Society/Culture Is the United States the world's greatest country?

[bit_pattern]

^^ Lame, outdated humour.

The US can't be beat when it comes to quality TV. One word, HBO - Deadwood, The Wire, The Sopranos etc. England has some decent dramas but nothing that compares to what HBO produce.

 

[Falchoon]

No country in the history of the world has ever been so powerful, yet used their power with such restraint on the peoples/countries they could easily enslave or destroy.

Disagree with that, the infiltration of American styled consumerism can hardly be labelled restrained.

You could argue the likes of GE, McDonalds, Nike, Walmart etc have enslaved and destroyed plenty.

"The Forging of the American Empire" By Sidney Lens written in the early seventies provides an interesting POV

http://socialistworker.org/2003-2/466/466_08_ForgingEmpire.shtml

 

[Falchoon]

^^ Lame, outdated humour.

come off it, the Americans are still producing comedies based on the put down humour of those shows.

The humour of 2 & 1/2 Men etc is a direct rip off of late seventies early eighties British sit coms.

 

[Papa G]

Disagree with that, the infiltration of American styled consumerism can hardly be labelled restrained.

You could argue the likes of GE, McDonalds, Nike, Walmart etc have enslaved and destroyed plenty.

"The Forging of the American Empire" By Sidney Lens written in the early seventies provides an interesting POV

http://socialistworker.org/2003-2/466/466_08_ForgingEmpire.shtml

Whether or not you think employing and underpaying people in sweatshops is as bad as killing, raping or exterminating them, well I guess we see things differently. There was nothing particularly interesting or new in what the "Marxist" historian Lens writes in that piece except the amount of Filipino deaths which is highly contentious. I never said the Yanks weren't blameless, ruthless, benefited greatly from others misfortune or were without fault. They didn't get to where they are by simply being nice guys. But in comparison to every other great empire before them, they aren't all that bad.

 

[TheBloods]

Disagree with that, the infiltration of American styled consumerism can hardly be labelled restrained.

You could argue the likes of GE, McDonalds, Nike, Walmart etc have enslaved and destroyed plenty.

When looking at history that's amazingly restrained.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

come off it, the Americans are still producing comedies based on the put down humour of those shows.

The humour of 2 & 1/2 Men etc is a direct rip off of late seventies early eighties British sit coms.

Two and a Half Men isn't considered to be the best of American comedy though (except to bogans).

That's like bringing up My Family and acting as if that's the best of current British comedy.

 

[bit_pattern]

Weeds is by far the funniest comedy series I've ever watched

 

[MushroomRocket]

The USA is not a country. it is an empire which which influences all its client states (china included) through culture, technology and commerce.

empires (or spheres of influence) in the modern world cannot rule without popular support. even though people around the world despise americans and their influence, not one person will "refuse" to become an american if it means personal gain.

in summary we can say that "american" is not a nationality but a shared human interest in making money and enriching oneself (sometimes at the expense of the less fortunate).

 

[DeanoT]

The USA is not a country. it is an empire which which influences all its client states (china included) through culture, technology and commerce.

empires (or spheres of influence) in the modern world cannot rule without popular support. even though people around the world despise americans and their influence, not one person will "refuse" to become an american if it means personal gain.

in summary we can say that "american" is not a nationality but a shared human interest in making money and enriching oneself (sometimes at the expense of the less fortunate).

What ?

 

[KevinCat07]

America is great, they are one of the pivotal reasons the superior moral code of Christianity has strength in the west today.

Generally if you don't support the US then you support terrorists.

 

[DeanoT]

America is great, they are one of the pivotal reasons the superior moral code of Christianity has strength in the west today.

Superior moral code ? No.

As for strength of Christianity, it is weakening by the minute.

Generally if you don't support the US then you support terrorists.

Obviously a Dubya fan with that kind of black and white statement. No room for a reasonable middle ground ?

For all the good things the US has done, it has also been very successful in funding the activities of terrorist organisations.

 

[Papa G]

America is great, they are one of the pivotal reasons the superior moral code of Christianity has strength in the west today.

Generally if you don't support the US then you support terrorists.

This post is even worse than all of the ill informed American Bashing on this thread put together.

 

[Falchoon]

Whether or not you think employing and underpaying people in sweatshops is as bad as killing, raping or exterminating them, well I guess we see things differently. There was nothing particularly interesting or new in what the "Marxist" historian Lens writes in that piece except the amount of Filipino deaths which is highly contentious. I never said the Yanks weren't blameless, ruthless, benefited greatly from others misfortune or were without fault. They didn't get to where they are by simply being nice guys. But in comparison to every other great empire before them, they aren't all that bad.

I probably wasn't clear enough

with such restraint on the peoples/countries they could easily enslave or destroy.

I don't think they have exercised a whole lot of restraint in enslaving people.

- enforced assimilation and removal of the indigenous peoples
- outright slavery to what it called it's Manifest destiny based on the "virtues" of Americas people and institutions (under god),
- annexation without representation
- Banana Republics

policies such as the Monroe Doctrine were the big stick in lieu of actual violence, though those that failed to heed the warning were generally hit with the big stick.

 

[TheBloods]

The USA is not a country. it is an empire which which influences all its client states (china included) through culture, technology and commerce.

empires (or spheres of influence) in the modern world cannot rule without popular support. even though people around the world despise americans and their influence, not one person will "refuse" to become an american if it means personal gain.

in summary we can say that "american" is not a nationality but a shared human interest in making money and enriching oneself (sometimes at the expense of the less fortunate).

Far too many mushrooms methinks...

 

[TheBloods]

I probably wasn't clear enough



I don't think they have exercised a whole lot of restraint in enslaving people.

- enforced assimilation and removal of the indigenous peoples
- outright slavery to what it called it's Manifest destiny based on the "virtues" of Americas people and institutions (under god),
- annexation without representation
- Banana Republics

policies such as the Monroe Doctrine were the big stick in lieu of actual violence, though those that failed to heed the warning were generally hit with the big stick.

Go and have a look through history at what powerful empires could do before you say that the US has not been restrained with its potential power.

 

[Falchoon]

Go and have a look through history at what powerful empires could do before you say that the US has not been restrained with its potential power.

come on, some effort please.

My time is far better spent in planning to take my kids to Disneyland

 

[The_Eagles]

Add best food on the planet to the list for mine. You can't beat a hamburger, coke and fries. Im serious. New York City is the best city I've been to as well.

 

[TheBloods]

come on, some effort please.

My time is far better spent in planning to take my kids to Disneyland

Or making up stuff to suit a certain view...

 

[DeanoT]

Add best food on the planet to the list for mine. You can't beat a hamburger, coke and fries. Im serious. New York City is the best city I've been to as well.

I love a burger and fries as much as the next person, but nothing beats a firy, ring-burning curry in Chennai.

 

[Falchoon]

Or making up stuff to suit a certain view...

I'll admit it

I didn't research the Elvis comment.

 

[mantis]

I'll admit it

I didn't research the Elvis comment.

Obviously.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

Substitute Elvis for Chuck Berry and you have the Beatles' inspiration.

"If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'."
-- John Lennon

US influence? I'd say so.

 

[TheBloods]

I'll admit it

I didn't research the Elvis comment.

That was the closest thing you were to correct in this thread.

 

[Falchoon]

That was the closest thing you were to correct in this thread.

lazy posting

give something/anything worth responding to

 

[P.A.F.C]

The Beatles were massively inspired by Elvis. Of course as The Beatles evolved, their influences grew larger, from Debussy to Indian music, but they probably wouldn't have been around without American influences. John Lennon even said 'Without Elvis, there would be no Beatles'