General Discussion

CrispyQ

(41,175 posts)

48. Big culprits are American exceptionalism & rugged individualism.

Tue Jan 13, 2015, 12:27 PM

Jan 2015

Too many think that America can do whatever it wants because our motives are good & true, which is bullshit, but too many don't see that. Within our own country, we elevate individualism over community - the individual is greater than the whole, when in reality that is tearing apart the fabric of our society. Individuals need a strong, solid community to excel, but we've put the cart before the horse. Insane or just acting like self-absorbed, spoiled brats?

You know the old saying, though - the bigger you are, the harder you fall. Bob Altemeyer's article on The Authoritarians is such a great article on what has been going on in this country. The authoritarian leaders have duped the authoritarian followers & there are going to be more & more disillusioned Americans in the coming years when they realize that they have 'played by the rules' only to be played like a fool.

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/

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Is the U.S. Crazy? [View all] xchrom Jan 2015 OP

I wouldn't bet against it. hobbit709 Jan 2015 #1

A bit of Nuance Roy Rolling Jan 2015 #33

Hero worship? Do you think righty worships their rightwing leaders? randys1 Jan 2015 #51

I've been saying that for some time newfie11 Jan 2015 #2

I have spoken to people from countries in Africa, India, Nepal JonLP24 Jan 2015 #3

America is still a wonderful place, it is a matter of perspective Lurks Often Jan 2015 #20

Yes, I pointed out it is wonderful from where they're coming from JonLP24 Jan 2015 #25

Don't forget this incident ... eppur_se_muova Jan 2015 #41

That is terrible JonLP24 Jan 2015 #43

"Even the poor in the U.S. are wealthy in comparison to a subsidence farmer in Nepal" whathehell Jan 2015 #34

My point was correct in the context of the post I was responding to Lurks Often Jan 2015 #37

No, I'm afraid it wasn't. whathehell Jan 2015 #45

My post said this "they view it as this wonderful place and where they're coming from it is" JonLP24 Jan 2015 #68

That sounds exactly like something the Koch bros told us recently randys1 Jan 2015 #53

If you think it's so horrible, feel free to immigrate if you can find a country that will admit you Lurks Often Jan 2015 #55

Can I come to you when I want to know what the talking points are? randys1 Jan 2015 #56

No, I have no interest in you or anything you say or think Lurks Often Jan 2015 #57

That makes perfect sense...It really does. I am a liberal, a very passionate, informed randys1 Jan 2015 #58

You keeping thinking you're the purity police and determiner of all things Lurks Often Jan 2015 #59

Nope, I am a determiner of who I think is a liberal and who isnt, based on years of randys1 Jan 2015 #61

Aren't you arrogant and full of yourself Lurks Often Jan 2015 #62

of course hfojvt Jan 2015 #81

An approach that works oh so well in convincing people to agree with them Lurks Often Jan 2015 #104

This is a problem I see on these boards, it isn't loved enough Jim Beard Jan 2015 #66

Ironically JonLP24 Jan 2015 #70

I'm not always real happy when I find some of the details about our immigration policy Lurks Often Jan 2015 #72

I really wasn't making a case against you JonLP24 Jan 2015 #73

Didn't think you were Lurks Often Jan 2015 #74

i believe we are a sick nation. barbtries Jan 2015 #4

They are just a symptom..... daleanime Jan 2015 #23

Our militarism is part of our national culture. We are wedded to it. Vattel Jan 2015 #5

Not being snarky but genuinely curious. If one rejects a conventional attack on the KingCharlemagne Jan 2015 #50

There is no reason to think that mass murder was necessary to get Vattel Jan 2015 #63

It's been quite awhile since I studied the history of the period, so I'm relying on some KingCharlemagne Jan 2015 #82

I wasn't talking only about Hiroshima and Nagasaki; so I don't see what the canard is. Vattel Jan 2015 #85

I once took a multi-discipline course on the Atomic Bomb . Half-Century Man Jan 2015 #79

Certifiable, IMO Demeter Jan 2015 #6

morning! xchrom Jan 2015 #7

Fox News appeared in 1996 and took a few years to whip up Snarkoleptic Jan 2015 #8

I feel the same way. As soon as Fox started in with the "We are fair and balanced" diatribe... BlueJazz Jan 2015 #24

fox is the visual icing on talk radio's lie turd pie. talk radio's idiot little brother certainot Jan 2015 #88

Crazy. And sick. Blue_Adept Jan 2015 #9

Yes. And they want to make the entire world as crazy. Helen Borg Jan 2015 #10

Americans don't see "the intimate connection between a country�s domestic and foreign policies" pampango Jan 2015 #11

pampango Diclotican Jan 2015 #16

Thanks for the picture and the history of FDR's support for Norway. pampango Jan 2015 #22

I am a great admirer or FDR.... defacto7 Jan 2015 #96

See post #25 for an intimate view JonLP24 Jan 2015 #26

We are in the process of committing national suicide. Katashi_itto Jan 2015 #12

Imperial suicide, I prefer. Just like the Romans' and Brits' KingCharlemagne Jan 2015 #52

Nicely phrased! Katashi_itto Jan 2015 #75

When I was in Europe this past fall RoccoR5955 Jan 2015 #13

Glad someone posted this article UglyGreed Jan 2015 #14

"Don't ask me, I'm from California" shuts down these discussions pretty quickly Sen. Walter Sobchak Jan 2015 #15

Yes. Alkene Jan 2015 #17

Well I am living in TX currently TBF Jan 2015 #18

In my experience the suburbs tend to be more reactionary than in the outright country Fumesucker Jan 2015 #39

I think that's true TBF Jan 2015 #46

Without question. truebluegreen Jan 2015 #19

The now main-stream republican party Turbineguy Jan 2015 #21

Crazy and cruel. Yep. Nt abelenkpe Jan 2015 #27

Why yes, yes we are. nt bemildred Jan 2015 #28

Amerika wa totemo Baka tare!!! yuiyoshida Jan 2015 #29

Yes: DetlefK Jan 2015 #30

+8 n/t Alkene Jan 2015 #35

Yes. Just wait tho..... N_E_1 for Tennis Jan 2015 #31

Most Americans are normal The Wizard Jan 2015 #32

I'm not buying that most Americans are normal mountain grammy Jan 2015 #36

Under capitalism, 'Free Speech' is like money; some has lots more of it than others. There KingCharlemagne Jan 2015 #54

+++ seconding that marions ghost Jan 2015 #108

Yes. And if you're not crazy, you've got something wrong. Octafish Jan 2015 #38

Funny my question is: hootinholler Jan 2015 #40

Less so than North Korea treestar Jan 2015 #42

Yes. Brigid Jan 2015 #44

used to live about a mile north of this area�. dhill926 Jan 2015 #49

Paranoid-Schizophrenic complete with "voices" heard from politicians and the media. Tierra_y_Libertad Jan 2015 #47

Big culprits are American exceptionalism & rugged individualism. CrispyQ Jan 2015 #48

It is almost impossible to self diagnose mental illness so I would not know. But I do have a jwirr Jan 2015 #60

It's even worse than you say. mwb970 Jan 2015 #102

yes: a deliberately-cultivated, well-funded, carefully-sheltered "crazy" MisterP Jan 2015 #64

Sadly, yes. nt City Lights Jan 2015 #65

K & R russ1943 Jan 2015 #67

Craizer than a shithouse rat . . . Strelnikov_ Jan 2015 #69

I wouldn't call it crazy olddots Jan 2015 #71

I'll let this be my answer: DeSwiss Jan 2015 #76

+1000! nt adirondacker Jan 2015 #87

While living overseas Euphoria Jan 2015 #77

Stress is a BIG part of it marions ghost Jan 2015 #109

Countries overseas need to understand this about America workinclasszero Jan 2015 #78

Good point marions ghost Jan 2015 #110

Our Right Wing is crazy.... Spitfire of ATJ Jan 2015 #80

We're not crazy! Everybody else is! tclambert Jan 2015 #83

Yes (meds) Ned Flanders Jan 2015 #84

True marions ghost Jan 2015 #111

biggest political mistake in US history, left continues to ignore talk radio certainot Jan 2015 #86

Great point nikto Jan 2015 #91

Agree. I remember back in the late 80s I was driving across kairos12 Jan 2015 #105

American conservatism is definitely a mental illness, and I would Doctor_J Jan 2015 #89

Not just crazy, but stupid as well dflprincess Jan 2015 #90

Fellow Minnesotan here Puglover Jan 2015 #103

I never realized how many crazy there are in the state dflprincess Jan 2015 #115

America is in its Nazi phase. It bombs other countries, then, when the oppressed respond, use that grahamhgreen Jan 2015 #92

Any sane person would say "Yes" world wide wally Jan 2015 #93

Is th U.S. crazy? ReRe Jan 2015 #94

Great Insight in this post Thespian2 Jan 2015 #95

Great insight in yours as well. DeSwiss Jan 2015 #97

Thanks Thespian2 Jan 2015 #114

In the general sense.. defacto7 Jan 2015 #98

What gets me are the people that love American exceptionalism yet don't live here. Rex Jan 2015 #99

Having had life-long experience on the subject of treating mental illness, King_Klonopin Jan 2015 #100

Idiocracy marions ghost Jan 2015 #112

I have been ashamed of my country for years now. /nt mwb970 Jan 2015 #101

HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!! WillyT Jan 2015 #106

Kick. JEB Jan 2015 #107

Please tell people in sane nations that marions ghost Jan 2015 #113

Live abroad and you will realize the problems (and good things) about your own country. Bonobo Jan 2015 #116

Our government is purchased by corporate sociopaths. woo me with science Jan 2015 #117