'Murica

"mcseanerson" (mcseanerson) 08/26/2015 at 10:37 • Filed to: None

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My wife and I were commenting these images back and forth on facebook the other night and we were cracking up and I started to dwell on the irony of why we find these funny. I believe in American Exceptionalism and I think these are awesome where my wife is anti-establishment and thinks they’re awful. We both get a good laugh from them still.

William Byrd > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 10:41

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My son’s soccer team (11-12 year old) got to vote on their name. It came down to “Murica” and “Scorpions”. I think they ended up with the latter, but it made me laugh that they came up with that.

DoYouEvenShift > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 10:42

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Establishment Establishment you know whats best for me!

ttyymmnn > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 10:47

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There’s a fine line between patriotism and jingoism, a line which is sometimes hard to see.

LongbowMkII > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 10:56

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So. much. freedom.

I feel both. Because they’re ridiculous to have as a real opinion, but it’d be kind of cool if you could.

...Well, you can I guess, but that’d make you a sociopath.

cazzyodo > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 10:59

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::twitch::

FKA-RacecaR > ttyymmnn 08/26/2015 at 11:02

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“jingoism”

Learned a new word today.

WiscoProud > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 12:00

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I believe American Exceptionalism is often funny, so I enjoy these. I also grew up in a rural area in the ‘80s where it was widely taught we were the best nation in the world.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 12:32

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sebdel > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 12:38

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Seeing it from the outside, your country seems a little crazy, but believing you are the best is not really bad, as long as you can still joke about it.

mcseanerson > sebdel 08/26/2015 at 13:05

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The Jezza approach.

mcseanerson > WiscoProud 08/26/2015 at 13:08

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Just because you believe you’re the best doesn’t mean you think you’re perfect. You just suck less than everyone else.

WiscoProud > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 13:10

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lol, true. I will say there are a few countries that suck less than us though...

mcseanerson > WiscoProud 08/26/2015 at 13:12

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That’s a matter of opinion. I’m sure as hell not giving up my citizenship anytime soon.

WiscoProud > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 13:15

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Of course its a matter of opinion, but American exceptionalism is often used to gloss over our numerous problems. While I would love to live in another country, if nothing else for the experience, odds are I never will.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 14:36

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American Exceptionalism and anti-establishmentarianism are not mutually exclusive.

American Exceptionalism is often mistaken, and not truly about the people, nor about the politicians/leaders in government, directly, but the precepts that govern how the people and leaders operate in relation to each other. American people are people just like any other, with no difference in capability. Biologically no different than any other humans. American politicians are just as power-hungry, and susceptible to corruption as those anywhere else, possibly even in some cases worse.

It is also not just simply being egotistically motivated to have a high self-opinion. Lots of monsters have egomaniacally-high self esteem, and yet have been exceptionally bad, and plenty of people with a delusional sense of self, that aren’t exceptional in any other sense. It isn’t a collective delusion of greatness.

What seeks to keep the political system in check, is the rule of law, based on the US Constitution’s enumerated powers, and the limitations against government exceeding those roles.

It is about the foundation of self-government, and the allowance for people to excel if they want, and have the capability to do so, and not a political system of suppression of liberty and freedom, or subjugation to the will of others. Even with an drastically imperfect history, human rights, and quality of life in general, and even economics relative to the rest of the world, have been on an upward trajectory in US history, because the american people have been allowed to do what what they wish, rather than being forced to do what they are told by a ruler.

Frankly the leadership in the US has been departing from what made the United States of America exceptional, and over-regulation, over-dependence, and over-reaching political correctness have been eroding that, which is what the “establishment” has been doing progressively (and yes, I use that word specifically) since the late 1800s. Most current politics is an example of the US Government far over-reaching their enumerated powers.

To truly understand and foster American Exceptionalism, one must almost necessarily be anti-establishment, because ‘the establishment’ seeks to quell most of what makes America exceptional. Almost all establishments do, as a matter of course to assert control. Dynamic systems are hard or impossible to control, and must be reduced to a static state as much as possible, both politically, and economically, for the establishment’s will. Alternatively, not many societies are libertarian beyond a basic level of law and order and national defense, through the consent and representative will of the governed. The US was founded that way, but in modern times resembles it less and less. Political correctness, and over-regulation of every aspect of society is establishmentarian activity. Establishing political control.

And as a half-American, Winston Churchill once said “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all of the others.”

So, there is an element of simply sucking less than the rest, although there are shining examples of actually being an influence for good, among all the imperfections.

mcseanerson > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 08/26/2015 at 14:57

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Well said. I think that’s the difference between my wife and I. When I think of America I think of the spirit of what the country was founded on where as when my Wife thinks of America she thinks of politics and government.

Baeromez > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 08/26/2015 at 15:09

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You just wanted to say “anti-establishmentarianism” didn’t you?

sebdel > mcseanerson 08/26/2015 at 15:26

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There’s something Clarkson wrote once about how when he’s driving a ferrari or a lamborghini in the UK he feels the hate from everyone on the street and people insult him for driving that, but in the US he feels admiration and people saying “cool car”, his point being that you should admire succes instead of hating on it.