An interesting take on what makes America great.

[PedroDaGr8]

As mentioned from time to time, I frequent Reddit regularly. In particular, there is a section called ChangeMyView which is dedicated to polite and respectful fact based discourse. The way it works is that someone posts a statement, usually a held belief, and asks for others to they to change their view. A changed view does not require a 180° reversal, but instead even adding nuance to a view (ie limitations of a view) can be considered a changed view. In light of this, I came across this post today:

Pick an issue basically. Does anything coming out of the American media indicate that the future of the species is a bright one? Morally, economically, rationally, politically and socially it looks like America is digesting itself. A vanishingly small number of people - men - control a skyrocketing amount of wealth, information, and natural resources.

It's clear now that the views of most of us have zero impact on the juggernaut of the capitalist experiment, even when it comes to protecting our homeworld, an issue on which the US government has once again isolated itself in world opinion.

Trump's hat should've read: Make America Disintegrate Again.

MADA. Madder and madder...

Now this is clearly anti-american viewpoint , if not outright loaded rhetoric. That was not what was interesting. It was this first response from someone outside America that I found very touching and in many ways reaffirming of my ideals and faith in America:

Let me give you an answer as a non-American - specifically an Indian - who's never been to USA yet. Yes, American soft and hard power has been influential worldwide for decades, no doubt. As has their clout. For starters, the word America and USA being so interchangeable without controversy. It's trademark mottos of democracy© liberty® freedom™ etc have been, well, repeatedly endlessly to me through my childhood through all the cartoons, movies, music, books, news, this and that. Art, science, education, military, everything, everywhere - the Americans are everywhere and ahead of the rest. That's the image you get wherever you look in mainstream media, pretty much everywhere else in the world. Any non-American would agree.

Of course then I grew up, I've seen, read, listened to, and experienced a lot more and like a lot of people, I've come to know - yeah there's tonnes of countries who're just as good and better with a lot of things USA isn't. And likewise, also understood the myth of USA being some sort of "beacon of democracy and liberty". Yeah it is a myth, you say so yourself in your question. It was already shattered to me long ago, and I don't even know why I began typing this. But yeah, despite all the flaws of America, one thing that kind of sticks to the concepts of liberty, democracy, freedom etc is this - my simple answer - America's strongest critics have been its own people even globally. At least 8/10 times I see someone criticize the wrongdoings or shortcomings or flaws of your country, it's from within. Which imho is a valuable, cherishable, and productive trait. America fucks up somewhere? Americans first to call it out. For example 7/10 of your movies may be braindead "commies are bad we are best" type of garbage, where the villains are all Russians or commies or some laughable rubbish. "we save the world yet again" etc. Black and white, so to speak. But there'll still be 3 which talk about the greys - evils within your own system, which will show the bad guy being someone in the system. I know that's a simplistic and stupid example , deliberately even. But in real world, Americas worst critics come from within, which is an encouraging sign. Take Ed Snowden, Chelsea Manning etc.

Americans aren't afraid to look within and see something is wrong and say it out loud. I mean, as an outsider, I was jokingly predicting months earlier in friendly discussions that the strong, destructive right/left echo chambers in your country is gonna cost you the election. So in fact I was very much telling my friends in discussions that this "myth" will just be a lot more prominent. But again, here's the thing, while you guys may now be laughed at worldwide for obviously very laughable and confusing and backwards news straight from the top of the heirarchy - you guys are the first to be most vocal about it. Whether it's laughing at, breaking down, criticizing vehemently, or challenging that myth. To the extent that I can begin to question that maybe it isn't that much of a myth. Cause it does exemplify liberty and freedom and democracy at the end of the day.

Edit + tl;dr: you questioning that yourself as an American is probably why that isn't so much a myth.

I find this to be a very poignant example of what to me makes America so great. We are not great because we are always the best, but instead because we are willing to acknowledge we can to do better, even where we are the best. We are always innovating and trying new things to see if we can do even better and now is never good enough m

It's why I do not have the same views on protesting that many do on here. I might not agree with what's being protested but even in the least relevant and most biased protests there is often some kernel of truth. For example, with BLM many may disagree with what they ask for and/or who they chose to defend and how. That being said, there is certainly some truth in how blacks are treated by the police versus the white. An issue which helps lead to the us-versus-them mentality often seen. Similarly, when the KKK and other white supremacists get enough supporters to have a protest like Charlottesville there is something to learn there. While, certainly I don't support their views, the fact are many white males in poor and rural areas are left with literally zero options. They feel attacked because they have no future and nobody really cares. They see disparities in how help is given and resent it. Much like gang members, if you don't address what lead to them joining then you can't fight the problem. You will spend infinitely more figuring the symptoms than curing the problem.

I am sure others will disagree with my view but that's fine. 😁 I just thought that I would share this.

Sent from my LG-LS998 using Tapatalk

[suncat05]

Nice find, and good post Pedro. Thanks for sharing.
In many respects it is right on point.
I am all for protesting if the issue calls for it. There is a time & a place for it, but it has to be done correctly, stay within its focus point, and not turn into a raging riot where innocent people are injured or killed. Where the problems arise is when you have "community organizers" following a path towards destruction of property and allowing for others to be injured to try to make their point, whatever that may be. THAT goes against the very concept of peacefully assembling to address grievances committed.