January 3rd, 2007

You know, it's true that the whole world sometimes likes to jump onto the anti-American bandwagon. I've heard a lot of defensive Americans say that the rest of the world is "just jealous" and I am sure there is truth in that. But there is also truth in the notion that outward-thinking Americans would do well to remember to get their own ducks in a row before they send heads of state off to foreign lands to tell them how to conduct their affairs.

But let's also not forget that much of what Americans preach to other countries is not fundamentally flawed in its reasoning. Heck, even the much-abhorred/much-loved religions of the world usually preach something that's worth listening to. (I sometimes wonder if "the American way" isn't something akin to its own religion, anyhow.)

So I read this quote by Ambrose Bierce (American writer, 1842-1914) who wrote that "War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." Heh. Funny that. And depressingly close to reality sometimes. I mean, how many Americans knew where Vietnam was prior to the Vietnam War? Or Kuwait before the first Gulf War?

But it's also unfair to Americans in general, since how many Canadians or Scottish or Australians or Norwegians could name the capitals of all 50 states—or half, or just a third? America is vast in geography and numbers, and if Americans are a little lean on the geographic side of their education, it's probably only because they have just about everything they could ever possibly need at home without having to go abroad.

And I have lots of friends from America and lots of friends who live in America, and there is very little—or nothing—that distinguishes them from people in the rest of the world. I recently spent a few hours with one such friend who was passing through Vancouver on his way to parts further North. He said, "Generally, Americans are moderate sensible people, not extreme left or right, not war-hungry, not particularly PC or idiotic ... just ordinary folks." I realized as he said it that he could be talking about Canadians, British, Pakistanis, or Peruvians. It's hard to distinguish individual Americans at home from other countries' people at home.

That includes, by the way, that sometimes heavy-handed criticism I mentioned above: I have noticed that nobody is more critical of America than Americans themselves. Self-criticism is something I know a little bit about, by the way, being Canadian. We have a reputation well-known around the world for being self-effacing and apologetic for everything we do. But Americans are no slouches in this department, either, and I think that a vocal minority of Americans are much more critical of America than anyone else in any country.

I find this fact particularly interesting. American foreign policy is legendary in all of human history for its self-aggrandizement and holier-than-thou proselytizing, but at the same time the most vocal opponents to that American policy are -er- Americans themselves! It's like there is a psychological rift in the American psyche:

"I'm great ... oh, I hate myself for saying that!"

And regardless of whether or not Part I of that statement is true, Part II is always true. It makes you wonder: If America is such a great country now, how much better would it be if it could mend that duality? How different and how much better would America (and possibly the world) be if it let its crowing and its sniping cancel each other out?

It would be wonderful to think that the giant was well-rounded and good-natured. Heck, it'd be more fun to hang out with. Hmm ... I think I'll send it a self-help book :-)

Read more rants - Top Blogs - Comment on this rant - Email me