Royal ace wrote:
Actually, it's more properly, 'murcan', as in, "That socialist, commie, fascist, Muslim in the White House is out to destroy our GOD GIVEN MURCAN WAY!
The great historian of the United States, Gore Vidal, uses the term, "United Statesers", sardonically to point out the mindless, solipsistic chauvinism endemic to the U.S.A., where most people use "America" and "American" as if the U.S.A. were the only country in a tri-continental hemisphere of many other countries... as if it were the only country of any account.
One can use reason as long as the foundational axioms are the same. While I'm sure that the above statement plays well in certain intellectual environments, to me it seems mythical and facile. And so we can surmise, assuming intelligence, that our axioms have divided somewhere.
When Gore Vidal is cited as a "great historian" of any sort, it must be taken into account that the axiom accepted is the view of American culture as essentially non-existent (or just wretched) and therefor deserving of any idea the "enlightened" mind may wish to impose upon it.
Since Gore Vidal (of whose books I have read and enjoyed several) is a left-wing Eurpophile playwright, author and essayist with a deep disdain for America, he would not be one to whom I would turn to understand the American culture, unless the way in which I wished to understand it was through the wrong end of a mocking telescope.
Quote:
The notion that people who have attained a degree of affluence, whether through talent and hard work (I myself am one such) or inheritance are entitled to additional gain at the expense of an ever growing underclass being begrudged their modicum of security is repugnant to me.
Don't personally know anyone who would disagree with that statement.