This was a common view back then. By 1986, Americans had long been culturally and geographically insulated from other cultures and nations. Post-modern philosop

This was a common view back then. By 1986, Americans had long been culturally and geographically insulated from other cultures and nations. Post-modern philosophy was in full flower, promoting the idea that no world view nor cultural practice is inferior to any other. It was quite easy for the liberal wing of the American intelligentsia of the time to adopt a paternalistic universalist outlook, given that there were no immediate challenges to this perspective. In fact, examples of conservative-driven imposition of American ideals abroad were actively punished: Viet Nam, Iranian Revolution, Korea, etc. The Soviet Union appeared to be going strong. I'd argue that the rise of the internet, 9/11, Iraq and Afghanistan wars, fears of disinformation and misinformation and foreign influence, bot-farms, the rise to prominance of China, all put the lie to this idea that all ideas have merit. It's an idea that is held by few American intellectuals these days, conservative or liberal.