Essay On American Exceptionalism

1339 Words3 Pages

What is American Exceptionalism? It is a concept, originally stated by Alexi De Tocqueville, that refers to how the United States and its people are special in the sense that they offer opportunity and are a symbol of hope based off democratic ideals and personal liberty (American Exceptionalism). The idea also considers the United States to be a model for the world and holds the divine right to lead. American Exceptionalism might have been a widely accepted term historically, but today no longer seems to holding as high a value as it used to. The notion of American Exceptionalism is no longer as effective due to the fact that the United States no longer stands on values such as freedom and hard work, but itself has become a vile brand focused …show more content…

Although the United States might not be as unique, it is still considered, generally, the birthplace for modern democracy. Where people came to seek for opportunities and sought for a place away from their rough pasts. It has also offered the world a wealth of popular culture thanks to brands such as Hollywood, Coca-Cola, NFL, etc. The US also receives tremendous amount of scrutiny because they are believed to be the sole contributors to globalization, however, that is not true as Porsche, Audi, Gucci, Armani, etc. are large scale brands based in other countries that have tainted their hands through cultural imperialism. The once great US was also the land where an individual is offered the most culture due to its diverse nature created by a welcoming environment. All these factor into why uninformed individuals still consider the US to be the heart of the world and where all noble ideas and action derive from. Well an educated and up to date individual would understand that the afore mentioned components have lost their taste. Popular culture now refers to profit greedy brands or inaccurately depicted media, and diversity and basic civic values are starting to emerge throughout the …show more content…

The country stands on the firm belief that it emerged from what was an inferior world (Unit 7 Text). These ideas helped create the concept of “American Exceptionalism,” and the belief that the United States had a divine right lead, however, is it justified that they are still the country that should be looked up to? The basis of the question is that other countries offer the same values as the United States. That makes the US less unique since a significant amount of other countries provide the same advantages and on many occasions the United States even falls short to other countries. According to a 2015 study, The US ranks 47th in press freedom, 10th in economic freedom, and 39th in income inequality (25 More Signs). The United States, according to it’s constitution, declares its strides in societal standards and sets benchmarks for other countries to live up to, however, is no where near the top. As it has now become obvious, the student is now the

Open Document