I was curious to see what people thought of American exceptionalism.
What exactly is it?
Basically the idea that America is better (or more exceptional) than the rest of the world. That we are upheld to different standards. Here is the definition from Wiki "American exceptionalism is the theory that the United States is "qualitatively different" from other nations."
Quote from: Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth on August 24, 2013, 07:13:28 PM
Basically the idea that America is better (or more exceptional) than the rest of the world. That we are upheld to different standards. Here is the definition from Wiki "American exceptionalism is the theory that the United States is "qualitatively different" from other nations."
Aren't there lots of countries that are "qualitatively different" from others? That's just my thought Lol
To quote the wisest of our founding fathers, Thomas Paine ""The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion."
IMO I think our country is going downhill and there's very little we can do to stop it, and I don't even care about .politics. either I think it's just stupid that's mostly why I want to live over in England
I think our country, like most in the world, has its great traits and its horrible ones. We may have a slightly better living situation than say Mexico or Vietnam, but we also have a lot of crime and corruption all the way up the ranks. I guess you gotta take the good with the bad. I love my country just not its policies, to quote one of my respected friends.
Quote from: Melek the fire on August 24, 2013, 11:30:43 PM
I think our country, like most in the world, has its great traits and its horrible ones. We may have a slightly better living situation than say Mexico or Vietnam, but we also have a lot of crime and corruption all the way up the ranks. I guess you gotta take the good with the bad. I love my country just not its policies, to quote one of my respected friends.
Slightly? Clearly you have never gone to Mexico. Besides a few places the people are less than dirt poor and have mostly nothing. Kids playing in sewers, houses made from garbage essentially.
Yeah we have some screwed up .politics. but our living situation no matter how you see it is way way above Mexico and most other countries.
I like it here in Canada.... Eh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QON6SSMLcC8
Quote from: Mozilla butcher on August 24, 2013, 08:11:07 PM
IMO I think our country is going downhill and there's very little we can do to stop it, and I don't even care about .politics. either I think it's just stupid that's mostly why I want to live over in England
Funny, considering how England is much further in its downhill trip. England is currently part of EU, aka the Union of Socialist European Republics.
Quote from: S717 on August 25, 2013, 11:24:39 AM
Quote from: BcBudds on August 25, 2013, 12:28:56 AM
I like it here in Canada.... Eh
This
Watch whole thing, can you spot laihe from trailer park boys ?
http://youtu.be/XjiwBwBL4Qo
Hahahaha...
(http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/281/752/0fb.jpg)
Exceptionalism is a fool's paradise, in my opinion. I don't believe anyone is truly better than anyone else, no nation is truly better than another. It's all about balance. For every great thing about any country, there is a bad thing. And visa-versa. My country is no exception. Don't get me wrong, I love my country, I just believe that ignoring its flaws is more dangerous than acknowledging them.
America is the latest in a long line of powers think they are tops and on their way down and out. We replaced England and the rest of Europe as the largest power and we'll eventually be replaced. We got to the top through a combination of luck, blood, and political expediency. Nothing exceptional about us.
Quote from: Boringanarchy2 on August 26, 2013, 12:58:23 AM
America is the latest in a long line of powers think they are tops and on their way down and out. We replaced England and the rest of Europe as the largest power and we'll eventually be replaced. We got to the top through a combination of luck, blood, and political expediency. Nothing exceptional about us.
You don't need luck if you have the skill ;)
US got to the position of superpower because it had better law than the rest of the world, you had most freedom, and in the long run that is what matters in the competition of states. Now, your government has been corrupting your law against your constitution for a long time and your country is in decline.
Quote from: Piotr on August 26, 2013, 06:30:21 AM
corrupting your law against your constitution.
Please explain.
Quote from: Piotr on August 26, 2013, 06:30:21 AM
Quote from: Boringanarchy2 on August 26, 2013, 12:58:23 AM
America is the latest in a long line of powers think they are tops and on their way down and out. We replaced England and the rest of Europe as the largest power and we'll eventually be replaced. We got to the top through a combination of luck, blood, and political expediency. Nothing exceptional about us.
You don't need luck if you have the skill ;)
US got to the position of superpower because it had better law than the rest of the world, you had most freedom, and in the long run that is what matters in the competition of states. Now, your government has been corrupting your law against your constitution for a long time and your country is in decline.
Yeah, all skill in having an ocean between us and Hitler. US got into this position because WWII basically bankrupted England and destroyed the colonial moment. Better law had nothing to do with it and the only freedom that mattered was the freedom to maintain our political and economic hegemony through any means necessary.
American Exceptionalism is just a racist, imperialist idea created by dogmatic, intolerant, conservatives as an excuse for their reprehensible behavior. It should be ignored.
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
American Exceptionalism is just a racist, imperialist idea created by dogmatic, intolerant, conservatives as an excuse for their reprehensible behavior. It should be ignored.
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
MUH RIGHTS
MUH FREEDOMS
*shoves face with burgers*
I dunnnno I feel pretty free in Canada don't see how the US could be 'more free'
Quote from: BcBudds on August 26, 2013, 11:28:10 AM
I dunnnno I feel pretty free in Canada don't see how the US could be 'more free'
We have the freedom to not worry about moose attacks.
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
American Exceptionalism is just a racist, imperialist idea created by dogmatic, intolerant, conservatives as an excuse for their reprehensible behavior. It should be ignored.
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
SOOO TRUE! And BcBudds, I wouldn't mind moving to Canada when I am older. I spent some time in Toronto on a school trip and I thought it was amazing.
Quote from: Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth on August 26, 2013, 11:47:52 AM
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
American Exceptionalism is just a racist, imperialist idea created by dogmatic, intolerant, conservatives as an excuse for their reprehensible behavior. It should be ignored.
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
SOOO TRUE! And BcBudds, I wouldn't mind moving to Canada when I am older. I spent some time in Toronto on a school trip and I thought it was amazing.
If you do decide to move to Canada... I highly suggest against Toronto. I've lived in Manatoba and Ontario just near Toronto for a while and prefer BC now, nicer weather also
Serious question about Canada, do you all mind having such a noisy southern neighbor? Cause all kidding aside, I don't think many Americans have many unkind things to say about Canada.
Quote from: Boringanarchy2 on August 26, 2013, 11:58:17 AM
Serious question about Canada, do you all mind having such a noisy southern neighbor? Cause all kidding aside, I don't think many Americans have many unkind things to say about Canada.
That's not true...we make fun of Canada all the time. Although most of the time it is one of these three:
1) sarcastically to make fun of America
2) a stupid comment about ice, igloos or polar bears
3) making fun of the "aboot"
Quote from: Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth on August 26, 2013, 12:44:43 PM
Quote from: Boringanarchy2 on August 26, 2013, 11:58:17 AM
Serious question about Canada, do you all mind having such a noisy southern neighbor? Cause all kidding aside, I don't think many Americans have many unkind things to say about Canada.
That's not true...we make fun of Canada all the time. Although most of the time it is one of these three:
1) sarcastically to make fun of America
2) a stupid comment about ice, igloos or polar bears
3) making fun of the "aboot"
Hence the comment about kidding...
Quote from: Boringanarchy2 on August 26, 2013, 11:58:17 AM
Serious question about Canada, do you all mind having such a noisy southern neighbor? Cause all kidding aside, I don't think many Americans have many unkind things to say about Canada.
Don't like that you guys are screwing us on on gas prices haha. It all comes from Alberta but because of some contract we sell it all to you Guys then u sell it back, were paying like 1.30-1.40/liter.
Haha and you can't really make fun of us because whatever you try we just laugh at as well wanna hear all aboot it? Like hell I just took my polar bear for a walk down to the beer store after I finished my lumbajackin when we ran into a killer moose, but don't worry, frizzy, that's ma bears name took care of it with one big roar so I got ma beer just fine (5% I might add) and am on ma way out ice fishin'... Eh
Edit: PS maple syrup
Holy .poo.! You pay 1.30-1.40 a liter (for those who are well...American that's $4.92-$5.30/gallon). When gas prices were that high here, people started throwing hissy fits. We are back down to around $3.74/gallon on average here.
Quote from: Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth on August 26, 2013, 04:23:47 PM
Holy .poo.! You pay 1.30-1.40 a liter (for those who are well...American that's $4.92-$5.30/gallon). When gas prices were that high here, people started throwing hissy fits. We are back down to around $3.74/gallon on average here.
Yeah I can remember when I was younger gas was never more than $1.00 a Litre (yeah sry not very good at metric/imperial conversion, you guys should just switch over. MM, CM, Meters, KM etc hehe) and my father has said he remembers seeing diesel way back for like ¢40 per Litre. Now I just walk haha costs so much to drive
When gasoline was cheap, everyone had big, inefficient behemoth vehicles. Now that it's expensive we drive more conservative vehicles. It's all supply and demand. Gas becomes too expensive - people stop buying it. In Europe gasoline is expensive, so more people drive mini-bikes around because of its fuel efficient. Diesel is cheaper, you get a lot of turbo-diesels.
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
Most freedom to mind your own business. Of course it was true.
Quote from: Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth on August 26, 2013, 07:12:12 AM
Quote from: Piotr on August 26, 2013, 06:30:21 AM
corrupting your law against your constitution.
Please explain.
Your constitution was written as a tool to protect people's right to pursue their own version of happiness. Freedom of the people was paramount.
Your laws are now written to enforce the one and only version of happiness enforced by the government. Protecting the people from themselves is now paramount, or at least that's what what it looks like on the surface*. I don't want nor need the government to be protecting me from myself, .love. off.
* the reality is that this whole welfare state and the resto of socialism is just a tool used by crooks to enslave people.
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 04:53:59 AM
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
Most freedom to mind your own business. Of course it was true.
Actually the most democratically free nations are in Scandinavia according to the Global Democracy index put out by the Economist
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 04:53:59 AM
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
Most freedom to mind your own business. Of course it was true.
Clearly Hong Kong would win out here.
Things American is good at:✔Highest prison population.
✔Obesity
✔Divorce rates
✔Illegal Drug abuse
✔Prescription drug abuse
✔Credit card debt
✔Student loan debt
✔Government debt
Quote from: Dudecore on August 27, 2013, 10:07:24 AM
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 04:53:59 AM
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
Most freedom to mind your own business. Of course it was true.
Clearly Hong Kong would win out here.
Things American is good at:
✔Highest prison population.
✔Obesity
✔Divorce rates
✔Illegal Drug abuse
✔Prescription drug abuse
✔Credit card debt
✔Student loan debt
✔Government debt
While I agree that there are parts of this country where weight is an issue, the way "obesity" is calculated (BMI) is not the best tool ever. It makes a glaring oversight that muscle weighs more than fat. Obviously, this doesn't apply to most people, but it is a very serious flaw for a stat that is taken so seriously.
Quote from: Dudecore on August 27, 2013, 10:07:24 AM
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 04:53:59 AM
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
Most freedom to mind your own business. Of course it was true.
Clearly Hong Kong would win out here.
Things American is good at:
✔Highest prison population.
✔Obesity
✔Divorce rates
✔Illegal Drug abuse
✔Prescription drug abuse
✔Credit card debt
✔Student loan debt
✔Government debt
Very true, but lets remember there are a lot of people who aren't the stereotypical American (see my picture a page or two back).
Quote from: Boringanarchy2 on August 27, 2013, 07:35:22 AM
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 04:53:59 AM
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
Most freedom to mind your own business. Of course it was true.
Actually the most democratically free nations are in Scandinavia according to the Global Democracy index put out by the Economist
Democracy is a tyranny of majority over minority. Another words, two wolves and a sheep deciding what's for dinner. These days it is people who want to create government health insurance monopoly and me deciding what level of oppression am I going to withstand.
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 02:36:51 PM
Quote from: Boringanarchy2 on August 27, 2013, 07:35:22 AM
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 04:53:59 AM
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
Most freedom to mind your own business. Of course it was true.
Actually the most democratically free nations are in Scandinavia according to the Global Democracy index put out by the Economist
Democracy is a tyranny of majority over minority. Another words, two wolves and a sheep deciding what's for dinner. These days it is people who want to create government health insurance monopoly and me deciding what level of oppression am I going to withstand.
Then how do we decide policy? "Eeny Meany Miney Mo", flip a coin, roll dice, mob rule (like in Egypt right now where democracy failed), anarchy, dictatorship...
Quote from: Dudecore on August 27, 2013, 10:07:24 AM
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 04:53:59 AM
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
Most freedom to mind your own business. Of course it was true.
Clearly Hong Kong would win out here.
HK didn't really exists when America was climbing to become superpower. It didn't happen overnight.
HK is a great example of a place showing how freedom is the most important factor of creating wealth. No natural resources but freedom of trade.
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 05:46:59 PM
Quote from: Dudecore on August 27, 2013, 10:07:24 AM
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 04:53:59 AM
Quote from: Dudecore on August 26, 2013, 09:26:09 AM
The US having the "most freedom" is not quantifiable, it also is not true.
Most freedom to mind your own business. Of course it was true.
Clearly Hong Kong would win out here.
HK didn't really exists when America was climbing to become superpower. It didn't happen overnight.
HK is a great example of a place showing how freedom is the most important factor of creating wealth. No natural resources but freedom of trade.
Not sure what you mean by that second statement, Hong Kong has been a central trade port since before the 16th century.
Also, Hong Kong's wealth was in created after it was stolen by the British and flourished through imperialist trade. So I guess what you're saying is that vast wealth comes from other people.
Your guess is false. If you have to guess what I'm saying rather than simply understand it, I'm afraid I was spot on when I used a certain word describing the quality of your prose. If this discussion is beyond your ability to comprehend, please leave.
Quote from: Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth on August 27, 2013, 03:49:20 PM
Then how do we decide policy? "Eeny Meany Miney Mo", flip a coin, roll dice, mob rule (like in Egypt right now where democracy failed), anarchy, dictatorship...
Noticed you just skipped over this Piotr...
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 06:25:33 PM
Your guess is false. If you have to guess what I'm saying rather than simply understand it, I'm afraid I was spot on when I used a certain word describing the quality of your prose. If this discussion is beyond your ability to comprehend, please leave.
I was merely pointing out that your statement lacked context. Hong Kong got rich...through exploitation and lack of freedom.
Quote from: Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth on August 27, 2013, 06:53:51 PM
Quote from: Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth on August 27, 2013, 03:49:20 PM
Then how do we decide policy? "Eeny Meany Miney Mo", flip a coin, roll dice, mob rule (like in Egypt right now where democracy failed), anarchy, dictatorship...
Noticed you just skipped over this Piotr...
Nomocracy.
Quote from: Piotr on August 27, 2013, 07:39:23 PM
Quote from: Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth on August 27, 2013, 06:53:51 PM
Quote from: Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth on August 27, 2013, 03:49:20 PM
Then how do we decide policy? "Eeny Meany Miney Mo", flip a coin, roll dice, mob rule (like in Egypt right now where democracy failed), anarchy, dictatorship...
Noticed you just skipped over this Piotr...
Nomocracy.
You would still need people to make laws, interpret laws and enforce the laws. Nomocracy is a fool's dream assuming that ink on paper is somehow magically binding, not open to interpretation and perfect which we have seen time and time again to be false.
Everything is fools dream until implemented.