[quote]. Is the American the first benevolent superpower?..[/quote]

POSTED BY: Malbadinlatin
UPDATED: Monday, June 8, 2026 22:46
VIEWED: 10787
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GINOBIFFARONI

Sunday, February 11, 2007 4:58 AM

Sad when Russia attempts to be the voice of reason

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/02/10/putin-speech.html

" Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom the stab in the back
Women and children and cowards attack

Run to the hills run for your lives "

http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/ironmaiden/liveafterdeath.html#12

SIGMANUNKI

Sunday, February 11, 2007 6:04 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Malbadinlatin:

Here is my question...why do we think that we're the first superpower to be a just one?

WARNING: You are entering a politically correct free zone. Words will _not_ be minced and things will _not_ be sugar coated.

B/c you guys are brainwashed from infancy to "know" that you are the best country in the world and the only one that is capable of democracy, etc. That everything you do is right and anyone that disagrees with you is wrong.

The general populace is then given national ego strokes about how great they are and look at all the "good works" that "we" are doing. Then, given the general stupidity of the general populace, they buy into it and the delusion continues.

And by the way you are asking this question, you are one of those that buy into the delusion. Though I hope I'm wrong and you just phrased it poorly.

----
I am on The List. We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"

GOTTHAMMER

Sunday, February 11, 2007 8:06 AM

Perhaps the world would be more understanding if the U.S. did declare itself as an Empire (Pax Americana and all that...).
I mean, I think it already meets the 'sun not setting on its borders' requirement, as well as a fairly large 'legion' and economic leverage...
A smarter/wiser 'emperor' than the current Bush would probably be ideal, though.
(nyehehehehe...Empress Hillary )

Re. Democracy:
Never did like the concept of Democracy. Freedoms to pursue life as you please, with respect to fair laws and all that, yes. Democracy? Nah. (did like the idea of meritocracy of sorts, but doesn't that end up like an aristocracy? anarchy is the ideal, I think...but ideal, is, well, just that...ideal )

I live in a Southeast Asian country that once (and, still is) received the 'benevolent aid' (after we were 'handed down' from the Spaniards) of the US. This country, IMHO, is a prime example of why Democracy isn't ideal everywhere (which seems to be what the US is pushing): corruption's high, lack of education means that certain powers can, with enough financial resources (via corruption), perpetuate themselves in power, etc.

Self-governance/reliance doesn't/shouldn't mean that a country's form of government should be democratic, especially if it isn't the most efficient form for that particular/region or culture. Then again, such arguments are bound to fall against that which is real and readily applicable (as opposed to what is ideal, that is).

As for benevolent superpowers:
Maybe there's never truly been one. What is benevolent intention, when the actualization/reality for the recipient of the benevolent intent is suffering (wether physical, mental, etc.)? If one were to promote 'freedom', or other benevolent concepts, shouldn't one entice or tempt the other with the benefits? Instead of jamming it down their throats at the end of several Roman Legions, or at the tip of an armoured divisions and overwhelming air support?
(not that those aren't, IMHO, 'pretty' / impressive sights...but I can probably attribute that to the morbid curiosity fostered by glueing one's eyes to CNN's coverage of certain events, such as the advance of armour towards and into Baghdad)

While I'm all for having a Benevolent Dictator / Superpower/ Empire, how 'benevolent' will he/she/it truly be? While I may be somewhat of an idealist, I'm inclined to think that no one who has achieved a certain level of power, so as to be elevated into leadership, is 'squeaky clean'.
If that is true of all 'worldly leaders', if there is corruption there, then how does that translate to their management of empire/superpower? Will their elevation bring about an enlightenment or epiphany that states that with the responsibility laid upon their shoulders, they should focus on righteous endeavours and do away with whatever corrupt or selfish practices they had prior to their elevation? Or will their elevation into power only guarantee a magnification of their corruption?

I hope that remotely made sense...

SIGNYM

Sunday, February 11, 2007 4:43 PM

power which extends itself is never benevolant, seeing as it reflects only the wishes of the powerful.

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

FREMDFIRMA

Sunday, February 11, 2007 4:52 PM

We're Benevolent ?

News to me.

-F

EVILDINOSAUR

Sunday, February 11, 2007 4:56 PM

Fantastic response, couldn't have put it better myself. I get rather sick of everyone around me always saying we're the greatest country in the world and this country is the only place anyone can have freedom.

Yea, I love living in the US, not denying that, I just don't quite buy into the "we're the greatest" thing.

"Haha, mine is an evil laugh."

FLETCH2

Sunday, February 11, 2007 4:58 PM

A few comments.

First, I don't think many people need to be "brainwashed" into believing that all that their country does is justified. Human types have never been strong or fast compared to most preditor or prey classes and operating as a pack has been part of the modus for homolids long before they would be considered "human." In fact I would say that our pack identity is far older and deeper than our understanding of self which has (for most people) only had the opertunity for full expression in the last few hundred years.

So we are emotionally invested in our pack/tribe/nation and would be to some extent even without further coersion. Given that part of us does identify with our nation we want it to be the best, we want it to be strong and if justice is something we value then we want our nation to be just. Humm perhaps even more than that, we need others to see that it's just, less our love of justice be tarnished by association.

Like Citizen said, our Empire was sold as bringing civilization to the savage corners of the world. Was that true or was it Victorian PR? Well some people did believe it and take it seriously, they were the ones that went out as missionaries to bring the word of the British God to the unbelievers. There were probably some that prefered to think that that was what they were doing even though they saw the economic benefits that the UK got from the deal. There were others for which the mission statement was retoric, and for whom the Empire was strictly about economic exploitation and finally there were those that didn't believe it at all.

So was that what was going on? I think it's too complicated to say for sure. There are a lot of reasons you build an Empire that go beyond the reasons you say or even think. Europes economic powers were all in the Empire business at that time, we can see that some actions the British took were as much to deny resources and territory to rivals as it was to secure them for themselves. It's hard to see that as being benevolent. Yet at the same time if you believed yourself to be a good, God fearing nation wouldn't you want to "protect" primative cultures from exploitation of others that are less "enlightened?"

There are still niggles in the back of the mind when days of empire are long gone. Even Citizen who I doubt is a rabid imperialist occasionally let's slip a thought that we all have even if we never say it, that the world wouldn't be as big a mess if we were still in charge

CANTTAKESKY

Sunday, February 11, 2007 5:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Fremdfirma:
We're Benevolent ?

News to me.

LOL.

But there are actually a lot of Americans who believe we are a benevolent superpower, with all their hearts and souls. I know these people. They really believe we are freeing people from atrocious dictators, and that we are the heroes.

I love America. I am an immigrant, so I consciously and deliberately chose to be American. It is a beautiful country with generous and self-reliant people. It began very progressively with a Constitution unparalleled in the world, even to this day, for the protection of individual liberty.

I do not love the American government. It does not represent the majority of the American people, and hasn't done so in a long, long time. It represents some American people, and squabbles within itself on which of these few should have the upper hand. It has degenerated from its idealistic roots to a morass of corruption, greed, tyranny, and sometimes outright lunacy.

The worst thing, for me, is that the American people know this. But in their patriotism and idealism, they still hold out hope that this government can be reformed--if only their candidate wins. And so the denial continues, that our government is now as despised around the world for good reason, as any other past superpower on its way down.

Our government is not benevolent. I daresay it has even become evil and drunk on its own power. The sooner we Americans acknowledge this, the sooner we can try to REALLY fix it. Facing this truth is our only hope.

Just my opinion of course.

Can't Take My Gorram Sky

--------------
Nullius in verba. (Take nobody's word.)

KANEMAN

Sunday, February 11, 2007 8:39 PM

"you are the best country in the world and the only one that is capable of democracy, etc. That everything you do is right and anyone that disagrees with you is wrong."

Got that part right. The rest is poohy.......

SASSALICIOUS

Sunday, February 11, 2007 8:58 PM

How are things in the Philippines? I've always wanted to visit.

Made sense to me. But one of my majors is Southeast Asian Studies and it seems to me that most of the former colonies/countries that have had democracy pushed on them usually have corrupt governments. Even Thailand, where the "democratic revolution" essentially happened from within, is pretty corrupt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wisconsin sucks. I don't want to be here.

~Forsaken Forever

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