# Americans, would you rather be a superpower? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 6, 2006, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499 "2006-04-06T00:28:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/41 "2006-04-09T03:34:13Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > I think many, if not most, Americans want to be left alone by the outside world, and we want the world to be remade into one which will leave us alone. I think history bears me out in large part. That is something I’d agree with. It’d be really nice if Europeans would get around to adopting a federalist constitution and becoming the power they should represent. OTOH, being a superpower would be a lot easier if Americans weren’t so fucking stupid. We could have done something about the Rwandan genocide, but because the cowards wouldn’t back our military in Somalia, we wouldn’t act when another genocide was about to obtain. Instead, we hang around and begin an unwinnable war in Iraq. America is very immature; America is like the rich stock broker who tells the homeless guy wearing his underwear outside his pants to get a job. IMO, of course. > [@](#): > > We just aren’t good at directly owning the world. We’d much rather be selling to it and teaching it how to say “Coca-Cola” and “I’m the real Slim Shady”. You’ve got to be kidding me. There is no excuse for protectionism, and that means allowing Coke to sell its products abroad. Americans drink Coke like mad; why shouldn’t anybody else like it? I don’t want to say anything rude; however, I must point out that the notion that commerce is a form of cultural imperialism is just racist. Look at how much other cultures have affected American culture through commerce. Allowing all of us to share and choose what we like is the right way to go, not the wrong way to go. It’s like damning Mexicans for bringing Spanish to America. Again, I say that respectfully; I just have strong feelings about that sort of thing. Thanks for understanding! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/42 "2006-04-09T05:05:56Z")
> [@js\_africanus](#): > > America is very immature; America is like the rich stock broker who tells the homeless guy wearing his underwear outside his pants to get a job. Ha! > [@](#): > > You’ve got to be kidding me. There is no excuse for protectionism, and that means allowing Coke to sell its products abroad. Uh, what? I’ve never advocated protectionism in any way, shape, or form. For us or anyone else, against us or anyone else. I’m so free-market I might outsource my lymphatic system next. > [@](#): > > Americans drink Coke like mad; why shouldn’t anybody else like it? And they apparently do. Not something I have a problem with. > [@](#): > > I don’t want to say anything rude; however, I must point out that the notion that commerce is a form of cultural imperialism is just racist. Look at how much other cultures have affected American culture through commerce. Allowing all of us to share and choose what we like is the right way to go, not the wrong way to go. It’s like damning Mexicans for bringing Spanish to America. This is, again, not what I had in mind when I wrote that comment. What I was saying is simple: There are two ways for cultures to share large parts of themselves with each other. One method, used by the Romans, is to go in with the military and establish bases full of soldiers interested in the local women. This is why a large percentage of Europe, at least by land area, speaks languages derived almost directly from Latin of one variety or another. The other method, used by the Americans, is to make extremely popular consumer goods and extremely catchy pop tunes and extremely advanced technical equipment and sell all of them to anyone who can scrape together a couple coins of whichever realm he belongs to. This is why Broken American English is the world’s second language. Of course this works both ways. You can get Chinese, sushi, and Thai in Missoula on most weekdays and nobody outside of Montana has ever heard of Missoula. Look in any phonebook covering a _real_ American city’s metro area and you’ll find consonant clusters from five continents. Americans like this; it means we get to eat pizza and chop suey and listen to Los Lobos and whatever Madonna is this week. I’m being utterly, completely facetious but I know I’m not wrong. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/43 "2006-04-09T16:00:52Z")
Yes. Most Americans would rather be an economic superpower than not, even if they don’t realize it. We (rationally) want plentiful, fullfilling jobs, cheap goods and affordable housing. As for being a military and political superpower, I think we as Americans are largely isolationsist. All things being equal, we would rather mind our own business and let the world do as it pleases. It is only when we feel threatened (the Japs and Germans, Communism, Terrorism) when we take an interest. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/44 "2006-04-09T19:32:56Z")
Okay, I have to say this - citizens of the United States responding to this thread, do you seriously think the U.S. army is in Iraq for any reason other than oil? Canada is not smaller than the U.S. Geographically, we are larger. Population-wise, we are 1/10th the size. I assume that is what you meant, **Balduran**. I don’t understand what makes people think that they _have_ to send their military all over the world. The U.S. military goes where the U.S. government and special interest groups want the U.S. interests protected. You guys are acting like you don’t know that. As for Canadians being afraid of the U.S. military might, you’re damned right. When we shut off the fresh water, hydroelectricity and oil flowing to the U.S. because we need it for ourselves, you guys are going to come get it, and I just hope I’m not still alive to see it. Of course, that will probably trigger World War III, because China and India will also want our oil and land resources (in my opinion, of course). **Plan B** , are you saying that Canada is relying on the U.S. army to protect us should we be invaded by anybody? That sounds inaccurate to me. Also kind of weird, because the most likely danger to Canada IS the U.S. army. Great thread, **Balduran**. Very interesting opinions put forth on all sides. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/45 "2006-04-10T06:46:33Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Okay, I have to say this - citizens of the United States responding to this thread, do you seriously think the U.S. army is in Iraq for any reason other than oil? No, but I’m smart enough not to vote Republican. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/46 "2006-04-10T13:47:51Z")
js\_africanus, your post is somewhat inconsistant: You say… > [@js\_africanus](#): > > It’d be really nice if Europeans would get around to adopting a federalist constitution and becoming the power they should represent. > [@js\_africanus](#): > > America is very immature; America is like the rich stock broker who tells the homeless guy wearing his underwear outside his pants to get a job. Well Europe represented their power for the better part of the 500 years or so prior to the end of WWII. In their “maturity” and “wisdom” they brought the world colonialism and wars of imperial conquest, including two World Wars. You also say > [@js\_africanus](#): > > OTOH, being a superpower would be a lot easier if Americans weren’t so fucking stupid. We could have done something about the Rwandan genocide, but because the cowards wouldn’t back our military in Somalia, we wouldn’t act when another genocide was about to obtain. Instead, we hang around and begin an unwinnable war in Iraq. At least Iraq and the Middle East has some political relevance. What would be the point in getting involved in an unwinnable war in Africa? > [@featherlou](#): > > As for Canadians being afraid of the U.S. military might, you’re damned right. When we shut off the fresh water, hydroelectricity and oil flowing to the U.S. because we need it for ourselves, you guys are going to come get it, and I just hope I’m not still alive to see it. Is that what Canadians really believe or is it just your particular paranoid fantasy? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/47 "2006-04-10T14:13:26Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > \Is that what Canadians really believe or is it just your particular paranoid fantasy? Half and half. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/48 "2006-04-10T14:18:22Z")
No, I’d rather not be a superpower. With no competing superpower, America is free to be either as benign and helpful or as imperialistic and bullying as its leaders choose. We see what happens when America chooses a bad leader and that leader makes bad choices. I’d like it better if there were say 5 superpowers that kept the rest of the world and each other in check. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/49 "2006-04-10T14:22:13Z")
Ah, what the heck, I’ll explain a little more. That is my opinion, based on what I see, hear, and read. I don’t think most Canadians see it the way I do, but I think they should. Most Canadians don’t have a clue about the shortage of fresh water that we have looming on the horizon, or that the easily-obtained oil in Alberta, Saskatchewan and BC is due to dry up in about 30 years, or just how much of our natural resources are being sold to the U.S. that we can’t stop selling due to NAFTA, regardless of whether we’ll need them ourselves or not. China wanting our country is my particular paranoid fantasy. How would you guys feel about China moving in upstairs? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/50 "2006-04-10T14:57:39Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > …I’d like it better if there were say 5 superpowers that kept the rest of the world and each other in check. We had something like that in 1914, after all, and it worked out just fine. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/51 "2006-04-10T15:11:13Z")
> [@Elendil's Heir](#): > > We had something like that in 1914, after all, and it worked out just fine. :rolleyes: I’d say there was a difference between being a superpower in 1914 and 2006. I don’t know if I would call anyone back then a superpower. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/52 "2006-04-10T17:31:16Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > … > > And we’re paying for the entire planet’s defense againest the…martians? You see any martian war machines around? Then, smart guy, it’s working! ---
**Author:** ![mazinger\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mazinger\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazinger_z)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499/53 "2006-04-10T19:25:44Z")
> [@Gladstone](#): > > As other posters have pointed out, it costs quite a bit to be the superpower. Our trillions of dollars of debt are currently owned by several foreign interests, notably China. When the day comes that China is ready to confront the U.S. directly and is prepared to deal with the disruption to the global economy, calling in that debt is going to be one of their primary weapons. Forgive the pun, but the U.S. is living on borrowed time. Uhh…yeah…we owe most of the debt to ourselves, only about 20% to foreign governments across the world, not just China. China can’t call in a debt any more than you or I could call in a bond. They mature and they get paid, and if you wait too long, the US government will ignore paying it back. China can try releasing all the bonds out to the market and that will do nothing but lower the price of bonds and eventually drive up inflation. Inflation will kill their cash reserves as well as their Yuan which they say isn’t pegged to the US dollar, because the US dollar will most likely drop, too. Then, you can say goodbye to all that Chinese production when capital flows generally stop while the world economy readjusts. If the Yuan is truly free floating, then their Yuan will clearly rise relative to the US dollar which will in turn make Chinese goods too expensive for US markets. Capital flow and production come screaching to a halt because Chinese goods are too expensive. As recession tears through China, and eventually the globe, who do you think will be able to withstand a recession more? A country “experimenting” with Capitalism, or a country which has experienced many, many, recessions already and has financial safeguards already in place. The only way China (or any other country) will surpass the US is if they outproduce the US. I’m not saying that they can’t. They most certainly can, even if they mobilize the backwater inland areas. It’s just not going to be through holding our debt. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-would-you-rather-be-a-superpower/351499.md?page=2)