Pinpoint Where America Went Wrong

[vogina]

This sort of paraphrases the Dali Lama. Just sayin'.

The closest thing I have gotten to reading anything about the Dali Lama is a book called The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac. Just sayin'

[BlackSwan]

As for past,generally speaking,of all the volatile turning points in history-many are a matter of happenstance.Take Hitler for example-that man's behavior was quite peculiar to say the least.

Happenstance? The worldwide depression (Great Depression) ushered in an era of fear and desperation in which the German people would do anything if they thought it would fix their failing country. Apparently and unfortunately, murdering millions of people fell under that "anything".

Perculiar? Believing ones race is peculiar? That belief comes up over and over in history.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing destiny here. I'm saying there is an underlying set of characteristics in the human consciouness that pushes us in certain directions.

[fikus222]

Pair happenstance occurrences with spin and more often than not you get the 'official' version that makes it into the history books.

Here's a tid bit I'm pretty sure none of you know, the Boston Massacre had nothing to do with Revolution or freedom or even politics. It was a simply a brawl between American sailors and British soldiers. The brawl started because the sailors were pissed that the poorly paid Redcoats were getting hired on at the waterfront. The brawl escalated and caused the young officer in charge of the Redcoats to freak out and ordered them to fire, the first to be slain was a free black sailor fighting for his job.

[MissingPerson]

The Declaration of Independence was what, 1776?

Country's still young. Many more ancient states have been to more terrible depths and set things right. The arc of history is long and all that.

[Young blood]

Believing its only a two party system.

[Young blood]

Aint no party like a Farmer-Labor Party.

[bobert]

Didn't have time to read through the numerous pages of responses, but in my opinion the big turning point in America's downfall was WWII. What was undoubtedly the most awful event to ever occur in the history of civilization also spawned the American development of the nuclear bomb, the rise of the military industrial complex, and most importantly: the delusional notion that America is some kind of divine force in the mythical battle against good and evil. With the exception of the attack on Pearl Harbor and American veterans of WWII, the American public was generally shielded from the most heinous aspects of the war, while most of Europe lay in ruins and we all know what happened in Japan. The proliferation of our military after the war is something that cannot be undone, in my opinion. The amount of money that our government allocates to fund our military and the two foreign wars that we'll never fully withdraw from makes the estimated cost of national health care look like chump change, and in many ways it is. Every country has it's priorities. Look at the annual budget for our government and it's clear where ours lie.

[Young blood]

Globalization and Free trade.

[JebusLives]

I'm not going to blame God for this decline, despite my being a hardcore atheist. Gods are a symptom of irrational thought processes, not the cause of. When/if we can get people to think logically instead of simply identifying with a group, all forms of ideology should fall by the wayside.

The USA is moving in the opposite direction though, I'm afraid. Following the evidence is now called "flip-flopping", applying your education is "elitism", and being cosmopolitan is considered anti-American.

[stinkbutt]

preachy atheists are just as annoying as preachy christians, jews, muslims, etc, etc

[JebusLives]

...and? That doesn't make us wrong, just annoying.

[TomAz]

Canadians telling Americans how to run our country are wrong.

[chairmenmeow47]

Didn't have time to read through the numerous pages of responses, but in my opinion the big turning point in America's downfall was WWII. What was redoubtably the most awful event to ever occur in the history of civilization also spawned the American development of the nuclear bomb, the rise of the military industrial complex, and most importantly: the delusional notion that America is some kind of divine force in the mythical battle against good and evil. With the exception of the attack on Pearl Harbor and American veterans of WWII, the American public was generally shielded from the most heinous aspects of the war, while most of Europe lay in ruins and we all know what happened in Japan. The proliferation of our military after the war is something that cannot be done, in my opinion. The amount of money that our government allocates to fund our military and the two foreign wars that we'll never fully withdraw from makes the estimated cost of national health care look like chump change, and in many ways it is. Every country has it's priorities. Look the annual budget for our government and it's clear where ours lie.

totally agree and much more well put than my response

[JebusLives]

Canadians telling Americans how to run our country are wrong.

Go fuck yourself, Tom. Can't your ego take a little outside criticism? I'm at least being constructive unlike some people in here. Also, I mentioned earlier that my family is American.

should "extreme ethnocentrism" and "fragile self esteem" be added to America's list of problems?

[MissingPerson]

Didn't have time to read through the numerous pages of responses, but in my opinion the big turning point in America's downfall was WWII. What was redoubtably the most awful event to ever occur in the history of civilization also spawned the American development of the nuclear bomb, the rise of the military industrial complex, and most importantly: the delusional notion that America is some kind of divine force in the mythical battle against good and evil. With the exception of the attack on Pearl Harbor and American veterans of WWII, the American public was generally shielded from the most heinous aspects of the war, while most of Europe lay in ruins and we all know what happened in Japan. The proliferation of our military after the war is something that cannot be done, in my opinion. The amount of money that our government allocates to fund our military and the two foreign wars that we'll never fully withdraw from makes the estimated cost of national health care look like chump change, and in many ways it is. Every country has it's priorities. Look the annual budget for our government and it's clear where ours lie.

This is probably the best answer in the thread.

I still wouldn't get too defeatist about it.

If it's delusional to think of America as some sort of divine force for good, it's equally delusional to expect a single, upwards incline in the history of a nation. Ups and downs, losses and wins.

[TomAz]

Go fuck yourself, Tom. Can't your ego take a little outside criticism? I'm at least being constructive unlike some people in here. Also, I mentioned earlier that my family is American.

Let me add "extreme ethnocentrism" and "fragile self esteem" to America's list of problems.

You know why you don't have Americans telling Canada how to fix its problems? Because no one gives a shit. Not even Canadians, who have more opinions on the US government than they do on their own.

This is not an ego issue. This is a stay the fuck out of our business you god damned slimy foreigner issue.

[gaypalmsprings]

[BlackSwan]

...and? That doesn't make us wrong, just annoying.

What's more annoying is your delusion that the label you have given yourself is any less a belief system than other organized religions.

[stinkbutt]

...and? That doesn't make us wrong, just annoying.

just because you're an atheist doesn't mean you're all of a sudden a genius as most of you seem to think

[emtgreg]

[rage patton]

You know why you don't have Americans telling Canada how to fix its problems? Because no one gives a shit. Not even Canadians, who have more opinions on the US government than they do on their own.

This is not an ego issue. This is a stay the fuck out of our business you god damned slimy foreigner issue.

This first part is true. More Canadians do know/care more about US politics than Canadian politics.

However, I do not agree with the second part. What happens in the United States directly affects Canada. Yes, it is your business, but a lot of the time, it makes it our business too.

[MissingPerson]

Yeah, I remember when there were grown adults throwing rocks at schoolgirls over here about religion, so frankly it can go fuck itself with something rusty.

[JebusLives]

I didn't want to start a religious discussion, sorry. I was actually trying to get people to stop blaming religion for the decline (re-read my post)!

Tom, you actually had some good stuff to say earlier in this thread, but now I feel guilty for even reading it.

[BlackSwan]

Yeah, I remember when there were grown adults throwing rocks at schoolgirls over here about religion, so frankly it can go fuck itself with something rusty.

Stalin and Pol Pot were atheists.

Full disclosure: I am not religious.

[TomAz]

You should know when you're being wound up, Jebus.

tee hee

[gaypalmsprings]

I didn't want to start a religious discussion, sorry. I was actually trying to get people to stop blaming religion for the decline (re-read my post)!

Tom, you actually had some good stuff to say earlier in this thread, but now I feel guilty for even reading it.

[JebusLives]

You should know when you're being wound up, Jebus.

tee hee

i recommend deploying the winky-face, in the future.

[TomAz]

Real Men Don't Use Emoticons.

[Young blood]

Drown it with beer and let your fists do the talking.

[Bud Luster]

Im gonna say the emancipation proclamation...