To quote the viral video from HBO’s The Newsroom, “America is not the greatest country in the world anymore.” This is a clip from a fictional drama series, yes. But after some light research you’ll find the content is rooted in fact.
Further testing my patriotism, enter the current election for our next President. It’s been particularly eye-opening to observe from the outside. Currently living in Costa Rica, I am surrounded by people from elsewhere.
In the past six months, I couldn’t tell you how many people have asked, out of genuine curiosity, “what are the Americans thinking?” I am never able to really answer.
In speaking with people from countries including Canada, France, Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland, The UK, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ireland, Czech Republic, Belgium, Australia, South Africa, The Philippines and Sweden - to name a few I can recall - the general consensus has been “well, it seems Hillary would be better than Trump.”
Usually followed by a general confusion regarding things like the stark way people tend to identify with one of the two parties regardless of who the candidates are, or the petty personal attacks and stale talking points that riddle our airwaves from news broadcasts to commercials for literally months on end leading up to an election. Bottom line: most people, from anywhere else find it bizarre.
I recently presented at an annual conference in San Jose, Costa Rica geared toward North American’s preparing to move to Costa Rica. It boasted a record number of attendees this year, largely comprised of people from the US. On day one the opening presenter flipped to a slide with the two presidential candidates’ faces and asked “who’s looking for an alternative?” A roar of laughter and an auditorium full of hands held high in the air followed.
Newsflash: while we’re all arguing about the method in which immigrants enter, there are a record number of people choosing to leave the United States, and some even going as far as to renounce their citizenship.