American Exceptionalism

I’ve always been critical of the concept of “American Exceptionalism” because I never really bought into the idea that someone lucky enough to be born here or migrate here is somehow better than another human being.

Why is an American life more important than an African one? Or a Middle Eastern one? Or an Iranian one? (What? Iranian was already covered by Middle Eastern? OK, fine, whatever doctor maps guy/lady, not the point.) Why would an American be inherently better in any way? “American Exceptionalism” always teetered a little too close to jingoism which is a tiny step away from tumbling off the cliff of xenophobia.

I was wrong. I was wrong because American Exceptionalism isn’t about one specific American. (Maybe, Chris Pratt, MAYBE) Yes, it’s true that a single American life is no more valuable than any other, a single American citizen is no smarter or stronger or better than any other. But America isn’t a bunch of individuals, we are a sum of our parts and that sum is indeed, exceptional. We are that melting pot that we always learned about as children. And that melting pot, that collection of diversity, that sum of our parts is what makes us stronger, smarter and better (Prattier).

I read an article today that cast our current times as another descent into darkness. It likened the combination of Putin, ISIS, Brexit and Donald Trump to the likes of the black plague, world wars, the collapse of the Roman Empire and the last two seasons of Dexter. It was well written (the article, not Dexter) and extremely terrifying. But I believe it underestimated us.

We are recovering from the greatest economic disaster since the great depression, we are seeing racial tensions as inflamed as they were during the civil rights movement, we are dealing with horrors and tragedies on a near daily basis to the point we have to question the core goodness of humanity in a way we haven’t since the holocaust.

But don’t underestimate us.

We can be there for each other in ways that we never could be before. I can help fund a friend go to a seminar to help reach their dreams, I can reach out to a stranger across the world and lend them my support, I can hear stories, see pictures and make real connections with people from incredibly different backgrounds, all without leaving my chair.

That “American Exceptionalism” that I used to discount is real. I know that now. But it’s not the result of a flag, or an army, or even a constitution. It’s that melting pot, that collection of diversity, that sum of our parts. And today, that sum extends beyond the borders to our North and South, beyond the Atlantic and Pacific, to every corner of the globe. Humanity is closer than ever, more in touch and more united.

“American Exceptionalism” helped the world get through some incredibly rough times in our history. Maybe our challenges today are as great, maybe the looming threats are as dangerous, but don’t underestimate us. Individually humans may be selfish, lazy, ignorant or weak, but together? Together we can be exceptional.