Off Topic Thread 5.0

The greatest country in the history of our planet? Saved us from famine! I’m not sure where you’d prefer as an alternative.

Developed countries have tighter security measures. You can understand them wanting private information in the wake of events like 9-11. Infringing on their own citizens rights is another matter however and less understandable. Would you prefer a free for all where anyone and everyone can enter and pose a risk to their security?

As for foreign policy, could you elaborate please? I understand much of the neo-con interventionism is cynical and exploitative but when you are fighting against drug wars from coming into your country, nuclear superpowers marauding across Eastern Europe and Asia and planes crashing into buildings it’s understandable they step into the fold to protect themselves by preventing the spread of such movements.

Sounds like you’d rather they didn’t participate in the world and curled up in a ball and felt sorry for themselves? And awaited imminent destruction which is what comes when you’re the global leader in so many fields?

As for the American dream/nightmare there are supposedly less in poverty there than any nation in the west. But the social mobility is unrivalled, more Americans come from immigrant backgrounds than any other country and move into prosperity than in any other country on the planet. It’s not a safe haven for elites. The most flexible and innovative survive and prosper there from generation to generation. Is there any greater measure of merit than that? But the relative slowing down of this fact is probably down to the increase in left leaning politics and pessimism which you seem to be conciliatory towards.

Also if you’re interested in a summer read Elliot Ackerman (U.S. marine) has some good novels out but his real life “Istanbul Letters” is as good as you’ll get insight into Turkey from a western perspective.