How does being the self-appointed "World's Policeman" benefit the average American?

Question

If it doesn't benefit the average American, why should we do it?

Chris, what is your point? Europe and America pay the same price for crude oil. The difference in petrol prices is completely due to taxes.

dansmith, America does not have the highest per capita income in the world, and there are MANY countries where the average person is better off economically than they are in America.

Answer 1

we can tell any one
"shut up ******, im an American!"

Answer 2

Great question: Include self-appointed World law maker, judge and jury, and prison guards.

If only we could be self-appointed World criminal rehabilitators.


The problem is that we think we know all the answers, simply because we are so wealthy and powerful. We have never really thought it necessary or important to truly understand other countries, other cultures. We arrogantly feel we can simply use our own society as a benchmark for everybody else. We believe that if people don't live as we do, then they are unquestionably and totally wrong.

The rest of the world resents us because we act so self-righteous with anything that doesn't measure up. We act as if we can never be wrong because our motives are so "americanly" pure. We show no respect for anything else. We never acknowledge that we need to learn and that we can learn from others.

Much to our chagrin the world does not welcome us as world policeman. I'm sure they don't understand us much better than we understand them, but there was a time when they were in awe of us. They knew that we had hit on some very important answers with our emphasis on individual freedoms and rights. We may have been seen as a bit too new and brash, but we gave the world hope.

Unfortuantely we have stopped leading and are only pushing.

Answer 3

The UN is an impotent institution dedicated to decrying every injustice while doing nothing to stop it. The need exists to have someone willing to use force to maintain peace (if you don't agree with this I invite you to visit New York when the police take a day off.) If not us then who do you nominate? Will they look out for the interests of America or try to give away want our ancestors worked so hard to provide for us?

To answer the main part of the question. I would rather that the world police were sympathetic to America rather than willing to throw us to the wolves.

Answer 4

well actually in a roundabout way it does. for example think about what life is like for a poor working person in Haiti or Somalia,or Ethiopia. Now compare that to the working poor in America. Although there is a huge disparity between rich and poor in the USA there is a similar disparity between our country as a whole and the world at large. part of that is due to our standing as the great world power. I'm not saying that it is socially just, I'm just saying I'm glad to be here instead of Ethiopia.

Answer 5

Without Order and laws, CHAOS results...
Humans hard wired desire to survive would result in a brutal world society where acquisition of good,resources, whatever would be based on take by force,hold by force and eradicate all threats or others who deplete YOUR resources...
Dictators survive because their population is controlled and indoctrinated from birth to "believe" that dissent is death of the dissenter,his family etc..populations can be used,killed or manipulated depending on the dictator /governments
"need/desire"
..If not the USA who will raise the cry for humane treatment of populations, attempt to get the squabbling self-seeking leaders to recognize that their population is a strength nd acting like neighbors who trade and maintain civility with others IS the best way all the humans on this planet can survive...
Groups of scrabbling humans all bent on getting "x" because they want/deserve it or can overpower others is the recipe for war...to date NO war has ruined the planet BUT technology is a TWO edged sword..a deadly sword in the hands of a fanatic or delusional "leader" seeking self-gratification...

Answer 6

Last time I checked, the price of petrol is about 1/5 of what Europeans pay.

Answer 7

SUPPOSEDLY being world police means keeping other governments in check, helping to establish US friendly democracies, and bringing freedom and liberty to those who don't have it. Personally I'm sick of giving away BILLIONS each year in foreign aid and sticking our nose in other people's business. Nothing would make me happier than cutting off ALL foreign aid and spending that $100 billion here at home instead. Of course if we did that, people would complain even more than they already do that the united States doesn't do enough to share it's wealth with the rest of the world.

Answer 8

If anything, it might add security to the average American (but this, I would say, is mostly attributed to its size), and bragging rights, which seems to be a trend that southerners, in particular, like to exercise - call it a "lesson in idiocy". I've lost all faith in the American dream...

Answer 9

We get to wear our "Badass" t-shirts wherever we travel in the world.

I wouldn't call us self-appointed. WWII caused us to fall into it.

What would our country look like if Japan never attacked us?

Answer 10

A safer world means less chance of an attack on our homes.

Answer 11

People are fooled into thinking they are somehow "safer"