Overall, 39% of U.S. adults say they are “extremely proud” to be American in the most recent poll.

Meanwhile, only 18% of those aged 18-34 said the same, compared to 40% of those aged 35-54 and 50% of those 55 and over.

18% is still too high. As Obama’s pastor said, God damn America! Americans have very little to be proud of at this point.

  • aidan@lemmy.worldM
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    11 months ago

    Self-serving imperialism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Plan#Modern_criticism

    Something benefiting you doesn’t make it wrong? The US compared to the other powers of the time extracted much less wealth to its conquered territories, and genuinely benefited them in a lot of ways. Compare the US to what the USSR did to Mongolia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. Or, compare the US to what France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Portugal did trying to hang on to their colonies and extract as much wealth from them as possible. Not to mention how many citizens of those countries are proud of that! The US obviously did engage in disgusting acts at the time, particularly in Vietnam, in support of the KMT, and genuine imperialism in Latin America. But- the Marshall Plan is not anywhere near on those levels.

    We’re openly and emphatically racist, as a country. We simultaneously reject immigration while requiring immigrants to be used as borderline slave labor to ensure our produce doesn’t get too expensive.

    I see you’re speaking for yourself.

    • effingjoe@kbin.social
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      11 months ago

      From the wikipedia article you didn’t read:

      The Marshall Plan’s role in the rapid recovery of Western Europe has been debated. Most reject the idea that it alone miraculously revived Europe since the evidence shows that a general recovery was already underway. The Marshall Plan grants were provided at a rate that was not much higher in terms of flow than the previous UNRRA aid and represented less than 3% of the combined national income of the recipient countries between 1948 and 1951,[110] which would mean an increase in GDP growth of only 0.3%.[7] In addition, there is no correlation between the amount of aid received and the speed of recovery: both France and the United Kingdom received more aid, but West Germany recovered significantly faster.[7]

      Criticism of the Marshall Plan became prominent among historians of the revisionist school, such as Walter LaFeber, during the 1960s and 1970s. They argued that the plan was American economic imperialism and that it was an attempt to gain control over Western Europe just as the Soviets controlled Eastern Europe economically through the Comecon. In a review of West Germany’s economy from 1945 to 1951, German analyst Werner Abelshauser concluded that “foreign aid was not crucial in starting the recovery or in keeping it going”. The economic recoveries of France, Italy, and Belgium, Cowen argues, began a few months before the flow of US money. Belgium, the country that relied earliest and most heavily on free-market economic policies after its liberation in 1944, experienced swift recovery and avoided the severe housing and food shortages seen in the rest of continental Europe.[132]

      Former US Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank Alan Greenspan gives most credit to German Chancellor Ludwig Erhard for Europe’s economic recovery. Greenspan writes in his memoir The Age of Turbulence that Erhard’s economic policies were the most important aspect of postwar Western European recovery, even outweighing the contributions of the Marshall Plan. He states that it was Erhard’s reductions in economic regulations that permitted Germany’s miraculous recovery, and that these policies also contributed to the recoveries of many other European countries. Its recovery is attributed to traditional economic stimuli, such as increases in investment, fueled by a high savings rate and low taxes. Japan saw a large infusion of US investment during the Korean War.[133]

      compare the US to what France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Portugal did trying to hang on to their colonies and extract as much wealth from them as possible. Not to mention how many citizens of those countries are proud of that!

      I was not suggesting the people can’t be proud of the not-good things their country does-- only that they shouldn’t. Also: whataboutism never defends any given position or stance; don’t rely on it too much, if at all.

      I see you’re speaking for yourself.

      I don’t know what you mean. Are you saying that the United States isn’t generally pretty racist and that I’m just projecting? Or was this just a halfhearted attempt at an ad hominem attack? Elaborate please.

      • aidan@lemmy.worldM
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        11 months ago

        From the wikipedia article you didn’t read:

        I did? (For the ad hominem accusation later this seems like an ad hominem too) I don’t see how that changes what I said. The Marshall plan was giving aid to countries to buy loyalty. It was still giving aid. The Soviets orchestrated coups in countries and seized their wealth to distribute throughout the USSR.

        I was not suggesting the people can’t be proud of the not-good things their country does-- only that they shouldn’t.

        I wasn’t suggesting they were right in being proud of it. I was arguing that compared to other powers of the era(and now) the Marshall plan was lacking harm.

        I don’t know what you mean. Are you saying that the United States isn’t generally pretty racist and that I’m just projecting? Or was this just a halfhearted attempt at an ad hominem attack? Elaborate please.

        I’m criticizing you collectivizing Americans in a “we”. Giving collective responsibility, actions, and desires where there are none. If you say “we did x” you are taking responsibility for x- but I didn’t do x and I will not take responsibility for it. So, I said I see you are speaking for yourself when you say “we did x”

        • effingjoe@kbin.social
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          11 months ago

          I did?

          I assumed you didn’t read it because the criticism is also that it didn’t actually help. That is to say, countries that got the money didn’t recover faster than those that didn’t. So what would you call something that benefits just yourself?

          I was arguing that compared to other powers of the era(and now) the Marshall plan was lacking harm.

          Is “lacking harm” something to be proud of?

          If you say “we did x” you are taking responsibility for x- but I didn’t do x and I will not take responsibility for it.

          I try not to take an aggressive stance, but this is 100% Grade-A bullshit. Where is this stance of yours when it comes to the Marshall Plan? The entire topic is about taking pride in the collective actions of the country. If “we” did things to be proud of, then “we” did things you should be ashamed of. You have to pick one mode of thought-- you can’t claim pride in just the good things while refusing responsibility for the bad.

          • aidan@lemmy.worldM
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            11 months ago

            That is to say, countries that got the money didn’t recover faster than those that didn’t. So what would you call something that benefits just yourself?

            I never argued the aid guaranteed faster recovery on national level. I argued aid helped people who had their lives destroyed by a massive war. There are billions of factors that influence GDP growth, of course its not guaranteed aid can create it.

            Is “lacking harm” something to be proud of?

            For a major geopolitical action from a superpower- honestly yeah.

            If “we” did things to be proud of, then “we” did things you should be ashamed of. You have to pick one mode of thought-- you can’t claim pride in just the good things while refusing responsibility for the bad.

            We didn’t do things. I am not proud of the Marshall Plan, I am not proud of any actions by any government or any country at any point. I disagree with the person saying that you should be proud to be American- just as you do. But, I also disagree with your criticism of the Marshall Plan as harmful imperialism. I can disagree with two things at once. I said here you shouldn’t be proud of your country in another thread before even seeing your comment

            • effingjoe@kbin.social
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              11 months ago

              Your entire discussion seems milquetoast at this point. You didn’t mean this, you didn’t say that. Even here you send mixed messages-- is “lacking harm” something to be proud of? You say: “honestly, yeah”.

              I think you’re just wasting my time at this point.

              • aidan@lemmy.worldM
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                11 months ago

                What am I supposed to say when you accuse me of saying something I never said?

                • effingjoe@kbin.social
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                  11 months ago

                  Well, first off, you should have never made the dig about “speaking for yourself”. Unless, of course, you just didn’t know what I meant or what we were talking about, which clearly you did. You may disagree with whether it’s correct to have national pride, but in a comment where I was replying to someone who did suggest they had national pride, your remark is borderline trolling, and it is what caused by misunderstanding at your actual point.

                  I see from the link you provided that you’re a mod of this community. Behave better, lest we end up right back where we were with Reddit.

                  • aidan@lemmy.worldM
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                    11 months ago

                    Well, first off, you should have never made the dig about “speaking for yourself”. Unless, of course, you just didn’t know what I meant or what we were talking about, which clearly you did. You may disagree with whether it’s correct to have national pride, but in a comment where I was replying to someone who did suggest they had national pride, your remark is borderline trolling, and it is what caused by misunderstanding at your actual point.

                    That’s how you interpreted it, but I stated my intent clearly when you asked for clarification- yet you’re still using it as a way to criticize.

                    Edit: Also, I don’t see how me being a mod is relevant.