Ronald Wright - What is America?

[TheLogicJunkie]

So, America has really always just been a haven for the utmost strains of psychotically narcissistic brats the world over, who have no capacity to bear real humility or an awareness of their own monstrosity?

Makes sense to me.

[beargomtang]

I am reading "An illustrated short history of progress" by Ronald Wright. It is very intereting. This book provokes to think. The ideas her quite huge. And I am writting a blog about this book. If want to share your ideas, go to my blog. Check it and if there is any opinion please leave comment.

blackbear1028.posterous

[kizilbash110]

A couple years back his assessment might have seemed more accurate. But his attempt to pin so many of our American political issues on religious fundamentalism really comes up short. George W. Bush is the only openly fundamentalist president we've had in my lifetime, although various leaders have exploited religious terminology. Obama's foreign policy has not significantly departed from Bush's although the justifications have changed. Is Guantanamo closed? How did Copenhagen go?

[trillionare7]

"The world's only super power" is in the change of wind. It has always been in the history, it will always be. Change

[niemand2099]

@simon I am German and born right around Nuremberg. I know how Germany was treated and that West Germany was saved by the US because the US is the most humaine and generous country in the world.

[Q8De]

@niemand2099 Ever heard of agent orange ?

[niemand2099]

I am very thankful how the US kept Germany from being bled to death like France did to Germany after WW1 or being fully robbed and turned into a communist country as Russia did to East-Germany.

The US dropped food packages on hungry Germans and did the Berlin Airlift and allowed the economic miracle to happen by replacing Nazi socialist regulations with the free market economy and a new currency (Deutsch-Mark instead of Reichsmark) as suggested by Ludwig Gerhard.

[RoberTastic]

@niemand2099

despite firebombing dresden? The war was over and the battle changed to winning hearts and minds against communism

[niemand2099]

Those are lies. The US consists of the people who overthrew monarchy and imperialism. I know for a fact the communists in the US deliberately changed US history. The Indian lie is one part. It was the Spanish and other colonial powers who did the slavery. England still sent their children to their colonies in 1920!

[SimonBolivarX]

@niemand2099 what a delusional mind you have, but we know better, so good luck with that sleepwalking zombie//

[redcordstrait]

I have understood history as myth and 'What is America?' has certainly opened my eyes to a more balanced perspective. Thank you Mr. Wright!

[brianmoran1973]

another Chomsky

[jeffersontool]

@brianmoran1973 What are you talking about? You mean by "Chomsky" you're saying "truth teller", right? Everything this guy says in the video is fact. Everything Noam Chomsky said is fact. If you don't believe then I would label you as a perfect example of an individual who has been heavily indoctrinated into believing that the U.S. is the best country and that our history is somehow noble and just. We have a lot of racist, judgmental "christians" in this country who have no grasp on earth.

[brianmoran1973]

@jeffersontool ??? Very strange reply. Imeant "another chomsky" in a complementary way.You should examine how quickly you form a prejudiced view

[jeffersontool]

@brianmoran1973 Most people don't draw comparisons to Chomsky in a positive way. I agree with you on both levels but you should make you comments less of a target for open interpretations. I apologize if I offended you.

[gothgod]

@jeffersontool And so you think the War against the indigenous people of the Americas was a lie - that the colonists didn't take part in massacres that massacres such as Wounded Knee and a hundred or a thousand others did not happen. And the US you think didn't take part in the slave trade. And of course you believe anyone believing in equality and economic justice is just a commie. A real American I guess are those who have bought into yours and Glenn Beck's revisionist history. Very Sad!!!

[jeffersontool]

@gothgod Where did that come from? How did any of what I said lead you to say that? I am one of the most liberal, Glenn Beck-Hating, people you'll ever meet. Are you high?

[jeffersontool]

@gothgod VERY SAD!!!

[fossilman2]

Wright is a truly principled scholar.

[SimonBolivarX]

Read all the books written by R. Wright: excellent! all of them...This human knows the real history. No quite the b/s my kids are learning in Fundamentalist religion/colored against First Nations "the real original Americas" - crap in canadian schools;) lucky for us my kids are reading all of my books>.

[DaktaBubbles]

a short history of progress is a painfully honest (allmost doomsdayish) book on the evolution and future of humanity. i loved its honesty and insight, i highly recomend.

[brianmoran1973]

@DaktaBubbles The audio version is fantastic

[christopheles]

Getting caught up in a superficial debate as "America is a continent not a country!" only displays your inability to consider the breadth of the argument.

[Hamandchees3]

Nothing that this man said is necessary wrong, but if he thinks conventional American history is one-sided then he must be somewhat of a hypocrite for writing an equally one-sided history.

[foosley]

He's writing a RESPONSE to the conventional history of America. When you call it 'conventional American history' I would take that to mean that everybody knows it already. Why rehash it? How much of what Wright said in this interview had you ever heard before? Do you want a new point of view, or just the same old song?

[Hamandchees3]

@foosley I'd beg to differ. There's little in his book that ISN'T in the conventional history, from the aboriginal genocide, to the invasion of sovereign states, to puritanical religious fascists. The problem is a lack of balance -- a lack of context and a clear political agenda behind his historical narrative. Besides, Howard Zinn did it before and better 30 years ago.

[foosley]

@Hamandchees3 "I'd beg to differ" - now that's polite! Thanks for that. I don't think Wright is trying to write a balanced history, nor does he pretend he doesn't have a very firm point of view.

I haven't read Zinn (I will) but I suggest that as soon as Andrew Jackson is taken off the $20 bill and recognized as an ethnic cleanser instead of a national hero, maybe Wright's book won't be worth anything. American self-mythology is ingrained and powerful. That bubble needs to be burst.

[aiopoe66]

WHAT IS AMERICA?

YOU LOOK SO STUPID SAYING AMERICA TO United State of AMERICA, THAT I KNOW IS PART OF AMERICA, BACK TO 1ST GRADE... AMERICA IS THE CONTINENT THAT'S WHY THERE ARE SOUTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA. AND NORTH AMERICA

[adzug]

chinas a super power

[annuitcoeptis2008]

Sure, a super power with 1 billion people who earn $1 a day.

[adzug]

wat do you mean? they have a massive nuclear arsenal, they have the usa by the balls cuz we owe them so much money, their economy is rising very quickly. so wat do you mean?

[annuitcoeptis2008]

I would like to answer your question but I don't have time. You seemed to be very ignorant and at this point in my life I have learned to accept people of your kind. DO not send me more messages please.

[adzug]

fair enuff good luck in life

[michaelkitselaar]

Wow, This guy is fantastic