The bulk of the population feels that American ways are the only natural ways, American forms of government the natural forms of government, and American abuses only such as human nature makes inevitable. The same sort of thing would be found in the centre of China or of any large homogeneous continental area. It would seem, therefore, that 'insularity', so far from being a characteristic of islanders, is, on the contrary, most often to be found among the inhabitants of vast inland countries..
Source: On insularity, by Bertrand Russell
More info.: https://russell-j.com/INSULAR.HTM
* a brief comment:
The United States is a highly self-sufficient nation, with vast land and abundant resources. If it so desires, it could even sustain a largely self-contained economy with minimal dependence on other countries. While its population is made up of diverse ethnic groups, a shared cultural framework known as the "American way of life" has been formed over many years.
This cultural and ideological uniformity has both strengths and weaknesses. On the one hand, it fosters a strong sense of national unity and patriotism; on the other, it lacks the kind of cultural diversity seen in Europe and tends to hinder efforts to understand the values and circumstances of other nations. As seen in recent U.S. foreign policy and immigration measures, a lack of imagination regarding issues not directly related to the United States has become evident in the political sphere as well.
Isn't Donald Trump, now serving his second term as President, a symbolic figure of this trend? His overbearing attitude is supported by America's overwhelming economic and military power, and also reflects a prevailing inward-looking mindset among the American public. Ironically, however, the MAGA (Make America Great Again) agenda he promotes may, in the long run, end up undermining the very strength of the United States--through a decline in international trust and the weakening of key alliances.
* Amazon Gift Card
