Nacht

I was flipping through the newest Newsweek, and came across these two quotes on adjacent pages. They are from two of best (in my opinion) and well known writers for the magazine.

Interesting in hearing opionions/responses.

Ðamage™

Interesting Nacht, I wish there was more to read.. it is such a great nation, and I think people take it for granted.

What has happened in journalism, reducing most newspapers and broadcast outlets to mouthpieces for power, has played out in spades in corporate America. The number of companies whose accounting is as bad as Enron's may not be large, but certainly wrath is being stored up: how many environmental, pharmaceutical and consumer safety disasters are being concealed from us because employees are too scared to blow the whistle? Will global warming, the loss of biodiversity or another environmental concern be allowed to advance unchecked to the point where humanity's existence itself is threatened? What happens when there is no one left to tell the truth?


And yet, despite all the pathology described above, this nation is the world's second oldest democracy. Most of the people of your country, redeemed the pledge of honor made in the Declaration of Independence. Consider that, although the nation long partook of the fruits of slavery, many hundreds of thousands of men laid down their lives to end that institution. This nation led in extending human rights to women and in making education a universal right. Unlike much of Europe, it stood against fascism. It wrongfully interned Japanese Americans, but confessed the sin and paid a penance. Some day, it may even sincerely repent of what it did to Blacks. There never was a nation that was free from doing wrong, but few have been as stubborn in seeking to do good as the United States. The well of good deeds filled by an imperfect people is deep; more the shame that it has been drained to grow a plant as pernicious as the Bush regime. This generation of leaders, given such a rich inheritance of good deeds, squandered that wealth to found a regime whose only claim to legitimacy is raw force.

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YAYitsAndrew

At lunch today my co-workers and I came up with an interesting conclusion. I mentioned how my roommate's brother teaches english in china and says how surprising it is to see all these children who want to learn. We decided that in other countries having an education is more of a priveledge; you can really make a difference in your life if you get a good education and get a good job. Instead of working in a coal mine or a sweatshop risking your health you're writing code. Instead of selling a family member's services for money you're running an advertising agency.

In america however, there is no desire to receive a good education. You can have a safe and self-supporting job with a rudimentary level of education. This is why it is 'cool' to not do work in school, you're taking advantage of america's prosperity. Scholarness is regarded as optional and why do more work than you have to (a well permeated american attitude).

You know the kids born into supremely rich families who do nothing with their lives other than spend their parents money and become popular themselves through the entertainment industry? *cough paris hilton* This is happening at a much larger scale throughout america. Previous generations fought hard to build america up to what it is today and everyone takes it for granted. And then the true masterminds step in and sweep us away while we're not paying attention (bush). There may be a statement you can make about democracy from all this, but I won't venture a guess.

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Falstaff

I lived overseas for most of younger days, with my father as well travelled across Europe. I recall that even in the 70s people we met in Greece, Turkey and even England thought the Americans were oversexed, overpaid and "overthere". Americans have been pretty lucky. It is even harder to convince a whining American that the privileges they enjoy were bought with blood...the dearest blood of patriots the world over that believe in freedom.

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gatti-man

we are "oversexed"? we are the prudiest free nation around, what do you mean?

SFOSOK

Amen to that Fal.


So easy we forget. If you Bach it and live here just leave already. It will be a better country with less people who complain about it.

quanta67

Mmm... Well let's just say that no one I have ever known has ever really done any of those things. I confess I have watched the occasional movie - but I haven't done so for maybe a couple of years - as really I prefer a good book. But the rest of it - unless maybe you live in South America and have a particular love of 'rap music' (which I certainly do not) I don't think is very relevant..

However America is - or was a great country. 'Over sexed, over paid and over here', was just a hang-up phrase from the Second World War. If anything it was just friendly rivalry - or mild teasing - it was not perhaps the same deep and buring sentiment that many people appear to feel today.

In this regard, I can't really better what Damage has said. America seems to be going through a period of genuine madness at the moment. They have effectively elected a military junta type government, who appear to have little regard for the law or for the democratic institutions that enabled them to be elected. They lock people up without charge, make the constitution seem that it is a document they can pick and choose from and alter at will, use the American military as almost a private army in a (so far failed) attempt to boost their own personal wealth, export people they don't like to countries noted for human rights abuses to get these countries to torture these individuals for them (and I mean real torture - not the feather duster type torture that made it into the news in recent years), terrorise the American people into believing that they need to give up freedom rather than defend it in order to defeat their enemies - and generally make a mockery of everything most people (including I) ever believed America stood for.

Even during years gone by, during for example the worst excesses of the Vietnam war, I don't think or feel that America ever really lost hope or direction in the same way it appears to have now. Even then there was a voice of hope, something that rose up out of all of that and said 'No, we are better than that! This is not how America should be!" But somehow this time, even that voice seems to have been repressed. I just think it's sad - because I always believed before in what America could become. But now I admit I am no longer so sure of anything any more.

Esaz666

' and then the true masterminds step in and sweep us away while were not paying attention '

bush a true mastermind ?

LoL.