I am 25 years old, I am married and I am the father of 2 gorgeous puppies, a 6 month old beagle (her name is pancita which means little belly in spanish) and a 3 month old black lab (her name is beanie, because she cuddles like a beanie baby and she also farts life if she's eaten beans all day long!) I am mexiacan, my beautiful wife is canadian.
I try to see people as human beings period, not as nationalities, that is so stupid, it's just luck where you happened to be born.
I can't judge you for the "american way of life", if it works for you, it works, I can understand being selfish (we are all), but I can't understand being OK with innocent people being killed. Everyone thinks about themselves before you think about others.
I have some alcohol in my blood right now, I apologize.
I just feel really sad.
I hope you find your way, (this is only for some americans, not all), I hope you realize what your lack of intellegence is harming the world, I hope you realize that your big dream of "the united states is the most powerful and strongest country" is full of shit. You either are immature, senseless or heartless, maybe you haven't liced enought, maybe you don't have any empathy.
Can't we please just look beyond borders and passports and see ourselves as beautiful human beings, we should love each other.
Please don't make war ok.
It is not ok.
If it were your mother, sister, daughter, wife, if yo didn't have the resources, if you didn;t have the computer, if you lived in a third world country, you would realize how all these material possesions are nothing.
This is not attack, this is an open invitation to LOVE.
I LOVE YOU

This was beautifully put, and I wish more people thought like you.

DIE HIPPY SCUM


No seriously....the day America crumbles or at least strives for a more unified world, is the day people reject religion in favor of a more humanist perspective.

People think our society is so great, but its really not....in fact, its just one of many other cultures on earth, and many of those have co-existed more peacefully with the planet. Materialism and greed are not where its at. It may take thousands of years, but we will have to wake up to the fact that individualism is bad for the planet. I am not exempt from this obviously, but we need leaders who try to unite humanity, not glorify the individual and God. IMO.

I love you too.... I just want to say I'm so sorry for what our country is doing... if I could change it I would..... I tried and will keep trying....

I'm with you on pretty much everything except the lack of intelligence part.

I do think that a lot of people (not necessarily just Americans) don't realize the unintended consequences of war. In Iraq, those unitended consequences are through the roof.

Why is individualism bad? If we all look out for ourselves, then there is no real need for giant social programs... I understand that there are individuals in dire need of care, particularly handicapped people, but able bodied people should rely on themselves.

Don't you lose empathy if you become completely individualistic?

Perhaps.

All of us need support at some point. We all fall on hard times. Our loved ones die, we all lose our jobs, we all fall into some sort of financial hardship...correct?

Being individually responsible for oneself is the biggest aid in over-coming these hardships. However, I am not suggesting that it is an endall to these problems. I think we all can attest to the need for loved ones to hold us up during times of trouble.

I believe, and strongly feel that we do need other people to help us. I don't believe that it should be the government propping people up. This help should come from our families, or loved ones, those who we hold closest to us, from our friends, and from our neighbors.

Perhaps you need to look at it conversely. I think there is a lot evidence out there that our society is becoming more apathetic from government social programs and entitlements. The check comes in the mail right? Those we are "helping" have no personal connections to the people that are propping them up. That breeds apathy far more than personal responsibility ever could. I am completely responsible for my life. I'm low income, but I still pay for my life insurance, health insurance, auto insurance, my rent, my bills. That makes me care more about myself, and other people than if the check just came in the mail. What society is more apathetic. The low income, inner city society? Or the upper middle class suburban community?

Webster's dictionary has kindly defined individualism as "a doctrine that the interests of the individual are primary" (for anyone who gets lost in this conversation). I see this as a huge problem, for one needs to take other people into account as well or you just become self-serving.

Your point about the government is valid. People get a check in the mail and the government just becomes some faceless institution that feels, I would guess, really cold. I know I wouldn't get the same feeling writing out checks as I would, say, serving soup in a soup kitchen.

But anyway, take individualism to a larger scale than just one person. Imagine a country that's become individualistic. They feel it is their need to do something (spread democracy?) while not taking the other country's wishes into account. I still maintain that a lot of those Iraqi citizens do not want us there. Futhermore, draw this comparison if you will. Our armed forces can be looked at as the government that just writes out checks, and the Iraqi citizens are the receivers. I think they would be much happier and better off if they had removed Saddam themselves.

And on a final note, I can attest to the fact that upper-middle-class suburbanites are probably much more apathetic (unless it has to do with their Starbucks or their cell-phones).

the rugged individualism of Teddy Roosevelt has always worked well in this country.

This is the problem with liberals. You all live in text books, dictionary's, and paper. You're using Websters dictionary to define your ideals, when reality is far more relevant and proves that giant social programs breed apathy far more than individuality.

I don't think spreading democracy today is individualistic. I would call America's stance post WWI and pre-WWII individualistic. Bringing forth freedom to 50 million people is not individualistic at all. Especially when you look at the number of refugees that have flooded Afghanistan and Iraq after their wars. Go look up the democratic movements taking place in Iran and Saudi Arabia. Your notion is based upon the thought that middle eastern people do not want Democracy in any shape or form, and that is simply false. There are enormous movements taking place in these countries (especially in young people) and they are repressed by brutal theocratic dictatorships which hold the power and the money in these nations. They take great lengths to suppress people and hold onto their power, and our media does a poor job of portraying the truth about the situation in these nations. Remember, only 10% of Islamic people are considered to be extreme Islamists.

What proof or evidence do you have to support your claim that upper-middle class people are more apathetic (in the terms that I spoke of) than urban lower class people?

I used a dictionary to aid anyone who might get lost in this conversation, as I stated before. Thank you for generalizing about liberals, though. I'm pretty sure I was agreeing with you on the point that the social programs have bred apathy.



I'm calling it an individualistic action because bringing them freedom was secondary to making sure they did not attack us with weapons. I never said that they did not want democracy in any shape or form, but I'm sure they don't like it being forced upon them. I've heard figures (no, I don't have a source off hand) that said something like 42% of the country was still in support of Saddam. I have heard of these youth movements, and I feel that they would be much better off if it was the youth of the country seizing power than the United States.



I live with them. Maybe you need to explain what the "terms (you) spoke of" were, then, because clearly it sailed right over my liberal head.

And I think I've got the wrong idea, or maybe it's just my own. I don't think we're looking at this the same way at all.

I hope you realize your intolerance and ridiculous labeling is fatally harming your intended message.

I would like to see a study or research report concerning the increase in apathy due to social programs.

I have no problem with individualism and I think it is a good thing. But I am not ready to buy the first part of the argument on apathy resulting from social programs.

I need to see some scientific evidence of that.

Otherwise, your points are ok - with special regard that most people need to look out for themselves and work hard and that hard times do happen and there needs to be somewhat of a safety net to help other people.

The reason I see people as nationalities is cause I see how many races are pro they're race.
There are bad people in everything that ruin it for the rest of us.
Its the same like how many people look at cops.
Many people think cops are not fair.
I hate cops, for many reasons.
But not all cops are bad.

So you believe in individualism in the US, but feel the US is supposed to create democracy in the Middle East? Is the US justified in going to war to set up Democracy? Wouldn't that be the OPPOSITE of individualism on our part? Why do today's conservatives feel we should cut America's social programs, but support International social programs? Money? That's the only answer I can think of. I'm not trying to be an asshole, this is a question that boggles my mind.

yay! another "Im new here and i feel so sorry for the state of the world because of americans" post.

It's ok, I know what it's like to be drunk and ramble on.

When I drive through the streets of Detroit, all I see is a city that looks worse than any war-torn country I've seen. Even in the downtown area!! Buildings and houses are abandoned, all the windows broken out, and the structures are half falling down. This is not one or two houses and buildings. It's block after block, house after house. Entire neighborhoods, one house after another. On any one street there may be only one house out 20 that is habitable. Kids have to walk through these areas to get to school. They play in these areas, if they are the unlucky ones who couldn't get out. They play amongst the rats and the rubble. Yet, our money is spent to rebuild these other places.
Charity begins at home, yet not in our home, the USA!
I don't care about the politics of any of this. We, as a nation, need to build our own cities before building some strange place that I, personally, don't give a shit about.
I don't think Bush has walked or driven through these streets. He should be appalled if he has!
So lets rebuild Afghanistan and Iraq. Lets give them new schools, new homes, new businesses and let our cities continue to decay. That's politics I guess????

First, I don't have balls big enough to speak on behalf of an ideology, a nation, or any group of people.



If I started a humanitarian plea with a group of people from another nation by first discussing the intestinal operations of my "children" (I love animals, but they are less than Man, sorry), I'm probably going to fail in soliciting any kind of respect. Especially if you're trying to get us hawkish war hungry evil Americans to change our minds.



So why not stay nationally androgenous?



You seem to forget why us "selfish" Americans go around the world killing "innocent" people. I realize when trying to atone for the fog of war and the mistakes inherent in it, especially to people like you, I have to tone down the nationalism, the legal issues of foreign policy, the historical stuff... I realize I have to take out all the variables of reality, and stir it up into a pink and purple haze of love and happiness for you... like your puppies.

Stay with me.

Let's say one day you wkae up just like every other day, and there are your puppies, playing with each other on the floor of your bedroom. You get up with your wife, and join in. The time to leave for work comes around. About half way to the office, let's say, around 8:30am, your wife calls you, and screams at you to turn on your radio. A news report rolls in, "...all puppies have been captured and scheduled for systematic extermination... we have confirmations that all 3000 puppies in our area have been gassed, then chipped to bits, and spread about downtown..." AWFUL! The terrorists have you hardest, at your family, your children, what do you do?

This is where I insert this quote, your resolution to all evil:



So your puppies you love (and misfeed... beans? Jesus Christ.) are dead and gone. But that's OK. Murder and death is another opportunity for you to love someone else. Love, apparently, is an easy thing for you. Don't you think that cheapens it? I love my family, I love my friends, I love my country... It is LOGICAL and REASONABLE to HATE those that do not, and wish to see harm against me and mine. It would be entirely OK for you to hate terrorists if they took your puppies. It would be entirely OK to go to war with someone for something you believe in.

Anyway.



It's OK.



I bet.



Funny how, y'know, we're the number one superpower in the world, yet we're also the dumbest country. I hate that. Don't insult me, don't insult my people, becuase I'm pretty sure I could level Mexico with a list of atrocities and social fallacies that would make America look like Utopia on acid.



Good thing I don't. Because if I didn't, Mexico would be in the sea.



Basic Mexico Stats

GDP - real growth rate: 1.3%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000

Population below poverty line: 40%

Basic America Stats

GDP - real growth rate: 3.1%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $37,800

Population below poverty line: 12%

Now, if you were from China, I couldn't make a lot of these arguments. My point is, for a country full of...



...morons, we do alright.



Liced? Our country really doesn't have a lice problem. And I'm not sure what that has to do with war.



It isn't, but the ends are justified by the means. Your reason for life, peace, is my reason for war. The cyclical irony is endless.



The thing is, I do have those things. Having a computer and an education makes me a smarter person, and, here comes the arrogance, I'm pretty sure our country knows what's best for the people of Iraq. The Jacobins, those people who empathized with revolution in France, called it the Doctrine of Necessity. Education, or knowledge, is everything. Before these people can be free or have love or whatever you think is most important, education is a necessity. Saddam didn't give them that. We are. And we're giving an education to opposition, too. Don't threaten us, don't murder your own people, don't think you can get away with it, because we will destroy evil no matter where it is.

For someone so big on...



...you fail to realize who the enemy is. They just beheaded a humanitarian worker in Iraq. What makes you think it wouldn't be you? Or your puppies? Or your wife? You want to hug and rub on these people? That makes you less than them to me. That makes you more sick and twisted than those committing atrocity... As if you condone their hate over our war.

Get a fucking life.