American Exceptionalism

There isn’t much talk about American Exceptionalism just now, possibly because it is at the core of federal policies currently. The definition of exceptionalism (the belief that a nation, group, or ideology is an exception to a usual rule or trend or is exceptional in relation to others of the same kind) is a bit misleading as this is the application of the term to political entities. The term originated, of course, from religion.

The main point is that human beings are exceptions to every rule that governs the behavior of other animals because we were divinely created, don’t you know. I have always found this a bit of a weak tea argument because according to the religious, all plants and animals (and every damned other thing) were created by a divine being.

But those other creations weren’t made in “God’s Image.” So, we are exceptional! I know this is a bit of an aside, but “God’s Image” is a bit of a conundrum. So, if we were made in God’s image, is this god male or female? Or are we just excluding women as being “Made in God’s Image (Modified)” or “God’s Image, v2”)? Poor Eve (and then all women) don’t get no respect, I tells yuh.

It wasn’t that long ago that the religious refused to characterize human beings as animals. The distinction they were looking for was that humans were not to be dumped in with “dumb animals” but that distinction was too fine for the Unthinking, I guess. BTW, animals classified as dumb animals are so classified because they do not speak (a language, obviously many vocalize), not because they lack intelligence. If that were the case we would have to admit this country is current being lead by a troop of Dumb Animals. Maybe that is true because, even though they can speak, they are awfully damned dumb, as in stupid.

Okay, human exceptionalism was maintained as a philosophy so that we were not associated with other animals, we were “Special, dammit!” (“I told you so!” Shut up, Church Lady!)

So, the claim of American exceptionalism, which is actually damaging to America, comes from the foundation established by that religious claim and is yet another indicator that this country is one of the most backward religious countries in existence.

The reason that attitude is damaging to us is that we don’t accept evidence of policies that work like gangbusters in other countries, but don’t get implemented here, because we are exceptional, don’t you know. The rules don’t apply to us. And example is universal healthcare. It works in many other countries, but couldn’t possibly work here, because, well think of all those starving health insurance executives that would cause.

This attitude is rampant in the Republican Party, which from time to time dusts off their narrative of deferring federal policies to the states, letting the states be “laboratories for democracy.” But do we then take their advice for more general policies, hell, no. That ploy was just to prevent a federal policy the GOP didn’t like allowing their states to forbid it, presenting another roadblock to a comprehensive federal policy. And then there are religious exceptions to various tax laws, inoculation requirements, etc. for no good reason.

Exceptionalism in its political form needs to be binned for all time. It is a blanket claim that “the rules” don’t apply, with no argument as to why, just a kind of smokescreen for “God wants it that way.”