• @DPUGT2
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    -122 years ago

    I have no idea what “greatest” means. It’s a superlative word, but implies no meaningful measurement that can be tested and verified.

    Also the word “believe” is problematic. “think” might be better. Or “hold the opinion”.

    Both of these points support the idea that you’re asking about an emotional state, rather than a intellectual position. Basically you’re asking “why do people like the place that they live and mindlessly cheer for it when sociologically appropriate moments for such displays become available”. That’s a question that answers itself, is it not?

      • @DPUGT2
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        -62 years ago

        No, it’s very difficult to understand. It’s basically brainless. Too many ambiguous words.

        For instance, can you define what it means if a country is “great”, or if it is the opposite of “great”? Would your definition match anyone else’s?

        • Halce
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          32 years ago

          OPs question is not about whether you can objectively define that a country is ‘’great’’ but rather what is it that constitutes their country as ‘’greatest’’ or exceptional in the (subjective) minds of many Americans nowadays?

          • @Liwott
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            2 years ago

            OPs question is not about whether you can objectively define that a country is ‘’great’’

            No, but its formulation seems to imply that there is such a definition, that the US obviously don’t satisfy it but that a lot of americans mistakenly believe that it does.

            Also, feels a bit strange that you address that response to the one comment (ok, one of the two ) that address that point rather than to any of the ones who assume that the US are objectively not a great country.

            • Halce
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              12 years ago

              No, but its formulation seems to imply that there is such a definition, that the US obviously don’t satisfy it but that a lot of americans mistakenly believe that it does.

              The definition doesn’t exist, but yet, yes, many Americans do believe it still.

              • @Liwott
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                12 years ago

                Right, maybe the question does make sense, but can we agree that it is very charged towards the opinion that holding the opinion that US are a great country is a mistake, hence pretty much delegitimizing any answer that would give legitimate reasons why americans could genuinly that their country is a great one, in favour of emotional answers like “because propaganda” and “because patriotism”?

        • @masu
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          2 years ago

          deleted by creator

          • @DPUGT2
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            -12 years ago

            I’m trying to point out something to you that you may never have realized. Certainly, no one else seems to notice it either.

            The word “great” is a meaningless word unless it is used carefully. It has no semantic content whatsoever when used in OP’s context. To use it in the question strongly implies that the question is asking about some emotional state. At which point, the question is “why do people like their homes”.

            That has more to do with monkey psychology than anything else, and is a dumb, nonsense question if you do understand it’s about monkey psychology and a dumb, nonsense question even if you don’t understand that.

            Other problematic words in the question also support my assertion.

            It may be that you’re lacking common sens

            What’s “common sense”? From the standpoint of sociology, that’s nothing more than universally accepted norms/belief systems. I’d be flattered to be told I lacked those, if only you were clever enough to have meant it.

            • @masu
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              2 years ago

              deleted by creator

        • Sr Estegosaurio
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          22 years ago

          English is not my mother tongue and as a rusty learner I can say that at least for me the question is pretty straight forward. Judging by your comment you have a way more level than the required in order to understand it