How many of you believe in the concept of American Exceptionalism?

Question

I am qouting from another site:
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It seems the idea of American exceptionalism is not so much manifested in an actual difference between the US and other countries in terms of outward behaviour, but more in terms of a ‘truth' about the mental and moral superiority of Americans being actively reiterated by American culture to the American public via movies, television and political rhetoric. To generalise, all Americans are told every day in the media that only they know how the world really works, and only they know how it should be worked. In this way, the myth is kept alive.

It has been said that the US does not have an ideology, it is an ideology. US culture is riddled with patriotism, and too often it is not a ‘clean' patriotism, in that pride is felt about the United States in and of itself, but rather a ‘dirty' patriotism wherein everything that is not American is actively put down, ‘dumbified' or ridiculed.
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Incidently, before you answer try and figure out if what you are stating is not sourced from "American culture to the American public via movies, television and political rhetoric". Since we can clearly observe that these sources do indeed 'celebrate' this very school of thought.

Do please read this article.

http://www.rationalist.com.au/65/p46-48.pdf

Answer 1

Whoever wrote this is an idiot.

1. No sane American believes that ONLY the U.S. knows how the world really works. We may believe we're the best, but we never believe we're the only one.

2. Our patriotism is not 'dirty'. We just believe we're the best, not that everyone else sucks. All of our patriotism is not logical, but no patriotism is logical. It's emotional by nature. China thinks they're the best and, I'm sure, mocks us occasionally. Does that make their patriotism 'dirty'?

3. People like to mock American culture, but yet it sweeps the world. So to mock it is insincere, and most mock it only because they're angry than American culture is seeping into their own culture. That's not our fault. The other countries need to look within.

4. When Americans get all "cowboy" on people, it is because we take constant abuse from much of the world, and much of it is unearned and undeserved. We nuture at least half of the world. We send billions and billions of dollars of food, medicine, and aid throughout the world every year. No people is more generous with global charities. And what's the world's response? The middle finger. So you'll just have to excuse us if we're not feeling overly gracious.

This is just more tripe about picking on the U.S. because we're the biggest and most powerful. Is the world ever gets its wish and the U.S. packs up its gear, goes home, and becomes completely isolationist, the world is in for a world of hurt. Remember in the late 1030s and early 1940s when America was isolationist? And the world kept begging us to come to Europe and help save their countries? You can't have it both ways.

Answer 2

The concept of individual freedom is at the heart of American Exceptionalism. Americans may, for the most part, pursue any course of action that they want to with their lives.

Through in a reasonably corruption-free society, and you’ve given the masses an environment where they can excel. And many do. And the more people that excel, the more we all benefit.

Answer 3

I don't. But there are many people in many different countries who would argue that without question theirs is the best in the world. Are they wrong? Just about everyone is delusional in some respect or another. America happens to be the only superpower (until China takes over) right now, this serves as "proof" to those who are already a bit crazy that America is gods gift to earth.

Answer 4

This is a very complex issue. The United States of America is a nation like no other on the face of this planet. We were an experiment. But to give a simple answer to a question on such an intricate subject, yes, I believe in it. We are unique. And while we should listen to all angles of an argument, we should realize who we are among the nations.

Answer 5

And you know what, this quote is not to far off base. Do I believe we are better NO. In fact we are no better then anybody. People are people worldwide. Different ideologies but just people non the less. We work, love, laugh, bear children, argue and grieve. Too many Americans think that we are superior and that is why the rest of the world is now against us( and they are) even our allies think we are arrogant. Sorry but unfortunately that is the way we are now perceived.