Although we like to think of it as exceptional, the true definition is
The actual phrase "American exceptionalism" was originally coined by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in 1929 as a critique of a revisionist faction of American communists who argued that the American political climate was unique, making it an 'exception' to certain elements of Marxist theory.
There was an enemy and we were "better" than them and we vowed to beat them. Military industrial complex do your thing and chants of USA.
But for this it's different. There's no enemy. If we stand here and be defiant and make the economy strong but lose millions of lives then we are in some ways "better." Because we didn't do what everyone else did.
And if the person at the top just clangs the cymbals like a dime store monkey then it generates this weird sense of nationalism.
Which today is kind of funny given our relationship with Russia.
So I was giving some thought to our current situation and the pandemic.
As I listen to people - especially the trump supporters - I hear a lot of "we need to get economy open! We can take some amount of mortality, and besides it can't happen to *me*"
Which is patently absurd on every level. But in particular it's the belief that it can't happen to them. This virus affects every human. Doesn't matter, if you breathe you are susceptible.
But then we're not different from everyone else. We have to better! Better economy. Better jobs. Better cars. Better religion. That's how this works, right?
In other cases, like 9/11, there was an element of exceptionalism that made some amount of sense. Patriotism. Pride. Everyone agreed that we gotta do the right things to protect ourselves.
There was an enemy and we were "better" than them and we vowed to beat them. Military industrial complex do your thing and chants of USA.
But for this it's different. There's no enemy. If we stand here and be defiant and make the economy strong but lose millions of lives then we are in some ways "better." Because we didn't do what everyone else did.
And if the person at the top just clangs the cymbals like a dime store monkey then it generates this weird sense of nationalism.
So for what should be the gold standard for how to be best at fighting the virus, at finding good solutions, about using technology to track the spread, and finding solutions.
Instead we're going to be at this for a long time. Never forget trump is in it solely for himself. And he doesn't care about you, me, or the legions of supporters.
