It's no secret that many parts of the world disapprove of the United States. The question that remains is why. There's a large difference between having an accurate understanding of what the United States stands for and disliking its principles and being misinformed. A friend of mine has taken it upon himself recently to argue for reinstating a branch of the government found archaic after the Cold War ended whose sole purpose was to promote America's brand worldwide.
The United States Information Agency was established "to understand, inform and influence foreign publics in promotion of the national interest, and to broaden the dialogue between Americans and U.S. institutions, and their counterparts abroad.” Many argue that in the twenty first century, we fight less wars based on territory and more based on ideology. So what greater weapon do we have than an information agency that effectively portrays America in a favorable light?
Critics of the agency have other things to say. Many argue that such propaganda is inappropriate in such a day and age and that the United States should not have to resort to tactics often used by countries we view as "shady" or "illegitimate".
The question remains - what methods do you think the United States should use to promote its image worldwide?
This might just be me being idealistic and naive, but I think the best way for America to win the favor of other countries is to actually BE a country that other nationas can respect. Obviously there will still be different views on things like politics and the economy, and I don't think the entire world will ever agree on a single lifestyle that is "best." But I think America can, and should, do better in terms of sticking to its principles and honoring its beliefs. Even if other countries won't necessarily agree with us, they can at least respect us for being open and honest.
ReplyDeleteGood point! My friend who recently decided to take it upon himself to argue in favor of this agency often cites the statistic over 50% of Egyptians and Jordanians blame a combination of the United States and Israel on the 9/11 attacks, and many people believe that George W. Bush created ISIS. I think my questionable feelings toward this idea stem from the idea of propaganda being marketed on the United State's behalf in general.
DeleteThe US is a country that often gets involved in global issues across seas when there are enough issues occurring on our home turf. For example, the Vietnam war riled up many young Americans who believed that the government should focus more energy and resources towards salvaging the economy rather than fighting in a war to deliver a quiet threat to the USSR. In order for the US to be viewed in a more positive light it is crucial the US government spends more time internally improving rather than imposing on global issues.
ReplyDeleteThe US is a country that often gets involved in global issues across seas when there are enough issues occurring on our home turf. For example, the Vietnam war riled up many young Americans who believed that the government should focus more energy and resources towards salvaging the economy rather than fighting in a war to deliver a quiet threat to the USSR. In order for the US to be viewed in a more positive light it is crucial the US government spends more time internally improving rather than imposing on global issues.
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