The whole world is watching while the USA collapses (self.politics)

submitted 13 hours ago by spiderfarmer

A lot of the points you mention also describe highly developed countries like Russia, Italy, Spain.

The post is too negative, anybody from a lot of countries will choose to immigrate to USA no matter how bad it is right now

All nations large and small, empires or otherwise, rise and fall. America is no exception. However, this collapse in not imminent in my opinion and the US is likely to outlive the lifespan of previous world powers.  Predictions of a total collapse are just wishful thinking for the most part. But, yes, a day will come, whether in  our lifetime or afterwards, when the balance of power in the world is bound to shift against the US because of the reaction of people around the world to overt and covert agression by the United States in the world arena. The invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, regardless of the outcome, has set in motion the wheels of America's decline in the world stage in my opinion. US leaders and diplomats may be able to slow down the decine, and I think they will, but in a world where more and more people are educated and empowered and demand dignity, equality and respect, the idea of one country dominating and projecting its will on others will not fly for long.

The irony of it all is demoracy may turn out to be biggest enemy of American power. If everyone in the world was as empowered and free as advocated in the rhetoric of US politicians, such free and empowered people will probably turn their ire against the US sooner or later.

As for the argument that anybody, given the opporunity, will want to live in the US - I don't buy that. That might have been true 20 or 30 years ago when an American lifestyle provided many material benefits that you could not find in other countries, but in this day and age, with the internet revolutionizing the way we interact with others and a globalized consumer-driven  economy delivering the latest goods and products to far-flung areas of the world, America has lost some of it's lusture to the kind of immigrants it supposedly wants  to attract -  educated and highly skilled workers. Of course, it will always attract the "tired, poor and huddled masses" from poorer regions like Mexico  (and Nepal) if that's who people are thinking about.

Just my thoughts.

Ok.  Points taken.  I even agree with some.  But here's my question to you, or whoever the original author of this cynical write-up is:

Why are you, and likes of you, still throng to get visa to come to the US of A? 

Nepali American

This was not me who wrote it, you can check the link for the original post in reddit.

In any case, are you saying just because you live in your house you will say that it is perfect and cannot be improved? If you are sharing a house with several roommates, then there is nothing wrong with outlining things that are wrong with the living conditions, hoping that others will listen to it and maybe agree and work on resolving the issues.

Your question, why people throng to come to the US is besides the point. The fact is we are already here and there is nothing wrong in pointing out the flaws we see.

Oooh .... "you and the likes of you", eh ? I'll let the others speak for themselves, but "me and the likes of me" are  not "thronging" for a visa to the US and certainly not to settle there. Did the "likes of you" ever "throng" for one and hence the presumption maybe ?

Face it, America is less and less the top destination for the cream of the crop immigrants. More and more educated and higly-skilled people from countries like India, China and elsewhere dont feel they need to come to America to realize their potential. There's plenty going on in their own neighborhood to keep them occupied and satisfied.

If the world was a village, the United States would be the wealthiest and most powerful person of the village. In the village of the world, the US is the Gaun Mukhya. Well, don't you think the Gaun Mukhya enjoys being the top dog in the village? Don't you think the Gaun Mukhya enjoys all the chakadi that he receives with people coming to his angan rubbing their palms in supplication? Don't you think the Gaun Mukhya enjoys smoking his tamakhu slowly, pulling the smoke into his cheeks, nodding his head slowly and understandably? Of course he does.

He loves being the thulo manchhe of the village.

The Gaun Mukhya will help the other villagers. But he will never help them too much. Why? Because he will lose power. The Gaun Mukhya's power comes from people needing him. From them depending on him. From them fearing his gundas. From them daring not to vote for people in county elections that he says, should not be voted for. If the other poverty stricken villagers actually start to become independent, then what would happen to the Gaun Mukhya? His skills would no longer be relevant. He would no longer be in demand. No one would fear offending him. Then what would happen to the career of the Gaun Mukhya? What would happen to his clout?

So the Gaun Mukhya would be damned if he was going to help the global village enough so that they don't need him anymore.

But the Gaun Mukhya has children who have become educated in proper values. They understand democracy. They understand egalitarian values. They understand exploitation. And when they see how their father acts, they are torn. On one hand they want to be loyal to their father. But on the other hand, they know that their father's money is 'blood money.'

Credit is the currency of the Gaun Mukhya to bleed the world. All the poor come, doing chakadi to the Gaun Mukhya so he will extend their loans a little bit more. And the Gaun Mukhya gets to play the benevolent benefactor in public while bleeding all the poor villagers in private.

In Africa there are 'blood diamonds.'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_diamond

In Nepal, there is 'blood grains,' 'blood tourism,' 'blood farming' and 'blood banking.' There is blood everywhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Wall_Street

And these children of the Mukhya, they see the Gaun Mukhya for what he really is. That is why they do 'Wall Stree Protests' against their father's 'blood banks.' These are banks filled with blood of the poor and needy. Blood that has been extricated like in this movie:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mard

If you've watched this movie, you know what I'm talking about:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zswkY10ebq4

 

Nepali_America, though your name is Nepali American, the way you write "we" in your post, it seems like you identify more with America than with Nepal. It seems that you have taken up America's foreign policy perspective a lot more than Nepal's foreign policy perspective.

Nepali_American,

"It seems my writing incensed you"

Not all of it, just the presumptuous parts of it.

"I hope you and people like you in your neighborhood (here, I am being deliberately cheeky, sorry)  will embrace the partnership that the US offers in commerce, science, culture, etc. "

Oh but of course. But remember, more often than not, it has been the US and not the rest of the world that has had a problem forging partnerships with the US. Think UNESCO, Kyoto, Israel, Iraq invasion ... the list goes on.

NayaJivan

A very interesting analogy you make - yes, America, like Britain in the movie, often comes across as an imperious warlord clueless (or indifferent) about how the dominated see it.  I watched the movie as a kid and the one scene I still recall was the one with "the dogs and Indians not allowed" sign in the restaurant. It became the theme of many jokes I heard growing up. In some ways it reminds me of America's war on terror and the resulting demonizing of Muslims and other minorities in the process.

The analogy that comes to my mind  when viewing the US right now is that of Han Christian Andersons "The Emperor's New Clothes". Many Americans ( and aspiring Americans I might add) and their politicians are so vain that they  delude themselves into thinking that anyone who does not kneel  and pray before the mightiness of America and sing hosannas to it's greatness and freedom somehow doesn't get it. Just watch the Republicans debate to be reminded of what an insular country the US has become.  Every empire seeks a moral justification to dominate others -  French colonialism was rooted in a mission to "civilize" the world, the British thought on similar lines, proselytizing missionaries talked of spreading the "good news" and America seems to have found "freedom and democracy" as the moral justification for the aggression and injustice it has committed around the world. 

Vivant,

America's claim to fame in the world is it's 'moral high ground.' They are insular because they feel the strength of their 'moral high ground' absolves them of giving a damn about people who don't toe the American line.

Americans have military clout. Economic clout. The power of the media through which they wield their assumed 'moral superiority.' So they feel that they can crush all dissidents to their policies using their different political mechanisms.

Well, I ask you: Why are we Nepalese so mesmerized by their 'moral superiority' when it doesn't feed our hungry Nepali mouths? Who voted the United States Mother Theresa of the world when her focus is more on Global Warming than in feeding hungry Nepali mouths? Where is America's priority in relation to Nepal?

And if Nepal is not America's priority, then why should I give a damn in worshipping America out of feeling intimidated by her economic and military might?

Touche, my friend!  If the history of great powers is anything to go by, America's presumed "moral superiority" is bound to come back to bite it.

Vivant,

Who are you waiting for before you take your first bites? Your politeness does not benefit Nepal.

Bite, my friend, bite. And the world will surely follow. 

I say, let the party begin.