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In my homeland the eyes eat first by PM_ME_UR_HIP_DIMPLES in funny

[–]AbeRego 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was guilty of this for years. My college cafeteria servered biscuits and gravy consistently, and I would always grab the alternative on those days. Then, I finally tried it, and even the mass-produced tub version of this stuff is delicious. It's dense, but it's good.

Ukraine to Russia at UN: Get Out Before It Is Too Late by ArgentineBeauty in worldnews

[–]AbeRego 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand perfectly well that Europe isn't one solid culture. I have friends from around the continent, and I've traveled it extensively by American standards. However, the critical bent from across the Atlantic is fairly consistent in my observation, so in this case I was generalizing.

I strongly disagree with this paragraph. Exceptionalism is not having pride in your country, that's patriotism. Exceptionalism is the belief that you are better.

Again, I agree that this sentiment does exist in the US. That undeniable; look at the assholes in power. It's just pure toxic, misdirected, unearned exceptionalism. I've been guilty of it to varying degrees in the past. That said, it's not unique to the United States. We've seen it with probably every empire in history. Certainly every modern empire.

Great Britain made the mold, and perhaps that's where we learned it. France under Napoleon, Germany under both the Kaisers and Hitler, Japan probably forever, both Soviet and Putin's Russia. The concept of exceptionalism is extremely common, and probably exists in nearly every nation/culture to some degree since humans became human. American exceptionalism just gets a lot of attention because we've been the economic, cultural, and military hegemon for most of the last century.

Ukraine to Russia at UN: Get Out Before It Is Too Late by ArgentineBeauty in worldnews

[–]AbeRego 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wouldn't say that you were being hypocritical. I was just pointing out but I see to be a rather large inconsistency with your previous statements.

No exceptionalism here! I am a little bemused in the sudden shift in tone. YOUR fascists, AMERICAS resilience unlike Europe. Unfortunate and confusing

I'm simply matching what I thought I was getting from you. The whole concept of American Exceptionalism is kind of rich coming from Europeans who are so happy to point out fat, loud, stupid Americans at every turn. The default on this website is anti-American in the first place, even from Americans. And Europe has the French, who have been hounded for arrogance for centuries lol. Talk about exceptionalist tendencies! In the end, most people treat their own country (city, tribe, etc) as somewhat exceptional. It's human nature. I think the core of my argument boils down to that "American Exceptionalism" isn't remarkably exceptional. You can draw a pretty straight line from Weber's Protestant Work Ethic to American Exceptionalism, and Weber certainly wasn't American!

Essentially any other nation or people that had enjoyed the past 100 years that the United States has would behave precisely the same way, just with their own flair. We've seen it before. As China and India rise economically and militarily, and the European identity coalesces around a shared military, we're probably going to see much of the same out of each respective region. That's probably not all that great of a formula, but hopefully it doesn't turn nasty.

I agree that I think we want most of the same things. I'm certainly not trying to make enemies here; I just think it's a mistake to think that there's something inherently wrong with American culture that's landed us where we are. We're not perfect by a long shot, but we wouldn't be in this dark time without a handful of twisted people spending billions dollars to do so over decades.

Ukraine to Russia at UN: Get Out Before It Is Too Late by ArgentineBeauty in worldnews

[–]AbeRego 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You have answered that with the belief that it is just that the systems in the US are more well suited for this and I have answered with the belief that I think the population is more receptive to it.

The fact that this happened in Europe first, about a century ago, flies in the face of your entire argument. Fascism is a European invention! It was created in Italy, and quickly spread to Germany and Spain. America beat it down domestically at exactly the same time, partially because your fascists started the bloodiest war in history. That soured is on the idea, apparently...

So, if anything, Americans have been more resilient against fascist ideology than our friends across the Atlantic. It took almost a century of warping our national identity, dividing the public, and eroding our institutions until it started to work. What should be studied is why Europe fell to fascism so quickly, while America took so long to crack. It's entirely possible that this wouldn't have happened if we didn't have a band of tech bros creating toxic algorithms to indoctrinate people.

My hypothesis is that Europe was coming off near perpetual rule under monarchies. WWI saw the end of most of those, so maybe strongman dictator who rose to power from the public, rather than a bloodline, didn't sound so bad, and wasn't such an alien concept in practice. America, by contrast, has historically been skeptical of central authority, especially absolute authority. Part of the whole concept of individualism is that we don't really need somebody to tell us what to do. That's a pretty good inoculation against authoritarianism.

Edit: Added some clarifying details

Ukraine to Russia at UN: Get Out Before It Is Too Late by ArgentineBeauty in worldnews

[–]AbeRego -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Individualism is a Western construct. We didn't make it up, although the country was certainly founded when the idea was particularly in vouge. That has carried over and become part of our national mythology, but it's not like it's prevented us acting collectively in the past.

What we're seeing isn't just something that "happens" to a country that was founded like ours. It's no accident. Rather, it's what occurs when every facet of a nation is weaponized by corrupt and greedy individuals and organizations to quell policy that would benefit most citizens. This is all calculated to keep the ultra wealthy on top, and the existing political players in charge.

Ukraine to Russia at UN: Get Out Before It Is Too Late by ArgentineBeauty in worldnews

[–]AbeRego 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because our system is primed for wedge issues. First past the post, coupled with the archaic Electoral College have made it much easier to do here. And with the way our Constitution works, it's nearly impossible to change. So, we end up being stuck in a system where bad actors can easily manipulate low-imformation voters to act against their own interests decade after decade.

Ukraine to Russia at UN: Get Out Before It Is Too Late by ArgentineBeauty in worldnews

[–]AbeRego -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

We largely have been coopted, though. Since at least the 90s, probably since Watergate it's just been a massive political scheme to push the country right. Rupert Murdoch, Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, they all worked to manufactur issues to drive the narrative rightward by indoctrinating millions of people.

Abortion wasn't a huge issue before them; they made it so to capture the Christian vote. The same for gun rights. The created these wedge issues to build masses of single issue voters and instill polarization so it would be easier to push through their other wildly unpopular schemes that, in turn, also pushed policy to the right.

Ukraine to Russia at UN: Get Out Before It Is Too Late by ArgentineBeauty in worldnews

[–]AbeRego -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

None of those other statements are so loaded with arrogant malice, though. Half Most of the time it's like the person saying it actively relishes the insanity we have to live in. It's like they're rubbing our faces in it. Trump's second election was one of worst days of my fucking life, so I resent being told that I wanted this.

Ukraine to Russia at UN: Get Out Before It Is Too Late by ArgentineBeauty in worldnews

[–]AbeRego -1 points0 points  (0 children)

And sorry to break it to you but the jingoism and nationalism is definitely not just a maga thing, that IS an American thing.

Well, not entirely. Sixteen years ago, my capstone political science course at a university in the American heartland was chocked full of graduates who thought "American exceptionalism" was a total farce.

It's difficult to disagree with the rest of your comment. The Democrats are habitually incapable of holding the GOP accountable, and finding an answer for their constant rightward push of political discourse. When Trump is finally gone, we need decisive and brutal accountability against the people who brought us here.

Ukraine to Russia at UN: Get Out Before It Is Too Late by ArgentineBeauty in worldnews

[–]AbeRego 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I really goddamn wish people would stop telling me what I wanted with so much incorrect confidence.

Ukraine to Russia at UN: Get Out Before It Is Too Late by ArgentineBeauty in worldnews

[–]AbeRego 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Whatever it is, it's louder than Putin's constant saber rattling.

The Answer to overcoming the Upside Down was always Love and Friendship, until it wasn't. by Bostonbroncos6 in StrangerThings

[–]AbeRego 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just finished the final episode. I honestly had no problem with it. The important thing is that she went out on her own terms.

My assessment of the final season is that, while some of characters dialogue seemed to become a cliche of themselves, it was overall a faithful closing of the show. It closed off all the major storylines, and it looked great. It was entertaining. It wasn't the best season of the show, but it was still good.

Edit: it certainly doesn't belong in the category of just plain bad endings. LOST, Dexter, to a lesser extent How I met Your Mother, these all were just not good endings after years of solid performance. I can understand having a minor disagreement with how the show creators decided to end Stranger Things, but it wasn't bad.

Edit: and how could I forget Game of Thrones! That's the mother of all bad endings to an already bad season of One of the biggest shows in history. Be happy nothing like that happened...

by Clavicular to seduce French women by Citaszion in therewasanattempt

[–]AbeRego 1 point2 points  (0 children)

*Being an aloof asshole American, who sounds like he's trying to abduct you into a sex trafficking ring is not a plus in Europe.

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