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American exceptionalism goes both ways. Yes, people who see the US as uniquely moral and good are wrong. So are people who see the US as uniquely bad. It’s some
by School-Cotton 4y ago
American exceptionalism goes both ways. Yes, people who see the US as uniquely moral and good are wrong. So are people who see the US as uniquely bad. It’s somewhat better than most countries in the world, and somewhat worse than some others, especially Western and Northern Europe, i.e. the most developed part of the world.
If it’s not fair to compare the US to Yemen, then it’s not fair to compare it to Norway either. It simply is what it is.
- nojonestownpls 4y agoYeah, there's two ways to look at this: * The US is doing better than you might expect from an influential, powerful country, that could be abusing its power much more (but that's how empires fall, and the US has learned from the lessons of history) * The US is doing worse than you might expect from a prosperous and stable country, one that doesn't need to be driven by desperation and genuine threats to survival
- jfengel 4y agoI wouldn't compare countries. But I can recognize what the OP said, that for many Americans the cruelty is the point, and I find that unpleasant all on its own. The comparison to the worst may not be apt, but I feel disgusted to be even inaptly associated with it.
- School-Cotton 4y agoBy saying “Americans” rather than “human beings in general” you are implicitly comparing countries.
- jfengel 4y agoI am referring to a specific movement within the US.