Case (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
case) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomsecrets2020-08-25 07:09 pm
case) wrote in fandomsecrets2020-08-25 07:09 pm
[ SECRET POST #4981 ]
⌈ Secret Post #4981 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
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Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 20 secrets from Secret Submission Post #713.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
Re: What are you over?
(Anonymous) 2020-08-26 10:05 pm (UTC)(link)Nobody denied that American exceptionalism has ever been a thing. People asked how it has particularly affected you recently and how, specifically, American exceptionalist messages were reaching and filtering through to you. To characters that as 'denying that American exceptionalism is in any case a thing' is patently ridiculous.
Nobody denied that American exceptionalism has ever been a thing. People asked how it has particularly affected you recently and how, specifically, American exceptionalist messages were reaching and filtering through to you. To characters that as 'denying that American exceptionalism is in any case a thing' is patently ridiculous.
<First comment, proving that an american believes their country to be the best regardless of truth!</i>
You can say a lot about greghousesgf's post, and I'm not going to get into the merits or correctness of the post because I don't think it's very relevant to the point. And you seem extremely angry about it, accusing her of lying and being brainwashed, but again, it's not really germane to the point about American exceptionalism.
But here's what is relevant to the point - you describe the post as saying that "an American believes their country to be the best regardless of truth", and that is a wildly inaccurate reading of that post. It is not what was said. At most, what greghousesgf said was that America is <i>no worse</i> than Europe, and that living in Europe instead of the US would make their personal life no better. Again, you can disagree with that argument if you want. But there is a fundamental difference between saying that American is the best, and saying that America is no worse than other countries. Whether it's right or wrong, it's not American exceptionalism.
<i>Comment Two: Anon.</i>
American exceptionalism is a bad thing that Americans do. I think we can both agree with that. The post that you're responding does not disagree that American exceptionalism is wrong or that there are bad things about America or that Americans can be annoying. At most, it asks whether it's useful and relevant to bring it up, in 2020, at a time when the US is going through massive turbulence and unrest, and on a board where very few posters are actually particularly American exceptionalists or jingoists. Again, you can agree with that, or you can disagree with that, but I really don't see how that's American exceptionalism.
I do note a general theme that's emerging here: you seem to understand "American exceptionalism" to mean "anything that an American does that annoys me", rather than what it actually means, which is "the belief that American is unique or exceptional compared to all other nations". And I understand that you are mad about all the things Americans do that annoy you, but I hope you can understand how it's confusing to us when you start by talking about the specific topic of American exceptionalism, and then pivot into a general anti-American rant (however justified or unjustified).
<i>The problem with america is that they learn, are told about, and taught nothing but america... America is a third world country masquerading as a first world Goliath. Brought up from birth to only know america, and told how great it is to live there. The countries fucked, and the bottom line is that people are still going to vote for trump. And I don't even mean all those disgusting racist assholes, but those brainwashed by their culture to vote for their 'party', because not matter the monster elected, they're going to be better than whatever some democrat could manage.</i>
Yeah, so, I think what people find frustrating about this stuff is less that we <i>disagree</i> with what you're saying. I don't think anyone has even attempted to argue that ignorance is good or that diehard Republican voters have justifiable political views. What's frustrating is more that pretty much every American poster on this message board ardently disagrees with the views that you describe here, and is suffering as a result of living in the same country with people who do hold those views.
And also, the fact that you seem to consider literally any response to your arguments as an example of American exceptionalism that proves your point. That is also annoying.
Re: What are you over?
(Anonymous) 2020-08-26 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)