AROUND THE WORLD

Viewed by the Rest

By Alex Hutchins

The 2012 Olympics gave the US 104 medals:  46 Gold, 29 Silver, and 29 Bronze and the only country to come close to that metal count was  China with 87:  38 Gold, 27 Silver, and 22 Bronze and Russia with 33 Bronze.

But, let’s not stop there . . .

• The US has the largest economy in the world.
• The US has the highest per capita income in the world.
• The US has the best higher education system in the world.
• The US has the best legal system in the world.

And, our list could go on and on and on . . .

Associated with being the best at many things, US citizens are (in my opinion), without a doubt, incredibly arrogant, self-centered, and egotistical (to say the least); however, our nice Utopia here is also blessed with huge divide between the rich and the poor, an ever-weakening middle-class, and a 2 party political system that only recently seems not to be able to compromise on anything.

So, what does the rest of the world think of us?

Overall ratings for the U.S. today remain largely positive in 12 of 20 countries surveyed by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes project involving more than 25,000 people outside the United States. This includes large majorities in a number of European nations, as well as Japan and Brazil. In contrast, ratings are decidedly negative in four of the six predominantly Muslim countries polled.

However, America’s image as the global economic superpower is eroding. In 2008, before the onset of the global financial crisis, a median of 45% of those Pew surveyed in 14 countries named the U.S. as the world’s leading economic power, while just 22% nominated China. Today, only 36% say America is number one, while 42% believe China is the top dog.

With only 5% of the world's population, the US generates 23% of world economic output; it is by far the largest military power in the world today, and has a reputation of supporting concepts such as human rights and freedoms, an unrestricted media, social justice, and so on.

But, are we looking through rose-colored lenses or is this an elaborate and clever PR campaign that nudges an apathetic public to see America in only one shade of light; but, is there a darker shade of light that apparently clouds our vision?

According to a foreign blog,

The US has an unfortunate habit of dealing forcefully and harshly with other countries, in order to accomplish its commercial and foreign policy aims.

It often bullies much of the world with implied or real threats of military intervention or of serious economic punishment.

The US intervenes and interferes in the affairs of many dozens of nations on a regular basis.

It often uses military invasion as a final resort to deal with countries that will not accept the US as their leader or that threaten commercial access to raw materials and markets.

The list is endless, with the results often brutal and sometimes savage.

 

Go Gabby . . .

Here’s the million dollar question:

Do we care what the rest of the world thinks about us? 

Lightning Bolt . . .

But, here’s the billion dollar

question:

Should we not care, especially since China owns 1/3 of our debt and we cannot seem to defeat our wars on:  alternative energy, terrorism, drugs, and pornography? 

Not to mention the huge transfer of wealth from America to the Middle East to pay for our addiction to OIL.