Examples Of American Exceptionalism

Throughout America’s history, the government and people have a deeply felt sense of exceptionalism that is pervasive in all aspects of life. This exceptionalism has become increasingly apparent throughout US actions, especially when considering US foreign policy and intervention. As the US has become increasingly involved in foreign countries to push its values onto others, it becomes apparent that our values perhaps are not exceptional or even best suited for other countries. American exceptionalism exists within the consciousness of most US citizens and exerted upon foreigners in many capacities. However, when analyzed deeply by scholars or by citizens, it becomes apparently clear that American exceptionalism is not a reality. It is rather a fantasy that Americans perceive to justify and motivate their actions. Authors like McCoy, Hansen and Hunt all provide historical examples of how American exceptionalism is anything but exceptional.
To be exceptional, at some level, you must believe that you are also good. Along with being good and innocent, Americans often believe they are innocent in their actions. The reality is that Americans are not exceptional, good or innocent when it comes to much of its history and its current foreign policy. As Suzy Hansen says in her book Notes on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World, “American exceptionalism did not only define the United States as a special nation among lesser nations, it demanded that all Americans believe they, too, were born superior to others, a concept of goodness that requires the existence of evil for its own sustenance.“ These values were birthed from the beginning of the United States and are embedded within each citizen from their