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Are we an arrogant country?

Are we an Arrogant country?

  • Total voters
    64
Grateful Heart said:
The U.S. has nearly twice the GDP of any other nation on earth and ranks among the top in per capita income. The U.S. has the most powerful military on earth. The U.S. is the single most powerful political player in world affairs. The U.S. is widely seen around the globe (despite protestations to the contrary) as a free and prosperous nation to which economically or politically oppressed people flock. The U.S. has been and continues to be a global leader in technology, manufacturing, invention, and culture.

When you're by far the biggest, wealthiest, and most powerful guy on the block, it's inevitable that many of your neighbors, friendly or unfriendly, will come to resent you. No matter how nice a face you put on or how humble your rhetoric. Human nature and all that.

;)
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:confused::confused::confused:
 
Cilogy said:
It shows our weakness and our ignorance when we defend outright our "belief" that we are not arrogant. This seems very proud of us, proud in a negative way of course. Failure to admit mistakes and such makes us more headstrong.
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Your "lecture" would serve better as itself an example of arrogance, rather than a jeremiad against it.

Refuting the assertion we are arrogant as a people is only a mistake if the assertion is held to be true. I refute the assertion because I hold it to be false. I refute the assertion because the putative facts put forward in defense of the assertion are specious, subjective, slanted, and oftentimes outright lies.

I refute the assertion because it is not arrogance to advocate tirelessly for one's own values. The Euro-apologists who snidely suggest America should be more like Europe are doing no less than this, and if they are not arrogant in trumpeting the supremacy of their way, we are not arrogant for trumpeting the supremacy of our way. In truth, neither is arrogant (although the Euro-apologists are wrong in their advocacy, but that is a different topic).

"Arrogance", judging from your "lecture", seems to be daring to disagree with your assessments, that your judgment is preternaturally correct.

Be that as it may, my judgment is that your "lecture" is hypocritical hogwash--and asininely arrogant.
 
GottaHurt said:
We're a very confident people, as we should be.

Obama can go **** himself, he's an arrogant punk.
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Maybe he meant white America, because that's who use to run things. Now he's running things and he won't be so arrogant cause he's better and more nuanced. :roll: You have to remember that racism is very important to black liberals.
 
What is arrogance?


Is there a difference between pride?

How specifically are we "Arrogant"?
 
Reverend_Hellh0und said:
What is arrogance?


Is there a difference between pride?

How specifically are we "Arrogant"?
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We take actions in this world, that's what they mean. But most of our actions are expected. Notice any time there's a crisis, first thing other countries do is to see what will the US do. Oh you're the world superpower, you have to take care of this or that. But then they criticize us when we don't do it like they want. That's when we're arrogant. They want their free cake and eat it too.
 
Reverend_Hellh0und said:
What is arrogance?


Is there a difference between pride?

How specifically are we "Arrogant"?
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It isn't being better that makes us arrogant. It's that we constantly toot our own horn. It's the difference between Walter Payton (pbuh) and Curtis Enis. When Payton scored, he acted with class and like he had been there before. Enis would strike poses even if they were down by 3 touchdowns still. Confidence does not mean arrogance. Arrogance is telling everyone how you are better and constantly reminding them what you know to be true. It's obnoxious and boorish.
 
independent_thinker2002 said:
It isn't being better that makes us arrogant. It's that we constantly toot our own horn. It's the difference between Walter Payton (pbuh) and Curtis Enis. When Payton scored, he acted with class and like he had been there before. Enis would strike poses even if they were down by 3 touchdowns still. Confidence does not mean arrogance. Arrogance is telling everyone how you are better and constantly reminding them what you know to be true. It's obnoxious and boorish.
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Terrell Owens, now there is one arrogant SOB.
 
independent_thinker2002 said:
It isn't being better that makes us arrogant. It's that we constantly toot our own horn. It's the difference between Walter Payton (pbuh) and Curtis Enis. When Payton scored, he acted with class and like he had been there before. Enis would strike poses even if they were down by 3 touchdowns still. Confidence does not mean arrogance. Arrogance is telling everyone how you are better and constantly reminding them what you know to be true. It's obnoxious and boorish.
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How do we constantly toot our horn? Examples please.
 
independent_thinker2002 said:
It isn't being better that makes us arrogant. It's that we constantly toot our own horn. It's the difference between Walter Payton (pbuh) and Curtis Enis. When Payton scored, he acted with class and like he had been there before. Enis would strike poses even if they were down by 3 touchdowns still. Confidence does not mean arrogance. Arrogance is telling everyone how you are better and constantly reminding them what you know to be true. It's obnoxious and boorish.
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Please quote and link to us "tooting our own horn"...
 
independent_thinker2002 said:
It isn't being better that makes us arrogant. It's that we constantly toot our own horn. It's the difference between Walter Payton (pbuh) and Curtis Enis. When Payton scored, he acted with class and like he had been there before. Enis would strike poses even if they were down by 3 touchdowns still. Confidence does not mean arrogance. Arrogance is telling everyone how you are better and constantly reminding them what you know to be true. It's obnoxious and boorish.
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There's truth to this, and I agree to the point, however I don't see any "chest thumping" from us as a nation in general, what I see is that we do the things that need to be done and justify them when others who "Monday morning quarterback" add their two cents after the fact. From my perspective Europe has been the more arrogant, they talk about what needs to be done, but wait for us to act, then criticize, they have the nerve to disagree with our domestic policy even though it has no effect on them across the vast oceanic expanse, these are things that I attribute to "chest thumping" when down at the wire.
 
We're massively arrogant, although under Obama I don't think it's quite as bad as it was under Bush, but we still act like we rule the world and everyone has to do what we say because we're the Great and Powerful US.

We need to get out from behind the curtain and stop being insufferable pricks.
 
Cephus said:
We're massively arrogant, although under Obama I don't think it's quite as bad as it was under Bush, but we still act like we rule the world and everyone has to do what we say because we're the Great and Powerful US.

We need to get out from behind the curtain and stop being insufferable pricks.
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How, when, and where has America done this? Specific events and examples, please.
 
Cephus said:
We need to get out from behind the curtain and stop being insufferable pricks.
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I don't know where all this arrogance talk is coming from, like Celticlord I would love some concrete examples to analyze. I went to a university that had a large international student body, and I was always interested in their cultures and wanted to know about their respective countries, I love the way the Japanese culture does business, relationships over the hardline, Chinese culture is responsible for many advancements historically, Indian people have been extremely polite and civil with me, we can thank England for the Magna Carta in which we based our founding principles(even though they are nibbling away at those reforms). I never mind another countries internals and don't care about non ally problems, so what in all of this makes me or any American who thinks as such arrogant?
 
celticlord said:
How, when, and where has America done this? Specific events and examples, please.
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He's mouthfoaming again, he's what CC calls a hyperpartisan.
 
American said:
He's mouthfoaming again, he's what CC calls a hyperpartisan.
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Fine. Let him blow some specific partisan bubbles, so they can be properly burst.
 
celticlord said:
How, when, and where has America done this? Specific events and examples, please.
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Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, Iraq, Lebanon, Somali, Georgia, phillipines, Haiti, Columbia, arab-Israeli conflicts, Grenada, Cuba.

We are big on doing things "my way or the highway ". All for the fighting of communism/terrorism/democracy of course.
 
jamesrage said:
Surely you are being sarcastic
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No I'm not, you're statement is very narrow-minded.


The last time I checked Obama represents the American people,he has no businesses saying anything bad about the people he represents.
There is a line a president is supposed to walk.Bad mouthing the country and the people he represents crosses that line. He may not be patriotic but he is supposed to least give the appearance of it considering he is the representative of the people of the USA and this is the same office Washington,Lincoln and many other great founding forefathers served. Seeing how you are a lib you see patriotism/nationalism as a bad thing. In a democratic society politicians and appointed officials are the people's bitches.
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I'm not sure if you listened to the entire speech or you just watched Fox news. I do not see patriotism as a bad thing. I have said time and again on this thread that I love this country.

I need to know why you think I believe patriotism is a bad thing. I never gave this notion. Also, I am not a liberal, something I have also not stated. I take things for what they are. If you think the President's statements were unpatriotic, then you are obviously someone who rarely admits mistakes and/or is blindly proud of everything you support and you are thus ignorant.
I'm not attacking you, I'm just saying that as a fact, this is what you have become. Hopefully you can come out of it.


So anyway, I'm not gonna continue this discussion, because you seem to want to continue going in circles, and I guess I'll let you do that. I'm walking away. Like I said, you have your amplifier turned all the way up.
 
scourge99 said:
Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, Iraq, Lebanon, Somali, Georgia, phillipines, Haiti, Columbia, arab-Israeli conflicts, Grenada, Cuba.

We are big on doing things "my way or the highway ". All for the fighting of communism/terrorism/democracy of course.
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I'll give you Nicaragua, honduras, and Panama, but Iraq started in the early nineties when they attacked our ally Kuwait, that was justifyable. Lebanon was a human rights violation of grand scale, I know many in the lebanese community in my city and they aren't too broken up about our interference there. Don't get me started on Somalia, I have friends who were wounded there, Georgia asked for our help, phillipenes are grey area, Haiti, yeah, gotta give you that one too. Columbia is a disgrace, the war on drugs is a joke and even though you could technically justify that one, it doesn't fly based upon the premise of why we are there. Arab-Israeli conflicts also falls into the ally category, Grenada is a legit criticism, but Cuba after the missile crisis of the 60's is a legitamate concern considering they are only a couple of hundred miles away from our shores.
 
LaMidRighter said:
but Iraq started in the early nineties when they attacked our ally Kuwait, that was justifyable.
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But it was arrogant to go into gulf war 2 with a "coalition of the willing" despite the politics, wouldn't you say?

Lebanon was a human rights violation of grand scale, I know many in the lebanese community in my city and they aren't too broken up about our interference there.
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Reagen era: despite the fact that we opened the door to Israel who then made a mess of things and then we stood by and watched as the mess we created created a civilian slaughter? :no:

Don't get me started on Somalia, I have friends who were wounded there,
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So that proves something?

Georgia asked for our help,
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true. But in hindsight it appears we were a bit too arrogant in addressing Russias concerns.

phillipenes are grey area,
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don't know enough about it to comment much.

Haiti, yeah, gotta give you that one too. Columbia is a disgrace, the war on drugs is a joke and even though you could technically justify that one, it doesn't fly based upon the premise of why we are there.
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same reason we are all over S America.

Arab-Israeli conflicts also falls into the ally category,
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Nasir and Egypt were our ally until we took an unflinching pro-israeli stance in the 6-day war. Nasir did the only rationale thing and opened his arms to the Soviets. By failing to moderate our approach we poisoned our relationship with the Arabs. Such disdain is still present today and we are reaping what we sowed.

but Cuba after the missile crisis of the 60's is a legitamate concern considering they are only a couple of hundred miles away from our shores.
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so we can do no evil? All is fair? We've failed PATHETICALLY with Cuba. I don't know if another strategy would work better but I do know our goals have not been achieved.
 
scourge99 said:
Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, Iraq, Lebanon, Somali, Georgia, phillipines, Haiti, Columbia, arab-Israeli conflicts, Grenada, Cuba.

We are big on doing things "my way or the highway ". All for the fighting of communism/terrorism/democracy of course.
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Since you've put together a very simple list and a simplistic summary I'll provide a very simplistic response.

Some people happen to believe fighting communism/terrorism/fascism/despotism is a good thing.

Some people happen to believe fighting for democracy is a good thing too.

Others think it's better to take the 'high road' and watch while despots run amok.

Of course, I think we both know the world isn't that simplistic. But if we want to simplify it, there it is.

;)
 
Grateful Heart said:
Since you've put together a very simple list and a simplistic summary I'll provide a very simplistic response.

Some people happen to believe fighting communism/terrorism/fascism/despotism is a good thing.

Some people happen to believe fighting for democracy is a good thing too.

Others think it's better to take the 'high road' and watch while despots run amok.

Of course, I think we both know the world isn't that simplistic. But if we want to simplify it, there it is.

;)
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So supporting despots in S america is justified? Bombing cities to find one man that results in thousands of deaths is justified? Standing by and watching civilians get slaughtered because our preisdent was too scared for his political career to do anything about it is justified?
That an intentionally vague enemy of communism and terrorism is a viable reason for any action for any administration?

Some actions were reasonable and justified. Some were not. We are not an infallible beacon of righteuosness nor are we the Great Satan. Own up to and admit our mistakes and wrong doings while praising and glorifying our noble accomplishments. That is all.
 
scourge99 said:
Some actions were reasonable and justified. Some were not. We are not an infallible beacon of righteuosness nor are we the Great Satan. Own up to and admit our mistakes and wrong doings while praising and glorifying our noble accomplishments. That is all.
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I've done a quick search of your posts in this thread and nowhere have I found you glorifying America's noble accomplishments in any serious way. I have found, however, odd rhetoric such as this:

scourge99 said:
Our pres is doing a great job brown nosing the world while perpetuating the same foundations of Bush's, Clintons' and previous presidents foreign policy; same book, different cover. But just ignore that and let us mesmerize you with his pretty speeches and charming mantras. Its worked so far! "Change" "Hope" "Peace"
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That is all.

:2wave:
 
scourge99 said:
Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, Iraq, Lebanon, Somali, Georgia, phillipines, Haiti, Columbia, arab-Israeli conflicts, Grenada, Cuba.
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Wow, you can list countries of the world. Congratulations.

Do you have anything that is actually responsive to my question?
 
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