+2 votes
200 views
in Politics & Government ✌ by

My real question here is that I would like people's opinions on how one Quora user, Stuart Davis, has answered this...basically I think he is saying that the USA as an empire has had its day, and is now following an historical pattern of decline.

So then I went to Stuart's profile to see if he is R v. L, liberal conservative if that contributes to his views...and this is how he characterizes himself: "Politically a centrist - I know this because those on the right say that I must be a socialist and the ones on the left say I am a political conservative, so I know I must be doing something right..."

Well I don't want his thesis to be true, of course. And I was thinking about Rooster's comment, something like, We are a unique breed here in the USA. So I was thinking of the commitment to freedom justice and such here, maybe like nothing the world has ever seen before, and will that ultimately carry the day for the USA? I am NOT thrilled about China coming in as the next great empire...

Anyway, the idea (which I got from Rooster), that maybe there is a kind of national spirit that grows up in a society? Thinking of the founding of Germany, and Bismarck for example; I read that the German people were acculturated to hierarchy, the Kaiser, and the phenomenal genius of Bismarck. Then, the idea that national spirit helped pave the way for Hitler and Nazism as the next great autocrat along the lineage of Bismarck and the Prussian militaristic success?

* * *

See Emma Lazarus (I just read this is a Petrarchan sonnet) and then below for Stuart's link:

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

So, if you have thoughts, could our USA national egalitarian spirit and commitment to the value of the individual, could that reverse this putative decline of the American empire into another beacon of freedom? Here is the answer given by Stuart Davis: https://www.quora.com/Can-Americans-cope-with-the-possibility-of-things-getting-worse-and-staying-worse-in-the-future-Would-we-rather-lie-to-ourselves/answer/Stuart-Davis-3

4 Answers

+3 votes
by
 
Best answer

Nor do we need to be afraid or panic - we don’t have to be number one in order to live a comfortable, secure life.

I think that line from his answer is your answer! We may not be the most powerful any longer but we will live and other nations will not bother us in the world scope of things. That debt has been there quite a while and if you look around? You'll see that China has invested in many other countries also.

We'll never be the super power we once were and if China and India wish to be that big empire? Then so be it and let them have it. As long as we can protect our own great country? I'm happy.

We'll cope just fine. We are flexible and most are patriots and will never give up.

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Rooster, I find your words very soothing and heartening too...wholesome perspective ty!

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Rich Chinese, as well as rich people from other countries, are moving to the U.S.A. But Americans hesitate to move to China despite having a good infrastructure since it is a communist country. When they move to the U.S.A, they are bringing their wealth to the U.S.A. But this makes the housing price higher in the U.S.A and other western countries.

+1 vote
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The USA were the most powerful state at the end of the 20th century. It is not alone nowadays. I cannot tell when and how the USA will disappear.

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ty Kninjanin, your answer concise and thoughtful and helpful too, as always. :D

+4 votes
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The UK was the most powerful country until it was replaced by the U.S.A. It will take some years for any other country to replace the U.S.A.
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Dan I am certain that is true...along with your observation about Britain...and I think humankind needs to find a better way than this cycling and then collapse of empires, of their own weight...

+2 votes
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I remember reading about the "American Century".  I don't think anyone really expected it to last forever.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Century

But Egypt is still around today, 3,000 years later.  :)

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Yes...Shelley got it, Tink...well, I am still grieving a bit...less since yesterday with Rooster's comments. <3

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