# Why Is The USA Exceptional Among First World Countries?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-exceptional-among-first-world-countries/551007>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 21, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-exceptional-among-first-world-countries/551007 "2010-08-21T22:15:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-exceptional-among-first-world-countries/551007/121 "2010-09-27T04:23:58Z")

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> [@adhay](#):
>
> > [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#):
> >
> > Is this a joke, or some kind of so ironic bash at America no one will actually get it’s a joke?
> 
> Tilt.
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Since when do measures of civilization get amounted by the arms you manufacture and sell?
> 
> History is written by the winners. It has always been thus.

Dont want to wake up a sleepwalker but arms industry and military might are far from being connected. Belgium for example manufactures some of the best assault rifles in the world, I dont think its army amounts to much.

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-exceptional-among-first-world-countries/551007/122 "2010-09-27T04:59:35Z")

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> [@adhay](#):
>
> History is written by the winners. It has always been thus.

Not really, it’s written by the historians and the revisionists more than the winners. They are the ones who are around and still care long after the winners are dead. Outside of Mongolia you don’t see much admiration for Genghis Khan, and he won a whole lot.

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-usa-exceptional-among-first-world-countries/551007/123 "2010-09-27T12:45:57Z")

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History is written by the literate.

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