US: why so narcissistic patriotic?

[PurpleTree]

1 minute ago, Rilles said:

Yeah, Im considering traveling. 

in Texas everything is forbidden i think for example (except guns)

 

travelling from Texas to Colorado, California probably takes longer than from Sweden to the Netherlands

Edited November 14, 2020 by PurpleTree

[Shin]

Also the electoral vote, that's like, 100 years old outdated and undemocratic.

The tipping system, a joke, except Canada every other country actually pay properly their people.

Like come on, USA is far from being the best in almost everything (that matter to their citizens)

 

[Preety_India]

I don't see the electoral system as really bad or undemocratic. The popular vote needs to be considered and given leverage in politics. Yes. But I think the electoral is still a necessity because in certain states, the needs of the town or rural people who are mostly republican need to be considered. If we only focus on popular vote, then it's always the Democrat that wins every time or at least often. Republicans have some leverage with the electoral system. 

 

2 hours ago, Shin said:

And the political system too.

It looks like two mafia gang competing with each other.

Seriously

Believe it or not, I love American politics and will always prefer it over the politics in any other nation, I Will never follow European politics because it feels like everyone is too lazy to do anything there, the politicians make moot points and it gives the feeling of a philosophy debate room rather than a serious political endeavor that's why Europe has a mostly stagnant legislation.. 

America is very vibrant in comparison to all European countries. Watching American politics is like watching a blockbuster movie where big  things are going to happen whereas watching European politics is like watching a soap opera with the same episode on repeat. 

American politics is full of intense changes, although it looks like America struggles a lot with its political climate, there is always some tension going on, this tension is way better than the peace in so many European countries, because tension and upheaval are necessary for systemic change, Americans look like they're suffering right now, but eventually they will benefit from such suffering, because only tension and rife brings people to come together to find solutions to their inner demons, with every political Struggle that America goes through, it comes one inch closer to progressivism, this is the beauty of American politics and America in general. Europe will be jealous. 

Even if there is chaos in America right now, this chaos is necessary as a primordial soup for future change. 

Change, especially radical change is never peaceful. It goes through relentless opposition and resistance to finally come to fruition. America seems to be paying a heavy price for such change. But it's a change nevertheless. 

At least America has the audacity to confront political issues head on. Whereas Europe will turn into a Liberal hell hole (don't get me wrong, I am all about liberalism but the way Europe represents liberalism, it's too lame and they are always clamping down on freedom of speech, that's pseudo liberalism and meant to create even greater problems in the future. America on the other hand allows much greater leverage for freedom of speech even though this comes at a dear price of racial tensions and protests, but such dirty laundry and fighting is far better than seething resentment and no funneling of deeper issues. Europe will get stuck in a bottleneck.) 

America is like a boyfriend who is ready to battle it out in the open, shouting matches, open confrontations, but at least trying to understand the issue at hand and trying to come to a middle ground, even if there is hate, once it's full on hate, the hate then becomes a shadow and paves the way to love because the resistance to the (shadow) hate eventually collapses and the psyche looks to find a way to bridge the gap leading to unity and acceptance. 

This is a whole process, it's like an iron rod in the furnace, right now too hot to handle, but it's also easier to mold it into a shape before it cools. 

Meanwhile Europe will never go through this process because Europe is more concerned about its image, doesn't want to air its dirty laundry in public, is afraid of open confrontation, does not allow a shadow to be created, so it will always have a seething resentment but lack of freedom of speech means these resentments are never funneled in public discourse leading to further degradation and decay of the society because when problems are not confronted, they begin to wear down the system slowly corroding it until corrosion becomes final and there is no going back, the ship begins to sink and nothing can save it past a point. 

That's why American politics is damn important because it's like a mirror, reflecting all the major issues and changes and challenges in the global psyche. 

At least through such intense upheavals and reparations America will get something done. 

America will gradually become the most progressive nation in the world and this will actually benefit America's future. 

How I compare America to Europe. 

America can or has the possibility to become A solid true Green. A more realistic centrist Green. 

Whereas, 

Europe is like a lame Green, the toxic Green or mean Green, superficial Green with no value or real substance. 

At this point, Europe really needs to be jealous. 

Edited November 14, 2020 by Preety_India

[Ananta]

6 hours ago, Preety_India said:

The  America has a general narcissistic culture. 

?

 

6 hours ago, Preety_India said:

If something is not how they want, they'll go to extreme lengths to demonize it.

Hmm, sounds a lot like your posting.

Jesus, doesn't India (your OWN country) have some problems for you to focus on?

Such a waste of your time and energy spent here bashing others. Oh-well, its your life. 

 

[Nahm]

We have one earth. 

[Preety_India]

2 minutes ago, Ananta said:

?

 

Hmm, sounds a lot like your posting.

Jesus, doesn't India (your OWN country) have some problems for you to focus on?

Such a waste of your time and energy spent here bashing others. Oh-well, its your life. 

 

America is my country as well. I don't consider America as a separate country because my family lives there. So I call it my second home. I don't know why this separation that if I'm Indian then I should only focus on India.. 

India has a ton of problems to focus on which I have discussed in the past as well, which are beyond my scope because they have reached such a deep level of degradation, that there is no point even discussing it or focusing on it, it might never change with stage Blue leaders in my country, so I have relegated it to a point of no return. The resistance to change in my country is too strong so I don't see any point even discussing it. 

Why are you so focused on me? 

Why is a non American discussing America such a big deal to you? 

I could be an American discussing American politics. 

Almost everyone on the forum who is non American is discussing American politics as well, I don't think it's written somewhere that non Americans can't discuss American politics. Kinda absurd. 

I'm not bashing anyone. Critique is not the same as bashing. 

I see these discussions as important because these issues are important to my life. My family is an immigrant family in America and I lived as an immigrant in America for some time. So it's a part of my life as well. 

I also plan on living in America in the future. 

Discussing these things helps me have conversations with people and they bring out points that I might have missed and it helps me with systems thinking. 

 

 

[Nahm]

Where we imagine ‘countries’.

[Rilles]

4 minutes ago, Nahm said:

Where we imagine ‘countries’.

That imagination is very important for keeping our civilization stabile.  Dont forget that 99% of people believe in their imaginary countries. So much they'll die for it. 

Edited November 14, 2020 by Rilles

[Preety_India]

Just now, Rilles said:

That imagination is very important for keeping our civilization stabile.  Dont forget that 99% of people believe in their imaginary countries. So much they'll die for it. 

Exactly. 

[Tim R]

48 minutes ago, Preety_India said:

America can or has the possibility to become A solid true Green. A more realistic centrist Green. 

Whereas, 

Europe is like a lame Green, the toxic Green or mean Green, superficial Green with no value or real substance. 

At this point, Europe really needs to be jealous. 

I disagree.

Europe and especially countries like Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Swiss, Austria, the Scandinavian countries, etc. will transition way easier into stage green than the US simply because the opposition to green isn't as great as in the US. The US I think will stay longer in a mixture of Orange and Green with a good clump of blue slowing everything down. 

Furthermore, jealousy isn't exactly helpful to develop towards green and quite frankly - most Europeans are rather happy not to live in the US.

European countries (and people) aren't so... braggy, glitzy and don't have this "best-of-all-worlds"-attitude.

56 minutes ago, Preety_India said:

Europe is like a lame Green, the toxic Green or mean Green, superficial Green with no value or real substance. 

What makes you think that?

[mandyjw]

America was uniquely, unexpectedly shaped by World War II. We tried very hard to stay out of the war and ended up going all in. The timing of it and the accidental circumstances made us rise to power. Accidently. 

Many Americans, maybe because of this or because it was there before that, have a form of naivete. It has a light side and dark side. It and the principles with which the country was founded (religious freedom), seems to give rise to an atmosphere where people are free to dream. Some amazing things have come because of that. 

 

 

[Preety_India]

Just now, Tim R said:

I disagree.

Europe and especially countries like Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Swiss, Austria, the Scandinavian countries, etc. will transition way easier into stage green than the US simply because the opposition to green isn't as great as in the US. The US I think will stay longer in a mixture of Orange and Green with a good clump of blue slowing everything down. 

Furthermore, jealousy isn't exactly helpful to develop towards green and quite frankly - most Europeans are rather happy not to live in the US.

European countries (and people) aren't so... braggy, glitzy and don't have this "best-of-all-worlds"-attitude.

What makes you think that?

I don't have much knowledge of European politics to be honest. But I did watch a few British political conversations and I'm not sure if British politics is vastly different from the politics of other European countries. But what I gathered was that there was a real pressure on freedom of speech. 

This was a point raised by people like Douglas Murray and Milo Yiannopoulos. 

If they are right, I don't see it as a favorable situation, more like lame greens. Because when green gets toxic it begins to ban everything even freedom of speech. 

But I'm not sure if Douglas Murray is on the right track with his estimations or is it simply a media rhetoric? I won't really know because I'm not deep into European politics. So I simply go by the media.

 

[Nahm]

39 minutes ago, Rilles said:

That imagination is very important for keeping our civilization stabile.  

There is little evidence our civilization is stable. I’m just noting ‘countries’ is a thought story, and earth is more ‘actuality’. 

Quote

Dont forget that 99% of people believe in their imaginary countries. So much they'll die for it. 

Indeed. We’re practically sleepwalking war lemmings these days. It is getting less & less ‘practical’ imo. 

[PurpleTree]

40 minutes ago, Rilles said:

That imagination is very important for keeping our civilization stabile.  Dont forget that 99% of people believe in their imaginary countries. So much they'll die for it. 

you really think 99% would die for it?

i think probably not even 50%

 

[Tim R]

10 minutes ago, Preety_India said:

But what I gathered was that there was a real pressure on freedom of speech. 

Well, the pressure on freedom of speech increases everywhere since people have become so damn entitled to their opinions by creating their little internet bubble, but it's kinda funny that you mention it, since America really  seems to have a problem with it;

"Fake news", Section 230 under attack, Bill C-16 (ok that's Canada, but I'll just mix you two together), extreme political correctness (extreme compared to European political correctness) associated with victim culture, the news channels not being news anymore but mere mouthpieces for two political sides battling each other, etc,.

Have you seen the movie "Joker"? It contains one of my favorite lines:

Quote

"Everybody just yells and screams at each other, nobody's civil anymore! Nobody thinks what it's like to be the other guy..."

 

[Rilles]

16 minutes ago, PurpleTree said:

you really think 99% would die for it?

i think probably not even 50%

 

99% believe in it and some even die for it. 

[Ananta]

?

 

[Preety_India]

13 minutes ago, Tim R said:

extreme political correctness (extreme compared to European political correctness)

Since I haven't studied European politics in great detail, I can't really comment on this. 

But one question has always bothered me. And that is - America is the way we see it with an ever increasing population of black people. However Europe in my opinion has a very scant black population in comparison. Would that mean that Europeans are less concerned with issues of racism since they don't have to think too much about a small black population. What happens to Europe if they have the same percentage of blacks population wise in their own country as in America? Would then their political incorrectness begin to look uglier and their political correctness extreme? 

Because it's super easy to compare European countries with America but the demographic racial dynamics are vastly different between them. 

 

[Preety_India]

@Keyhole you're too cute. You make me laugh so hard lol. You're so right about the Indian lady communication style.. 

We Indians are very open and direct with everything haha. 

[DocWatts]

2020 America is a narcissistic monster that's currently in the process of devouring itself. That said, there are far worse places to live than the USA.

Yet anyone loudly proclaiming that the USA is the best country in the world is someone with a simplistic worldview, and are almost always the same people who are actively suppressing needed reforms that would actually make the USA a better place to live.

Edited November 14, 2020 by DocWatts