Good Morning Neighbors! I hope this morning finds you as well as possible. My intent today isn’t to offend but to inspire a thoughtful attitude to our “Americanness”. So just like the title says my question is, Are Americans the problem with America? It’s an interesting question that obviously can take numerous pathways. The recent coverage of the Olympics has caused me to ponder that question because of the following, our desire to ALWAYS win. One of the things that got me to consider this is the idea that Americans love, if not put a premium on winning everything.
So that’s where I started but I also wondered how other Americans would feel about that. Unfortunately the other Americans button on my contact list seems to be disabled so I did the next best thing, I asked AI this question. “Is the problem with America, Americans?” here’s the answer I received from AI:
The idea that the problem with America might be Americans reflects a concern that societal issues are rooted in collective behavior, attitudes, or values. However, it's essential to recognize that America, like any nation, is shaped by complex historical, social, economic, and political factors. Blaming Americans as a whole oversimplifies the challenges and overlooks the diversity of thought, experience, and action within the country.
The problems facing America—whether they are political polarization, economic inequality, systemic racism, or environmental issues—are not just the result of individual actions but are also deeply influenced by structural and institutional forces. Americans, as citizens, play a role in shaping the country through their choices, participation in democracy, and how they engage with these issues.
However, it's also important to acknowledge that many Americans are actively working to address and solve the nation's problems. There is a long tradition of activism, innovation, and community-building in the United States. The strength of America has often been in its ability to confront its challenges and strive toward progress.
In summary, while Americans are certainly part of the equation, the problems are multifaceted and require both individual and collective effort to resolve. It's more constructive to focus on how Americans can contribute to solutions rather than assigning blame.
Very interesting thoughts here but the first thing I notice is how left this answer leans. This is completely common with AI, I base this on mine and the admission of AI programmers. but do a bit of research yourself. Of the top 4 items listed are progressive talking points like systemic racism and the environment. But if you can look beyond the left leaning talking points you can glean some important points. AI nailed my hypothesis in the first sentence and now I’m wondering if its listening to me along with my phone.
“The idea that the problem with America might be Americans reflects a concern that societal issues are rooted in collective behavior, attitudes, or values.” For me this all started while watching the Olympics over the last couple weeks. I watch our athletes give their all while chasing what might possibly be the most elusive award in athletics in history, an Olympic medal. I’m American, so every medal spot should be occupied by an American. While this is antithesis to the Olympic spirit its truly the American spirit, WE MUST WIN EVERYTIME!!!!! Then as I watched the individual gymnastics competition and saw young women, not just Americans, do things that to me seem beyond human ability. Then I cheered loudly, internally that is as I’m not THAT guy, when an Americans score on the floor exercise was adjusted and all of the sudden America won gold and bronze. Yay US!! Then the camera panned to the young lady, who like I said before had done things that seemed to defy human ability, realized that instead of third she was now fourth and there would be no medal. For about a minute and a half she thought she had earned one of the most coveted items in sports.
Well, it brought to mind the idea of our electoral process and why we are so divided. My open question is, Are Americans the problem with America? Is it me? Has our attitude of “America is a winner” allowed us to forget about the ones that lose and to then dismiss their pain when the score is against them. We celebrate winners and invite them to the White House; you thought I was talking about sports teams didn’t you. Every time we celebrate in politics that our side has won something, do we ever think about the tens of millions of people that lost? Or do we thumb our noses and blow raspberries?
But is there more to the problem than our desire to win everything? AI says that “America, like any nation, is shaped by complex historical, social, economic, and political factors”. But what do all of these “complex factors” have in common? They are all caused by or are the result of the actions of Americans. Our history, society, economy and politics are all American. So, what do all these things have as their least common denominator? Its me and you neighbor, its Americans. If we can’t admit that Americans are the problem with America we can never fix it. How often are you ok finishing second? Ya me neither. However, it’s amazing how much more belief in Americans that AI has compared to some of our neighbors.
AI says “Americans, as citizens, play a role in shaping the country through their choices, participation in democracy, and how they engage with these issues”. And “There is a long tradition of activism, innovation, and community-building in the United States. The strength of America has often been in its ability to confront its challenges and strive toward progress.”
So, I think that in a roundabout way AI agrees with me that I’m the problem, because I play a role in our country through my choices, participation, and engagement. Should you, we, us, or me be substituted for I? Are all of them accurate? Thankfully AI has much more hope for our future than most Americans. It says that Americans, you and me, have a long history with collective action, innovation, and neighborliness (community building). So an algorithm that’s floating out in the whoknowswheresphere of ones and zeros, believes Americans have long traditions of activism, innovation and neighborliness. In fact, it believes these to be among our strengths as a nation. Friend, are you working toward community-building and neighborliness? Or are you just planning your victory celebration?
After this silly season is over and we are done calling the other side “weird” or “childless cat ladies” or “RINO” or maybe “DINO”, I haven’t heard that last one directly but I’m sure it’s out there, are we going to be able to look at those tens of millions of Americans whose candidate lost and commiserate with their concern for the America as they thought it could be? Will you be able to sympathize with the loss your neighbor is feeling, or will you be too busy being the smug American that must always win? I think maybe we would do good to listen to the computer program, “the problems are multifaceted and require both individual and collective effort to resolve. It's more constructive to focus on how Americans can contribute to solutions rather than assigning blame”.
We must partner with our neighbors to find solutions to our mutual problems. We must remember that societal issues are “rooted in collective behavior, attitudes, or values “. While we are the problem, we are also the solution. That should be exciting if you’re a community-builder. So, remember, you are not alone, your neighbors need you. Will you and I as neighbors celebrate a victory or lift up a defeated neighbor? It’s tradition in the military to never leave a man behind. Are you willing to leave your neighbors behind? It’s truly Americans who are both the problem and the answer.