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Wishing each and every American a blessed 4th of July. The United States is an exceptional country and no American should take for granted the lottery of life that they won merely by being born in that country. Regardless of your political affiliation, a president is temporary and will never define the country any more than the robust private sector as well as the accomplishments, ambitions, charity, altruism, warmth, and resilience of the American people. America remains the global hub of innovation, entertainment, and academia. When I think of a dynamic society that is readily transparent about its flaws to a fault, receptive to change and development, I think of America. Unlike most European states, America isn't under the illusion that endless subsidies, bureaucratic bloating, and clientelism can keep the ball moving. America is the world's sole meritocracy, where diligent and conscientious work is all but guaranteed to yield a comfortable life in a safe, upper-middle-class suburb where people keep their garage doors open and allow their children to play outside until midnight. American research infrastructure, budgets, connections, corporate R&D, venture capital, and job markets are unparalleled. Billions of people on this planet would sacrifice anything to set their feet on American soil, let alone be born and raised there. Many people put their lives at jeopardy by doing so on a daily basis, making or attempting to make the treacherous journey through the Darien Gap of the Colombian-Panaman border.
My family comes from a third-world dictatorship and I've had the privilege of witnessing them reaching the American dream first-hand. Things I take for granted today were precious commodities for them. I was raised in a 70% Republican neighborhood in the South, and at all times, I was viewed solely as an individual who happened to have a non-Anglo-Saxon name and a member of the community, judged by my character and work ethic rather than my caste or creed. I am enamored with many aspects of life in Norway, but I will never earnestly feel a sense of belonging in the society here, I hit a dead end by constitutionally failing to fit the Norwegian mold. On paper, I did everything right, I speak Norwegian an at C2 fluency, Knausgaard's My Struggle series are one of my all-time favorite reads, yet the country has an idiosyncratic social code I've yet to fully decipher, there's an invisible barrier between ethnic Norwegians and me that has led my social circle to consist of fellow American or continental European expats. Western Oslo is home to several upper-middle-class communities with 1-2 million USD homes making it some of the most expensive real estate in the country. People there believe that their postal code is a referendum on their self-worth and are content to live in a dated wooden house that can be found for a third of the price on the opposite end of town, and the vast majority of people residing there would not be able to purchase a house in 2026; they typically pool in resources from their extended family, have inherited a residence, secretly live in a condo, or entered the housing market in the 1990s when it was not this oppressive. Despite Norway priding itself on being an egalitarian country, "keeping up with the Joneses" is much more of a thing here than virtually anywhere in the US. People here believe the opportunity cost of going into debt for some puffy vest and quarter-zips outweighs that of using their wealth for edifying and intellectually stimulating experiences. They vacation in the same tacky Spanish resorts that the lower-middle-class scourge 15 miles away does, rather than saving some funds for a trip to Cuzco or Singapore. The wealth in the suburbs of Indianapolis, Detroit, Columbus, Houston, and Dallas, which also share the same reputation of being flashy and stuck up in their respective metropolitan areas, feels much more meritocratic, as I know it is possible to be a homeowner there as a common man who righteously ascended the social ladder. Paradoxically, the average income in those communities is much higher than anywhere in Norway.
My time abroad in 26 countries has made me realize that every country has its fair share of pros and cons, and in that regard, grasping the extent to which America’s pros outweigh the cons has reinforced my American exceptionalism. America's cons are reversible and tractable, but the solid foundation remains intact. I dream of the day I get to return to the United States. I will drive a camper van from coast to coast, staying at KOA campgrounds. I will see the multitude of landscapes that the American national park system has on offer. I will marry a cute blonde Utahn girl at BYU before I begin my postgrad in an Ivy League institution. I can't wait to pay a measly $100 out-of-pocket monthly for world-class medical care.
"The tenets of American democracy are particularly cherished when you are not born with them but with deliberation and conviction adopt them for your own." -Marjorie Lynch
I had intended to write an effort post commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of independence. Instead I allowed myself to be distracted by kids, dogs, the world cup, and holiday festivities.
I appreciate your post both for it's content, and for providing me with an opportunity to hit some of the bullet points that I had wanted to hit without putting in the effort expected of a top-level post. I had wanted to start with a discussion of Justice Thomas' address to the students and Faculty of the University of Texas from a couple months ago (the address itself starts around 9:20 into the video). Specifically how he describes the distinction between treating ideals and principles as abstract intellectual concepts vs treating them as active forces. He talks about his experience growing up under Jim how and about how while the law may treat people unequally, the law can not make them unequal, only God can, and only you can take away your dignity. He talks about the United States being a "creedal nation", IE a nation defined by ideals rather than blood-lines or geography. Those ideals being the ones espoused in the Declaration of Independence and in the Preamble to the Constitution.
I agree with Justice Thomas' observation that those ideals have fallen into disfavor in recent years, especially amongst our so-called "experts" and "elite" as those ideals are dismissed as "unscientific" and "anti-technocratic". Like Justice Tomas I also find it troubling that patriotism and has been allowed to become a partisan issue. Gone it seems is "the loyal opposition" instead what we have are two factions. Those who seek to diminish the United States and the ideals espoused in the Declaration versus those who seek to embody and perpetuate them.
Count me among the latter.
Back in January I wrote a post about how "Allegiance" was something that I feel is sorely missing from the modern immigration debate and that is a post that I stand by. Recently there was a poll going around about how 55% of self-identified Democrats would prefer to live overseas, and I can't help but contrast that with what has easily become my new favorite genre of content which is foreign World Cup fans reacting to mundane Americana like Air Conditioning and Ranch Dressing. If you want to leave, I want you to leave. At the same time, if you are onboard with Baseball, Buc-ee's, and government by consent of the governed I welcome you with open arms.
Happy 250 to my fellow Americans, and here's to 250 more.
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