abilities.

[TnHilltopper]

Originally Posted by Randomstudent

As far as foreign policy is concerned I think the big problem is that too many Americans think they know more about about other countries then the people living there. Now there is no doubt that due to our resources, technology, reputation and military we have the power to do a lot of stuff. I think we would be best served using our power and reputation to work as an honest broker rather then trying to impose what we believe is fair on the rest of the world. This is because the latter will bleed us dry and limit our abilities.

I would assert that because we have this ability to do a lot of stuff, that it is also the basis of why many think we are exceptional and should do a lot of stuff.

I think it is pretty well established that as a nation we are exceptional in a great many ways, this isn't the point. The point is that because we are or at least view ourselves as such, we use exceptionalism as justification or a rational to commit to actions we would never allow other nations to do without at least our protesting.

[Lycanmaster]

Originally Posted by KevK

China, India, Taiwan, Korea, UAE to name a few. Those are the places of the future.

This century belongs to Asia. It would behoove everyone in America to start recognizing that reality and adjust to it.