4 ms·

That’s very kind! But, joking aside, I’m sure you can appreciate that this would be thought more than a little presumptuous had I actually titled it that way.

burlesona 7y ago
No no, it's perfect just as written. I probably should have said, "This article _could_ be titled..." I've lived abroad, and then I have a large number of friends from abroad, so I understand most of these things to some degree. But reading your article just made me realize, these are the very things that I am so frustrated by in my own country, and yet when I talk to my family and friends they mostly just look at me like I'm weird and shrug me off. I think it's because (as another reply pointed out), they have never seen anything different and can't imagine that it doesn't have to be this way. There are many great and wonderful things about America and Americans, but I think our biggest single downfall is that our national pride has somehow mutated into what I would call a national narcissism. So many Americans deeply believe that we are the absolute best at everything. I've listened to family members crushed by medical bills say, "Well, at least we're in America where doctors can treat things like this, we're so fortunate here." I point out that people in other countries pay a fraction what we do for the same care, and they just... space out and cannot process what I'm saying. So, anyway, it was just a really cathartic read for me. You expressed these ideas so cogently and concisely, I wish I could have done the same. Last thing, one the note of the built environment, if you're interested in that sort of thing, I help run an organization called Strong Towns (strongtowns.org) which is largely aimed at helping Americans understand the flaws in the suburban model (namely that over the long-term it is an unproductive money pit that is eroding our national wealth). You might find you fit in well with the Strong Towns movement :) Thanks for writing and sharing this piece!

burlesona 7y ago

No no, it's perfect just as written. I probably should have said, "This article _could_ be titled..." I've lived abroad, and then I have a large number of friends from abroad, so I understand most of these things to some degree. But reading your article just made me realize, these are the very things that I am so frustrated by in my own country, and yet when I talk to my family and friends they mostly just look at me like I'm weird and shrug me off. I think it's because (as another reply pointed out), they have never seen anything different and can't imagine that it doesn't have to be this way. There are many great and wonderful things about America and Americans, but I think our biggest single downfall is that our national pride has somehow mutated into what I would call a national narcissism. So many Americans deeply believe that we are the absolute best at everything. I've listened to family members crushed by medical bills say, "Well, at least we're in America where doctors can treat things like this, we're so fortunate here." I point out that people in other countries pay a fraction what we do for the same care, and they just... space out and cannot process what I'm saying. So, anyway, it was just a really cathartic read for me. You expressed these ideas so cogently and concisely, I wish I could have done the same. Last thing, one the note of the built environment, if you're interested in that sort of thing, I help run an organization called Strong Towns (strongtowns.org) which is largely aimed at helping Americans understand the flaws in the suburban model (namely that over the long-term it is an unproductive money pit that is eroding our national wealth). You might find you fit in well with the Strong Towns movement :) Thanks for writing and sharing this piece!