America and Americans have only themselves to blame for the contempt in which they are sadly held by most other people on this planet. Recently we have witnessed what any reasonable person could see was a revenge killing, aided and abetted by America, and not a due process worthy of what used to be the Land of the Free. There is no point dwelling on Saddam's execution, save to say that he is the only person who appears to have comported himself with any dignity in the affair. What is at issue is why Americans now behave the way they do. Sure, there always has been the element of those "Damn Yankees" with their loud voices and unstoppable confidence. Nothing wrong with the former, as that is simply an American "quirk", and quite amusing in small doses. And nothing wrong with the latter, provided it is based on firm ground.
However, in recent years American confidence has been founded on sand, which is in danger of turning to quicksand. Americans pollute more, waste more and generally show greater disrespect for the environment than any other race in history. America's foreign policy is in tatters, as evidenced by Iraq and Afghanistan. And the reason is simple: an unfounded over-confidence which has resulted in knee-jerk reactions, and not the level-headed consideration which most European governments (with the notable, but not exclusive, exception of Tony "Poodle" Blair's) would have accorded the same problems.
So why have Americans ended up with such duff leaders as those presently in office? First of all, the sad truth is that a majority of Americans (even though a slim majority) voted them into office, although at the same time it has to be said that in reality many Democrat politicians will now continue to support Bush's inept foreign policies. My baseline contention is that Americans have lost their way - entirely, and possibly terminally. Pervasive greed, excessive consumerism, moral decadence, paranoia about foreigners in general, and Muslims in particular, all these things have led to a serious warping in the character of the average American. And if you seriously warp character, you warp society in general.
Any society based substantially on personal gain above all else is doomed. Consideration for others is vital. And not just consideration for close family members, but respect for others in your own country and abroad, and their different ways of life. Let's face it, the American "model" (even though now fatally tainted) is, and never has been, the only one. I saw Britain change, and for the worse, after Maggie Thatcher came to power, and imposed American-style "values". Her desire was always that Britain should become the 51st state. What she failed to recognize is that Britain and America are two countries separated by a common language. The British people had always been know for their politeness and consideration, but not now. Rudeness, loutishness and arrogance are now a way of life for far too many.
And now I see the same thing happening in France, where there have been many changes compared with just ten years ago. I recall one incident well, when I attended a political rally in a small Gascogne town. After the meeting, I spoke with the deputy mayor, who also happened to be my doctor. I remarked on how I felt the life of a Gascon paysan was remarkably wholesome, and he turned to me with an almost horrified look saying "but we must drag them out of that life, and into the modern world". Why, I thought, change what is good (most of these so-called "peasants" live to a ripe old age) for something (consumerism) that in the end tends to make most people unhappier as the apparent need to get more and more "stuff" becomes the overriding objective in life!
America's overriding consumerism has also destabilised the world's economy, as ever increasing deficits have placed the dollar in a precarious position, from which it will likely never recover. At the end of the day, no amount of clever financial engineering, through the sometime-soon ready-to-explode derivatives market, will rid us of the dangerous imbalances that now exist.
How can the American mentality be put back on course, or is it too late? Well, until and if Americans change, by balancing their lives and lifestyles between reasonable consumerism [title for another article?] and concern for others, they will continue to elect leaders like those dumbheads currently in office. So in the end nothing will change unless that happens, and America's foreign policies will continue to place the world in general in even greater danger than it is now. The rest of us can only pray for a miracle.
