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Regardless of yes or no, what metrics did you use to come to that conclusion? This isn't a simple answer and a simple yes or no just indicates a lack of effort or passion. Think first, answer later. This isn't about Patriotism, it's about rational thought and discussion.
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 50
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A couple stats where we are "the greatest": #1: Number of legal immigrants allowed per year. #1: Private donations to charity. #1: Government to government assistance funds. #1: Ending world wars.
And a note on pre-selected stats...when anyone can pick a statistic and search for an answer, the number of individual statistics grows without end, and becomes meaningless. GDP growth rate, education, infrastructure, medical care, inflation, disease rates, trade balance, military power, social influence, voter turnout rate, patent submission rates, number of "women's studies" programs...the list is endless. What is truly important about a nation?
And a note on pre-selected stats...when anyone can pick a statistic and search for an answer, the number of individual statistics grows without end, and becomes meaningless. GDP growth rate, education, infrastructure, medical care, inflation, disease rates, trade balance, military power, social influence, voter turnout rate, patent submission rates, number of "women's studies" programs...the list is endless. What is truly important about a nation?
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MAJ Bryan Zeski
And Sir, I think that really is the question - What truly makes a nation the greatest? IS it the number of legal immigrants every year? Or private donations to charity? Or government assistance funds? Or ending world wars (or being less successful in ending other wars)?
For me, I think what makes a nation great is what it gives to the future of the world - and I think the US is falling behind in that capability. Sure, we can give money and resources - but we are failing to provide the educated, curious and driven minds of the future. Our education system is lagging. Our ability to engender the love of discovery and progress in the next generation is slowing. We have absolutely established a level of "hero worship" in regards to our military men and women, but that does essentially nothing for the country in the future. I hate the fact that we are raising a generation that is more interested in being Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Seamen, and Marines than in becoming doctors, engineers or scientists. I just don't want to see the nation get pigeon-holed as the "muscle" for the rest of the world.
For me, I think what makes a nation great is what it gives to the future of the world - and I think the US is falling behind in that capability. Sure, we can give money and resources - but we are failing to provide the educated, curious and driven minds of the future. Our education system is lagging. Our ability to engender the love of discovery and progress in the next generation is slowing. We have absolutely established a level of "hero worship" in regards to our military men and women, but that does essentially nothing for the country in the future. I hate the fact that we are raising a generation that is more interested in being Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Seamen, and Marines than in becoming doctors, engineers or scientists. I just don't want to see the nation get pigeon-holed as the "muscle" for the rest of the world.
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SPC K Webb
We have the biggest, most greedy economy, and have 'pull' with that, so people think we're the "greatest".
We're definitely not the most free to pursue our own interests, not without consulting Uncle Sam for permission, anyway. Our education (from the government) is crappy, our society is fractured by race and finances mostly, and our politicians are self-serving scumbags who consistently vote without pause to the Constitution to give themselves more power or perks, or to take things from us.
We haven't had a decent long-term military strategy for 60 years. Korea wasn't bad, until we crossed China's "red line in the [sand]" and they overwhelmed the troops there. Vietnam was a clusterfuck with terrible strategies and ROE, and it seems like every war after that follows the same strategies and ROE. We saw the power of the military the first month of the war in Iraq (both times), but after the initial invasion in 2003, the plan fell flat.
Do I think America can truly be great, again? Hell yeah, I do. But we're going to need to take our education, and our civics, and our finances seriously, or we're going to wake up one day with guns in our faces after our economic status falters. My generation, by and large, doesn't want to work hard. They have been fed the line of crap that the ultimate goal is RETIREMENT, as early as possible by any means possible.
That has had ramifications on the American nuclear family that's worse than our infrastructure. They want a paycheck, not a 'job'.
We're definitely not the most free to pursue our own interests, not without consulting Uncle Sam for permission, anyway. Our education (from the government) is crappy, our society is fractured by race and finances mostly, and our politicians are self-serving scumbags who consistently vote without pause to the Constitution to give themselves more power or perks, or to take things from us.
We haven't had a decent long-term military strategy for 60 years. Korea wasn't bad, until we crossed China's "red line in the [sand]" and they overwhelmed the troops there. Vietnam was a clusterfuck with terrible strategies and ROE, and it seems like every war after that follows the same strategies and ROE. We saw the power of the military the first month of the war in Iraq (both times), but after the initial invasion in 2003, the plan fell flat.
Do I think America can truly be great, again? Hell yeah, I do. But we're going to need to take our education, and our civics, and our finances seriously, or we're going to wake up one day with guns in our faces after our economic status falters. My generation, by and large, doesn't want to work hard. They have been fed the line of crap that the ultimate goal is RETIREMENT, as early as possible by any means possible.
That has had ramifications on the American nuclear family that's worse than our infrastructure. They want a paycheck, not a 'job'.
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When you ask a question like that, it's meaningless without defining what we mean by greatest.
There are countries with more economic opportunity, there are countries with more individual liberty, there are countries that beat us in almost every meaningful measure of things that make a country great... despite that, compare any country in the world today and ask few simple questions: What is their economic, technological and cultural impact on the world?
We are far from perfect, and we need a lot of work... however IMO, no one else even comes close.
There are countries with more economic opportunity, there are countries with more individual liberty, there are countries that beat us in almost every meaningful measure of things that make a country great... despite that, compare any country in the world today and ask few simple questions: What is their economic, technological and cultural impact on the world?
We are far from perfect, and we need a lot of work... however IMO, no one else even comes close.
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TSgt Christopher D.
Come on, man. Let's at least be intellectually honest. You want to say that there is no inherent positive or negative connotation, but that ignores that context in which the word is used when discussing foreign policy.
Isolation is, typically inherently dangerous, or helps create a disadvantage in the survival effort. Studies talk about the horrors of confinement in isolation. Animals cut off from their pack, pride, pod or whatever term often die, but are almost always in much more danger than if they were not isolated. So yea, there is generally a negative connotation with the term isolation, and in the context in which isolationism is used in discussions about foreign policy it is ALWAYS conveyed with negativity.
Isolation is, typically inherently dangerous, or helps create a disadvantage in the survival effort. Studies talk about the horrors of confinement in isolation. Animals cut off from their pack, pride, pod or whatever term often die, but are almost always in much more danger than if they were not isolated. So yea, there is generally a negative connotation with the term isolation, and in the context in which isolationism is used in discussions about foreign policy it is ALWAYS conveyed with negativity.
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SSG (Join to see)
TSgt Christopher D. There are many who support Isolationist policies, for them the word has positive connotations. For people who oppose Isolationism, the word has negative connotations. For me it has neither positive or negative connotations. Using your logic we'd have to avoid words like socialist or capitalist since those words have a negative connotation to many...
Isolationism and Interventionism can be dangerous if taken to an extreme. The trick is finding the proper balance between both extremes.
Isolationism and Interventionism can be dangerous if taken to an extreme. The trick is finding the proper balance between both extremes.
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TSgt Christopher D.
None who supports what you're calling an isolationist foreign policy calls it an isolationist foreign policy. Why? Because it isn't isolationist. You wanna cling to that word for whatever reason... maybe it just eases the discourse as a word people will recognize, but it's the wrong word to use. Period.
Confucius said the beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name.
Confucius said the beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name.
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SSG (Join to see)
TSgt Christopher D. I see things on a scale with Isolationist on one end and Interventionist on the other, and I don't see either term as particularly positive or negative. I believe Interventionist is a better term than Imperialist, you seem to be arguing that non-Interventionist (or some other equivalent term) is better than Isolationist. I'll have to ponder that for a while.
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Suspended Profile
I think this whole video missing out the point what exactly US is great in. I was born in Moscow, Russia. Obviously I don't even have to tell you the giant lecture of how "Free Russia" is or what kind of "Democracy" it is running (there is none compared to US), but of the world's largest nations US have stood strong, regardless of thick and thin it went through. Is this great or greater country for me after I earned my citizenship compared to shitty studio, sized apartment in Russia and 28,000 Dollars a year average household salary? Hell yeah, that heck of improvement than living under dictatorship, where money is the main source of justice and power.
In US this might be the same to degree, but it never seemed to be as bad as Russia.
So yeah, US is the greatest country in the world for me.
In US this might be the same to degree, but it never seemed to be as bad as Russia.
So yeah, US is the greatest country in the world for me.
MAJ Matthew Arnold
Yeah, born, raised, educated, and working in the USA often produces myopic self assessments.
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