Let’s not pretend the rest of the world is so much better. I’ll concede the US is winning the race to the bottom. This is the winning Trump was talking about.
The rest of the world is largely getting their cues from the US, though. I wish they wouldn’t, but with the massive presence of US media and popular culture, the propaganda hits more than just the US.
with the massive presence of US media and popular culture
Look to the billionaires, the Epstein class, for who’s to blame for that.
Almost a quarter of American adults have never traveled abroad. Only another quarter has been to 5 or more countries. Americans, by and large, only understand the world outside of their own country in the terms American media presents it to them.
It’s not a quarter of all people, just adults and Canada and Mexico are both pretty easy for a lot of Americans. Plus cruises and/or resort trips to the Caribbean and there’s plenty of people who have “been to another country” without ever having really experienced another country.
I’d have to drive almost 1500 miles to reach a “foreign country” (I’m not counting Canada, which I’ve visited a bunch of times) and the structure of our government means all foreign relations goes through the Fed over which I have negligible influence. And that’s coming from someone with a dim view of patriotism. We are physically and geopolitically isolated in a lot of ways, not least of which is the cost (material and opportunity) of travel. It’s a lot of work for no obvious benefit to keep abreast of current affairs around the world.
We have a similar problem here in Australia. But because of our low population. And compulsory voting. It’s not able to manifest as much in the elected governments… Yet.
There is definitely a push by outside groups and a few scallywags here trying to make it like the US.
But we continue to push back….Mostly.
AUKUS was the latest version of us failing in the pursuit of sense. Thankfully the US will fuck up the whole thing so bad it might just work out alright in a decade or two.
Haha! Sure. You believe what you want to.
But the fact is that there are countries in the world that are actively battling this scammy rubbish. Through governments and local leadership.
What is concerning however, is the attitude that scams are just now a part of the accepted narrative.
When they should be anything but.
Take the Nigerian scams of the early 2000’s. They were successfully fought against on all levels. And have now pretty much dropped off.
Just because your country has thrown in the metaphorical towel. Don’t lump the rest of us with you.
I didn’t. I said it as a warning to the countries that are following the path, and some are. If yours is in good shape, then great, keep it that way.
Also, I don’t associate countries and the ones in control with the people who live there. It’s not some team sport where all represent, most citizens of a place don’t have all that much control over what their country does. Most of us are born into a place and system that we have to live in and can’t change. That’s not throwing in the towel, that’s just knowing you can change some things directly around you, but you can’t change everything, so you have to adjust the best you can.
Sure wish Americans would do something about this so the rest of the world doesn’t have to suffer.
Let’s not pretend the rest of the world is so much better. I’ll concede the US is winning the race to the bottom. This is the winning Trump was talking about.
The rest of the world is largely getting their cues from the US, though. I wish they wouldn’t, but with the massive presence of US media and popular culture, the propaganda hits more than just the US.
Look to the billionaires, the Epstein class, for who’s to blame for that.
Almost a quarter of American adults have never traveled abroad. Only another quarter has been to 5 or more countries. Americans, by and large, only understand the world outside of their own country in the terms American media presents it to them.
A quarter going to 5 or more countries feels incredibly generous.
Hell a quarter never traveling also feels like a huge under estimate.
Granted, unlike, Europe, we aren’t all a 30 minute drive from another country.
It’s not a quarter of all people, just adults and Canada and Mexico are both pretty easy for a lot of Americans. Plus cruises and/or resort trips to the Caribbean and there’s plenty of people who have “been to another country” without ever having really experienced another country.
This is so true…so many have zero world view
I’d have to drive almost 1500 miles to reach a “foreign country” (I’m not counting Canada, which I’ve visited a bunch of times) and the structure of our government means all foreign relations goes through the Fed over which I have negligible influence. And that’s coming from someone with a dim view of patriotism. We are physically and geopolitically isolated in a lot of ways, not least of which is the cost (material and opportunity) of travel. It’s a lot of work for no obvious benefit to keep abreast of current affairs around the world.
Traveling is probably the best thing you can do to not be a complete shithead about 90% of things in life.
We have a similar problem here in Australia. But because of our low population. And compulsory voting. It’s not able to manifest as much in the elected governments… Yet. There is definitely a push by outside groups and a few scallywags here trying to make it like the US.
But we continue to push back….Mostly.
AUKUS was the latest version of us failing in the pursuit of sense. Thankfully the US will fuck up the whole thing so bad it might just work out alright in a decade or two.
A criticism of “MAGA” I have made is, “why settle for great when we were amazing?”
Haha! Sure. You believe what you want to. But the fact is that there are countries in the world that are actively battling this scammy rubbish. Through governments and local leadership. What is concerning however, is the attitude that scams are just now a part of the accepted narrative. When they should be anything but.
Take the Nigerian scams of the early 2000’s. They were successfully fought against on all levels. And have now pretty much dropped off.
Just because your country has thrown in the metaphorical towel. Don’t lump the rest of us with you.
I didn’t. I said it as a warning to the countries that are following the path, and some are. If yours is in good shape, then great, keep it that way.
Also, I don’t associate countries and the ones in control with the people who live there. It’s not some team sport where all represent, most citizens of a place don’t have all that much control over what their country does. Most of us are born into a place and system that we have to live in and can’t change. That’s not throwing in the towel, that’s just knowing you can change some things directly around you, but you can’t change everything, so you have to adjust the best you can.
You’re allowed to do your own thing ya know.
Unless you do your own thing too much and the CIA takes interest.