The US is not very popular anymore because it kept abusing it's unique position as the #1 military power, starting wars it had no business starting, not because it is(was?) #1 as you are suggesting.
> People like to see themselves as edgy. It's edgy to be in the rich world and decry imperialism of America's system of allies.
I suspect that's just your rationalization to make it easy to dismiss people who have a real problem with the status quo.
I don't know a single adult who likes to see themselves as edgy just for the sake of it, but I do know many adults who hold deep disagreements with the status quo and who're not afraid to express it.
> that's just your rationalization to make it easy to dismiss people who have a real problem with the status quo
No, someone saying they don't like the status quo make sense. Global politics are anarchic. It's obviously better to be on the winning side. Where I get credulous is when someone claims their preferred actor, especially if an autocrat, would be superior for disinterested parties.
Versus China (annexed Tibet), Russia (annexing Ukraine) and Iran (banana republics across the Middle East)?
People like to see themselves as edgy. It's edgy to be in the rich world and decry imperialism of America's system of allies.