I love Americans, but I hate America

This is a reply to Sean Gabb’s “Death to America?” at http://thelibertarianalliance.com/2016/01/22/death-to-america/.

Sean’s first three paragraphs are surpassingly brilliant. Indeed, when he says:

“every country that ever rose to greatness has combined tendencies to further progress and to disintegration. Until the very end, these forces have risen and fallen against each other.”

he has said all that needs to be said about world politics at the present epoch of top-down governments, nation-states and federations.

Now, I’ve lived in the USA. I went there in 1990, with the intention of staying there, and the right visa to get a Green Card. I learned that most Americans are fine people. For example, I walked through some of the poorest black areas in Chicago, and got nothing but smiles and friendly greetings.

But I came back after a little less than a year, because it was quite obvious to me that despite a healthy economy, the US political system was going down the drain, and the place was becoming a police state to boot. Indeed, the UK didn’t become anything like as bad until Blair got in seven years later.

These days, I am far more negative about the USA than Sean is. I love Americans; but I hate America. For example, the US is the source of the corruption of journalism, which has led to the bullshit with which we’re all fed by newspapers, radio and TV. Of the corruption of academe, which has led among much else to all the “climate change” claptrap, not to mention the rubbish we hear about diet and alcohol. And of routine violations of our human rights in the name of “fighting terrorism” or whatever else is flavor (I spell this word advisedly) of the month. The USA, as it exists today, is a poison sac, hostile to human civilization.

The main difference between Sean’s viewpoint and mine is that he’s a conservative while I’m a progressive. Sean seems to think the nation state and democracy are the bees’ knees; I think they’re (both) aberrations. Sean thinks a post-collapse USA would inevitably be taken over by another state. I think there’s a decent chance it might morph into something better. Perhaps, a lot better. So, I’m afraid I must disagree with him on this issue.

I love Americans, but I hate America.