Thought from the outside:

The planet is in a rather average state as a place to live right now. Technology is great. We have the internet, global news, streaming entertainment and the ability to work and educate our kids all from home.
We have the ability to produce Vaccines, new drugs and provide new cures on almost a daily basis.
And we continue to soil and degrade the only planet we have in the name of profit, while printing meaningless money.
But every nation has that issue.
A few nations have other troubles. Sectarian violence, intolerance, inequity, racial hatred and political corruption. Thats the human condition it seems.
Most nations and people aspire to a leader. Many look to America as the Emerald City. The dream.. But just lately.....................
As bad as I believed things would get in America (and much of that is still to show through the cracks) I never believed that the slightest possibility of Civil War mark 2, would ever happen. And yet here we are with regular military personel facing off against bearded beergutted moutainfolk and screaming ignorant "Karens".
At this point is doesnt matter who wins. The very fact that you are fighting each other, rather than working together to defeat a virus, a broken economy, and a corrupt political system has already decided for you. America the world leader is over. The world is turning its back and every one of you bears responsibility for trashing the American dream in favour of self interest.
(So long and thanks for the help with WW2)
😷

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Really · 80-89, M

Why is it that in the 'United' States (flagrant misnomer) where they're forever bragging about their love of democracy - to the extent of actually thinking they invented it - the peaceful transition of power between successive administrations is fraught with worry and is less assured than in almost all other democracies, where it's generally just taken for granted?

How has this happened in a country with such initial wealth and potential? I don't suppose I'd be the first to observe that the American Dream has become a fearful nightmare.

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@Really No.. You wouldnt. And a nightmare of their own making through greed and laziness combined.😷

Really · 80-89, M

@whowasthatmaskedman Hmm yes but there's greed & laziness everywhere. Why/how did it get so out of control in America? I'm originally from the UK (which was never all that united either), which was an infamous empire builder, an often hypocritical greedy bully, yet never in modern, 'civilised' times sank to this level of internal strife. Why in the USA?

Are they just leading the pack - is this a first taste of what the 21st century will be like for many of us?

Graylight · 51-55, F

@Really I often think of nations in terms of the human lifespan. There are age-worn, wiser and older countries and there are infants just being born. The US typifies, for me, the impulse-driven, tunnel-focused behavior of teens.

We're having a terribly difficult time right now, true, but it's not nearly always like this. Peaceful transitions between power are the norm, not the exception. But when you're the star football payer on the HS team, it's easy to lose perspective and see the greater world for what it is. Our unfettered success and abundance has hurt us over the years. We [i]think[/i] we know true struggle (and some do) but we complain about rent and healthcare standing in line at the Apple Genuis Bar. We [i]think[/i] we know power struggles and oppression, but we cry when maced 'unfairly' and offer up our names and home locations to the news media because we can't conceive of repercussions. America hasn't been held accountable much. Maybe it's time.

Really · 80-89, M

@Graylight Thanks for the measured thoughtful response. It makes my comments sound less than temperate. I think your analogy with impulse-driven teenagers is apt. I spoke of the [u]relative[/u] calm in the politics of, for instance, the 'more mature' UK; but of course the earlier history there has been filled with as much horrible bloody strife as anyplace.

Graylight · 51-55, F

@Really And your post was appreciated. If there's something we can use here, it's a little perspective from anywhere outside our own shorelines. Most of us promise to do much better from here on out. 🙂

Really · 80-89, M

@Graylight Are you interested in pursuing your 'rebellious teeneger' analogy a bit further?

Elsewhere I've commented on the fact (i.e. my own observation) that whereas many offspring of abusive or alcoholic parents follow in their footsteps, others very deliberately choose to do the opposite. So now I'm thinking of Canada, where I now live, as one of two siblings; non identical twins who have each reacted very differently to their 'upbringing' under British 'parents'. (I know that wording will seem patronising to some but I don't mean it that way.) Why this developmental difference in 'personality' between the US & Canada - what has caused or determined it?

That leads me on to thoughts about monarchies old & modern, the power held - or not held - by heads of state, the allegiance of armies if put to the test etc, etc - but those are other discussions ?

Graylight · 51-55, F

@Really Interesting. It's fascinating, when you think of it, how differently we've really turned out, even though given the same essential roots. I don't pretend to ever be able to understand the nuance of different forms of government and who hold how much of what kind of power. For all its complication, we are basically one person in charge with a system of supporters and detractors who keep that person in check.

I don't know - maybe it's our individualistic and cowboy-ish demeanor, but Canada is far wilder than the US, so it's unlikely.

Really · 80-89, M

@Graylight In our system the monarch theoretically has almost absolute power but in actuality has no teeth - although once, in Australia, I believe her representative managed to dismiss parliament. I don't think it would happen again, and I don't think it would work in Canada. We've had one PM who spent 2 hours browbeating the Queen's rep (Governor General - 'GG') out of stopping him from suspending parliament for his own political survival - and got away with it. By now Qn. Liz. may have instructed her henchpersons not to push their luck, who knows?

Again in theory, our PMs only have power if they can carry parliament with them. But if they have a majority government they can usually bully & threaten their own party members to support all their personal programs, however unpopular. Still, if they get far enough out of line they can be brought down by their own MPs, and it does sometimes happen. Unless they invoke emergency powers - with military backup - I don't think they can ever have unrestrained executive authority and I approve of that.

I assume that members of our armed forces (and all civil servants) still have to swear fealty to the monarch but most probably have their fingers crossed behind their back when they do it. Where their allegiance would lie if tested - monarch, govt, popular sentiment, personal politics - who knows?

Apologies to all if I've been inaccurate here. I've never seriously studied our political system, or any other. I could be talking through my hat.

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@Really You are accurate about the Australian GG dismissing the government, who were trying to get a budget bill passed without a governing Majority. (1975) "The Dismissal" as it came to be known haunted the reputation of GG and the leader of the conservative party who performed in for the rest of their careers.😷

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