Is the US exceptional?

[RWebb]

Yes, the US is exceptional for many reasons. One is that the nation consists almost entirely of dispersers and their offspring. Even the Amerindians traveled here from Siberia. Most African-Americans had ancestors who travelled here against their will, but a case can be made that the ones captured may well have been out away from the village (where a better defense could be mounted against Slavers or their proxies).

Dispersers might tend to be more restless than more sedentary types, and studies in wild mice have shown that they are genetically different -- if true in humans, that would be beyond any cultural transmission thru the generations.

Another reason, pointed out by George Will, is that the US is a country held together by an idea (or a cluster of ideas), not really by ethnicity (esp. today) and not by religion even early on. I don't know of any others where that is so much so the case as the US, tho many other nations have adopted some American ideals and political structures.

[Gene-o]

I dare anyone tell me that this was not the work of an exceptional nation...

[Playa76911S]

^^^Wasnt dat done on a back lot in holywood?^^^

Lissen to da top 40 hitz and look at tha ads posted on craigslist if U want 2C tha future of America.

My generation graduated w/more college degreez then any in tha past...we tha most educated generation evR...dont wright us off jus yet!