A foreign journalist has written about the US needing to grow up. Interesting read - sometimes simplistic and sometimes monolithic. Yet, somehow, there is something true and accurate in what he says. Rather than become indignant, I'd encourage we find the nuggets and toss the sand.
Read his commentary, Pillars of the Next American Century , by James Kurth. He comments on technology, economy, and most importantly the Yankee innovation being central to the continued next "American Century" as the USA takes its turn as global superpower. He is short sighted in some things though, which is not uncommon in my experience in dealing with internationals. Yet, they do have insights we often don't want to acknowledge...
An interesting comment on his article was written by Mark Mardell. It's not long, but is interesting - as are some of the added commentary about his article. Read "Why Adolescent America has to grow up".
Some thoughts I add on include the encouragement for our international friends to not think of us as a monolithic people. This is a vast land with a large population and many varied world views and paradigms for life. We are not just culturally diverse, but politically, socially, and yes, even morally. Sociologists tell us we are at least sixteen different peoples (nations) in one. I'd also add that our friends often notice the American "We can do that." summation of how Americans see life and challenges. This is quite different than many other cultures, such as the German summation, "The German way is the right way", or the British "It's arrogant to innovate" or the Kiwi "Can't be bothered". That American trait alone is huge, and so often missing in many more dour cultures of our cousins and the rest of the world. I won't even go near the summation of the middle eastern cultures. Hmmm.
But somehow, there is a Naivete about Yanks - we don't have a long memory, we change our minds and our posture often (Just do the scan from Reagan/Bush to Clinton to Bush to Obama! Whip lash!) We are so naive about the world, politics, religion, culture. We underestimate the weight of such realities! Just think of the immaturity that we have been fighting a war to bring democracy to people who do not even value the rule of law, nor respect that others have opposing opinions. Silly, really. We consume like there is no tomorrow, and eat 46% of the world's production, saying in our actions that the rest of the world is here for us. Very paternalistic and colonial. We are a people of extremes. We think and act extreme, seeing measured thoughtfulness as weak. Sure, we do need boldness, but our brash verbrato is over stated. Here is a tongue and cheek example... whatever is marketed is done so with "now, this will fix your life" mindset - completely overstating the product. It's just dish soap! All of this is adolescent.
Then, let's look at how we act. We are by far, many times over, the absolute most violent western advanced culture on the planet! We kill each other, sue each other, demean each other, divorce each other, and hate each other like no one else! We want "eye for an eye" unless it's our eye. We are NIMBY to the core in whatever we do or have. We are gluttons and don't know when to stop buying, stop eating, stop fighting, stop playing, stop indulging, stop abusing... All of this adds fodder to Kurth's article... we are adolescent.
Yes, the USA has and does contribute a lot. BUT most Americans stop there and don't hear the truth of things we don't like, but need to hear. And our pouting and refusal to listen and weigh and wrestle these exhortations is, well, adolescent. Sort of proves the point, doesn't it?
With that said, we do need to recognize some things that others have failed to do. We are generous. We should be more generous, our stock markets should behave more responsibly and maturely, thinking past this year's quarterly gains. But we are more generous. We're not the most generous in federal spending, but the American culture gives FAR more than anyone else in private contributions of will, in other words, we freely give, not just through our federal tax dollars. Our charities carry the world's charity efforts. Behind almost everything the UN does, or the other global efforts, you'll find the green back, not given through taxes, but through good will. This is a factor in any adolescent worthy of praise.
So, at the end of the day, there could be a lot worse global super powers, old, or adolescent. The rising nations, with a much smaller moral compass are absolutely frightening if they ever exercise global weight the magnitude of the USA. So, if you have to have a super power, well, it's hard to find a better one. With that said, allow me to share with you, one yank to another, Kurth's right, we have some growing up to do, and we'd be better for it, and the world would be better for it.
Ciao.
