Dwayne_Jason
Do I have everybody's attention now
Alright, let me get this out the way, I AM NOT HERE TO SAY THAT I HATE AMERICA. I DON'T MIND AMERICANS AS LONG AS THEY HAVE COMMON SENSE, THEY'RE COOL.
Now then, since I'm not an American, I've never really understood the soft spot you guys have when it comes to patriotism. I'm not here to criticize it per se, but I just don't understand the idea of it. I've never considered my country great even if I don't mind living in it and think its a nice country overall. I don't understand the phrase "this is america", for me, it really doesn't make sense.
Especially when people say "this great country" and stuff like that, I don't understand a lot of it. I mean what's "great" exactly? I don't mean that in a sarcastic way, I mean, like really, What's great?
So what I did is make a list of what Americans would think is great:
Liberty
Military
Politics
Democracy
Origin
Technology
People
Community
When it comes to liberty. Most people enjoy that in the western world. Plus with all the censorship laws and the controversies with certain things to say and not say, the liberty is aspect is pretty jaded
Then comes the military. Okay, I'll give you that. The military's great. Best in the world actually. So does Patriotism stem from having "the biggest stick" again, not an insult, simply a question.
Some people are patriotic for the politics, and I've never really understood it because well, your political structure, is pretty fucked, actually. This is directly shown with this massive crisis going on and the political parties are busy fighting amongst each other. Maybe if you guys had a bit more of a direct democracy then it would be better. That and holding politicians accountable.
Democracy. Now, here's the thing with Democracy. Fact is, Democracy has two sides and at both sides it becomes quite ineffective. The right side is the representative democracy when you vote for the representative that will vote on your behalf. Then the liberal democracy which is when people would become "senators" so to speak, and vote through a referendum. The problem with both extremes is that with representative democracy, you give the power over to the politician. Now the politician has the power "of the people" so to speak and does whatever the hell he wants to do, provided he wins elections. There's no accountabilty here, except for the election but election's just a popularity contest if the same senator wins every time. Not to mention your democracy has more centralized power rather than any power dilution, so to speak.
Your democracy is broken simply because people have very little choice when it comes to political parties. Democracts and GOP. That's why, in my perspective, a lot of problems occur. There's only two freakin' choices! I'd say you guys need a new party but that's common sense, I'm sure everyone knows it, but no one votes for it. And its not just like 3 people, I mean americans are smart, man. Mass psychology would point to something different if those things don't work.
Not to mention the immense amount of deregulation you guys are okay with when it comes to corporations. And the ignorance of deregulation when it happened. As a democracy the onus is on the people. So either you guys didn't care or were utterly stupid or your system is that which doesn't allow important decisions such as regulation to be in the hands of the people. I mean if there was a referendum, I'm sure, even with some voter apathy, your patriotism would make you guys vote the right way. Unless the republican party brainwashed you guys, even then, most americans are smart, right?
I mean you look at Canada, and we've been hit pretty hard to but its 2011, things are pretty okay now, compared to America.
But okay, I digress. The point being that your democracy cannot be the thing you're proud of, right?
Also, since I went on a anti-american triade here, please understand I don't hate the country. You people are cool, most of you atleast.
Is your Origin is what you're proud of? The whole constitution, four fathers and such?
I'll keep this brief now:
Technology, Japan is the leader, most engineers are most Asia, true your technology sector is pretty big...but patriotism existed before tech blew up so that can't be it.
Community? People? Some people in America are mind numbingly stupid, but I guess maybe that's what your proud of?
So what is it that you're proud of exactly?
What makes this country, great?
Also, here's another thought experiment: If the school system didn't encourage any patriotism, would you still be as much of a patriot?
Poll coming soon.
Now then, since I'm not an American, I've never really understood the soft spot you guys have when it comes to patriotism. I'm not here to criticize it per se, but I just don't understand the idea of it. I've never considered my country great even if I don't mind living in it and think its a nice country overall. I don't understand the phrase "this is america", for me, it really doesn't make sense.
Especially when people say "this great country" and stuff like that, I don't understand a lot of it. I mean what's "great" exactly? I don't mean that in a sarcastic way, I mean, like really, What's great?
So what I did is make a list of what Americans would think is great:
Liberty
Military
Politics
Democracy
Origin
Technology
People
Community
When it comes to liberty. Most people enjoy that in the western world. Plus with all the censorship laws and the controversies with certain things to say and not say, the liberty is aspect is pretty jaded
Then comes the military. Okay, I'll give you that. The military's great. Best in the world actually. So does Patriotism stem from having "the biggest stick" again, not an insult, simply a question.
Some people are patriotic for the politics, and I've never really understood it because well, your political structure, is pretty fucked, actually. This is directly shown with this massive crisis going on and the political parties are busy fighting amongst each other. Maybe if you guys had a bit more of a direct democracy then it would be better. That and holding politicians accountable.
Democracy. Now, here's the thing with Democracy. Fact is, Democracy has two sides and at both sides it becomes quite ineffective. The right side is the representative democracy when you vote for the representative that will vote on your behalf. Then the liberal democracy which is when people would become "senators" so to speak, and vote through a referendum. The problem with both extremes is that with representative democracy, you give the power over to the politician. Now the politician has the power "of the people" so to speak and does whatever the hell he wants to do, provided he wins elections. There's no accountabilty here, except for the election but election's just a popularity contest if the same senator wins every time. Not to mention your democracy has more centralized power rather than any power dilution, so to speak.
Your democracy is broken simply because people have very little choice when it comes to political parties. Democracts and GOP. That's why, in my perspective, a lot of problems occur. There's only two freakin' choices! I'd say you guys need a new party but that's common sense, I'm sure everyone knows it, but no one votes for it. And its not just like 3 people, I mean americans are smart, man. Mass psychology would point to something different if those things don't work.
Not to mention the immense amount of deregulation you guys are okay with when it comes to corporations. And the ignorance of deregulation when it happened. As a democracy the onus is on the people. So either you guys didn't care or were utterly stupid or your system is that which doesn't allow important decisions such as regulation to be in the hands of the people. I mean if there was a referendum, I'm sure, even with some voter apathy, your patriotism would make you guys vote the right way. Unless the republican party brainwashed you guys, even then, most americans are smart, right?
I mean you look at Canada, and we've been hit pretty hard to but its 2011, things are pretty okay now, compared to America.
But okay, I digress. The point being that your democracy cannot be the thing you're proud of, right?
Also, since I went on a anti-american triade here, please understand I don't hate the country. You people are cool, most of you atleast.
Is your Origin is what you're proud of? The whole constitution, four fathers and such?
I'll keep this brief now:
Technology, Japan is the leader, most engineers are most Asia, true your technology sector is pretty big...but patriotism existed before tech blew up so that can't be it.
Community? People? Some people in America are mind numbingly stupid, but I guess maybe that's what your proud of?
So what is it that you're proud of exactly?
What makes this country, great?
Also, here's another thought experiment: If the school system didn't encourage any patriotism, would you still be as much of a patriot?
Poll coming soon.
