Why it’s still the American century
In the spirit of July 4, I thought it would be interesting to explore the idea of the United States retaining its influence in the 21st century.
What many see is dire. Beyond the anti-war types’ opposition to the War on Terror, there are corrupt institutions, political and corporate, impeding progress on so many things, from innovations to ways society can function more progressively. The same institutions have led to a financial crisis. Economic management has led to a weak dollar, to the point where some reject it for the euro.
So with the rise of India, and less so of Red China, where is the United States in all of this? How can I be so bold as to say it will remain the American century?
Because of Americans. Individuals. Those who have access to their own speaking platforms, highlighting what they see is wrong with their country, and having a nation that protects their free speech as sacrosanct.
The country that has championed individuality may well be saved, karmically, by individuals themselves.
No anti-American I know stands firmly in his or her country and disses individual Americans. They spit their venom at the government or their corporations. The Iranian blogs that I visited, to see where their root cause of anti-Americanism lay, targeted abuse through globalization. Maybe they have a point, because Americans themselves are not too happy about outsourcing.
And because many Americans have the skills to put their words across, in what remains the internet’s lingua franca—English—and because they can identify the sources of their problems, they can address them.
What we, in the rest of the world should be doing, is engaging this dialogue. Putting forth our point of view.
It’s frightfully easy for people to either have a case of nation envy or tall poppies, dragging down the richest country on earth and pointing out its problems for a short-term feeling of superiority. This is childish at best. While I do not deny the US has its faults—and Americans themselves would be the first to admit that—we should give each other perspective.
I talk about our healthcare system: not the best in the world, but I would rather be sick here than in the US, because of universal coverage. And if we chat to our friends in the US about this, it will give them ideas on how they might accomplish it—or avoid it, if they see faults in our model. The idea of the internet is a beautiful one, even if spammers and pornographers threaten its sanctity: the ability to have a small world where we can have one-on-one discourses, and better ourselves.
That free speech has to be defended at all costs, because even if the United States restricts the movement of people and the movement of capital, it needs to at least allow the movement of ideas.
It is something to be guarded jealously and taught in its schools.
It is, meanwhile, denied to many in Red China, unable to grow through dialogue. Instead its economy grows from the influx of capital, going in on growth figures that have been verified by none except a communist dictatorship, or from the misappropriation of intellectual property. Red China understands the latter cannot continue and has put up some restrictions—but until the opportunities for growth are open to all, then it will not have the support of its citizenry in the way the United States does. Red China can only become a great nation if all of China rethinks the republic, perhaps a commonwealth, but certainly one based around the principles of Confucius and Sun Yat-sen. It can happen as suddenly as the collapse of the Soviet Union, or it may take many more years than we imagine.
Till then, the nation that may yet benefit is one that has great dialogue with the United States, and embraces it, seeing it as a blending of cultures and an opportunity for growth.
That nation is India and while its opportunities have not flowed through to everyone, and it, too, has its internal problems, it is poised to rise through the freedom of people, capital and ideas. The Indian century may follow the American century, but it may take a familiar form. Not far from now, if current trends continue, the Indian middle class will grow. It will form the basis of a strong national infrastructure. And the Indian century, too, will be based around freedom and liberty.
However, in the immediate term, provided the United States can unite itself around its real values, those principles that, in reality, are not uniquely American after all, I see no reason for the American century not to continue.
It is fortunate to have a holiday like the Fourth of July, a chance to remind everyone that freedom and justice are not buzzwords. That these principles really do mean something to the rest of the world—and that they need to be honoured. And that the power rests with everyone, because everyone has a voice.
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Thank God I'm nat a Canadian with its speech codes and tribunals.
however, i've called him every name in the book on my blog - and no one's shut me down yet - and i've been security-checked out - my brother works (indirectly) for the DoD - until that happens, i won't loose faith in America quite yet, even though i live in NZ now
:)
ugh - war - they should be calling it the Occupation for Oil - yep - all engineered by the imbecile and his minions
i'll just have to settle for my cyberspace lambasting of that-person-i-hesitate-to-even-call-a-man from NZ and hope that right doesn't get me in trouble anytime soon
my favorite a.k.a. for His Unworthiness...
Idiot-in-Chief
I was watching a great video earlier today and I sent it out to some fellow Americans. As I was listening to the words of our Declaration of Independence I found myself in tears. Tears of joy and tears of hope. Hoping we can sustain what many have fought for us to have, and by the great minds of our founders. I consider those great men blessed by God and fighters too, considering signing that document put their very lives at risk. Some even murdered because they signed.
John Adams - God Save The American States
I was just told by an Israeli that some in Israel fly the American Flag along with their flag on the 4th of July. He said "It's a day many - world wide celebrate."
Thanks again Jack for your encouragement.
My personal view of the President is his misunderstanding or misreading of the technocratic movements (i.e. bad side of globalization), which seems to inform quite a lot of his foreign policy. However, I am among the minority when I say I believe the man is not stupid. I’ve heard him speak at the G8 (on radio)—no stuttering, correct pronunciation of nuclear, completely fluent—none of the folksy stuff. Remember he lost his run for Congress in 1978 because his Democratic opponent attacked him for being smart.
However, the underlying message remains. The US might not be the greatest country in some respects but it remains a very good country in most.
So thank you all for commenting—Americans and non-Americans alike: Karlos, Paikea, Steve.
Twana, I believe India is on its way. The poor are less poor—and it is institutionalization that also keeps it down. However, the changes technologically are creating new jobs there and while politics there are still very highly charged, I feel the likelihood of political assassinations is lesser than it was 25 years ago. Indians are moving forward and they do have a good common law basis that has allowed them to engage the First World effectively.
I hold hope for the US and that the words of the Declaration of Independence will continue to hold significance and be realized there. Happy Fourth to all of you in the US.
I agree with free speech and the defence of it. And yes, I have never tarnished individual Americans as most Americans I know are just like me - we all want the same things although we might express these things differently.
It is always Washington's policies that I strongly disagree with. I'm always warmed to know that there are plenty of Americans who can also see where I'm coming from. That's the sign of a great people, a great nation of fair-minded, respectful people.
The pursuit of freedom and allowing people to walk their own path in this lifetime is worth standing up for. It is just a pity that the deep kernel of truth in this pursuit has been hijacked in recent decades because of misguided ideologies and shady backroom deals involving some very dubious characters in positions of power.
I wish Americans a happy day today.
Hi Mr. Yan,
My gut tells me that America will indeed continue to be tested internally; culturally, we are at the crossroads as a unified nation. This may get a little long.....
Issues of freedom of speech, equal domestic gay rights, migrants, economics via the housing crisis to name just a few. See, these are the elements that could spilt the nation into a fractured United States of America... Economics and religion help control the party splits, partisan politics has become a dominate force in the media imagery.
So, the answer may rest on the next leader of this still great Americana. And, that could be Obama, and his VP selection. It will be the next Pres' mission to reign in control, set a standard for media, corporate and civic visions, as well as its effective execution.
Still, the fact is - that person will need to clean out the "secret closet", rebrand America as it once strived to be, a land of freedom, liberty and justice. You once used the term "Beacon" in the context to pre 9/11 America. And, we [were] a BEACON of change: digital, urban development, cultural advancement in film, music and the arts in general.
VALUES?
American values are not "bible belt morals" let us a not confuse those that are most outspoken, with the needs, and vision for an inclusive America. Critical mass/ pop culture is diverse, strong and embraces change quickly. They are just waiting on the green light to group and form movements toward change. We like new trends, and change, even at a cost. That is the flex nature of pop; young 20somethings will carry the ball and will hit the stride in the next election term. We are simply in a correction phase.
9/11 was a huge cultural challenge; because it made America question who was to be called "American." Many older Americans saw the reflection of Japan, America pre WW2.
Moreover, America's ability to sustain culture, will be based on its creative assets, and the freedoms that are aligned with expression. The web will be one major factor, as MSM, continues to disengage in favor of short term shareholder profits.
Yes, the sleeping giant will wake, and be kind: more human; [offering] ---- but not forcing a better brand of global justice. One of the first test will be if America can speak peace in Iraq, Iran, Gaza, and here at home in places such as, South Central Los Angeles. Can we redefine our American policy on education and health care?
To be a leader again, we might take chances, reduce war budgets and build value in the unified America, globally.
And, those values are not "June and Ward Cleaver", in that era Dear June was able to speak for the masses of family values. Funny, but- I don't recall seeing any Latin or Asian-Americans on that show. So, the projected image of values must be more inclusive then "....back in the day values...."
Google, Myspace, Facebook, twitter, and blogs... Allows for the exchange of ideals, our daily life is seen in the reflection of digital worldview. There is still a lot to learn, information can't be harnessed.
CountryWide.. Authur Anderson... Now gone... Bear Sterns was an old client... now they are also gone. American Airlines, Delta, and the whole auto industry is being rebuilt; change provides a window for creative innovation. And, I'm excited!
Simply
bill
Judge Bob, I agree with you on a lot of what you wrote. I remember Zell Miller at the last Republican conference during a presidential election year talking about what he understood liberal to mean. Whatever is being reflected by some of the extremist parts of the politics there is no longer liberal. The fashionable people call it postmodernism—the critiquing of the logical, rationalized system—but it is a code word for destruction.
Almost as a reaction to that, there are elements of conservatism that have gone rightward—but most Americans (and on this Sen. Clinton was right, even if she was not right on a lot of things) tend toward the centre.
I hold out some hope through individuals as the MSM loses influence and people go toward the blogosphere and the internet in general. You are right that the general population is lazy and soundbites work to fool them—but there may be enough opinion leaders like your good self prepared to point out the folly of the media and their deceptions.
Bill: the next president, whomever it is, will have to think about how the US is branded. We have had eight years of a president who holds a technocratic world-view; unsurprising considering his educational background and his MBA. The nation brand is one thing the US has not looked at because no one has been accountable to it. But it must be communicated internally and externally at the same time.
Your view is future-oriented and I like that. The new United States is indeed more of a melting pot than what 1950s television would say, or what the Bible belt believes. I like your beacon idea because many of us outside the US still habitually look to your country for ideals—but the MSM prefers to propagate nonsense about gang violence and selfishness (reality TV). (For example, I have seen reports about Polynesian youths dressing up in American-gangster colours, when they have one of the richest cultures on earth that they shun.)
The 20-something crowd that will pick up the baton, as it always does and becomes so very influential, must carve out that new inclusiveness. The environmental movement is one where the US has taken a lead, but on the flip side it has also attracted some extreme leftists who searched for a new home after the collapse of the USSR.
The common thread that Americans surely must share is one of ethics and morality, to put trust back where mistrust now resides. On the coasts, especially in places like New York, I sense mistrust almost as the first position of business relationships—reducing them down to mere capitalism and not humanism. Americans express a dislike for lawyers yet are content to make them rich. The simple thing is a mindshift: that if we expect trust, we must express trust.
That is where change needs to take place first, and perhaps trust can be a uniter—changing things internally and then externally. It was not that long ago that American corporations wanting to globalize their operations reached out, connected with another culture, and respected that relationship.
The 20-somethings may well be more au fait with the use of dialogue and individuality through the ’net and the social networks.
Mr. Yan, is America still the global leader, is that the question?
Funny you should write about the fall of the USSR... I feel the world is still caught in a trap of fear that stems from the Cold War and post 9/11.
The Berlin Wall has fallen!
The older generations recall the extremes from the late 50s-mid 80s --- communist North Korea, Africa, South East Asia, Central America, Russia, Cuba stood against the American values of liberty. America, became a beacon for humanity. Well, that's my abstract take.
Now, the younger folks around the globe only know America as the economic center of media, war, and colonizing. That is an important part of the "American Value" equation... who is America?
Extreme liberals?
Jack, do you mean anarchist?
Because that is another large part of the migrant story. They bring a destabilizing element to America's multicultural table. I've seen and documented that faction of Migrant-America. That is not about free speech, or a honest days work. Anarchist are lawless; anti-law defines their national posture. America is not a developing 3rd world nation... in search of some extremist's revolution!
As with the street gangs of New Zealand, such as: Mongrel Mob in Porirua, which are native Maori, if I'm correct...?
U.S. Street gangs have been allowed to globally export their brand of terror, with the help of MSM; that is one effect of race-based media presentations. The notion of native Maori youth needing to reflect Urban America's crime is a bit of a mystery to me. Crips, bloods, MS 13, LA Mara, Mexican Mafia are all native to America's shores. And, their affect has, and could indeed continue to dismantle "America"... We are speaking about small army sized gangs with combined numbers in the 100s of thousands. They have business models that embrace the selling of drugs, trafficking of humans and guns.
I had to ask a gang based recording artist about NZ, he bragged that there are New Zealand Bloods, of sorts... I had no idea that would be attractive to youth in your country. Amazing!
The Anarchists and gangs in my humble opinion are as bad as Al Qaeda, and maybe in the "criminal bed" with them on some level. So the question is can America stop its own internal brand of terrorist networks?
What is the bottom line economic cost of gangs to our global cultural society?
Can we clean the streets and make them safe?
Can we trust Americans to practice [safe] free speech... can that be done with the diversity of cultures here in the United States of America?
Can America still be the global leader with such a divided culture?
I'm not sure that is a future ideal, as much as a current need today.
Simply
bill:
I now type responses out in word after the last time I lost an encyclopedia length response. Great Post!
Yes... Mr. Yan,
Contextually -- Reciprocity then becomes the mutual exchange of best business practices/economics and social ideals: Cultural Stewardship.
Reciprocity is foundational to the advancement of humanity. Sadly, today we are missing the impact of that "Golden Rule" based construct. When JudgeBob, and many other visitors remark about "Values" I do think they [may] mean caring about the human next door.
America has fallen on tough economic times because our government and global corporations did not care about workers, consumers, or public opinion.
Reciprocity implies a great need for honesty, respect and loyalty; regardless of economic gains, far beyond branding.
Simply
Bill