I have long since come to terms with the insistence of quite a few of my American acquaintances that, being an immigrant, I would never truly understand what being a REAL American meant. And so, despite having served this country with every faculty I have, protecting the safety, the finances, the privacy, and the health of its people, I opted to look at it from the standpoint of another foreigner.
I first read Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America as a graduate student, a long time ago, in a galaxy far away, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Even then, I was struck by how relatable and modern the book felt. My immediate reaction was, "Aha! This man understands EXACTLY what I am talking about when I point out it is possible to admire America AND see its flaws at the same time."
I feel the same to this day. Below are a few quotes by Monsieur de Tocqueville, and the word "prescient" definitely comes to mind.
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“I do not know if the people of the United States would vote for superior men if they ran for office, but there can be no doubt that such men do not run.”
“Society will develop a new kind of servitude which covers the surface of society with a network of complicated rules, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate. It does not tyrannise but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd.”
“It's not an endlessly expanding list of rights — the 'right' to education, the 'right' to health care, the 'right' to food and housing. That's not freedom, that's dependency. Those aren't rights, those are the rations of slavery — hay and a barn for human cattle.”
“It is indeed difficult to imagine how men who have entirely renounced the habit of managing their own affairs could be successful in choosing those who ought to lead them. It is impossible to believe that a liberal, energetic, and wise government can ever emerge from the ballots of a nation of servants.”
“Tyranny in democratic republics does not proceed in the same way, however. It ignores the body and goes straight for the soul. The master no longer says: You will think as I do or die. He says: You are free not to think as I do. You may keep your life, your property, and everything else. But from this day forth you shall be as a stranger among us. You will retain your civic privileges, but they will be of no use to you. For if you seek the votes of your fellow citizens, they will withhold them, and if you seek only their esteem, they will feign to refuse even that. You will remain among men, but you will forfeit your rights to humanity. When you approach your fellow creatures, they will shun you as one who is impure. And even those who believe in your innocence will abandon you, lest they, too, be shunned in turn. Go in peace, I will not take your life, but the life I leave you with is worse than death.”
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“I have long since come to terms with the insistence of quite a few of my American acquaintances that, being an immigrant, I would never truly understand what being a REAL American meant.” There is no such thing as a “REAL” American. There is tremendous variance in every culture, especially cultures with lots of freedoms. I do not know but believe that variance exists in North Korea but it is suppressed.
Ok I read a few of you other posts. I do not frequent the other sites mentioned. I did not respond to your post to talk sex.
I responded because I found your take interesting.
If you write more posts about your thinking and observations I would like to read them as I always love learning. If not, no problem.
I have one question that you do not need to answer but I’m curious. You say you are not native to the USA. So I’m curious as to where you are originally from. I’ve travelled in many countries around the world and have no illusion that the USA is some great place blessed by some mythical god.