Quote:
Originally Posted by nostatic
Imperialism is an outgrowth of hubris.
There is a prevailing belief that the "American way" is superior to all others, and of course the world should fall in line. We also have become lazy and sloppy. There is an expectation that we are #1 and will always remain that way. The world owes us (witness the "remember WW2" comments to Europeans), and we want everything now and for half off.
We do not value other cultures and assume that everyone wants to be just like us. Work ethic is an oxymoron, and personal responsibility is a fantasy. In general, we do not respect others. The response to that is generally, "respect must be earned," but few in this generation have done much to "earn" anything.
Teachers are insulted and looked down upon, artists are derided and marginalized, and politicians are morally bankrupt. But its ok because we're the USA and we're number one. Oh, Walmart is having a sale!!!
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Well put.
Corporate greed is another factor. Sometime in the 1980's this relentless focus on "shareholder value" seems to have taken over corporate life in the US. The merger and acquisition boom followed. Asset stripping, exporting jobs abroad, building crap—are all the result of this overemphasis on shareholder value—remember the "greed is good" speech in Wall Street?—which has had a hugely detrimental effect on the US.