I wrote a long response. Erased most of it. Reread your post. Starting writing again. Deleted it, then thought maybe you would be interested in the thoughts of a random internet stranger after all.

It’s OK not to be “the greatest”.

Why is the US obsessed with this notion of being “the greatest country on earth”? Why is the phrase “leader of the free world” able to be used unironically?

Humanity doesn’t need to be a competition. And if it is a competition, who is judging and who decides the context? How do the effects of colonialism, slavery, and wars, weigh in on modern success?

That may start to sound anti-American, but I can assure you it’s not. It’s not a matter of not wanting to make the US better or abandoning my home country. It’s not a matter of not wanting the best for my fellow countrymen.

It’s about not thinking that being American inherently makes me better than other people on the planet.

The pragmatics of finding unity in this chaotic election season are more what I think you’re trying to do, but it hits on a very important issue that affects people abroad as much as it does at home.

Where does America fit in as a member of the international community and not a leader?