American myths
January 31st 2012 06:22
We Americans are victims of our own mythology.
We have internalized the idea that the United States is unique among nations in it's pursuit of excellence and individual liberty. This statement contains a kernel of truth, but it also provides citizens with a distorted image of our nation and its position in the world.
The main problem -- other than its arrogance -- of this idea is that it tends to be accepted without being subjected to scrutiny. To some people, the suggestion that America isn't the best at everything would be as ridiculous as if someone claimed that a dog was really a cat.
But belief in American superiority shouldn't be strictly based on faith -- it should be based on concrete evidence. And if you look at the evidence, America is lagging behind other nations in many categories.This shouldn't be obscured because some people have trouble discerning the difference between patriotism and damaging, yet fanciful illusions of our nation's unmatched greatness in all facets of life.
While Americans have much to be proud of, we still have plenty of things we can improve on. Several nations have health care systems that are more efficient and less costly than the American health care system and poverty is more prevalent in the U.S. than in many so-called developed nations. Drug use in America also remains high compared to numerous countries.
The U.S. has gained a notoriously high ranking in in a category that is not a subject of national pride: number of people incarcerated. We jail more people than any country in the world. This either means we have some of the most violent, hideous people living in our country, or our system is terribly unjust and in need of reform. I firmly believe the latter.
There is nothing wrong with loving America, but we should love it the way we love our family and friends: flaws and all. And, as citizens it's our responsibility to turn those flaws into strengths.
We have internalized the idea that the United States is unique among nations in it's pursuit of excellence and individual liberty. This statement contains a kernel of truth, but it also provides citizens with a distorted image of our nation and its position in the world.
The main problem -- other than its arrogance -- of this idea is that it tends to be accepted without being subjected to scrutiny. To some people, the suggestion that America isn't the best at everything would be as ridiculous as if someone claimed that a dog was really a cat.
But belief in American superiority shouldn't be strictly based on faith -- it should be based on concrete evidence. And if you look at the evidence, America is lagging behind other nations in many categories.This shouldn't be obscured because some people have trouble discerning the difference between patriotism and damaging, yet fanciful illusions of our nation's unmatched greatness in all facets of life.
While Americans have much to be proud of, we still have plenty of things we can improve on. Several nations have health care systems that are more efficient and less costly than the American health care system and poverty is more prevalent in the U.S. than in many so-called developed nations. Drug use in America also remains high compared to numerous countries.
The U.S. has gained a notoriously high ranking in in a category that is not a subject of national pride: number of people incarcerated. We jail more people than any country in the world. This either means we have some of the most violent, hideous people living in our country, or our system is terribly unjust and in need of reform. I firmly believe the latter.
There is nothing wrong with loving America, but we should love it the way we love our family and friends: flaws and all. And, as citizens it's our responsibility to turn those flaws into strengths.
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Comment by Nicasio Martinez
Truth - Respect - Decency