> we’re robbed of our moral authority to condemn human rights violations
I think you've hit the nail on the head by describing it as a form of moral authority. American exceptionalism is a religion, and the idea that America's actions are morally justifiable no matter what their humanitarian cost is one of the fundamental tenets of the religion.
To be clear, American exceptionalism is among the most destructive and horrible religious regimes ever to exist, and has caused untold suffering all over the modern world. Keep in mind we live in 2018 when most disease and scarcity that once prevented human populations from flourishing have been eradicated.
Yet America is engaged in countless wars abroad and coerces its allies to collaborate in the enactment of inhumane sanctions aimed at all sorts of populations of innocents all around the world. Their crime? Not giving up their lives to overthrow whatever dictator has taken power.
Meanwhile we sit back and watch it all on CNN or Fox and praise the bold, morally principled actions of our political leaders whose moralizing led to the sanctions, bombs, drones, etc.
It is absolutely unconscionable for Americans or American leaders to attempt to use some sort of moral superiority as a justification for committing these kinds of acts. Why is this story being promulgated about China in spite of being oversold? Because some American leaders want to threaten China militarily and want to disturb the peace that has been achieved over the past decades.
One reason American Exceptionalism may not seem to you like a religion is because it is so unbelievably widespread. Politicians are expected to pepper their remarks with platitudes about the moral righteousness of our wars and our policies. It's all complete nonsense.
We act in the service of powerful interest groups, aligning with whatever dictators suit us at the moment, and never will our political leaders discuss any sort of definition of national interest. They prefer to talk in religion-esque language with platitudes about how brave our soldiers are and how virtuous our motives.
But in fact, a simple clear articulation of what they claim US national interest to be would be more than enough. If it's in the US national interest to somehow engage in conflict with China, then claim it outright, don't spend years trying to paint China as totalitarian or ultra authoritarian. It's not true nor is it remotely relevant.
The real cost of American exceptionalist dogma is that so many of us never think deeply about why we are supporting various wars or sanctions or dictators. We just assume that of course the US would never do anything untoward while our leaders exploit that naivete to the fullest.
So please spare us the platitudes about WW2, the so-called greatest generation and all that nonsense. War is ugly and we most certainly did not enter WW2 for humanitarian reasons.
I think perhaps you responded to the wrong comment. Or you didn’t bother to read mine. Yours on the other hand I’ve read a thousand times: America is the ultimate evil, blah blah. You guys need some new material.
Of course some actions of nations against their own people or against foreign people will be worse than others.
If the consensus mechanism used in a democracy is a simple majority, that leaves the opportunity for 49% of the population to be entirely disenfranchised by 51%. Let's assume this is fair and reasonable for now.
Moral authority is something that has traditionally been claimed by members of the clergy, and notably by many governments in which the political leaders are also the religious leaders.
We've seen the many downsides of theocracy around the world, so I find it concerning that so many Americans are willing to accept hollow moralizing from elected leaders.
If a president said, "I woke this morning and I knew that God had spoken to me. He said that the US must invade country X. And so it shall be done", most people would all be appropriately freaked out.
But when instead the political leader says "Country X is led by a mentally ill tyrant, women of country X are oppressed, and the infrastructure in country X under the current regime is failing, resulting in high levels of disease and infant mortality", everyone applauds the upright moral character of the American politician.
Every day the newspapers contain a number of articles pointing to infrastructure problems in other nations... whether it's drug violence in south or central America, corruption in India, the smell of garbage or sewage in China, etc. Not to mention the many articles taking aim at social ills blamed on the ruling party in any number of nations. This writing is read by Americans as we read celebrity gossip, as entertainment. It reinforces the narrative of American exceptionalism.
But one might ask why it is necessary. It is done to help make Americans view foreign people as beneath them, unable to prevent drug violence, corruption or the smell of garbage. We are meant to read these articles and think "wow I am sure glad I live in the US".
But in reality, the way of life for middle class people in many countries in the world is superior to that experienced in the US. Not in the way that is reflected by per-capita GDP, but if you go there and see how people live it is obvious.
If Americans realized that we would tolerate a lot less from policymakers. We might even insist on accountability for grand ideas that promise to be money pits. If we saw the people of other nations as getting a lot of things right, maybe even getting some things more right than we do, we might be reluctant to allow our leaders to fly drones over their countries or scapegoat their exporters.
The entire American security state and massive military projection of power could not exist without the opiatic effect of the state religion of American Exceptionalism.
So while the program going on in China may be of some minor level of concern, we need to see through the PR campaign that is going on and realize why we are being told about this one narrow aspect of Chinese policy.
I think you've hit the nail on the head by describing it as a form of moral authority. American exceptionalism is a religion, and the idea that America's actions are morally justifiable no matter what their humanitarian cost is one of the fundamental tenets of the religion.
To be clear, American exceptionalism is among the most destructive and horrible religious regimes ever to exist, and has caused untold suffering all over the modern world. Keep in mind we live in 2018 when most disease and scarcity that once prevented human populations from flourishing have been eradicated.
Yet America is engaged in countless wars abroad and coerces its allies to collaborate in the enactment of inhumane sanctions aimed at all sorts of populations of innocents all around the world. Their crime? Not giving up their lives to overthrow whatever dictator has taken power.
Meanwhile we sit back and watch it all on CNN or Fox and praise the bold, morally principled actions of our political leaders whose moralizing led to the sanctions, bombs, drones, etc.
It is absolutely unconscionable for Americans or American leaders to attempt to use some sort of moral superiority as a justification for committing these kinds of acts. Why is this story being promulgated about China in spite of being oversold? Because some American leaders want to threaten China militarily and want to disturb the peace that has been achieved over the past decades.
One reason American Exceptionalism may not seem to you like a religion is because it is so unbelievably widespread. Politicians are expected to pepper their remarks with platitudes about the moral righteousness of our wars and our policies. It's all complete nonsense.
We act in the service of powerful interest groups, aligning with whatever dictators suit us at the moment, and never will our political leaders discuss any sort of definition of national interest. They prefer to talk in religion-esque language with platitudes about how brave our soldiers are and how virtuous our motives.
But in fact, a simple clear articulation of what they claim US national interest to be would be more than enough. If it's in the US national interest to somehow engage in conflict with China, then claim it outright, don't spend years trying to paint China as totalitarian or ultra authoritarian. It's not true nor is it remotely relevant.
The real cost of American exceptionalist dogma is that so many of us never think deeply about why we are supporting various wars or sanctions or dictators. We just assume that of course the US would never do anything untoward while our leaders exploit that naivete to the fullest.
So please spare us the platitudes about WW2, the so-called greatest generation and all that nonsense. War is ugly and we most certainly did not enter WW2 for humanitarian reasons.