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It all boils down to this: America has not yet progressed beyond the Victorian era. Victorian England was every bit as cruel in its attitudes as America is today.
I have been fascinated with America, and it's people all my life. At the same time I have been puzzled by many attitudes, and the seeming despising of so called failures in society. The one's who don't 'lift themselves up by their bootstraps', and the like.
With the election of Donald Trump, this underlying cruelty has manifested itself, and is on display all the time in this forum. Whether it's illegals, different racial groups, UHC, politics in general, the educated sneering at the uneducated, and a more inward looking population. A seeming cheering at Trump's wrecking ball type of politics. It is endlessly interesting to me, as an outsider looking in, but difficult to understand.
I came across an online article which for me, helped a little in understanding the American mentality. The writer of it says America was a promised land - for the despised, loathed and hated. Folks not given an ounce of respect, dignity, or even belonging in their societies of origin.
It was built on hate. First the British and French settlers hating the Native Americans, and then the next wave of settlers too. Cruelty was established as a way of life. Each new tribe that came to this promised land, brought the burden of being despised and oppressed with them. They were finally above someone else in a social hierarchy. They were not at the bottom anymore. The basis of a dog eat dog, survival of the fittest mentality was formed, which continues today. Today's servant wants to be tomorrow's master. Today's peasant, wants to be tomorrow's landlord. Today's victim aspires to be tomorrow's oppressor.
An attitude of cruelty was formed. Punching down, not lifting up. It's all that Americans expect from each other, and give to each other. A perverse idea of virtue, that by punishing people, we can better them. It is all that Americans expect from each other, and give to each other.
This article made me think, and ponder about this great country, and why it does, what it does. How did the 'Promised Land' get to where it is today? Led by a sociopathic, hateful man, who can do no wrong to a large part of the population. Do Americans on this forum agree with what he has to say, or think he's wrong?
America didn't get to this reduced state overnight.
And it didn't "just happen."
Over the past 25+ years, we've seen the rise of a right wing media establishment that uniformly and unrelentingly broadcasts fear and anger via the following message:
"America sucks and it's all your neighbors' fault. They want to destroy everything you hold dear. Hate them! Oppose them at every turn!"
That same message is repeated ad nauseum by the GOP in their election campaigns. Those with limited analytical powers are highly susceptible to this simplistic message which absolves them of personal responsibility for their diminished circumstances which, BTW, are often exacerbated by economic and fiscal policies of the very party they vote for.
But this isn't a permanent state. The pendulum is about to begin swinging back. It remains to be seen if that pendulum can avoid cycling too far and generating a backlash.
Something tells me that you believe the article to be accurate. It is not.
I don't believe it one way or the other. But reading it this morning by accident, while looking for something else, caught my attention.
I have puzzled for a long time over certain American attitudes, and why they exist. A suspicion and disdain of authority. A great fear of Russia going way back, long before even the Second World War. Why did the rise of Communism cause so much anger and fear in especially America?
The very idea of the people owning the means of production, and the rich being stripped of their assets. Why did that cause so much unrest in America back in the 1920s, a slight thaw during the war, then back with a vengeance as soon as it ended? This cold war leading to Korea, and Vietnam. The very idea of Communism seemed to raise American hackles, and the hunting down of Communists and 'Pinko's' in the 1950s. I am not now, and never was a Communist by the way..........
The fear of government coming for your guns. The very idea is ridiculous. Going door to door demanding the handing over of guns? It would be a bloodbath! No government could ever even consider it. Yet, this fear runs deep is some Americans.
Anger from many about the very idea of UHC. 'Not my job to pay for other folk's health care. I pay for myself, and my family. Not my job to pay for others.' Even though, American health care is the most expensive per head, in the world, with the system you have now.
Constant shouts about 'freedom'. To me, and I'll be honest I don't see much freedom. I see slaves to the machine - and loving it. A pride in hard work, and folks with three jobs get much admiration. Folks taking vacation time seen as slackers. It is all so weird to me........
I find American I have met to be polite, kind, and very interesting. But of course, I only have met Americans in a social setting, when they're relaxing and enjoying themselves. I have never lived among Americans, and got into long conversations on subjects that concern them. Well, just once on a plane flying from Atlanta to Las Vegas. The guy opened up to me, I guess as a foreigner, where he could speak candidly. That was a very interesting conversation.
The link I put up made me think. It gave reasons for much of the attitude found only in Americans, and nowhere else. I am only curious in respect of Americans reading it, and commenting on it's contents.
This is the great thing about city-data. Where else can an Englishman living in the north of England, speak to ordinary Americans, and ask for their comments on something I have read about them?
Modern America is the end result of allowing unfettered capitalism to run rife, and has become very divided as a result, and a country of winners and losers based on profit and pure capitalism.
We don't have true capitalism here, and never really have had that but less so since WWII. We have a VERY highly, government regulated economy, which regulates business, and banking practices as well as other elements of the economy. We also have a very large welfare state where the poor is given a lifestyle which makes them look well off in the eyes of many other countries.
I didn't quote the other part of your post, but honestly, that was also wrong. Our divisiveness is due to our media that thrives on controversy, promotes racism, sexism, and other divisive concepts, and also promotes violence. So maybe come here and spend time as an occupant, not just a tourist because your perception is widely off base.
I have been fascinated with America, and it's people all my life. At the same time I have been puzzled by many attitudes, and the seeming despising of so called failures in society. The one's who don't 'lift themselves up by their bootstraps', and the like.
With the election of Donald Trump, this underlying cruelty has manifested itself, and is on display all the time in this forum. Whether it's illegals, different racial groups, UHC, politics in general, the educated sneering at the uneducated, and a more inward looking population. A seeming cheering at Trump's wrecking ball type of politics. It is endlessly interesting to me, as an outsider looking in, but difficult to understand.
I came across an online article which for me, helped a little in understanding the American mentality. The writer of it says America was a promised land - for the despised, loathed and hated. Folks not given an ounce of respect, dignity, or even belonging in their societies of origin.
It was built on hate. First the British and French settlers hating the Native Americans, and then the next wave of settlers too. Cruelty was established as a way of life. Each new tribe that came to this promised land, brought the burden of being despised and oppressed with them. They were finally above someone else in a social hierarchy. They were not at the bottom anymore. The basis of a dog eat dog, survival of the fittest mentality was formed, which continues today. Today's servant wants to be tomorrow's master. Today's peasant, wants to be tomorrow's landlord. Today's victim aspires to be tomorrow's oppressor.
An attitude of cruelty was formed. Punching down, not lifting up. It's all that Americans expect from each other, and give to each other. A perverse idea of virtue, that by punishing people, we can better them. It is all that Americans expect from each other, and give to each other.
This article made me think, and ponder about this great country, and why it does, what it does. How did the 'Promised Land' get to where it is today? Led by a sociopathic, hateful man, who can do no wrong to a large part of the population. Do Americans on this forum agree with what he has to say, or think he's wrong?
Great read. My family arrived in America in the early 1800's, apparently missing out on the potato famine.
My ancestors were dirt poor and lived in your classic Appalachian towns found throughout the tri-State VA-TN-NC region.
Many escaped the area and made something of themselves. My immediate family moved toward Washington around the First World War and over many decades did extremely well.
Now lets get down to business. Great Britain is no longer the Isle of politeness and all things proper. You have been invaded in recent years by alien cultures that have made your urban areas quite scary.
Your lack of a Constitution and the right to defend yourselves either by hand or with a firearm is astonishing.
You need to listen to Katie Hopkins. She exposes the BS our English friends are being exposed to.
I don't believe it one way or the other. But reading it this morning by accident, while looking for something else, caught my attention.
I have puzzled for a long time over certain American attitudes, and why they exist. A suspicion and disdain of authority. A great fear of Russia going way back, long before even the Second World War. Why did the rise of Communism cause so much anger and fear in especially America?
The very idea of the people owning the means of production, and the rich being stripped of their assets. Why did that cause so much unrest in America back in the 1920s, a slight thaw during the war, then back with a vengeance as soon as it ended? This cold war leading to Korea, and Vietnam. The very idea of Communism seemed to raise American hackles, and the hunting down of Communists and 'Pinko's' in the 1950s. I am not now, and never was a Communist by the way..........
The fear of government coming for your guns. The very idea is ridiculous. Going door to door demanding the handing over of guns? It would be a bloodbath! No government could ever even consider it. Yet, this fear runs deep is some Americans.
Anger from many about the very idea of UHC. 'Not my job to pay for other folk's health care. I pay for myself, and my family. Not my job to pay for others.' Even though, American health care is the most expensive per head, in the world, with the system you have now.
Constant shouts about 'freedom'. To me, and I'll be honest I don't see much freedom. I see slaves to the machine - and loving it. A pride in hard work, and folks with three jobs get much admiration. Folks taking vacation time seen as slackers. It is all so weird to me........
I find American I have met to be polite, kind, and very interesting. But of course, I only have met Americans in a social setting, when they're relaxing and enjoying themselves. I have never lived among Americans, and got into long conversations on subjects that concern them. Well, just once on a plane flying from Atlanta to Las Vegas. The guy opened up to me, I guess as a foreigner, where he could speak candidly. That was a very interesting conversation.
The link I put up made me think. It gave reasons for much of the attitude found only in Americans, and nowhere else. I am only curious in respect of Americans reading it, and commenting on it's contents.
This is the great thing about city-data. Where else can an Englishman living in the north of England, speak to ordinary Americans, and ask for their comments on something I have read about them?
Communism is anathema to freedom. Why do you not understand this truism? Often is comes from an agenda.
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Location: Great Britain
27,175 posts, read 13,455,286 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pilot1
We don't have true capitalism here, and never really have had that but less so since WWII. We have a VERY highly, government regulated economy, which regulates business, and banking practices as well as other elements of the economy. We also have a very large welfare state where the poor is given a lifestyle which makes them look well off in the eyes of many other countries.
I didn't quote the other part of your post, but honestly, that was also wrong. Our divisiveness is due to our media that thrives on controversy, promotes racism, sexism, and other divisive concepts, and also promotes violence. So maybe come here and spend time as an occupant, not just a tourist because your perception is widely off base.
America is the nearest country to pure capitalism.
It's a country very much based on profit and loss and on winners and losers, and the safety net in relation to health and welfare is the subject of much criticism.
Whilst the Trump Administration has further undermined what little safety net there was, whilst even those in work, get fewer holidays and work longer hours than in most western countries.
Last edited by Brave New World; 06-25-2018 at 08:19 AM..
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