Comments on: National Self Esteem

By: steven

steven — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:40:30 +0000

If the American workforce is the greatest in the world, then why have real wages for average workers been stagnant since 2000? Similarly, the productivity versus wages ratio is at historically high levels. If these candidates believe this notion of a superior US workforce, they should address the lack of compensation workers get for their efforts.

By: Nicholas

Nicholas — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:08:42 +0000

It’s part of American culture to be macho, especially concerning nationalistic pride. It must look cocky and overbearing to other countries, but I kind of like it.

By: NunoXEI

NunoXEI — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:25:12 +0000

@bicyclemark – leave it to european football to bring out the patriot in the Portuguese !

By: bicyclemark

bicyclemark — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:54:14 +0000

I did think it was cool, even though you don’t hear about it anymore, when Obama didn’t wear the stupid flag pin. I thought it was a sign that starting with him more and more politicians would stop going through the motions with the symbols and the empty phrases of greatness. Does he still not wear it? at the very least, I hope so.

By: bicyclemark

bicyclemark — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:52:49 +0000

“Abortions for some, tiny plastic flags for others”

By: bicyclemark

bicyclemark — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:52:23 +0000

hey nuno — you remember in Portugal during the Euro Cup– all of a sudden there were Portuguese flags in every window. I’d never seen that in my life.. it was odd feeling. And of course afterwards.. i think because of the olympics, they stayed up and to this day in Lisbon, lots of houses in the Bica (since they never clean up) STILL fly Portuguese flags off the balcony.

By: NunoXEI

NunoXEI — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:56:42 +0000

I’m also finding this repetition quite irrational on the level of political powers taht are suppose to be convincing their nation of truths…

oh wait, I’m talking about politics aren’t I’m… sorry I’m an idiot. Ya, all those lines of repetition make total sense.

Sheesh… almost confused myself there.

By: keith

keith — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:30:06 +0000

these debates seems to be a circus of bullshit. if they can’t promise me an hour longer recess, no homework, and no gym class, i just don’t care…

By: EvilEuropean

EvilEuropean — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:21:22 +0000

The “U-S-A NUMBER ONE” does seem to point to a deeper set of issues, it seems to smack of an insecurity, something that requires the repeating of these mantra’s to prove something. I dont know what it is, but it might be the fact that such a large country with so many people with different ideas and belifs would fall apart without this contiunal drilling of that mantra. Americans seem to always refer to themselves as …….-American, the ……. being another nation or culture.
Just my two cent.

By: DRock

DRock — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:17:46 +0000

There are countries out there that do not get all pumped up about how awesome they are…that’s because they suck! U-S-A U-S-A. Yeah it’s freaking obnoxious but those that often beat their chests and talk about how their country is the greatest (whichever it might be) usually have never been to another one. Lewis Black had a skit about this “How do you know the USA is the greatest if you’ve never been to another country? They might be giving away free shit over there.”

Two unfinished wars, a nation in debt, financial crisis, soaring energy prices, a broken healthcare system, tens of thousands of physically and mentally wounded vets returning from foreign wars, and the images of the dead bodies laying in the sun for days outside of the New Orleans dome still burnt into our collective memories. Those chants of U-S-A ring hollow as never before and while it’s part of the political script for a presidential election most people in the US know something…a lot of things are not alright.

By: tim from Radio Clash

tim from Radio Clash — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:32:50 +0000

Yeah I agree – this was most apparent with Canada – a nation which quite rightly has a chip on it’s shoulder about it’s neighbour’s patriotism, but if you go there it’s flags on EVERYTHING, including normal members of the public with smallish homes and MASSIVE flagpoles in their garden, and in fact you can’t trade in Canada with having to put a frigging maple leaf on anything (due to consumer demand) – even McDonalds had to to prove it was ‘Canadian’.

I found it totally spooky, tbh.

Contrast this with the UK – unless it’s during a sporting event or special event (like England in the World cup, when you get English flags everywhere, and jubilees and probably during 2012), people would give you funny looks if you festooned your home with Union Jacks – having a flagpole with the UK flag on a small house is a rare sight.

By: jc.

jc. — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:44:54 +0000

The mentioned phrases are much like the money shot in porno, strangely stupid and unnatural but seemingly demanded by the audience.
I do, however find any contention that the rest of the world is less nationalistic than the united states to be laughingly foolish. In Sweden, for instance, the swedes like to claim an unfamliarity with “nationalism” (“Those americans are so strange!”) often citing a similiar whitewash of reality much like the descripition of british “putting ourselves down”. The reality is of course much different. As a landscaper I am truly amazed at the amount of homes, summer cottages and even gardening allotments that sport actual flagpoles. Not flags on a stick but actual flagpoles many meters high!
National myths require much self unawareness.

By: tim from Radio Clash

tim from Radio Clash — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:45:29 +0000

I always find the proselytising ‘GO USA!’ weird and slightly hollow, as if they are trying to convince themselves, as well as others.

Other countries tend to be rather more muted and proud of their achievements but less publicly so, it’s seen as being rather vulgar, especially here in the UK. That’s not to say someone saying ‘The UK is crap’ wouldn’t get stick though, unless they had a point…and like US there are reasons to think that also.

e.g. Great Britain – what’s so great about it? Etc. But we have a history of putting ourselves down, which is not exactly psychologically very good it does mean extreme nationalists get short shrift here.