Do Americans understand how far they have fallen in world's eyes?

[Azrael]

I want universal health care.

I want a very different kind of policing system, starting with the end of using police departments and nickel and dime laws as funding vehicles for the city government.

I think the wealth gap is real and a serious problem.

But I tend to reject more globalism than most, yes. COVID is a compelling argument against the dangers of it, as is global warming brought about by a global economy where goods can't be shipped by zero emissions boats. I reject the decadence we've settled into through our reliance on the cheap wages of other nations.

Powerful, wealthy, culturally urbane or whatever people tend to love globalism, because the world is a canvas on which they can write a commentary that fits nicely in their wondrous life portfolio. We have a class of Americans so divorced from being impacted by...really anything practical...that rank and file struggles either become a rounding error on a data sheet or some faceless, amoral opposition to idealized life.

You know who depends on "globalism"?

American soy bean farmers. And Wal-Mart shoppers.

But that's not really what's under discussion on this thread. What's being examined here is American standing in the world. Our national stature in the community of nations. Our global political leverage.

Some of which depends on military power certainly, and money, but a great deal of which rests on our reputation in the world.

You want to isolate China and China's rapacious combination of runaway capitalism and murderous authoritarianism?

You better hope the United States can build a global coalition of allies willing to do so. A failure of our international standing makes that much harder to do.

The rest of what you posted could be cribbed from an anti-League of Nations flyer circa 1920. Decadent Europe! Hedonists! Bankers! Immoral urbanites!

 

[Mngwa]

Wondering if Alma had ever left his home state as he has a very weird and negative view of people who travel, many of whom are not wealthy.

 

[forever_town]

I don't know if I fully understand all the ramifications of it, but I'm aware that we're being ridiculed, and rightly so.

And that bothers the everloving shirt out of me.

 

[Alma]

You know who depends on "globalism"?

American soy bean farmers. And Wal-Mart shoppers.

I don't care about whether people shop for a few cents cheaper at Wal-Mart. Do you? I don't get pizza from Domino's either.

But that's not really what's under discussion on this thread. What's being examined here is American standing in the world. Our national stature in the community of nations. Our global political leverage.

Sort of. It's more about whether Americans are aware of the apparent dip in our reputation across the world.

I'm sure it has dipped. And Trump was voted out. So it'll go back up as Biden says the things most of the media wants to hear, which, by proxy, improves our standing around the world.

You want to isolate China and China's rapacious combination of runaway capitalism and murderous authoritarianism?

You better hope the United States can build a global coalition of allies willing to do so. A failure of our international standing makes that much harder to do.!

Full divesture in China would probably do the trick. Of course, that'd hurt Americans, to some degree, no question. More to the point: It'd hurt very, very rich Americans quite a bit.

We're not turning back on globalism anytime soon. It's here and here to stay. I can and have accepted that. It's the preferred operating procedure for the world's powers, and I look forward to more truth being spoken to it.

 

[Alma]

I don't know if I fully understand all the ramifications of it, but I'm aware that we're being ridiculed, and rightly so.

By whom?

And that bothers the everloving shirt out of me.

Why? Can't change it.

 

[Azrael]

Then I'll answer the OP's questions no, and no.

 

[RARist]

By whom?



Why? Can't change it.

Alma, no one can stop you from sticking your head in the sand. Whether you like it or not, the above response is pretty much the definition of that.
It's that attitude that frustrates non-Americans, because contrary to your belief, you actually can change it. It's us, outside the borders, that can't. And it's less about the politics, more about the dysfunction.
Whether you like it or not, what happens there has impact all over the world. That's the dynamic the U.S. wants and has deliberately created.
As someone once said about the U.S.:
"Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast ... one is affected by every twitch and grunt."
Imagine what that's like when the beast is agitated. No one gets any sleep.

 

[Alma]

Alma, no one can stop you from sticking your head in the sand. Whether you like it or not, the above response is pretty much the definition of that.
It's that attitude that frustrates non-Americans, because contrary to your belief, you actually can change it. It's us, outside the borders, that can't. And it's less about the politics, more about the dysfunction.
Whether you like it or not, what happens there has impact all over the world. That's the dynamic the U.S. wants and has deliberately created.
As someone once said about the U.S.:
"Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast ... one is affected by every twitch and grunt."
Imagine what that's like when the beast is agitated. No one gets any sleep.

Now we're getting somewhere.

What would you like me - all Americans - to do for ya?

 

[Batman]

Now we're getting somewhere.

What would you like me - all Americans - to do for ya?

 

[RARist]

Now we're getting somewhere.

What would you like me - all Americans - to do for ya?

Think about someone else for once. Why don't you try that?

 

[Alma]

Think about someone else for once. Why don't you try that?

OK. What would you like us to think about?

 

[Scout]

OK. What would you like us to think about?

Are you this stupid or just obtuse?

We are the gorilla in the China shop. What we do has dramatic effects on everything around us. When we act normal and civilized and sympathetic, the world is a much better place.

When we stop around like a child trying to grab everything we can without giving a single fork about others, the world is a shirtty place. What will also happen if that keeps up is a few other nations will organize to take our ass out.

Or maybe the best player on a team is a better analogy? Do you want a ball hog who only wants what benefits them or do you want a team player?