Warning - stormy saturday afternoon + lots of time in one's hand = long post.
I've seen lots of negativity on these boards concerning the fate of the U.S... plenty of doom & gloom threads about how you're facing economic collapse, how you're being stuck in a quagmire in Iraq, and how internally, the rich/poor divide is wracking stability. And i've seen a variety of ideas from all corners of the political spectrum (though the socially liberal/fiscal conservative seems to be the majority.) and most recently, i've seen vicious arguing among the political factions on this board, regarding the presidential candidates, many arguments devolving into vicious flame wars.. so i thought, to clear the air, I, a foreigner, would list what I like about the States, after living here for the past 6 years or so.
First of all, the constitution. I haven't read the entirety, but it baffles the mind to know that a
bunch of people, 200 years back, wrote such an incredibly forward thinking document, something that can be used to resolve some of our more difficult issues even today, despite the progress humanity has made since it was written. Despite slavery and women's rights, the fundamental idea contained in that document, namely, liberty, is timeless and should be the foundation of every human society established. Truly, it is one of the strongest points of your country.
Secondly, while racism and prejudice still permeate this society, hard work and drive are still primary drivers for success. I arrived here with little cash and had my share of difficulties, but amazingly, all that I have needed for both academic and financial success is a willingness to work hard and be responsible for my actions. And somehow, it has always been the results of my work that has mattered - not my color, not my accent or my cultural background. While I acknowledge that many people have still suffered discrimination on these bases, by and large, all you need is drive, courage and hard work - the rest falls in place.
Thirdly say what you will about the fall of american society, corruption in politics and economic collapse, it is my opinion that Americans are some of the most fair, friendly and hardworking people in the world. and it is my opinion that no matter how bad things look, the people of this society have that basic resilience, courage and strength required to make the decisions to put things right. Sure, you have the tabloids, the Paris Hiltons and the Britney Spears, but those are merely a false exterior, an illusion - the real America is strong, smart, responsbile and can kick ass. I don't have to provide any evidence - just watch what happened the three months after 9/11. *thats* real American society, not hollywood and the media.
And lastly, one of the lamentable aspects that I struggle still to reconcile myself with is the lack of a 1000 years of culture that many other countries have. Being from a country that has a long history of tradition, where life in every aspect is permeated by the weight of the centuries part, I feel this void in American life; but that's just me. What I comfort myself is that I'm a part of a budding culture, one of the very first settlers of this nascent society. In effect, we're creating the culture that historians are going to study centuries down the road.. and I feel privileged.. especially since it appears that the creation of this society, thanks to modern methods of information exchange and travel, is unprecedented. Nowhere else can so many peoples, from all parts of the world, congregate to merge the best parts of their culture, and throw of the blanket of stagnation that has beset theim in their home countries. Say what you will about the lack of assimilation, etc, but i firmly believe it's happening, and it's for the best.
That's basically about it. I feel lucky to be here, and I'm glad I made the decision a while back. Despite some hostility, claims of job theft, TSA checks, etc, I feel privileged that I'm one of the few who've been allowed to remain and bloom in this country of yours, and cannot thank american society enough for the stability, the open mindedness, the friendliness and availability of opportunities that have allowed me to thrive. God bless the USA!
I've seen lots of negativity on these boards concerning the fate of the U.S... plenty of doom & gloom threads about how you're facing economic collapse, how you're being stuck in a quagmire in Iraq, and how internally, the rich/poor divide is wracking stability. And i've seen a variety of ideas from all corners of the political spectrum (though the socially liberal/fiscal conservative seems to be the majority.) and most recently, i've seen vicious arguing among the political factions on this board, regarding the presidential candidates, many arguments devolving into vicious flame wars.. so i thought, to clear the air, I, a foreigner, would list what I like about the States, after living here for the past 6 years or so.
First of all, the constitution. I haven't read the entirety, but it baffles the mind to know that a
bunch of people, 200 years back, wrote such an incredibly forward thinking document, something that can be used to resolve some of our more difficult issues even today, despite the progress humanity has made since it was written. Despite slavery and women's rights, the fundamental idea contained in that document, namely, liberty, is timeless and should be the foundation of every human society established. Truly, it is one of the strongest points of your country.
Secondly, while racism and prejudice still permeate this society, hard work and drive are still primary drivers for success. I arrived here with little cash and had my share of difficulties, but amazingly, all that I have needed for both academic and financial success is a willingness to work hard and be responsible for my actions. And somehow, it has always been the results of my work that has mattered - not my color, not my accent or my cultural background. While I acknowledge that many people have still suffered discrimination on these bases, by and large, all you need is drive, courage and hard work - the rest falls in place.
Thirdly say what you will about the fall of american society, corruption in politics and economic collapse, it is my opinion that Americans are some of the most fair, friendly and hardworking people in the world. and it is my opinion that no matter how bad things look, the people of this society have that basic resilience, courage and strength required to make the decisions to put things right. Sure, you have the tabloids, the Paris Hiltons and the Britney Spears, but those are merely a false exterior, an illusion - the real America is strong, smart, responsbile and can kick ass. I don't have to provide any evidence - just watch what happened the three months after 9/11. *thats* real American society, not hollywood and the media.
And lastly, one of the lamentable aspects that I struggle still to reconcile myself with is the lack of a 1000 years of culture that many other countries have. Being from a country that has a long history of tradition, where life in every aspect is permeated by the weight of the centuries part, I feel this void in American life; but that's just me. What I comfort myself is that I'm a part of a budding culture, one of the very first settlers of this nascent society. In effect, we're creating the culture that historians are going to study centuries down the road.. and I feel privileged.. especially since it appears that the creation of this society, thanks to modern methods of information exchange and travel, is unprecedented. Nowhere else can so many peoples, from all parts of the world, congregate to merge the best parts of their culture, and throw of the blanket of stagnation that has beset theim in their home countries. Say what you will about the lack of assimilation, etc, but i firmly believe it's happening, and it's for the best.
That's basically about it. I feel lucky to be here, and I'm glad I made the decision a while back. Despite some hostility, claims of job theft, TSA checks, etc, I feel privileged that I'm one of the few who've been allowed to remain and bloom in this country of yours, and cannot thank american society enough for the stability, the open mindedness, the friendliness and availability of opportunities that have allowed me to thrive. God bless the USA!
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