I've got to wonder: Why is it so important to us that we're "popular?"

[Writer]

I see article after article highlighting America's popularity, or lack thereof. Not our "standing in the world," or a quality that enhances our diplomatic strength, but our popularity. "Who likes us?" is the prevailing question.

So here's my question: Who gives a fuck? And why?

~Writer~

[Richardo]

1. Because 95% of the humans in the world don't live here and we might need their help with stuff?

If not 'popular', we should at least be 'not hated'.

[atreides1]

2. Well

If we stopped bombing wedding parties, and quit propping up tyrants and dictators, and were not always supporting one country over many others, then maybe they wouldn't hate us!!!!

[Richardo]

5. This is my point

:thumbsup:

[meegbear]

3. Because we're the World Series champions ...

the NBA World Champions, and the SuperBowl World Champions!

It's no relevant that we play one other country for some of those titles, with us having more teams ...

WE'RE NUMBER 1!

WE'RE NUMBER 1!

WE'RE NUMBER 1!

WE'RE NUMBER 1!

WE'RE NUMBER 1!

WE'RE NUMBER 1!

[napi21]

4. Because popularity, respect, and admiration are synonymous with

standing the the world. All of those increase our diplomatic strength.

[Writer]

7. Please reread my OP. n/t

[ben_meyers]

6. The real question might be when were "we" all that popular?

And why and who cares.

This has been a common lament ever since I can remember, and in the literature before that.

[The Liberal Thinker]

8. It's just another way of saying the same thing.

If our nation is viewed more positively, our standing is going increase, and our diplomatic strength will increase. Thus we'll be better able to work with the world and create positive change.

[TheWatcher]

17. This coming from someone who supports military action on Iran.

Be it Israel or us. Oh, so many stripes you have.

:rofl:

[The Liberal Thinker]

22. What?

I don't support military action on Iran.

[undeterred]

9. It matters not that we're popular, but that we're not hated

enough for people to commit terrorist acts against Americans.

[ThoughtCriminal]

10. You have to look at WHY we are unpopular

This is also known as getting a clue. Popularity is not an end in itself, but an indicator.

[Romulox]

16. George Bush is a BIG PART of it. But not all. Not by a long shot.

Americans are greedy and materialistic. We have no balance to our lives. We do not value one another as human beings, but only for what we can do for one another. We have the most punitive nation in the history of the world--we lock up more people than anyone, ever, and the majority of these for non-violent "victimless" crimes.

Nobody in the world except for countries in extreme poverty looks to this country with envy. Something has gone very wrong here.

[Greyhound]

11. Because we live in Dumbfucistan where sheeple rarely evolve beyond high school?

[Westegg]

12. I'm reminded of the Roman emperor (Tiberius?)...

...who initially said, "Let them fear me, so long as they respect me," and later had to amend that to, "Let them hate me, so long as they fear me."

That's probably apocryphal, and I may well have gotten it from Robert Graves' fiction, but the downward spiral inherent in those two statements always struck me, and still strikes me, as perfectly relevant to the American situation in the world today.

Overall, though, I'm not sure our "standing in the world" is all that different from "Who likes us?" Aren't they just two ways of saying the same thing? The former is from the academy, and the latter is something Chris Matthews would ask on camera.

[tchunter]

13. it might have been james tiberius kirk?

but it sounds like a Machiavelli passage about why its better to be feared than loved (you can control how much they fear you, you can't control how much they love you)

but people who don't "like" america are probably a lot more likely to fly planes into us

[Westegg]

20. I suspect Machiavelli got that from the ancients...

...but in any case, I'd be surprised to learn that those who "fly planes into us" are doing so out of dislike, as opposed to our standing in the world.

[Posteritatis]

18. Oderint dum metuant - Caligula (nt)

[Westegg]

19. So Tinto Brass's movie was not entirely innacurate!...

...I suppose it's time for me to re-read my Suetonius.

[annabanana]

14. During the height of the British Empire.. I remember reading of

the "feckless cluelessness, the sublime stupidity of the British Upper Classes". They didn't learn about the world because they didn't have to. Everybody else adjusted to them.

[Westegg]

21. Wow, you must be OLD!

[Romulox]

15. A certain generation (that shall remain nameless) is MASSIVELY NARCISSISTIC. nt

[Terry in Austin]

23. Just HAD to get that in, didn't you, sonny?

;-)

(guilty conscience? me? isn't it fabulous! I think it makes my hair look thicker, don't you?)