PhuturePriest Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 How do you think it started? What led to today's almost unbelievable nationalism and arrogance? What phrases, ideas, and things happened that you think were the seeds to America's superiority complex? I'm quite interested in what people think are the causes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 How do you think it started? What led to today's almost unbelievable nationalism and arrogance? What phrases, ideas, and things happened that you think were the seeds to America's superiority complex? I'm quite interested in what people think are the causes. WWII started it, Hollywood ruined it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Started with all that manifest destiny stuff, and took off from there. Once you throw a divine mandate behind what you're doing, you're gonna feel unstoppable at any cost. Also, The Greatest Generation named themselves the Greatest Generation. So. Yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 Started with all that manifest destiny stuff, and took off from there. Once you throw a divine mandate behind what you're doing, you're gonna feel unstoppable at any cost. Also, The Greatest Generation named themselves the Greatest Generation. So. Yeah. "Manifest destiny stuff"? I believe it was the great Bono in 1983 whom said "And so we're told this is the golden age/gold is the reason for the wars we wage." It amazes me how people honestly believe America is the greatest country in the history of the world, and then once you dispute that and explain saying that means you think people from other countries are inferior, they just get angry and call you unpatriotic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not The Philosopher Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Envy at not being Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oremoose Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Envy at not being Canada. I'm good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardillacid Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 :coffee: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopefulHeart Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I think the idea of American superiority originated with the Puritans. In an early American literature class that I took, we studied how the Puritans who founded New England in the early 17th century thought of themselves as a "special people, in a special place, doing special things." They saw themselves as a group especially chosen by God to do his will in a divinely ordained place ("a city on a hill," as John Winthrop wrote). In my opinion, this heritage of "specialness" has influenced a lot of American history, like with manifest destiny, as Basilisa Marie pointed out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socalscout Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 (edited) "Manifest destiny stuff"? I believe it was the great Bono in 1983 whom said "And so we're told this is the golden age/gold is the reason for the wars we wage." It amazes me how people honestly believe America is the greatest country in the history of the world, and then once you dispute that and explain saying that means you think people from other countries are inferior, they just get angry and call you unpatriotic. Where do you get that nationalism infers that those who have it think other people are inferior? Explain the "Superiority Complex"? What constitutes a superiority complex in the citizens of a nation? What is the criteria? Where is the evidence of this? Edited December 22, 2014 by socalscout Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 Envy at not being Canada. Canada is actually a good point, because it reminds me of Bieber, who is perfectly analogous to America's superiority complex. Justin Bieber made videos on Youtube, and then in a matter of no time whatsoever, he became a huge hit sensation. Girls wanted him, he was making millions of dollars, he was touring the world, and he had everything he wanted. Unless you're well-grounded, that type of instantaneous and overwhelming exposure is bound to give someone an ego the size of the sun. Likewise, America's first major act was beating arguably the most powerful empire in the world, and it went on to become of the most rich, powerul, succesful countries in the history of the world. As the country was founded by Freemasons, we didn't really have good grounding, so it only makes sense that America has a Bieber-sized ego. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amppax Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 "Manifest destiny stuff"? Mid-nineteenth century, there was a belief that God had destined the USA to go from sea to sea. Westward expansion and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 Where do you get that nationalism infers that those who have it think other people are inferior? Explain the "Superiority Complex"? What constitutes a superiority complex in the citizens of a nation? What is the criteria? Where is the evidence of this? When people say "America is the greatest country in the history of the world." First off, that's what is known as nationalism, which is strictly condemned by the Church. Secondly, that's a superiority complex. Why? Because if we're the best in the world, that means every other country is inferior to us. But we must ask ourselves the profound philosophical question: What is a country? It's not a government, as government is merely people in charge. It's not a set of laws, as laws are just ideas that dictate what people can and cannot do, based off what the government thinks is best and most efficient for its people. So what is a country? A group of people. So whether people realize it or not, by saying "We're the greatest country in the history of the world.", they are in fact saying "We as a people are superior to every other group of people in the history of the world." In simple terms, it means if someone from every nation in the world was set side by side and we had to deem who was the best one of them all, the answer would be the American simply based off the fact that he is American. It's illogical, it's dangerous, and it's what leads to things like Nazi Germany, which was notoriously nationalistic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 Mid-nineteenth century, there was a belief that God had destined the USA to go from sea to sea. Westward expansion and all that. I have never heard of this before. This is so messed up that I can't help but find it endlessly fascinating. I shall immediately learn everything I can about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Wednesday Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Meh, as an American expat living in Europe, I see plenty of arrogance towards America and Americans that goes the other way just as much. There's a "your country is a mess/everything over here is better" attitude that I hear all the time. Nobody seems to be immune to this sort of thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Era Might Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Calvinist predestination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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