Essay On American Exceptionalism

The United States from its beginning has always been different. It has always been a uniquely free country in comparison to other countries. This is due to democracy and the idea of “God-given rights”. The country itself was founded on opportunity and individualism. These ideas make us different and it is labeled American Exceptionalism. According to Wikipedia, American Exceptionalism is based on three ideas. First, is the history of the United States. It is significantly different from that of other countries because America developed its ideas through years of hardship and learning. The second idea is the mission we have to change the world. The third idea is that this unique history gives us superiority over the rest of the world (2016). Exceptionalism means we are set apart from other countries, however, it is debated whether American exceptionalism is actually real. There are many suggestions as to why we are exceptional, for example , America was established on republican ideas and not the elite. Our government is designed to catch its own mistakes.
This debate has even been included in one of our most recent presidential debates. Stephen Walt, a journalist, stated this, it “explain[s] why all presidential candidates feel compelled to offer ritualistic paeans to America’s greatness and why President Barack Obama landed in hot water — most recently, from Mitt Romney — for saying that while he believed in "American exceptionalism," it was no different from "British exceptionalism," "Greek exceptionalism," or any other country’s brand of patriotic chest-thumping” (2011). The idea of Americans being far better than anyone else is mostly a myth in the eyes of people who disagree with American exceptionalism. Also, “by focusing on their supposedly exceptional qualities, Americans blind themselves to the ways that they are a lot like everyone else” (Walt,