You have a higher regard for the general public than I do it seems.
I don't believe people want to be stupid but a lot are intentionally or willfully ignorant. Which means they might as well be stupid.
The education in the US has been going steadily downhill for decades. Partially due to interference from revisionist and several lobby groups. It's a sad thing to see.
I get that you're stuck on this glorified idea of individualism and all that but that's just an idea that's been fed to you and probably everyone else. You're individual because you've been told to be. It's how your society, laws, talking points, etc have been framed. It is that way because that's what the people in power want you to be. You can believe that or not but that's the simple truth.
As for your election system... sigh...
Anyway, I really don't have the time now to run this long debate. You obviously have your opinions and it will be difficult to change them as you really have no other experiences outside the US.
I've lived in 5 countries and traveled extensively. No place is perfect and I can tell you a lot countries, even 3rd world countries, are better than the USA in how they treat their citizens. There's a reason why the US is near the bottom in a lot of surveys. You might want think more on that.
But of course if money is your only way of viewing success, value or relevance than yeah I guess the USA is in the top.
It’s not that I have any higher regard for anything. I’m not looking to blame anyone for my past, current and future situation. Here in USA, we’re free to do as we choose.
I’m not sure how I have a higher regard for people than anyone else. People are free to make their own decisions in what they feel is best for them. Who am I to judge them as intelligent or not because of their views and choices? I can totally disagree with someone but that doesn’t invalidate their right to choice. Like Trump or Clinton, we had to vote lesser of the worse but isn’t that life if we’re not voting for ourselves? NOBODY will have my interests except for ME inclusively.
You seem to be stuck on this idea that people who disagree with your viewpoints and perceptions are stupid? By your logic, then I should think about others that way? For me, that logic and line of thinking doesn’t let me follow my goal to be “men for others” and to serve others where possible with at least time and talent for less fortunate regardless of my own less than optimal situation.
I guess our education system has always lacked compared with the rest of civilization since we only have 243 years of existence as official country. Much of the 500 years of territorial existence has been flawed and our educational system just wants to continue repeating what the people want to believe as truth. Problem is that our system encourages and promotes this individual behavior and we’re doomed since as nation it’s constitutionally protected for some really bad ideas to also encourage the really good ideas. I look at some of the minds at the Apple, Google and Microsoft companies for instance. Many of those people are products of USA education in spite of itself.
Regarding individual rights, I’m not stuck on them as I’m not required to be. We’re all free to choose. But that individualism ties directly into freedom. The Democrats have been preaching many of the ideas you espouse. Sometimes people vote for them only to reject them shortly thereafter. See, that’s individualism we speak of. We like certain ideas as country sometimes but then choose to drop support because we don’t like whatever perceived individual rights we’re giving up.
How’s our election system bad? We go out and vote for whoever that we like or don’t even vote and still complain. You’re right that our system preaches and protects individual rights. We had almost 20 people in the Republican primaries four years ago. Everyone laughed at Trump and yet he carried the people. When Clinton ran against him, she believed in her own enlightened superiority. Many people voted against her to lose as we’re tired of the current system. We pull for a person like Trump, because in reality, both parties don’t like the guy. I’d say our system is ok if we can stick our middle finger up and upset the establishment on both sides. That’s how Clinton won in the 90s but could you imagine how the pundits would speak today?
I’ve only been in six countries through Central and South America plus the Caribbean nations. I’ve lived in Peru and Mexico on extended temporary status at various times. Unfortunately the drug cartels and socialist leanings of both countries aren’t bearable when the capitalist hidden infrastructure encourages an illegal amount of corruption. It’s hypocritical so I assume to live in my country of birth simply because it’s easier to control my own destiny.
As far as how I’m treated as citizen, I don’t want any treatment other than be left alone by the government as much as possible. When I need something, I’ll call them. In that vein, I think you’ll find that most Americans don’t care what other countries think of us collectively. Why should we care? How does some collective opinion affect my daily life? Before I can worry about people in some other country, I’ve got enough people with their individual different viewpoints in this country to worry about. We’re too busy as one country ever divided to have time for secondary concerns. Imagine how things would be if our country got involved outside it’s national borders every time something goes wrong elsewhere.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram