I don't think that the point about athletes is unique to America. David Beckham being just one example that jumps to mind. The adoration of Brazilians for Ayrton Senna was probably much greater than anything I've seen by Americans for any sports figure in my life. If this phenomenon is a harbinger of doom, then I'd say there are no safe countries.
The other points are well taken, but you have to be careful about assuming that everyone is equally bad.
My complaint about this post is its pettiness. When one imagines the calamities that will befall the world as the United States becomes weaker and weaker is not producing an American world chess champion even in the top 150? When you think about America's dwindling influence in Asia and China's surging power, does Tianmen Square come to mind, or just that a Chinese player no doubt will be world champion before an American. In light of the recent Russian military action against democratic -- and non-corrupt -- Georgia, is the US's inability to constrain Putin's empire really less important than America's inability to field a champion contender the likes of Kramnik?
I'm a pretty pessimistic guy, but I try to keep my pessimism in perspective. If we want to gnash our teeth and wail, and we should, lets do it for things that really matter.
Georgia, non-corrupt and democracy in the same sentence? I guess you have to be an american to say something like that.
The Georgian regime is far more opressive than Putin and in fact has a lower popular support. As far as corruption goes, Georgian president recently moved into a new bilion dollar mansion while Putin is still living in his old daca. The only "democratic" thing about Georgia is it's troops "spreading freedom" in Iraq. Guess that's democratic enough by the Bush standard...
Though I understand, really. The ammount of propaganda that your goverment is using on you is unbelieveable.
Amen! This forum post is probably the best ever made by cheater_1. I agree with everything he says. I can get straight A's without even trying. I've already pretty much aced the ACT as an 8th grader. And the American government is considering taking out the ACT because it is too hard? Puhleeze... Our generation is too fat and lazy to do anything smart. Heck, all they care about it text messaging their friends and spending 50 hour workweeks on facebook. American society is going down hill. And if Obama gets elected, watch out! An american will never win a WCC unless they are like a supergenius.
Wow, that completely describes my life. I was 1 question away from acing the science portion of the test. I do agree that Cheater_1 has hit the nail on the head here.