Back in 1780s the US constitution was an absolute marvel of progressiveness, but today, it is increadibly outdated and keeps the US political system back from making progress.

Not most unfortunately, that I learned a couple months ago. Most think their squalor is somehow peak civilization

You haven't met much of the rural population, have you?

The irony is rooted in reality, much like the stereotypes.

I've received quite a few hostile reactions when critiquing the US, including idiocy like "FU we have a bigger military" from blowhards.

There are, unfortunately, enough bad apples to spoil the bushel.

I like the clip, but IMO they basically bailed out in the end by all the nonsense quoted from the ~3:25 mark on.

Jeff basically makes it sound like the US used to be incredibly self-aware, humble, kind, and well-administrated, but I think what most Americans don't choose to understand is that since the very settling of the continent, it's been a highly fraught, contentious situation, much of it characterised by greed, cruelty, violence, intolerance and self-righteousness.

Now yes, from what I understand of history, under FDR we more or less hit a peak of being a well-run, progressive country, on the level of many modern Euro countries more or less, but most of that was specifically in response to the utter disaster of the Great Depression and the need to adjust powerfully, swiftly and accurately. Meanwhile, IIRC during his presidency, there was in fact a right-wing movement intending to remove him by underhanded means.

So I like the hopefulness of the clip, but in the end I also find it pretty typical of Americans being largely unwilling to understand the hows and whys of the nation, going back to the early 1600's.

Eh, sorry for the dang essay. :S

Man I forgot how good that show was