Two America's?
Do you define a person more by their mistakes and failures or by their achievements and successes?
Do you define America more by her mistakes and failures or by her achievements and successes?
I know those who live in that gray area will want to answer with "both"... but that is really intellectually dishonest isn't it?
Besides... I said "more" instead of "totally" to cover that.... there is no gray area.
I submit this is one of the major differences between conservatives and liberal-leftists... between Republicans and Democrats if you will.
Conservatives on the right recognizes America has made mistakes and had failures but defines America by it's achievements, success and ability to overcome all of those mistakes and failures.
Those on the left literally define America by it's mistakes and failures and recognize some achievements and successes (when it suits them politically) but believe we have not overcome mistakes and failures.
The above is according to me of course... what say you?
Do you define America more by her mistakes and failures or by her achievements and successes?
I know those who live in that gray area will want to answer with "both"... but that is really intellectually dishonest isn't it?
Besides... I said "more" instead of "totally" to cover that.... there is no gray area.
I submit this is one of the major differences between conservatives and liberal-leftists... between Republicans and Democrats if you will.
Conservatives on the right recognizes America has made mistakes and had failures but defines America by it's achievements, success and ability to overcome all of those mistakes and failures.
Those on the left literally define America by it's mistakes and failures and recognize some achievements and successes (when it suits them politically) but believe we have not overcome mistakes and failures.
The above is according to me of course... what say you?
posted by RD at 4:18 PM
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5 Comments:
I would not necessarily say that defining our nation by both its achievements and failures is intellectually dishonest.
I would equate to measuring a person by both because a persons good traits and bad traits is what defines a person.
For instance, take me. I have what you might call a rough past. I have done some bad things and I have done some good things. But all of these things made me the person I am today. I would not be the same person that I am today without the rough times as well as the good. And I can't really say that either one defines me more than the other to be honest.
That is how I view America. I am proud of our great achievements. I am somewhat ashamed by many of its failures. But I honestly would not have it any other way. Our failures and achievements is what makes our country what it is today. We learn by both.
Don't we?
I understand what you are getting at though Red. There are people that dwell on the bad and say little of the good. That is not what I am trying to do or say. I am just saying that I do define our country by both.
Right... but as I said, not equally.
Remember I said "more". Either you are more ashamed of our failures or more proud of our achievements even if slightly... and from your comments I'd say you fall on the proud or "favorable" side.
In every instance, you must view things... everything either favorably or unfavorably, even if only slightly, it is your/my/our nature to do so.
Viewing someone or America equally favorable and unfavorable is practically impossible.
One would have to posture oneself as "neutral" on the subject and that is not the way our brain works.
I can say something or you can see something and your brain will immediately make a call on it.. in terms of I like-it or I don't-like-it. Sometimes it's both but always one more than the other.
The only time the human brain can be neutral on a subject is when it is totally ignorant on it.
Sales 101
Well, I can certainly say that I am more proud of our country and love our country MORE than I am ashamed of and hate our country.
However, on the side of myself, I tend to think that I am more ashamed of my mistakes and failures than I am proud of my successes and accomplishments. That is just me though.
Otter said: “I would not necessarily say that defining our nation by both its achievements and failures is intellectually dishonest.”
I completely agree 100%. If you don’t see the good with the bad you are deluding yourself.
As to the original question of “Do you define America more by her mistakes and failures or by her achievements and successes?”
I error on the positive side of things as a general rule of thumb…giving the benefit of the doubt and whatnot. More than that though I do believe that America is, or at least can be, a force for good. This country and the people in it have accomplished amazing things, and it is those things that I think of first when thinking about our country.
Red said: “Sales 101”
Do you view everything in respect to sales Red? You reference your sales training quite a bit in comments and was wondering if you view everything through the lenses of a salesman.
Right dave, but not equally...as I said right up front. Note that I pointed out mistakes and failures, successes and achievements but you (and everyone) view(s) it "more" one way than the other.
In my case I am > 99% proud of America and < 1% ashamed... because as I view it, some of America's biggest successes and achievements have come from overcoming our failures and mistakes.
Sales? lol...
Isn't everything in life just one kind of sales or another dave?
Either you are "selling" or you are "being sold to" pretty much all the time. Think about it.
Unless you are a goldfish just watching the world go by from the safety of that big glass bowl waiting for feeding time... that is.
I view the world through a post-9/11 lens.
The worlds largest and most fanatical and violent religion demonstrated that their "Holy War" was to be taken very seriously... and I do.
During these times, America should be standing together against one of the most formidable attackers it has faced since it's conception... but instead, too many Americans are focused on America being the problem, ashamed of America and failing to recognize that America has overcome the mistakes and failures those same people can't see past.
America is under attack from another front as well... from within. Many of those same people that are constantly reminding us how ashamed they are of America are helping destroy capitalism and turning American into a socialist state if possible.
I think it's important how we view our country right now.
-red
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