I was tired when I wrote the post last night. I complete all the thoughts that I had last night.
I am an immigrant to America myself - although my family has deep roots here, my grandmother was born in Mineral Point, Wisconsin and that line of the family has roots that go back to the late 1600's.
I didn't know a lot about the USA when I came to college. Actually one of the reasons I came here for university was to learn more (to understand what it mean to be a Canadian culturally defined as unAmerican) I took a full year of of american history - two courses one pre-civil war and post civil war.
I learned about the mythology and reality of the American understanding of being a city on the hill and a light to the nations of the world. It took me about 10 years of living here to "get" the internal psychology of the place; to fully understand the American story and dream and how it is lived.
Canadians and others get upset about american exceptionalism. From the outside I can see why it doesn't seem that America should see itself as different then any other country. I am here and have lived here my whole adult life and I think it is. I know I am different for having come to this country and made my way. I am more entrepreneurial then I would have been had I stayed in Canada. I am working in an industry I never would have found in Canada.
I think Obama is an example of what is possible in American. When I learned about his story - it resonated with it and felt great like it was AMERICAN. I am really glad he is our president.
Related posts:
Unconference.net
We'd like to have you back here in Canada.
This a hopeful time.
I served on the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and worked side by side with great Americans who I admire and were forging America's place in the 21st century economy. Hey - I even organized the 4th of July celebrations! (that's my birthday)
Not once did any of those great Americans display the manifest destiny thing. We were there for the Hong Kong handover, a potent reminder of the British Empire.
I think that history will equate American exceptionalism, "city on the hill" thinking, etc. more with the last eight years than with the time ahead.
There is a lot of work to be done to turn the "light to nations" back on. I am willing to pitch in or would that require an exception?
I wonder if a Mountain View, Californian experience is typically American on a per capita basis.
I ask about Prop.8? Hopefully a boon to Toronto tourism.
Isn't there some good identity work being done in Canada? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrpajcAgR1E
Having a functioning democracy is great. Take is seriously. Remember what happened to Al Gore.
A democracy that makes Obama President is great too.
There was more than one "Welcome back to the world, America" party in Toronto on your election night.
Hope is good. It is essential to a positive economic system. But make no mistake, there are more people in the world right now who feel far more hope right now about their economic prospects than there are who believe in the American Dream. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U
You brought tears to my eyes. I never understood what "American exceptionalism" was until you used it in context. I suppose I always thought of it as some kind of political rhetoric and never looked at how that lands in the world.
But mostly I am commenting to let you know how delighte that you are among us and that you want to be here. You grace us by your presence.