So what do we [Americans] do better than any one else???

[MazeRat7]

I saw this article on the ranking of American automobiles by consumer reports, and while not surprised, it got me to thinking. Given all the brew-ha-ha over port operations being handled by foreign companies because they deliver more "value" (according to the port authorities), the countless other stories about movement of our manufacturing base overseas, and our incessant appetite for low cost goods from other nations, etc, etc....

What are we the "best" at... besides making weapons and blowing shit up.

Seriously, about the only thing I can think of is tech (the Dell, HP, Apple, Intel, IBM, etc) that dominate the world tech market and finance (the Citibank, MBNA, etc).

Certainly we lag behind other nations in areas like health care, consumer products, durable goods, alternative energy, affordable housing, and a host of other things that are pretty basic to giving a society some kind of identity.

Have we lost our identity ? Do we no longer know what we do best ? Does anyone really care or are we so caught up in the "now" and "self" that these virtues receive, at best, a passing thought ?

So here is the question:
If you were ask by someone from another nation (or planet *grin) that knew nothing about America, "What is America known for...what do your people do best?" What would you say ?

A: Ummm...We are really good at blowing shit up?.... oh yeah, and we have "cool" but all the stuff we use to be "cool" we don't make...

mmmmmm.... they would say... "so your country is both destructive and consumptive... like a cancer ?"

MZr7

[burythehatchet]

1. We scream "WE'RE NUMBER 1" better than anyone

[smtpgirl]

2. I agree

and we throw the bullshit around too

[smtpgirl]

5. The world is clamoring

for our Tech stuff, I believe that THIS is what we do better than anyone.

I am in IT so I am partial

[daveskilt]

11. our tech stuff made in Taipan and supported in India

sorry, I was a tech guy 2 careers ago. In 2000, after I laid off the first 100 people it kind of made me sick.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

3. We are especially adept . . .

. . . at raping the planet.

:cry:

[Skinner]

4. Entertainment. (nt)

[LiberalEsto]

6. Hating

and acting superior

[New Government]

7. I would say

We are a young country. VERY young compared to say, France and Italy. Because of that, we are having growing pains. Look what we have accomplished in a little over 200 years. The list would be too long - it's undeniable. However, right now, the black hats are in power and many stupid, illegal, illogical things are being done in our name. But WE THE PEOPLE will take our government back. That's what I would say.

[annabanana]

23. We must be in our "surly adolescent" stage..

hormones raging, tempers flaring, poor impulse control..etc etc. (I've thought this for awhile)

Welcome to DU!:toast:

[dannofoot]

8. The Arts, actually.

As a manager in an Arts organization, I get all the stats on Arts attendance, performance numbers, etc.

There are more performing arts performed in the U.S, per capita, than anywhere else. That means more music, dance, opera, performance art, etc. Americans are, believe it or not, the leading global consumers of LIVE performing arts.

Of course, that audience still only represents around 40% of our population in a given year. Can you imagine what a little more arts education would do?

[NuttyFluffers]

35. wow, i would have never guessed that

that's kinda neat to find out. i would have expected it for modern music, considering all the concerts and how so many of the world's great bands have to end up touring here to really 'make it.' but dance, opera, performance art, etc. is quite a surprise.

is there a particular journal in which the layperson can see the stats? i go to school, so my university offers me access to plenty of research engines, i might be able to take a peek at it. and i think a little more arts education would be fantastic -- there's a lot of untapped potential in the american populace. a bit more understanding and inspiration from the arts and who knows what could be created here?

[daveskilt]

9. Marketing - Several folks predict it is ALL we will do by 2050

In several of my MBA classes I heard this quoted but because I was a lousy student I don't have my notes for the source. :)

Our only competitive edge is in selling shit. If I were more cynical I might suggest we are best at being mercenary propagandists. We will sell anything to anyone - Soap, rubber dog shit, phony war, puppet regimes, fast food - it is all the same to us. We can spin it and sell it.

I just realized I outed myself as a capatilist pig mentioning the MBA!

I am the socially liberal, fiscally conservative CEO that thinks fair wages are a moral value. In other words I am more opposed to bush than most since he is neither fiscally conservative nor compassionate. Does that make me a compassionate conservative? this is probably for another post one day when I feel brave enought to start a whole thread outing myself and preparing for the flames.

I just got to give 25 people raises and 2 people bonuses today- working on finding a way to 160 more raises - I love my job.

[NuttyFluffers]

38. don't worry, i think "fiscal conservative" is a partial misnomer.

i think people get hung up on the conservative part and get swept away in a wave of overlayed meaning from semantics. i prefer these terms to go with fiscal/money/economic: prudent, frugal, savvy, judicious, etc. these terms aren't so tightly overlapping to an unrelated political definition and thus prevent unneeded, unfair, and often improper self-labeling.

remember, one can be socially conscious and care about the greater community's good, and thus liberal (in some point in the spectrum of political governance), and also be good with a buck (economic governance). good trade doesn't exploit, it enhances. so, as long as you aren't exploitative, feel no shame in being trade savvy and profitable -- you're still as liberal as mom and apple pie. remember, trade has been around the world over since the beginning; capitalism is just one method of economic governance, it isn't the totality of the words trade and business (another conflation of terms that annoys and saddens me).

[daveskilt]

40. thanks - I used to get called a "free market socialist" back in B school

I always think of Bill Clinton as a socially liberal guy that was good with money.

[Chef]

10. # 1

Surprisingly, many of these automobiles are built in the US. So, is it the design and assembly that Honda, Toyota, Subaru, etc do better?

George Carlin said it best when he said our most important product is Bull Shit. The only problem is when we elect a bull shit president, who fights a bull shit war with a half a trillion bull shit military

[Junkdrawer]

12. Borrow Money. n/t

[Blue Belle]

13. Americans eat copious quantities of crap (junk food) ...

better that anyone else. We have the highest rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, etc.

[Spiffarino]

14. Initiative

We are better at finding our way out of a difficult situation than any nation I can think of.

I am more confident than ever that we will get ourselves out of this mess Bush and Co. have covered us in. Look at the poll numbers...Lincoln was absolutely right.

Don't let the last 5 years get you down on this country. It's better than you think. Sure, they'll try to steal the next election, and the one after that, too. They won't get away with it much longer because We The People are becoming wiser with every passing day. Stay tough.

[liberal N proud]

15. Destruction devices

America can build the best war machinery in the world. Tanks, Hummers, Planes and Ships.

[JNelson6563]

16. "Consuming" We're #1!! We're #1!!!

No one does it better, baby! :headbang:

[LincolnMcGrath]

17. Consumer Reports is full of Sh*t

Their studies leave a lot to be desired.

[Adelante]

18. I think the American postal system is great

Living in Mexico now, I am extremely aware now of just how excellent the American postal system is.

[pitohui]

42. yes our postal service is second to none

ha ha, i could tell a story here abt how i started receiving mail only 2 weeks after katrina, had to phone them and explain my house was not habitable and could they pretty please stop delivering my mail until i could come back

i couldn't believe how fast they got back on track, considering the main post office where mail was sorted was in downtown new orleans & was completely destroyed!

[demosincebirth]

19. Elect IDIOTS to the Presidency

[RoyGBiv]

20. It's a tie ...

It's a tie between whining and navel gazing. The Japanese run a close second in the latter, but we've edged them out over the last few years.

[Mist]

21. Good thing: Music Bad thing: obnoxious blowhard nationalism nt

[annabanana]

22. I used to think PR...

Not so sure anymore..

[doc03]

24. Consume

[KittyWampus]

25. Socially, we are one of the most, if not THE most, integrated.

America may have race problems but we are way more integrated then other countries.

[CornField]

26. I make one hell of a chicken fried steak

My cheesy taters aren't to shabby either.

[AnnieBW]

27. In the Words of John Crichton

of "Farscape"...Watch football.

[dorkulon]

28. 1. Bitch

2. Spend money

[tuckessee]

29. We kill people & break their stuff with amazing efficency.

And we like doing it.

Doesn't matter whom we kill or why as long as we can hide behind "duty" & "following orders".

[Warchild]

30. Squander Resources & Lead The World In Creating Waste...

..

[jschurchin]

31. Piss off the rest of the World

[ThatsMyBarack]

32. How about....?

1. Cell-phone usage.

2. Banning gay marriage.

:eyes:

[f-bush]

33. How about: Fuck up elections...

economicly rape other nations
be pushy assholes culturally around the world
are the number 1 war mongering pigs in the world

None of this will change unless we have a Democrat in the WH and Democratic House and Senate

[Marr]

34. High-speed pizza delivery.

I tip my hat to Neal Stephenson, who could describe the future's mood, if not it's face.

(Snowcrash is a very cool book).

[aaronbees]

36. Babbling on about freedom.

Keyword being babbling. I think many U.S. citizens have no idea what "freedom" really is; to many, and this is what disheartens me the most, it's having more fast food chains and TV channels.

[Tsiyu]

37. Blaming others

Wasting a lot of shit

Movies

[B Calm]

39. Our Right-Wing Activists Judges destroy workers rights better than

anywhere in the world!!

[pitohui]

41. hollywood and the movies

everybody prefers american movies to their own movies, probably even the space brothers

[Karenina]

43. Ignoring the truth

then denying it once its effects can no longer be ignored.