Quote:
Originally Posted by S-2
Brigadier,
My experience suggests that each nation on earth is "ugly". While Americans have plenty to improve upon, until I see, sense, experience the same critical self-examination of others about themselves WE ALL have much to improve upon.
Your China-America comparison is very inaccurate, IMHO. My next door neighbor in Wisconsin who now heads GE-France lived in a Nigerian village for two years with his wife as a young college grad working for the Peace Corps. I've a very good friend working and living along the HCM trail in Laos today. American examples contrasting the "Ugly American" abound for those not prepared to accept smug and self-satisfying generalizations.
I won't worry about it unduly as it doesn't affect my nation one bit. All Americans can do is focus upon self-improvement. I think we do-in spades. Further, unlike others, we openly display our dirty laundry unlike any other nation on earth. Finally, I challenge you with this assumption of mine.
No single nation maintains a perspective as outward looking and global as the United States.
We'll continue to do our best. I wish others would also do so. The world would be a better place.
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S-2,
From the perspective of the book, the examples of your friends existed then as well - the critique is the face of the US - the diplomatic corps - often ran counter to actions of those on the ground making it happen. Instead of funding the chump change projects of those on the ground making a difference, the diplomats listened to what the elites wanted and supported those big ticket projects, projects with long lead times with little to nothing to show in the interim.
One of the most interesting chapters in the book is when the celebrated Asian journalist speaking in American exalts the spirit of America and Americans that she would meet in the US, while at the same time criticizing the Americans that she would meet outside the US in official capacities for not embodying the same spirit.
I'll let Ray define whether his post was broader in scope than the message of the book, but I suspect that it's not.