BOSTON GLOBE: One nation, under illusion

[divideandconquer]

One nation, under illusion
By Neal Gabler
October 13, 2009

THE HOARIEST and most oft-repeated cliche in American politics may be that America is the greatest country in the world. Every politician, Democrat and Republican, seems duty bound to pander to this idea of American exceptionalism, and woe unto him who hints otherwise. This country is “the last, best hope of mankind,’’ or the “shining city on the hill,’’ or the “great social experiment.’’ As if this weren’t enough, Jimmy Carter upped the fawning ante 30 years ago by uttering arguably the most damning words in modern American politics. He called for a “government as good as the American people,’’ thus taking national greatness and investing it in each and every one of us.
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There is nothing wrong with self-satisfaction or national pride. But the incessant trumpeting of our national superiority to every other country in the world is more than just off-putting and insulting. It is infantile, like the vaunting of a schoolyard bully that his Dad is better than your Dad. It is wrong. And it might be dangerous both to ourselves and to the rest of the world.

Consider what it means. By what standard is one nation any greater than any other nation? Yes, the United States has vast material resources - we rank eighth in gross domestic product per capita - but we also have, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the “highest inequality and poverty rate’’ in the world, outside of Mexico and Turkey, and things are getting worse. Nothing to boast of there.

Yes, we have a relatively high median income, but our standard of living as measured by the Human Development Index of the United Nations ranks us only 15th in the world, behind, among others, Norway, France, Canada, and Australia. Are they better than we are? Even our home ownership rate trails that of the citizens of Canada, Belgium, Spain, Norway, and even Portugal.
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<http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/10/13/one_nation_under_illusion/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed3>

[CurtEastPoint]

1. OK. Please explain how Carter's statement about 'government as good as the American people' is bad.

I don't get that. What's wrong with wanting a good government? And I feel that most people, including Americans, are basically pretty good. Not perfect but good in their hearts.

[RagAss]

2. Most are good....but in a country of 300 million...most isn't enough.

[starroute]

4. I always figured Carter was saying the US collectively is a moral imbecile

That Americans on the average are as decent and caring as most folks -- but that US foreign policy has been that of a swaggering bully. And that at a bare minumum, the US government ought to aspire to the standard set by its citizens.

Of course, I may have been taking his words from an unusual perspective. :D

[Chemisse]

3. When I was growing up, I was told repeatedly that the US was the greatest country in the world

I was under the impression that we were the only country with a democracy, and the only place where people could live freely.

It was quite a surprise to find out that many other countries vote for their leaders and other people are free to come and go as they please, just like we are.