GOVT 329
William Whitley
1/16/20
Discussion Board: 1
In today’s modern world of insanity, it is easy to fall down the seemly never-ending
rabbit hole of Post-Modernism, which never ceases to twist definitions and subjectify truth. The
concept and history of American Exceptionalism is a perfect example of this notion. To many
Americans, largely millennials, America as well as its history and beliefs are rotten with evils
and should be considered to be unjust at its founding core. Furthermore, they also claim that it is
just a weak excuse for the United States to flex its global power. According to Levitz, “The
exceptionalist narrative is most dangerous for the way it implies that assertions of American
power on the world stage.”1 These notions are utter falsities, and while some may have a grain of
truth within them, they become not much more than hateful delusions when everything is placed
into the proper context.
Before sharing my own thoughts on American Exceptionalism, let’s first break some
things down. According to Ramrattan and Szenberg, “The idea of American Exceptionalism can
be traced back to Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America (1835). Tocqueville (1963),
after a 9-month exploration of American society, noted elements that distinguished it from other
societies.”2 Although its meaning can certainly be construed, there is a proper definition of
American Exceptionalism. Along with America’s unique work ethic and individualism, Gingrich
1 Levitz, Eric. “American Exceptionalism Is a Dangerous Myth.” Intelligencer. Intelligencer,
January 2, 2019. http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/01/american-exceptionalism-is-a-
dangerous-myth.html.
2Ramrattan, Lall B., and Michael Szenberg. “American Exceptionalism: An Appraisal—
Political, Economic, Qualitative, and Quantitative.” The American Economist 62, no. 2
(November 2016): 222–46. https://doi.org/10.1177/0569434516672793.
GOVT 329
William Whitley
1/16/20
adds, “The fundamental ideas of American Exceptionalism are found in the Declaration of
Independence.”3 However, there is something important to note here on the matter.
Just because America promotes its ideals, does not mean it is inherently better than other
nations. On that point, Murray writes that, “American exceptionalism does not imply American
excellence or superiority.”4 With all that established, let’s discuss my own experience with living
in America and if American Exceptionalism should still be considered relevant. On a personal
matter, I am extremely blessed to grow up with a loving family and developed a strong view of
America in where I recognize its mistakes, problems, and shortcomings, but still see its great and
goodness as the best country on earth. As I get older, I continue to see the prosperity of America
and how people can truly build themselves up from nothing. When you look back at the
Founding Fathers and the unique kind of government that they created, it is almost easy to see
how America has been a beam of light around world. In short, these are the reasons why I
strongly believe that American Exceptionalism is very relevant today. In fact, I do think that this
kind of understanding is desperately needed to help pull many Americans out of the societal hole
that they have fallen into.
3 Gingrich, Newt, and Vince Haley. A Nation like No Other: Why American Exceptionalism
Matters. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Pub., 2011, p. 17.
4 Murray, Charles A. American Exceptionalism: an Experiment in History. Washington, D.C.:
AEI Press, 2013, p. 6.
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
