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View Full Version : Jeff Daniels--We are not the greatest nation in the world anymore



Silo
10th March 2013, 18:52
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Freed Fox
10th March 2013, 19:00
From HBO's "The Newsroom". Good show, though it might make you a bit sick...

write4change
10th March 2013, 19:56
Gettomg down to it certainly stunns people to silence and changes the dynamics of the discussion but does it changing thinking? I have no idea at this point in my life.

rgray222
10th March 2013, 20:09
Gettomg down to it certainly stunns people to silence and changes the dynamics of the discussion but does it changing thinking? I have no idea at this point in my life.
Don't want to sound naive but not sure how is this clip suppose to change people's thinking. What would be the desired result of a change of thought from the video.
Thanks

johnf
10th March 2013, 20:17
I have seen this a few times, and I have come to the point where the shock value of the silly points the first speakers give contrasts with all the crap in this country, that Jeff Daniels character gives.
This piece is obviously calculated to bring ratings rather than to make a point about a very important thing.

Greatness is not a thing, it is not an object, or even a quality we can have as individuals or as nation or any group such as a family or say a forum. Perhaps America has never been a great country, (nor has any other), and teaching people that they live in a great country, believing ones country is great is exactly what leads to a people allowing rampant abuses, such as goes on with all countries.

Jeff Daniels character, at one point says we used to be, then lists actions that are good. Things that various people have engaged in that lead to the appearance of greatness.
Right action produces good effects, however if anything such as greatness exists, it only exists as a temporary relationship between the giver and receiver of right actions.
Basically this speech points out the choice to do the right thing, or to pretend to be special, because we are members of some group that inherently has some wonderful quality that doesn't require right action.