|
American exceptionalism is nothing new, and it isn't uncommon. However the approach that you are using to attempt to break through it is not going to be effective in the slightest. For one, you can call literal propaganda for what it is, but propaganda isn't necessarily wrong on the facts. Pointing out that 'you didn't care about issue X until you did' is not going to get the self-reflection you hope for, because at the end of the day, the propaganda is pointing out a message that cannot be countered since what it points out is true. Second, anything to do with 'one of your parties did a bad thing' is counterproductive and contrasting the legal ramifications of the riots is not even close to being on par -- the USA has a functioning (if sometimes overhanded and racist) justice system and the fact that the offending parties were prosecuted publicly and not taken to a secret camp and shot shows that even if the perps didn't get their just deserts, it was all above board and it was effective. 'The world' is, again, a dead end. You absolutely cannot win an argument that the USA was somehow not the stabilizing military factor in the west and didn't provide a large portion of the major world stage level achievements since the end of WWII. If it weren't for the $$$trillions/yr on patrolling oceans in carriers, flying sorties, launching sats, and just generally being the hall monitor and the bully, then a whole lot of things would be incredibly different. You can argue for better or worse, but hardly any American would argue that it is for worse, if they honestly accept that they like their modern lifestyle. I suggest going the Socratic way next time. |