America and Americans suffer from delusions of granduer

by **Bas** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 16:36:29

I don't think that the average posting Americans on this board suffer from this delusion, but I'm most definitely interested in their (your) opinions about this.

by **emersonbiggins** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 16:52:50

Another chance to post this t-shirt submission:

by **evilgenius** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 16:53:10

Look, I am an American. I know that it is a sick society. I can't say for sure what parts are unique to the American condition and what parts are common to all men. The problems are rampant.

Right now I am not in America and can say that there is a much better sense of community where I am now. Americans have no idea how different the rest of the world is, nor how they are successful without the load of psychological crap.

by **OilIsMastery** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 17:01:22

I challenge you to name one country that doesn't have delusions of grandeur.

The Netherlands comes to mind as a country that is particularly delusional. I can't think of anything more pompous and arrogant than the Hague and International Criminal Court. What gives the Dutch moral authority? The nerve!

by **Bas** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 17:05:35

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('OilIsMastery', 'I') challenge you to name one country that doesn't have delusions of grandeur.

by **JoeW** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 17:07:43

[quote="OilIsMastery"]I challenge you to name one country that doesn't have delusions of grandeur.
/quote]

The worst offender is probably the Vatican. Those people believe their leader is some kind of conduit for God to speak to all of mankind.

by **Polemic** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 17:15:33

If people are told that they live in "the most powerful country in the world" often enough, they believe it. They begin to believe that their country is so powerful as to be invincible.

by **Zardoz** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 17:18:43

Not so much as before. We're being progressively humbled as a people. Eight years of BushCo has accelerated the pace.

Take it from an ol' veteran Yankee, though, we used to be insufferable. We really did feel we were God's chosen people, capable of saving and reforming the entire world, particularly back in the good old days when most of the other inhabitants of this planet felt that our hearts were in the right place. We had lots of fans, and we knew it.

Those days are gone forever, obviously.

We still have some who harbor those delusions, however. They're called "Neoconservatives", and they still believe that the U.S. can mold the world in our so-called democratic, freedom-loving image. I guess Richard Perle is their chief spokesman, if only because he seems to actually believe what he spouts.

They'll be out of power soon, but the damage they've done will linger on for decades, of course.

by **Bas** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 17:25:27

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zardoz', 'N')ot so much as before. We're being progressively humbled as a people. Eight years of BushCo has accelerated the pace.

Take it from an ol' veteran Yankee, though, we used to be insufferable. We really did feel we were God's chosen people, capable of saving and reforming the entire world, particularly back in the good old days when most of the other inhabitants of this planet felt that our hearts were in the right place. We had lots of fans, and we knew it.

Those days are gone forever, obviously.

We still have some who harbor those delusions, however. They're called "Neoconservatives", and they still believe that the U.S. can mold the world in our so-called democratic, freedom-loving image. I guess Richard Perle is their chief spokesman, if only because he seems to actually believe what he spouts.

They'll be out of power soon, but the damage they've done will linger on for decades, of course.

by **Cloud9** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 18:46:06

The real truth is most Americans don't give a hoot what the rest of the world thinks. Most of us except for a few neocons are isolationists. Ask the average soccer mom where the Sudan is and she couldn't find it on a bet. To her, most of the rest of the world is irrelevant. That changes the moment some part of it impinges on her lifestyle. In that moment, she will change her focus and give that little part of the world her undivided attention. If her grandmother is any example, she will roll up her sleeves and build the ships, airplanes and tanks necessary to solve the problem.

by **jboogy** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 21:03:06

O.K. oilymaster,I'll give it a shot.How 'bout IRAQ,and the republic of TOGO of course. [smilie=knob.gif]

by **NotMyBlood** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 22:50:25

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cloud9', 'T')he real truth is most Americans don't give a hoot what the rest of the world thinks. Most of us except for a few neocons are isolationists. Ask the average soccer mom where the Sudan is and she couldn't find it on a bet. To her, most of the rest of the world is irrelevant. That changes the moment some part of it impinges on her lifestyle. In that moment, she will change her focus and give that little part of the world her undivided attention. If her grandmother is any example, she will roll up her sleeves and build the ships, airplanes and tanks necessary to solve the problem.

by **OilIsMastery** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 23:35:45

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jboogy', 'O').K. oilymaster,I'll give it a shot.How 'bout IRAQ,and the republic of TOGO of course. [smilie=knob.gif]

by gw » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 23:49:22

I would go a step further and say many, if not most Americans are actually insane.

Study: U.S. Leads In Mental Illness, Lags in Treatment

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Washington Post', 'O')ne-quarter of all Americans met the criteria for having a mental illness within the past year, and fully a quarter of those had a "serious" disorder that significantly disrupted their ability to function day to day, according to the largest and most detailed survey of the nation's mental health.

Although parallel studies in 27 other countries are not yet complete, the new numbers suggest that the United States is poised to rank No. 1 globally for mental illness, researchers said.

The survey focused on four major categories of mental illness: anxiety disorders (such as panic and post-traumatic stress disorders); mood disorders (such as major depression and bipolar disease); impulse control disorders (such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder); and substance abuse.

Almost half of Americans meet the criteria for such an illness at some point in their lives, the survey found.

It is not clear why Americans have such high rates of mental illness, but cultural factors clearly play a role. Immigrants quickly increase their risk of mental health problems, especially if they do not live in native ethnic communities.

by **OilIsMastery** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 23:52:41

25% of Americans are mentally ill? LOL. I could've told you that. The other 75% are Christians.

by **jboogy** » Wed 01 Aug 2007, 23:52:59

Stop picking on the poor Togoans oily,most of them are only three feet tall with bad hair, I dare say you'd elect a guy named Gassy be Enema if you had to face the hardships they have! [smilie=dink.gif]

by gw » Thu 02 Aug 2007, 00:10:37

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('OilIsMastery', '2')5% of Americans are mentally ill? LOL. I could've told you that. The other 75% are Christians.

by **OilIsMastery** » Thu 02 Aug 2007, 00:12:35

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gw', 'M')aybe that's why I feel like I am surrounded by crazy people sometimes.

by **Gerontion** » Thu 02 Aug 2007, 05:52:02

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Bas', 'W')hen it comes to dillusions of grandeur I'd say England and France are a good 2nd and 3rd.

by **Chesire** » Thu 02 Aug 2007, 08:09:29

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gw', 'I') would go a step further and say many, if not most Americans are actually insane.

Study: U.S. Leads In Mental Illness, Lags in Treatment

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Washington Post', 'O')ne-quarter of all Americans met the criteria for having a mental illness within the past year, and fully a quarter of those had a "serious" disorder that significantly disrupted their ability to function day to day, according to the largest and most detailed survey of the nation's mental health.

Although parallel studies in 27 other countries are not yet complete, the new numbers suggest that the United States is poised to rank No. 1 globally for mental illness, researchers said.

The survey focused on four major categories of mental illness: anxiety disorders (such as panic and post-traumatic stress disorders); mood disorders (such as major depression and bipolar disease); impulse control disorders (such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder); and substance abuse.

Almost half of Americans meet the criteria for such an illness at some point in their lives, the survey found.

It is not clear why Americans have such high rates of mental illness, but cultural factors clearly play a role. Immigrants quickly increase their risk of mental health problems, especially if they do not live in native ethnic communities.