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Comment by happyscrappy | Hacker News Reader

Europeans seem to need to believe that Americans are horribly oppressed, but of course that is laughable in the same way as thinking they will be carjacked if they come to the US. Watching too many American movies maybe. Americans pay little attention to Europe while Europeans obsess over America, which sets an odd dynamic because Europe is larger and richer yet somehow ineffectual in comparison.

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This exceptionalist view about America is as common as it is laughable. We're not the only way to live, even (or especially) as a wealthy nation. The US is growing more corrupt, and the decline of civic society is being actively driven by a cynical agenda of ultra-wealthy people and the corporations which they control.

The result: depending in which state you live, the US is becoming more like Brazil or Mexico (fast) or like Denmark (slowly, but it is happening).

Personally, I am just interested in the world. I'm curious, what do you think the US does that is so effectual?

I would say that a nation that cares for its citizens and acts responsibly towards its environment is being effectual.

Europe being larger and richer should be the center of the West.

>that is laughable in the same way as thinking they will be carjacked if they come to the US.

Allow me to paraphrase a former acquaintance from college who was a night shift custodian and admitted part-time crack dealer.

>"I lock my doors before I get out [of] my driveway. Those crazy n-----s will kill you."

I spent many evenings playing CS with this person in IEEE labs late at night. He very rarely spoke with the tone and seriousness as during that conversation. He lived a few blocks from the university.

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