General Discussion

mike_c

(37,051 posts)

102. are folks being disingenuous about "American exceptionalism" or do they really not understand...

Fri Sep 13, 2013, 12:36 PM

Sep 2013

...that the term has nothing to do with being "exceptional," but rather means "excepted from the rules that apply to every one else?" It means that bombing children isn't a war crime when we do it, but it is when anyone else does. It means starting wars of aggression is our birthright, but it's a crime against humanity when anyone else attacks without the justification of self defense. It means that Americans can suck up a disproportionate amount of the world's resources and spew an equally disproportionate amount of waste and pollution, but that people in other countries should live in squalor because the planet can't support everyone in first world life styles.

That is American exceptionalism.

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Sorry, President Putin, But Data Shows America Actually Is Exceptional [View all] bunnies Sep 2013 OP

Remember Mittens Rmoney? 2naSalit Sep 2013 #1

Believes what? bunnies Sep 2013 #4

Amazingly 2naSalit Sep 2013 #19

Im not promoting shit. bunnies Sep 2013 #24

How does that make America morally exceptional? It means it's desirable sinkingfeeling Sep 2013 #2

Who said anything about "morally"? bunnies Sep 2013 #6

I didn't read the whole article, but does it claim American moral exceptionalism? Orrex Sep 2013 #11

Talk about flawed reasoning. Mass Sep 2013 #3

Right. More people want to come here because we suck. bunnies Sep 2013 #12

Look exceptionalism and you will see that this is not what it means. Mass Sep 2013 #14

I like Thom Hartmanns definition. bunnies Sep 2013 #21

Why should it be exceptional? Other countries have the same dreams? Mass Sep 2013 #25

Then why cant other countries be exceptional? bunnies Sep 2013 #29

If everyone is exceptional... ocpagu Sep 2013 #56

fair enough. bunnies Sep 2013 #59

Exceptional in the way High Fructose Corn Syrup is exceptional, Ron Green Sep 2013 #5

I don't know what the fuck you're talking about. Yosemite? tkmorris Sep 2013 #7

It's amazing isn't it? whatchamacallit Sep 2013 #23

Yeah. bunnies Sep 2013 #36

Oh relax. I wasn't jumping on you. tkmorris Sep 2013 #73

Sorry. bunnies Sep 2013 #74

Oh hey, it's alright tkmorris Sep 2013 #75

I understood the point of the article and the issues you were trying to raise. MADem Sep 2013 #108

Thanks, MADem. bunnies Sep 2013 #111

American exceptionalism doesn't exist except in the Cleita Sep 2013 #8

Thom Hartmann disagrees. bunnies Sep 2013 #18

I know what Thom Hatmann said and he was trying to make a point that Cleita Sep 2013 #31

Oh, geezus. Please dont make me go there. bunnies Sep 2013 #34

Hartmann just commented on it and he says Cleita Sep 2013 #39

Well... bunnies Sep 2013 #41

If we are so exceptional then why are we behind other countries in health care, education, labor liberal_at_heart Sep 2013 #9

Its ok. bunnies Sep 2013 #13

You're right I don't. I know the whole America is exceptional meme is an illusion. liberal_at_heart Sep 2013 #16

"I thought it was interesting and posted it for discussion." frylock Sep 2013 #54

Sorry about that. bunnies Sep 2013 #57

'scool frylock Sep 2013 #58

Yes. We have an exceptionally high number of people incarcerated. Putin can't touch us. Comrade Grumpy Sep 2013 #10

Don't forget disidoro01 Sep 2013 #37

And Mexico says, "Gracias por nada, NAFTA." Comrade Grumpy Sep 2013 #95

lol what a stupid article LittleBlue Sep 2013 #15

Yes. Im certain they were all poor. bunnies Sep 2013 #28

I think that I have to take a capitalist magazine like Forbes championing American exceptionalism quinnox Sep 2013 #17

Unlike Putins propaganda piece? bunnies Sep 2013 #22

If I think about it honestly, I think I would take Putin over a silver spoon born quinnox Sep 2013 #26

Gross. nt bunnies Sep 2013 #27

I met some Brits who want to move to US. Oh boy, do I wish they moved! idwiyo Sep 2013 #20

But without your peers and toffs there'll be no more cousins for your Royals to marry kenny blankenship Sep 2013 #30

There are cousins aplenty in rest of EU. They will be fine! :) idwiyo Sep 2013 #33

If America is exceptional, Eddie Haskell Sep 2013 #32

Well said. bunnies Sep 2013 #35

and that's not the only way that it is exceptional Douglas Carpenter Sep 2013 #38

What's going on in St. Kitts/Nevis and the Seychelles.... KoKo Sep 2013 #42

and according to the figures in he OP Saudi Arabia is the 5th most desired country in the world for Douglas Carpenter Sep 2013 #45

and of course from Newsroom Douglas Carpenter Sep 2013 #40

wow. bunnies Sep 2013 #44

actually it is an HBO series. Unfortunately I don't get HBO - so I have only seen clips Douglas Carpenter Sep 2013 #47

Yeah. I dont even have tv. bunnies Sep 2013 #48

American Exceptionalism is a phrase that represents a specific theory cali Sep 2013 #43

oooooh. bunnies Sep 2013 #46

you shouldn't feel stupid. It's an easy enough mistake to make. cali Sep 2013 #50

No wonder people were jumping on me. bunnies Sep 2013 #55

Very interesting poll. Nye Bevan Sep 2013 #49

Over Australia! bunnies Sep 2013 #52

WAS grahamhgreen Sep 2013 #51

We're exceptional because of circumstances FarCenter Sep 2013 #53

When you put it that way... bunnies Sep 2013 #60

No, you're wrong if you think your post isn't rah-rah shit... joeybee12 Sep 2013 #61

Putin is the worst thing for human rights in Russia since the Soviet days... bunnies Sep 2013 #67

a moment for rebuttal florida08 Sep 2013 #62

Interesting. bunnies Sep 2013 #64

People see TV series, Hollywood movies, videoclips, media distortions and a lot them buy it. ocpagu Sep 2013 #63

Thanks for your input. bunnies Sep 2013 #71

This. We're exceptionally good at painting and distributing an image of exceptionality. n/t lumberjack_jeff Sep 2013 #79

it's the standard argument for American Exceptionalism Enrique Sep 2013 #65

As I have noted upthread... bunnies Sep 2013 #69

U.S. Military Interventions Since 1945 JackRiddler Sep 2013 #66

Please read post #46. bunnies Sep 2013 #70

K&R treestar Sep 2013 #68

Kick & recommended. William769 Sep 2013 #72

Marking this thread so I can find it later... bvar22 Sep 2013 #76

Actually... bunnies Sep 2013 #77

Are you also Irony Impaired? bvar22 Sep 2013 #80

I did not mean to argue for American Exceptionalism. bunnies Sep 2013 #82

If this country were so exceptional then you would have health care totodeinhere Sep 2013 #83

Thank you for the well wishes. bunnies Sep 2013 #84

Don't be embarrassed. I can't even remember the number totodeinhere Sep 2013 #86

Thank you. bunnies Sep 2013 #90

When Rush Limbaugh calls me overweight, my immediate reaction is to shout "hypocrisy". lumberjack_jeff Sep 2013 #78

Because ego, pride and hollywood stars are exceptional. n/t L0oniX Sep 2013 #81

Everyone hates us and yet everyone wants to move here. Rex Sep 2013 #85

"everyone wants to move here" ? bvar22 Sep 2013 #88

Good point. Everyone wants to move to Canada. Rex Sep 2013 #89

:) bunnies Sep 2013 #91

DAM. Rex Sep 2013 #106

That just means you have good PR n/t Prophet 451 Sep 2013 #93

I like it when an article's title shows me I don't have to waste time with it. 2ndAmForComputers Sep 2013 #87

Are you calling me a blowhard? bunnies Sep 2013 #92

A moderate amount of reading comprehension would be enough... 2ndAmForComputers Sep 2013 #96

Being rude is fun, eh? bunnies Sep 2013 #98

Only when the other person's skin is comically thin. 2ndAmForComputers Sep 2013 #99

Booya! bunnies Sep 2013 #100

I imagine we all of us rationalize our rudeness and incivility to others from time to tim LanternWaste Sep 2013 #110

The only exceptional thing about the US is it's PR Prophet 451 Sep 2013 #94

Actually, that data shows that people believe that America is exceptional KamaAina Sep 2013 #97

If its such a myth Daniel537 Sep 2013 #101

Some of them are KamaAina Sep 2013 #103

are folks being disingenuous about "American exceptionalism" or do they really not understand... mike_c Sep 2013 #102

As I said in my 2nd edit... bunnies Sep 2013 #105

OK, granted.... mike_c Sep 2013 #107

Who in the hell would want to live here? Vashta Nerada Sep 2013 #104

Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2013 #109