Editorial: The Decline and Fall of the American Empire - Polidicks

It isn't just empires that rapidly grow and expire, decline and crash.. every one of mankind's civilizations have done that. A grand civilization does not require it to be an "empire." you're just throwing that word around to sound ominous and sensational. You're painting a doomsday portrait for all of us to bitch and moan about 'society,' This thread will continue for pages and pages, and no good or objective point will be reached. This isn't a subject.

[QUOTE=Bepo5;26566961]Agreed, it's stupid that we are still pressuring a nation from what they did sixty years ago. Cuba is hardly a threat and certainly does not need trade sanctions heaved on them for the last six decades. It's practically bullying and malice at this point rather than a subtle attack against a threat in the cold war.[/QUOTE] Yeah it's just cold war bullshit. The new "regime" has nothing to do with this. This could be a big tourist destination and these people could have normal lives, but nope, America has to yet fuck over another country. FUCK I hate my country.

If anyone cares to learn more about this there is a political figure who has written a series of speeches which were turned into a small book called The decline and fall of the American Nation. It's by Gore Vidal and is an Excellent read.

[QUOTE=Fariun;26567069]If anyone cares to learn more about this there is a political figure who has written a series of speeches which were turned into a small book called The decline and fall of the American Nation. It's by Gore Vidal and is an Excellent read.[/QUOTE] Agree agree agree.

[QUOTE=faze;26566908][b]Russia/USSR was communist, and so is China, and Vietnam today.[/b] We're not so much against them now are we? The new administration in Cuba is apparently in love with Obama. I'm kinda pissed that he extended the embargo.[/QUOTE] Wrong, wrong, wrong and wrong. All of those countries have/had little reference to communism's basic laws and rules.

[QUOTE=Melnek;26567704]Wrong, wrong, wrong and wrong. All of those countries have/had little reference to communism's basic laws and rules.[/QUOTE] Okay, so by your definition, no country in the world has successfully become communist.

[QUOTE=Ultra Violence;26565220]Yeah, it does equal that. Even if you've moved to the upper class as an adult, doesn't mean you were given the privileges and opportunities that a child raised in an upper class family would have. Essentially what I'm saying is that having money now does not negate the fact that you grew up without it.[/QUOTE] The fact is that if you're not rich, you can't become president.

People need to stop comparing America to Rome. We're not Rome.

[QUOTE=MovingSalad;26567842]Okay, so by your definition, no country in the world has successfully become communist.[/QUOTE] There has never been a truly communist country to my knowledge.

[QUOTE=MovingSalad;26567842]Okay, so by your definition, no country in the world has successfully become communist.[/QUOTE] Communism was never put into practice. All the current and former countries who supposedly use the "communist" type of government (which already renders the communism claim invalid) are all twisted versions of communism, twisted into dictatorships, totalitarian regimes, etc created to chase the greed for power. Which is the exact opposite of communism.

I made a thread about this months ago. I'm reminded of Asimov's "Empire" in the Foundation series. The one that slowly declined as the people left it, but the leaders remained behind, deluding themselves with thoughts that they were still in control of everything.

[QUOTE=cqbcat;26566366]I think America should just resume the policy of isolationism. Quit fucking with the rest of the world, at least until you fix the shitty economy, education system, and give me a job. Also, I should try to go to college. At least scrape into a community college. The U.S. could remain on top of the world if we can still maintain a technological/military edge that's years ahead of everyone else. Just don't let China catch up, because American innovators will always be setting new finish lines.[/QUOTE] We shouldn't do isolationism. That would include cutting off more than necessary amount of communication and economic ties to the world. What the US needs to implement is non-interventionism. Stop interfering with what they want to do, but don't stop talking to them completely. What ever happened to Jefferson's "A friendly hand to all"? As for "Don't let China catch up", that's just the issue here. The US is trying to keep third world nations down instead of building itself up. And it's ruining us. We're falling apart while third world nations drag us down such as China economically, and Iraq + Afghanistan militarily. If this were a race, the US should be focusing on out running China to the finish line instead of standing in the middle of the track trying to block it forward.

I for one am happy that the US has been the dominant superpower for so long. They at least represent freedom better than Russia, China or any other nation that has the economic and militaristic capabilities for being a superpower

[QUOTE=Earthen;26568472]I for one am happy that the US has been the dominant superpower for so long. They at least represent freedom better than Russia, China or any other nation that has the economic and militaristic capabilities for being a superpower[/QUOTE] Very true.

[QUOTE=MovingSalad;26565177] America in the 50's was a beautiful place, the golden age. I'd have loved to have lived in a house with a white picket fence, with a local store down the street with bottles of coca cola for ten cents a pop. [/QUOTE] Unless you were Black, Hispanic, poor, Russian, Korean, or you had ideology that differed in any way from White Christian capitalism.

[QUOTE=MrAfroShark70;26564466]This article changed all significant history of America forming into, becoming, and being a democracy.][/QUOTE] Which is a problem in itself if you're trying to sustain your empire. [QUOTE=DanRatherman;26570576]Unless you were Black, Hispanic, poor, Russian, Korean, or you had ideology that differed in any way from White Christian capitalism.[/QUOTE] Hey Dan, coddling the Black, Hispanic, poor, Russian and Korean minorities is one of many reasons why America is fucked. :smug: EDIT: Coincidentally, being Black, Hispanic, Russian or Korean usually correlates with being poor.

We actually read something similar to this in history, we compared the US to Rome's decline, and I know it has been compared to other super-powers, like Russia. It is also why I want to learn Manderin because they are a growing super-power, and it is rich in culture, which is good since I want to be an anthropologist. [editline]8th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=Earthen;26568472]I for one am happy that the US has been the dominant superpower for so long. They at least represent freedom better than Russia, China or any other nation that has the economic and militaristic capabilities for being a superpower[/QUOTE] But China is still growing, and while there is a lot of censorship right now, it is basically a fresh start and could change very dramatically.

[QUOTE=DanRatherman;26570576]Unless you were Black, Hispanic, poor, Russian, Korean, or you had ideology that differed in any way from White Christian capitalism.[/QUOTE] Well. Thankfully I don't have to worry.

[QUOTE=MovingSalad;26570988]Well. Thankfully I don't have to worry.[/QUOTE] Neither do I. I fucking LOVE white privilegie.

I've always thought the essence of the problem was this: When you're the boss, you think you know better and everyone should take orders from you. "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely" What an empire should do when they are in charge is go out of their way to treat the other guy as an equal, even if he is not. Partner with him, allow him to have a say in things. Why? Because one day you will NOT be the most powerful. One day you will not be the boss. And that day will be far less painful for you if the guy who is the new boss is your friend. It will be much MORE painful for you if the new boss is a guy who remembers how you treated him like crap when you were in charge. We Americans have been very arrogant and full of ourselves in the way we've related to the rest of the world since the end of WWII. We are going to pay a high price for that.

[QUOTE=MovingSalad;26565177]So what are we supposed to discuss in this thread? About how we think America is in a decline? They've been saying that for every decade since the 60's. America in the 50's was a beautiful place, the golden age. I'd have loved to have lived in a house with a white picket fence, with a local store down the street with bottles of coca cola for ten cents a pop. Every bit of american life has been vulgarized. The innocence of the 'frontier' is over, and it has been replaced with corporate slime, attaching itself to every orifice of the modern world.[/QUOTE] Wow you are so wrong about the 50's. An era of horrible repression for every social group that wasn't white protestant male with administrations that ignored the issue entirely, the beginning of modern overindulgent consumerism, the constant paranoia caused by not being the only superpower, and the most blatant corruption in national politics, ever. It wasn't a golden age in any way and the only person who thinks that is Billo the Clown.

I personally have wished that US would split into between 4 and 10 countries, no single administration having total power over it all. Just an opinion.

[QUOTE=MovingSalad;26565177]So what are we supposed to discuss in this thread? About how we think America is in a decline? They've been saying that for every decade since the 60's. America in the 50's was a beautiful place, the golden age. I'd have loved to have lived in a house with a white picket fence, with a local store down the street with bottles of coca cola for ten cents a pop. Every bit of american life has been vulgarized. The innocence of the 'frontier' is over, and it has been replaced with corporate slime, attaching itself to every orifice of the modern world.[/QUOTE] But [url=http://www.rodneyohebsion.com/1950s.htm]the 50s never existed![/url]

All this china vs usa talk lately is starting to get on my fucking nerves ! china china china, bla bla bla rise, fall. Soooo much talk !

Oh no, one of THESE threads. [editline]8th December 2010[/editline] also, wrong section.

We are not an empire. An empire requires a monarch. It is also made up of separate nations which each have separate identities and cultures. An empire usually takes direct control over the territories which it conquers. The U.S. does not have a monarch. It is made up of separate states but these states are nothing more than national divisions, and they have the same culture. The U.S. does not assume control over the nations it conquers. Japan, Iraq, and Mexico come to mind.

For an Empire we sure do help a lot of other countries

[QUOTE=Foo King;26566735]Rome.[/QUOTE] 31 BC-476 AD :colbert: If you want to go into Byzantium then you can add another 1000 years.

All hail glorious leader emperor Obama!

It is about damn time we start taking over the world.