In today’s world the question of American exceptionalism is debated, sometimes to a point of violent disagreement. The debate is between those of us who believe that America is the font of freedom and the protector of good, and those who believe that America illegitimately exercised its power and influence throughout the world. They argue, that in so doing, other countries were forced to submit to our aggressions solely for our gain and to their detriment. The America that I know is the former and I will try my best to convince you of that. Do we have challenges? Of course! No country or society has a perfect past, present, or future. However; I would submit that America comes closest to offering the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness that all free people yearn for.
First, what is exceptionalism? Merriam-Webster, in its simplest form, defines it as “the condition of being different from the norm”, and also, “a theory expounding the exceptionalism especially of a nation or region”. The Free Dictionary, on the other hand has a slightly different bent defining it as; “the condition of being exceptional or unique”, and “the theory or belief that something, especially a nation, does not conform to a pattern or norm.”. Thirdly, the Cambridge English Dictionary defines exceptionalism as “the idea that a person, country or political system can be allowed to be different from, and perhaps better than, others”. Somewhat common to all definitions is the existence of a “condition” of being different or unique, and a “theory” (or “idea”) of a “nation” (or a “country”) not conforming to a pattern or norm. Cambridge touches on the very essence of our debate about American exceptionalism when it alludes to the prospect of a nation or country being “perhaps better” than other nations or countries.
Definitions can be blunt, sometimes absolute, in their meaning. I would like to take some literal liberties with the absolute definition (in the context of American exceptionalism) and simply state that exceptionalism is the condition of our country being different from most other countries. Different in the way that we are allowed to live, and in how we extend our influence throughout the world. I believe that America is truly different, one of a kind, and a positive force for freedom and liberty throughout the world.
American exceptionalism has many faces and I would begin by observing that the genius of our founding and the American Experiment in and of itself makes us exceptional. No other country has a similar beginning or has endowed its residents with the rights and freedoms enjoyed by those of us who inhabit this great land. Our Charters of Freedom are unique in all the world and nowhere are the guarantees for freedom and liberty more profound, all encompassing, or robust. I can give this statement no more weight than to defer to the testimony of people that have emigrated here to escape oppression and extreme injustice, and in some cases, brutality in their homelands. These people have seen or experienced the atrocities of Nazi Germany, the extreme oppression, poverty and famine of the Communist Soviet Union, or the sheer squandering of life and treasure in Marxist Venezuela. When these people talk about the conditions they came from and how appreciative they are of being in America, they weep. They weep in sadness for the country they loved and the people they left behind. But just as importantly, some of those tears are shed in happiness for being able to experience a new way of life that is offered nowhere else in the world.
This “new way of life” in America has its foundation in the values and freedoms that we hold dear; in the pillars I spoke of earlier; and in the American Dream. Ah, the American Dream! Yes, in America you are allowed to dream. America does not tell you what to dream or place any limits on your dreams. You can dream of being anything you want to be; of doing what you want to do; and of living in safety and contentment. All we ask is hard work, observing the laws of the land; and taking responsibility for your own wellbeing.
A country’s accomplishments can also be a measure of exceptionalism. America is clearly a nation that has excelled in its accomplishments. We of course are blessed with a wealth of resources and we must use them wisely, but it is our people that truly make us exceptional. We are a people who from the very beginning chose a new direction. We are explorers, adventurers, trailblazers, entrepreneurs and dreamers. We go places where no one else has gone. In my life I don’t think I can overstate the moon landing as an accomplishment that best represents these qualities. Those of us that experienced that period in our history saw a nation united behind a common goal and a national excitement and pride not seen anywhere else in modern history. Even today we have not seen another nation accomplish that feat, and the amazing thing to me as an engineer, is we did it with the technology of 60 years ago. Utterly amazing! Of course there are so many other accomplishments I could cite, but here are a mere few:
- Our westward expansion where the pioneers crossed vast rivers, endless plains, and mountain ranges reaching to the sky in nothing more than large covered wooden crates on wooden wheels pulled by cattle ultimately ending at the Pacific Ocean,
- The industrial revolution that changed the way Americans and the entire world undertook projects or tasks that would previously require thousands of human arms and legs to accomplish,
- Construction of the railroads that connected our east coast to our west coast,
- Development of the automobile which transformed the manner in which we travelled from place to place
- Invention of the telegraph and telephone that completely revolutionized the way we communicated and interacted with each other,
- Discovery of electricity which drastically changed how we lit our path, how we operated machinery, and how we lived our lives,
- Our taking to flight, which eventually had the effect of reducing the size of our country from a trip measured in days to one measured in a few short hours,
- Invention of baseball and football greatly effecting our forms of recreation and the way we spent our leisure time.
…. The list could go on for many pages. I strongly encourage you to spend some time learning about America’s many discoveries and innovations. I think it will make you proud!
American greatness has been described in many ways (e.g., beacon of hope, shining city on a hill, etc.). All these cliches and glowing phrases capture another component of American exceptionalism – we are the leader of the free world and we are willing to sacrifice people and treasure to gain or preserve freedom throughout the world. I could argue that solely being the leader in and of itself earns some level of exceptionalism, but it is the sacrifice that cements it. America has fought for freedom in all four corners of the world and undoubtedly will continue to resist the evils of dictators and oppressive regimes.
We have a competitive world. There are countries that are quite similar to us in that they offer their citizens freedom, security, livelihood, and a good life. I have no doubt that people living in these counties also feel a sense of exceptionalism and I congratulate them and their governments for that. Hooray for them! With that said, I would speculate that for every country that is similar or like us, there are probably five that are not. Let me offer a couple personal experiences to try to illustrate how different from us some of these countries really are:
- A few years ago I had the opportunity to travel to Southeast Asia and in travelling there I had to connect through Shanghai, China. I will admit that I was somewhat intimidated in going there because of the many stories I’d heard of people going to China, saying or doing something contrary to Chinese norms, and never being heard from again. Maybe extreme cases, but nonetheless it did cross my mind. Upon deplaning we had to gather our checked bags (there would be no direct transfer of luggage to our next plane here), and as we entered the airport terminal it was clear that we were no longer in America. The terminal was starkly warehouse-like with long winding lines of people leading to sets of closed doors on one end. Also stark was the presence of uniformed security (I assumed military-types) armed with assault type rifles. Unnerving to say the least! Another observation, albeit maybe an insignificant one, was that everyone seemed very subdued and I did not see a single smile in the whole place. As we approached the closed doors it became apparent that we were about to enter a security area. The layout of the area was similar to our TSA screening areas back home with one major difference; the assault rifle toting security. As I was going through I held my breath hoping that no one in our group would be pulled aside (as others were) for further screening. Maybe unwarranted fear of the unknown, but I hated the fact that I even had to give it a thought. I wouldn’t want to live life harboring that kind of unease.
- A second example on this same trip, had to do with a revelation while I was having lunch in a restaurant located along the Mekong River. Our side of the river seemed to be bustling with people; many of them tourists enjoying lunch, perusing for souvenirs, or just enjoying the day along walkways that resembled a typical American boardwalk. People were clearly enjoying themselves on a warm sunny day. As I looked to the river I wondered if I was imagining things, but it seemed that river traffic was concentrated on “our” side of the river. Gazing further I was struck by how different the other side of the river appeared. There were no people, no buildings, no boardwalks. I was looking at a different country, a different way of life, a different political order. I was looking at Laos, a communist country. I couldn’t help but think that the two sides of the Mekong River were a perfect metaphor for people living in a country with freedoms similar to America (albeit in this case a monarchy), and people living in oppression.
- The third example involves the experiences of a friend I worked with back in the late 1980’s. Shortly after the fall of the Communist Soviet Union he had an occasion to travel to Russia on business. Their party travelled to a number of Russian locations and I was curious to hear about their experiences when they returned. I recall a number of his accounts, but a couple stand out. He said when they departed the plane at their first destination it felt like “stepping back 50 years in time”. He said the buildings were plain and clearly of shoddy construction (he was an engineer so he had an understanding of good construction practices); the streets were dirty and sparsely travelled (few people owned or could afford to drive a car in Russia at that time); and the typical person on the street had a haggard look, and as my friend observed, reminded him of a typical homeless person here in America. Beyond these initial impressions there was one other thing that really stood out for him. The nature of his trip required him to travel to some of the more industrialized cities. He observed that the air quality was horrible and in one city where copper smelting was taking place there actually was a yellowish cloud that hung over the city. He also observed that many of the rivers were extremely polluted and often smelled like an open sewer. Lastly, as a nuclear scientist, he observed that practices for the processing, handling and storage of nuclear materials were substantially below accepted practices and regulations that one would find in the United States. At that time this clearly was a country that did not respect the environment nor gave proper consideration to its people. As Russia has become more westernized, I suspect conditions have improved, but I have no doubt that vestiges of their communist past are still apparent.
I’ve touched on a number of considerations that I believe contribute to our American exceptionalism. But lastly, I would again reiterate that we are not perfect and we do not refrain from acknowledging that. Yes, we have significant challenges! Some will say that we still do not have a level playing field for all in this country, and I would agree. We are not where we want to be with respect to fairness and equality, but I would also contend that we will never stop trying to address these challenges or to reconcile our differences. I would offer that that too makes America an exceptional nation.