That's how all ruling classes and governments throughout history have operated. It's now just mask-off in a country that people mistakenly thought didn't do that sort of thing.
Yea agree. The US used to be good at making the world believe they're all about freedom and rights etc. Now they don't seem to even bother trying anymore.
I read a lot of anti-American comments like this one, mostly on American websites like Hacker News and Youtube.
I'd say the anti-American comments outnumber the pro-American ones something like 10 to 1.
The US may not be preaching about freedom and rights. But it seems to be practicing it, at least in the narrow sense that anti-American content isn't being censored or suppressed.
My "anti-American" comment is due to the difference between what's preached and what's practiced. "Leader of the free world", "greatest country on earth" etc. I also wouldn't characterize my comment as anti-American so much as disappointed in America.
There is of course more freedom in the US than in say China. But I'm also not holding up China as a beacon of freedom. The US on the other hand, the land of the free, freedoms and rights are being eroded.
>"Leader of the free world", "greatest country on earth" etc.
I don't see Americans referring to their country that way anymore. I think you're arguing with an interlocutor who peaked in the Reagan era and has been on a downtrend ever since.
Personally speaking, as an American, I don't want to lead the free world anymore. I don't want to be the "greatest country in the world" either. I'd rather the US just stick to solving its own problems, and let other countries solve theirs. The whole hero act has clearly been a mistake.
Leaving aside impact to the rest of the world, America being the "leader of the free world" has benefited it immensely. Majority of the global systems were built by Americans. Everything from military power projection to global reserve currency status to pop culture has not only given the US clout and power but also a lot of wealth.
Sticking to solve their own problems is how the Chinese declined into being the "sick man of Asia" hundreds of years ago.
GDP growth stayed on the same trend both before and after the US tried to "lead the free world" post-WW2.
>military power projection
That's a cost for us, not a benefit. I don't want my tax dollars to be "projecting power". I want them helping me and my fellow citizens.
>pop culture has not only given the US clout
The internet is awash in anti-American comments. Trying to "lead the free world" has destroyed our soft power.
>Sticking to solve their own problems is how the Chinese declined into being the "sick man of Asia" hundreds of years ago.
My preferred model is Switzerland, not Qing China. I'm not anti-modernization. I'm anti-imperialism. We shouldn't involve ourselves in wars or military alliances on other continents.
TLDR: The US military backs the dollar as international trade currency, which puts all other nations in a depending position to lend USD. This allowed the US to cheaply amass a gigantic debt that in turn allowed ridiculous (military) budgets.
Please dont answer something like "see, we are in debt for you", since the US got material stuff in return for a fiat currency that can they can devalue on demand but had been accepted on the basis of trust and stability.
Remember when "the market got the yippies" and trump chickened out of broad tarifs? It was also because of long term allies sending a signal by liquidating US bonds:
A continuing drop of bond yields could mean a collapse of the US national budgets. Thats the benedit you enjoyed for decades. Something other nations cannot do.
Also just FYI, use of sanctions against supposed bad actors like Russia has the effect of undermining the USD as a reserve currency. So it's going to go away eventually anyways. Maybe it's better to do it on our own terms.
I really don't think the US has any shortage of self-criticism. I am criticizing US policy at this very moment! It is you who defends current US policy and says it is good (for the US at least). I am the critic here.
But if you really believe what you're saying about self-criticism, that's evidence for my position that the US should not play world police. If we're incapable of self-criticism, we will do a bad job at world policing.
>TLDR: The US military backs the dollar as international trade currency, which puts all other nations in a depending position to lend USD. This allowed the US to cheaply amass a gigantic debt that in turn allowed ridiculous (military) budgets.
"There once was a fisherman relaxing on the beach, catching just enough fish to feed his family. A businessman told him he should work hard, hire employees, catch more fish, and grow a big company—then, after many years, he could retire and live a peaceful fisherman's life. The fisherman smiled and said, ‘But isn’t that what I’m doing right now?’"
Assuming you are right: We need the debt to fund our military. We need our military to borrow for our debt. Why are we playing this game, exactly? It's a cyclone of vice.
Personally, I think the USD would actually be a stronger reserve currency if we reduced international adventurism. This would reduce the incentive of other nations like Russia and Israel to interfere in our politics, and thus improve our institutional stability. Switzerland is very stable, and an attractive investment destination, because it is known to be neutral.
It's also not clear to me if reserve currency status is a good thing. It makes our exports less competitive, and increases our trade deficit. It's like eating cookies for every meal. Sure, you're getting a lot of calories. But it's not good for your health in the long term.
If you look at the GDP trendline, it's been the same regardless of USD reserve status. So I'm additionally just not sure this matters either way.
In any case, if you really believe what you are saying, you should be very happy about my advocacy, since it increases the chance that your nation's currency becomes the new reserve currency. Oh boy, your country might take on a ton of debt and become the new self-appointed world police, hated by all, with constant foreign interference in your politics! Isn't it grand?
Why are so worried, then, whether the world is anti-american or not? Why use that term, if you personally don't want see the world through nationalist optics?
I saw a commenter the other day here claiming that in EU, there are lot of "anti-american" far left sentiments. They weren't able to elaborate, who exactly that is; as someone on the left, I don't see it.
For example, I live in EU, I support DiEM25, and I am against NATO, as well as stopping other military activities. I also agree with Chomsky. Is any of this anti-american? How is then yibg's comment anti-american?
I guess you can't have it both ways - the american soft power (you seem to miss) came with exceptionalism. I agree that Switzerland is nice, but they simply don't have that soft power.
If people outside the US complain about what the US does, we should stop doing it. The fact that everyone complains about US foreign policy means we need to course-correct. No one complains about Swiss foreign policy.
I think we agree, since we're both against NATO. Not sure why you're trying to argue with me.
No, I think we agree, that's why I wonder why you use the word "anti-american". And I think you should consider not using it, as it's inappropriate* to use that word to denote just critics of american government or american foreign policy. I think people abroad who criticize these things recognize that not every American agrees with these policies, and mostly don't have any objection against ordinary Americans or their way of life.
*The issue is in American politics, especially on right-wing, the term "anti-american" is typically implies presumed hatred against ordinary Americans or their way of life. In other words, its meaning is about ethnicity, not a political view.
If you look at the Wikipedia page, my usage is fairly typical. It's a vague term which can be applied to critics of US foreign policy who want us to stop being the world police: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Americanism
>people abroad who criticize these things recognize that not every American agrees with these policies
Pretty common nowadays for all of the US to be blamed for Trump's election. See this discussion from the other day. No one outside the US said I shouldn't be blamed for the votes of my neighbors: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45035046
In any case, the original discussion is related to freedom of speech. The US is usually criticized more for this, regardless of how other countries are doing. See e.g. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/08/europe-fre... This represents an anti-American bias, which is due to our foreign policy.
Have you not been paying attention to what's been happening in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination? The government been foaming at the mouth and clamping down on everyone who dares say anything other than obsequious praise about him. ABC just tonight cancelled Jimmy Kimmel at the behest of the head of the FCC!
And I mean, it's not like this is new. The past two years have seen intense crackdowns on pro-Palestinian speech. Look at what happened to Mahmoud Khalil and Rümeysa Öztürk.
I have no particular opinion about those issues. I'm just pointing out the irony of people complaining about "US propaganda" on discussion platforms where the content is overwhelmingly anti-US.
> The US may not be preaching about freedom and rights. But it seems to be practicing it, at least in the narrow sense that anti-American content isn't being censored or suppressed.
People don’t seem to realize that none of these issues are a light switch, red or blue, left or right, my team vs your team; a template the system has worked hard to confine people into especially in the core of the empire, America, because it makes management easier.
It starts as early as childhood cartoons/movies. You are/project yourself as the righteous character and they are the zombies, bad guys, evil wizard, etc. Things are never that simple, but that’s why people are trained into this format. It’s easier managing things when you’ve constrained people into a duality and even intentionally set them against each other to distract.
What is confusing to people is that things like TikTok is like ranchers battling over control of the cattle. Most don’t realize they are not ranchers, as they graze and consume what they are fed to think and engage with.
Yes, indeed. As the current administration, any US administration in the last 30-40 or years in fact, is for a fact very pro-Israel, so a move like this can only cement that stance.
Yes exactly. The US government likes propaganda. They just don't like it when other countries do it.
That's how all ruling classes and governments throughout history have operated. It's now just mask-off in a country that people mistakenly thought didn't do that sort of thing.
Yea agree. The US used to be good at making the world believe they're all about freedom and rights etc. Now they don't seem to even bother trying anymore.
I read a lot of anti-American comments like this one, mostly on American websites like Hacker News and Youtube.
I'd say the anti-American comments outnumber the pro-American ones something like 10 to 1.
The US may not be preaching about freedom and rights. But it seems to be practicing it, at least in the narrow sense that anti-American content isn't being censored or suppressed.
Can't speak for others.
My "anti-American" comment is due to the difference between what's preached and what's practiced. "Leader of the free world", "greatest country on earth" etc. I also wouldn't characterize my comment as anti-American so much as disappointed in America.
There is of course more freedom in the US than in say China. But I'm also not holding up China as a beacon of freedom. The US on the other hand, the land of the free, freedoms and rights are being eroded.
>"Leader of the free world", "greatest country on earth" etc.
I don't see Americans referring to their country that way anymore. I think you're arguing with an interlocutor who peaked in the Reagan era and has been on a downtrend ever since.
Personally speaking, as an American, I don't want to lead the free world anymore. I don't want to be the "greatest country in the world" either. I'd rather the US just stick to solving its own problems, and let other countries solve theirs. The whole hero act has clearly been a mistake.
Leaving aside impact to the rest of the world, America being the "leader of the free world" has benefited it immensely. Majority of the global systems were built by Americans. Everything from military power projection to global reserve currency status to pop culture has not only given the US clout and power but also a lot of wealth.
Sticking to solve their own problems is how the Chinese declined into being the "sick man of Asia" hundreds of years ago.
>America being the "leader of the free world" has benefited it immensely.
It doesn't make a difference. See this graph: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/GDP_per_...
GDP growth stayed on the same trend both before and after the US tried to "lead the free world" post-WW2.
>military power projection
That's a cost for us, not a benefit. I don't want my tax dollars to be "projecting power". I want them helping me and my fellow citizens.
>pop culture has not only given the US clout
The internet is awash in anti-American comments. Trying to "lead the free world" has destroyed our soft power.
>Sticking to solve their own problems is how the Chinese declined into being the "sick man of Asia" hundreds of years ago.
My preferred model is Switzerland, not Qing China. I'm not anti-modernization. I'm anti-imperialism. We shouldn't involve ourselves in wars or military alliances on other continents.
> military power projection
> That's a cost for us, not a benefit.
If id get a cent for every US-american not understanding their hegemonial privilege...
(Sorry, shouldnt be an insult. Its just so prevalent and to me, a sign of lacking self criticism on a worringly massive scale.)
Eg:
https://business.columbia.edu/research-brief/dollars-dominan...
TLDR: The US military backs the dollar as international trade currency, which puts all other nations in a depending position to lend USD. This allowed the US to cheaply amass a gigantic debt that in turn allowed ridiculous (military) budgets.
Please dont answer something like "see, we are in debt for you", since the US got material stuff in return for a fiat currency that can they can devalue on demand but had been accepted on the basis of trust and stability.
Remember when "the market got the yippies" and trump chickened out of broad tarifs? It was also because of long term allies sending a signal by liquidating US bonds:
https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/government-bond-y...
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/15/us-treasurys-selloff-what-ha...
A continuing drop of bond yields could mean a collapse of the US national budgets. Thats the benedit you enjoyed for decades. Something other nations cannot do.
Also just FYI, use of sanctions against supposed bad actors like Russia has the effect of undermining the USD as a reserve currency. So it's going to go away eventually anyways. Maybe it's better to do it on our own terms.
>lacking self criticism
I really don't think the US has any shortage of self-criticism. I am criticizing US policy at this very moment! It is you who defends current US policy and says it is good (for the US at least). I am the critic here.
But if you really believe what you're saying about self-criticism, that's evidence for my position that the US should not play world police. If we're incapable of self-criticism, we will do a bad job at world policing.
>TLDR: The US military backs the dollar as international trade currency, which puts all other nations in a depending position to lend USD. This allowed the US to cheaply amass a gigantic debt that in turn allowed ridiculous (military) budgets.
"There once was a fisherman relaxing on the beach, catching just enough fish to feed his family. A businessman told him he should work hard, hire employees, catch more fish, and grow a big company—then, after many years, he could retire and live a peaceful fisherman's life. The fisherman smiled and said, ‘But isn’t that what I’m doing right now?’"
Assuming you are right: We need the debt to fund our military. We need our military to borrow for our debt. Why are we playing this game, exactly? It's a cyclone of vice.
Personally, I think the USD would actually be a stronger reserve currency if we reduced international adventurism. This would reduce the incentive of other nations like Russia and Israel to interfere in our politics, and thus improve our institutional stability. Switzerland is very stable, and an attractive investment destination, because it is known to be neutral.
It's also not clear to me if reserve currency status is a good thing. It makes our exports less competitive, and increases our trade deficit. It's like eating cookies for every meal. Sure, you're getting a lot of calories. But it's not good for your health in the long term.
If you look at the GDP trendline, it's been the same regardless of USD reserve status. So I'm additionally just not sure this matters either way.
In any case, if you really believe what you are saying, you should be very happy about my advocacy, since it increases the chance that your nation's currency becomes the new reserve currency. Oh boy, your country might take on a ton of debt and become the new self-appointed world police, hated by all, with constant foreign interference in your politics! Isn't it grand?
Why are so worried, then, whether the world is anti-american or not? Why use that term, if you personally don't want see the world through nationalist optics?
I saw a commenter the other day here claiming that in EU, there are lot of "anti-american" far left sentiments. They weren't able to elaborate, who exactly that is; as someone on the left, I don't see it.
For example, I live in EU, I support DiEM25, and I am against NATO, as well as stopping other military activities. I also agree with Chomsky. Is any of this anti-american? How is then yibg's comment anti-american?
I guess you can't have it both ways - the american soft power (you seem to miss) came with exceptionalism. I agree that Switzerland is nice, but they simply don't have that soft power.
If people outside the US complain about what the US does, we should stop doing it. The fact that everyone complains about US foreign policy means we need to course-correct. No one complains about Swiss foreign policy.
I think we agree, since we're both against NATO. Not sure why you're trying to argue with me.
According to swiss news orange man does in fact complain about swiss foreign policies to the American public.
News to me.
Ex. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/04/swiss-presid...
He literally made a personal point out of it calling the swiss president things in public.
I don't see any complaints about the Swiss policy of neutrality, which is what I want to adopt in the US.
No, I think we agree, that's why I wonder why you use the word "anti-american". And I think you should consider not using it, as it's inappropriate* to use that word to denote just critics of american government or american foreign policy. I think people abroad who criticize these things recognize that not every American agrees with these policies, and mostly don't have any objection against ordinary Americans or their way of life.
*The issue is in American politics, especially on right-wing, the term "anti-american" is typically implies presumed hatred against ordinary Americans or their way of life. In other words, its meaning is about ethnicity, not a political view.
If you look at the Wikipedia page, my usage is fairly typical. It's a vague term which can be applied to critics of US foreign policy who want us to stop being the world police: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Americanism
>people abroad who criticize these things recognize that not every American agrees with these policies
Pretty common nowadays for all of the US to be blamed for Trump's election. See this discussion from the other day. No one outside the US said I shouldn't be blamed for the votes of my neighbors: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45035046
In any case, the original discussion is related to freedom of speech. The US is usually criticized more for this, regardless of how other countries are doing. See e.g. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/08/europe-fre... This represents an anti-American bias, which is due to our foreign policy.
>its meaning is about ethnicity
"American" is not an ethnicity.
I'm not sure why people are downvoting this comment. Is it some sort of "beatings will continue until morale improves" thing?
...But the tithe has to keep coming.
> But it seems to be practicing it
This deal cuts the US off from worldwide content. Just like China does.
The US TikTok will literally be a bubble that the US gov controls. So it's not even pretending to practice 'freedom' here.
The acceptance of China on the world stage shows that this isn't a problem for most.
You can't criticize the US for taking an authoritarian turn while simultaneously doing more and more business with a totalitarian state.
> Just like China does.
this deal is a direct copy of the one China forced onto Microsoft MSN Messenger's China operation some 15 years ago. almost 100% the same.
Have you not been paying attention to what's been happening in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination? The government been foaming at the mouth and clamping down on everyone who dares say anything other than obsequious praise about him. ABC just tonight cancelled Jimmy Kimmel at the behest of the head of the FCC!
And I mean, it's not like this is new. The past two years have seen intense crackdowns on pro-Palestinian speech. Look at what happened to Mahmoud Khalil and Rümeysa Öztürk.
I have no particular opinion about those issues. I'm just pointing out the irony of people complaining about "US propaganda" on discussion platforms where the content is overwhelmingly anti-US.
I am referring to this assertion:
> The US may not be preaching about freedom and rights. But it seems to be practicing it, at least in the narrow sense that anti-American content isn't being censored or suppressed.
It's very likely that after a few of these comments you aren't getting a visa anymore. That is far from practiced freedom
That has been a long while ago since they stopped trying to portrait this image
You wrote this as a snarky rebuttal but you seem to be agreeing with OP? Confusing post.
I didn't realize I was agreeing with op tbh (and I'm still not certain)
People don’t seem to realize that none of these issues are a light switch, red or blue, left or right, my team vs your team; a template the system has worked hard to confine people into especially in the core of the empire, America, because it makes management easier.
It starts as early as childhood cartoons/movies. You are/project yourself as the righteous character and they are the zombies, bad guys, evil wizard, etc. Things are never that simple, but that’s why people are trained into this format. It’s easier managing things when you’ve constrained people into a duality and even intentionally set them against each other to distract.
What is confusing to people is that things like TikTok is like ranchers battling over control of the cattle. Most don’t realize they are not ranchers, as they graze and consume what they are fed to think and engage with.
I’m not a big TikTok user. Can you characterize the nature of the Chinese propaganda everyone keeps citing in reference to TikTok?
Yes, indeed. As the current administration, any US administration in the last 30-40 or years in fact, is for a fact very pro-Israel, so a move like this can only cement that stance.