ps: Basically, I think American's are spoiled rotten in general and are
beginning to get their comeuppance and a lesson about priorities and the
power and advantages of working together in an organized if imperfect
fashion (ie: government)
db
John Emmerling wrote:
Some general observations (I make some assertions without proof, feel free
to provide contradictory data):
1.) Compared to other western countries, Americans are significantly more
religious. Religious folk seem to see life's problems as being between
themselves and God, and don't have much use for the government. BTW I don't
mean this as a criticism.
2.) The US has always embraced small town and rural culture and disdained
urban life. Rural and small-town people typically depend on themselves,
their family, and their neighbors for survival, and don't have much use for
the government. In other western countries, the urban elite seem to have
more influence, and they look down on country folk as backward. And urban
existence, with its dependence on a complex infrastructure, depends heavily
on having an effective government (go visit Mogadishu if you don't believe
me).
3.) Americans have come to expect government initiatives to fail. They
consider a career working for the government (except in the areas of law
enforcement and national security) as a refuge for the incompetent. Largely
a self-fulfilling prophecy.
As a consequence, Americans don't see themselves as getting much return for
their tax dollars, and so they basically feel they are being robbed. I am
not prepared to say whether they are right or wrong. Having grown up and
lived all my life in the US, it always amazes me that people in countries
like France are not afraid to trust their health care entirely to government
employees. On the other hand, I can't ignore the ample evidence that
supports this conclusion.
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