@Barbosa Libertus what makes a free market under one party like China the left? They dont even have a better medical program than Norway? Did you think labelling fascism and authoritarianism as left absolves other military rulers and dictatorships? It’s just about power and not left and right. See horse shoe theory. Extremists are extremists.
@Barbosa Libertus 60 million is a crazy high number that comes from Mao being horrible and in power for 27 years and from including deaths from failed policies that led to a eg. famine. If Hitler was in power for that long his numbers would be higher. Both suck by the way before you start ranting about the "left". And yes fascism in particular starts as ultra nationalism and conservatism.
While true I wouldn’t exactly limit this to the United States. Pretty much every nation does this, it’s just more noticeable with the USA as we are the most powerful nation in history.
@@thedukeofchutney468 That's why he say this: It's good when we do it because we are the "good" guys but it's bad if anyone else does it. Big example China. They do the same, they are not the "good" guys, it's bad if they do it.
@@jeramysteve3394 While not recent history, there was the the Trail of Tears and the internment camps for Japanese Americans. Additionally, for all the talk about "flipping the bird" on China, the American government and corporations make so much money from mainland China, namely expensive exports and outsourcing labor jobs.
I think John Walker is a more disturbing take on the Captain Super-American Exceptionalism. Walker is a guy who reasons his way into justifying horrific monstrosities for the sake of Defending America. Homelands is just a psycho who does whatever he wants and handles bad PR by spouting the magic Patriot words your not allowed to argue against, or just lazers critics in the face.
There is a flaw to your premise though, Walker didn’t reason his way into justifying horrific monstrosities, his action in killing the flag smasher was solely the reaction of someone who was traumatized after witnessing the murder of his friend. It’s not a take of American exceptionalism but rather one of a human being reacting as any human being might under the same circumstances.
@@nicanornunez9787 weird definition of genocide, also I didn’t know that the US sending 4 billion dollars a year to Central America in aid was genocide. Maybe we should stop that hmm
That’s the point, he’s the ideal that the US try’s to live up to. Name a nation that was given more power in history that was more benevolent than the US with it. We ain’t perfect but at least we try
@@jaggerpirtle3766 Are you daft ? America was involved in the overthrowing of legitimate democracies they don't like, installing brutal dictators and bombing brown ppl in illegal wars justified by absolute lies. That's historical FACT. Spare me the whitewashing mate. The American ideal has not met the American reality. Fucking hell, you supported coups just as recently as last year. Wake up.
I agree with this, vought is like shield without some sort of moral code and in a sense vought itself is scarier than homelander in the sense its real if you think of companies like Disney or google, monopolies, the real world super power
@@samanjj anybody who actually uses this analogy has never been hit with a sword. I believe in the analogy the issue is homelander constantly goes against what the pr department wants. The pr department actually comes off reasonable but homelander is literally unhinged
@@peewee130946 yep. That’s the trick. Use language to appear reasonable while actually being completely despicable. I had bombs and missiles drop around my home. How about you? I don’t mean to be esoteric so let me be more direct. Think hearts and minds. Visions, missions, and propaganda. Laws, culture, and belief. This is the pen. The sword comes after. If the sword comes before it cannot sustain for long, and if the pen never comes, the sword will not sustain at all.
The ending of this video reminds me of Mr. World’s salsa quote in American Gods: “Of course they have a choice between spicy, chunky, and mild. Of course! *But they are buying salsa”*
@@hcxpl1 that even if you have a choice in the slight differences of what you can get at the end of the day the base is the same. It’s surface level differences
@@hcxpl1 In the context of this video, the two companies that produced the Boys and TFAWS give you choice to believe what future American national exceptionalism is in store: one where it’s unchangeable, and one where we can change if we accept our past. YOU have a choice which future to accept, but that choice is given to you by the people who (literally) run the show.
Yeah, that's what bothers me about the recent Marvel material. The preaching is way too on the nose. As if senators and corporate tycoons would listen to that lecture and go, "Oh thanks I never thought of that. I will now immediately cease my corrupt, profiteering behavior." Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with creators pouring their opinions into their stories. Just do it better in a way that isn't a literal speech. Like. Have some artistry. Use symbols and themes.
@@mowgli6345 you need to remember Disney aims their content for the lowest common denominator. I remember yesterday my brother telling me in an exaggerated tone how this shows (falcon and the winter soldier and loki) feel like they were written by 15 year olds and that's exactly correct in the sense that this shows are meant to be digestible even to 15 year olds (or even younger)
Whoa, whoa, whoa. There were a lot of bad things happening throughout the 40s, but big band standards and jazz was NOT one of them. Setting musical preferences aside, this was a missed opportunity to highlight the growing acceptance, popularity and appropriation of early jazz by mainstream culture as another demonstrable crack in the wall of racially-charged American Exceptionalism. The counter-cultural black jazz scene sported levels of racial heterogeneity that were unheard of at the time and was about as punk rock as it could get back then.
@@thomasmullaney3472 *black America. During his peak, Duke Ellington was one of the highest-paid individuals in the country, as a black man. And despite white artists definitely being a part of early jazz, it is inescapably a black creation.
@@DJKokaKola why does it have to be separate? America is America, there is no "black America" same as there is no white America. You're part of the problem to why this country is so divided.
I'm unsure if there's ever going to be an ethical American military, but what I would say is important is the ability to have critical speech of institutions so that ethical failings can be addressed. There's never going to be a shining city on a hill, there never was, but we don't have to be brainwashed into thinking what isn't true. As Steve said, it's about choice, and you can only be an ethical paragon if you choose to be one.
The impossibility of an ethical military was part of the reason they were supposed to be under the command of a civilian. The idea was that having the President and his secretary of defense be civilians would act as a leash on the military. Unfortunately this only works when those civilians are moral enough to keep the military under control.
@@eduardopantoja9115 It should be the job of Congress to declare war and conduct operations, sadly everything that is for "national security" is just blindly accepted. The NDAA is a must pass bill without many even seeing what the fuck is inside it every year.
"Doing whatever you like" being a WORSE alternative to blind altruism is itself a very American idea, so guilt-tripping yourself over being "selfish" is just another American exceptionalist view. It exists so the population can act indignant towards the government and wash their hands from that devil of their own making, in the name and by the means of democracy, saying it's "the government" doing all this shit while the culture is where the government is borne off of. American voters are lauded as the pinnacle of free speech, and the only people required to being ASKED if there's anything right or wrong in what "the government" is doing. USA's invasions are only held to the scrutiny of "did it offend the sensibility of voters", making moral questions NOT the result of finding GENUINE TRUTH through open dialogue, but a simple opinion poll. It is NOT EVEN "might makes right" which would justify acting as the world police, but a spineless aversion to admit that the democratic power we use ACTUALLY is OUR power when we use it and do evil. In particular, for this very reason, the american voter bombs civilians in dictatorships in order to "democratize" them, because having no vote those people are like non-human to the democratic system. America not only controls a vast amount of very unscrupulously acquired lebensraum, but also it is essential that it will only hold a mere 1/3 billion people, that can be nicely retrofitted to having the correct opinions. The key factor is not to to censor people outright, but to make opinions unthinkable to begin with, especially by refering to them with irrational, emotional rhetoric like "disgusting". Being a felon and losing your voting right makes you conveniently a "disgusting" person, who may not be ALLOWED to choose between... Hillary and Trump? Or else some holy American integrity is compromised by these nasty votes. Of course it doesn't REALLY matter that American democracy is run on people who include 20% of all the world's prisoners. That's right, being in prison AT ALL is 1 in 5 chance that the governemnt you legally disagreed with is United States of America. The "country" is just a way to justify a massive economic locus, buyers and sellers whose profits all flow to USA from all the way to Afganistan where the REAL border is being "protected", while USA only has to ensure any basic level of safety to some 330 million of them, with frequent drops to prison and under the poverty line with no hope of low crime rates anyway. And this keeps people busy enough that when the polling day comes, all the voter has to think about is "more shit for me!" Cheaper gas etc. is all that it amounts to, or having the world's top chance of having your criminal neighbor already shot or imprisoned so "self-defense" should be pretty low effort.
Ethical military used to be a thing. Remember WWII? And WWI? USA saved the world twice last century. But in the process, a few big corporations discovered that war can be mighty profitable and they perfected the recipe quickly turning into the military industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us about in his last speech as President. And the problem is not necessarily with these corporations because they fulfil their role of making money. The problem is the money they get to spend on politicians, legally in the USA, and get them to start wars for them (or never end them). And that's one side of the coin. The other side is the foreign policy actions not relying on Pentagon, such as regime changes, support for dictators, espionage, propaganda, sabotage, assassinations (legal by the US law) etc. That's Machiavellian realpolitiks and every country does it, at least the less violent part of it. The US should just admit that their politics are as egotistical and amoral as anyone else's and thus de-fang anything Putin could accurately say about it. But instead of that you got idiot Biden asking "what if American influenced other countries elections"...
Are we all gonna ignore how Steve Rogers actively fought against democratic oversight? Sure it's explained away by saying the politicians are all corrupt anyway and Steve obviously has strong morals, but it's still a rejection of democracy.
@@TimTYT Yeah. That's who Cap is. He's done that a number of times in comics too. And it isn't "explained away." That's the reasoning. The people he was listening to turned out to not be good people and him, as a good person, decided to do better. Hopefully, you took this in the most non-hostile tone lol it's the internet so you never know.
@@TimTYT Democracy through elections have inherent flaws, despite being better than authoritarianism. I personally believe that we have the concept right, but not the means. Elections aren't the best way. An alternative that in theory is better would be a lottacracy. It still has democratic elements, in that its rule by the people, but it does away with elections and rather through random selection. Anybody is eligible at a certain age, and you still have a choice to accept being a member of the assembly. But because anybody can be a member, the assembly is forced to cater to everyone, else the next assembly change it. This allows for a much more dynamic means of governing.
@@TimTYT the US isn't a democracy it is a republic with democratic elements. If you actually knew about the country instead of just going off of what the news never shuts up about you would know that
"terrible music" is only ever spoken by the dimwitted and disrespectful. in all seriousness, with statements like that, i'm never coming back to Wisecrack. i remember when the hosts were at least respectful and didn't clamber onto dodgy topics just for clickbait. this isn't philosophy, this is pick 'n' mix.
I definitely like the way these characters are being portrayed in recent years. Homelander and US Agent being projections of what their societies want them to be rather than how they actually are. Clark Kent and Steve Rogers are genuinely good guys who do good because its the right thing to do whereas Homelander and US Agent are doing everything for a flag and are both fake versions of what the US government wants to be perceived as
I would say Homelander doesn't give a shit and is just playing a part. He's more an example of consumerism in capitalism. US Agent is an average dude trying to do the right thing and failing cuz he's just a good soldier. He's not cap. But to his credit he said he's not trying to be. He's just trying to do the right thing
@@ybyby3rdday Homelander though is trying to put on a mask for the people. They all love him and he plays into what they want him to he despite him not actually caring. A neat comparison would be Red Son Superman who yes is fighting for the totalitarian Soviet Union but he himself is still a good guy and does what he thinks is good
I feel like John Walker was written well as just a guy trying to do good. When he killed the guy in front of the world with Captain America's shield, it was bad optics, but he had just seen his best friend-- who had been through hell and back with him-- die not even 30 minutes earlier. It was a realistic reaction, and the show plays with this idea that he's losing his grip and going down a pure path of vengeance and wrath, especially with the talk about how the serum just makes you more of who you are. But then! When he later has the choice to save lives or pursue the person at the head of this organization, the person who killed his best friend, he chose to save lives. In the end, he did the right thing, but he's unknowingly walking right into the hands of the wrong people. John Walker wants to be a good guy. Homelander's just a narcissistic shit with god-like power.
Actually none of them stand for any of those. They all represent a liberal writers perception of the glorified tropes they perceive to be old fashioned and conservative. You might be right in the focus of each character but at their core they are an idealized still negative version because it’s almost a backhanded slight in the liberals eyes to be seen as America white male or conservative let alone all at once lol I wish we would get better writers but the diversity of thought is over lol
@@randomdude189 dude, I agree with you on most but that can't be all true, given that most of the characters were made before america got less diverse.
Yeah I think it's trying to imply....keep your hair or you'll end up looking like these guys (as if it's a bad thing) but honestly I didn't even notice that they didn't have hair until the advert and its not like it doesn't suit them.
falcon and winter soldier was very whitewashed. "guys, be nice! america is still the best, u just have to talk to the politicians. that always works. no being mean!"
@@ggs27 eh I just don't think marvel is ready to make any stance. sometimes I wish they just wouldn't even try to touch these subjects if they too afraid to actually go in
@@losisd3ad I agree. Although some political commentary would be nice, that's not the reason I watch these shows or movies. Maybe it is better for them to not make anything too strong
Corporations commit atrocities and are never held accountable, so yeah The Boys is closer to our reality sadly. Would be nice if "the good guys" and optimism usually won out like in the MCU.
@@Spongebrain97 I disagree. While not exactly like his comic counterpart, Walker in the show is overall like he is in the comics. In both the show and the comics he really wanted live up to Steve Rogers but was unable to and in both he lost the job because he murdered villains who killed people close to him. In the comics it was his parents who were murdered and it was a group of people he murdered, not just one. I still say the John Walker we see in the show is more inspired by the comics than The Boys.
Because people don't always think in chronological terms... Examples include (but are not limited to...): Timberwolf came before Wolverine, yet, if you put them side by side, & try to explain Timberwolf to people, they'll often make the assumption that he's a ripoff version of Wolverine... The iPad wasn't the first tablet, yet, some people will swear to you that it was... It's easy for people to assume things, based on what they THINK they KNOW, even if you present them with absolute proof that they're wrong, chronological terms aren't a factor for some people...😁
I do find the anti-capitalism commentary in The Boys to be hilariously ironic given the show is made by Amazon. By its logic of how superheroes are agents of corporations, then shouldn't its characters be mercenaries under the employ of a big corporation as well? Especially given the amount of product placement in it. As people have pointed out, The Boys still has more seasons to go but I'm not onboard with the "nothing ever changes" argument, which granted I don't think is the message the show will end on. Things do change. Change is an ongoing battle that doesn't happen easily. If people stop your efforts to push for change, then you have to keep pushing harder and never stop. Which is a good lesson to take away from Falcon and Winter Soldier. Change isn't easy, attempting to bring about change is scary because you might fail, but you can't let the fear of failure stop you from trying. Plus what the kind of message would "nothing ever changes" be to end the show on? Conclude the series with a theme that it's futile to ever try to any good because you'll fail? That is the kind attitude that allows people to get away with things in real life. Also I find that The Boys criticizing the violence in America's foreign policy to be undermined by its endorsement of its leads playing judge jury and executioner. It says that is wrong for the government to do that, but it's okay for private citizens as long as they kill people working for an evil corporation. Especially because private citizens resorting to vigilante justice like that in America's history haven't been people fighting back against oppression, they have been oppressors who kill the oppressed. Hell our introduction to Homelander sees him essentially commit murder against a criminal he could have stopped non-lethally, and the show doesn't act like he did anything wrong. This show says it's okay to trust our safety to people who judge jury and executioner as long as they only kill bad guys.
Capitalists will try and make money off anything, if being a Leninist was profitable and popular and media pushing anti capitalist rhetoric made money then it would happen.
@@lainiwakura1776 A comic that completely undermined its "superheroes are bad" message because its main characters had superpowers. Granted the show also does that since its protagonists are still Punisher style vigilantes with the leader being a pastiche of the Punisher, not to mention they have a couple of superheroes as their allies. So really it's message isn't so much "superheroes are bad" as it is "superheroes are bad, except for the kind the series' creator approves of."
American exceptionalism is an interesting phenomenon to observe from the outside. It seems that the part of the population that genuinely believes in it crosses over pretty neatly with the part of the population that doesn't own a passport. British exceptionalism, Arab exceptionalism and Spanish exceptionalism before it was of course no different. Hubris is a symptom of political entropy.
I mean, considering how conservatives think Captain America questioning whether the American Dream is achievable is too much critique, I wouldn't show them any of this.
But isn't that question self answerable. Not everyone has achieved the American dream but enough people have achieved it for us to know that it is achievable. A prime example is Oprah Winfrey.
So nice to be a libertarian and watch the two ends of the political spectrum shit talk each other into oblivion, while us reasonable people enjoy the life we have to live
I think that any discussion about John Walker is incomplete without discussing how he represents our Military Hero Complex, and how destructive it is, and the governments treatment of its veterans. Cap turned himself into a Shield to defend the weak. John is a Sword that the U.S. Government forged themselves, and then punished for cutting things apart.
I'm from Argentina and worked as a tour guide in Buenos Aires, I remember a family, that was pretty republican/conservative, talking about how horrible the military government was during the 70's and they couldn't belive how that was possible. In that moment, the 10 years old son from that family said: Mom, we supported the government during those years. Actually we supported all military governments in South America during that time. When I'm working, I usually try to avoid the role of the states in this kind of things, but in that moment I started to nervously smile because I was gonna have a real intense conversation. Point is: the problem of a country is not its people, if its government and how we, the people, don't hold them accountable for what they do
US citizen here, I'm really sorry how my government just keeps during this, they always say we need to learn from our mistakes from the past and prevent doing the same thing in the future, yet our politicians learn from the past and yet keeps repeating them. I will say this I love my country, but I really passionately from my blood to my bones hate my government
@@mi-lo4ec hey, thanks for your reply! It's a nice gesture, very kind. It's kinda sad because I even met American people who said they were Canadians because they heard we don't like America.... I think the problem is when you mix the nationality with the person, people aren't defined from they were born; of course that gives you/takes away opportunities, but it what a person does what defines them. Honestly we don't care were someone is from, it's stupid if you think a nation's history defines a person beforehand
@@cadenglass1387 I'm not denying that, but however what I am saying why are we keep doings these coups and yet we are telling people that its a bad thing, so why are we still doing this?
John Walker is what Erskine warned Steve not to become, the perfect soldier, not a good man. I think the state of America was summed up with John Walker honestly; a blond blue eyed bootleg reminding us of the “good old days” despite the fact that underneath it all is a ruse.
American exceptionalism was implemented in the collective mind of the US by the people in economical and political power. The rational behind it was surly nothing new. All the Empires trough history had (and to some degree still have) their own version of exceptionalism. The very first time, when a human tribe set out to expand their influence and conquer resources from their neighboring tribes, was probably also the first time this idea was utilities to rally up the tribe. It is as simple as it is powerful: if enough people in any given tribe (or country) think that the are actually (and in some twisted logic) verifiably better than all the other tribes, they will rob, they will enslave, they will kill. And everything without a guilty conscience. They will think it's for the glory or survival of their tribe. But the ones in power know it's nether for glory nor survival, it is for profit. Or like one would maybe phrase it nowadays: it's Business. That is also the reason why The Boys commentary on American exceptionalism is a lot better and more genuine than Falcon and Winter Soldiers commentary. It dares to depict the economical interests underlying the mystified self-concept of the United States.
Expect the United States is self sufficent in oil and is one of the least dependent nations on international trade on Earth. The idea that the US is waging war for economic and financial ends is laughable considering they gain absolutely nothing from it financially.
@@8jijjoo126 don't say that from your China assembly smartphone, who works on a Taiwan chip. Everything you eat, wear, etc is from another country. self sufficent was always a myth. There were news this week about a terrible dependence of natural rubber from Asia. Etc.
Being an American I understand that America isn't perfect but one of the best freedoms we have is to (peacefully) point out when it is acting un-American. If you think there is a problem, stand up, tell the nation what you think is wrong. The inventions of both the Internet and phones with both access to the internet and cameras has made getting your voice out easier then ever.
Greg! I was wondering if we might ever see you again! I may have missed a video before now where you appeared, but it's good to see you're still around!
In a way, the critique, especially in FATWS, is that any Captain America, regardless of how good they are as a person, is still representing an extremely flawed institution.
"You know what's as bad as Nazis? Desperate citizens doing anything they can to fight back against an untouchable super power that controls their lives without caring about them" -- I get really sick of this intensely bad take. Fighting back against violent oppression does not make you "Just as bad" as your oppressors, it's telling those who've been beaten down they better not dare try to save themselves. That they'd better wait for another rich powerful oppressing force to roll in and do the violence for them, that way they can be indebted to them!
I agree, although I understand what Greg was getting at. Greg said "desperate groups of people who resort to terrorism might be, well, Nazi-adjacent." A better phrasing would be to argue desperate groups of people who resort to terrorism and use the same "ends justify the means" logic that oppressors use often lead to fascism and further oppression. Historical examples include the French Revolution, Soviet Revolution, Chinese Revolution, etc. Group of people fighting for a just cause leading to worse conditions than they started out due to lack of self-restraint.
His argument that Zemo's argument is a stand-in for what the showrunners are saying also sort of falls flat for me. Zemo says that Steve Rogers was a true hero, but that all other super-powered individuals were supremacist; I doubt that the writers of an MCU show believe that. Also, Zemo used to lead a Sokovian government sponsored death squad and killed T'Chaka, so you have to take into account that EVERYTHING HE SAYS IS A LIE.
@@isaacium The Russian Revolution and Chinese Revolution did not actually lead to worse conditions than they started out with though - living standards in the USSR and PRC were higher than before, even with all of the abuses of their governments. In addition, on most metrics the average Russian had lower living standards after the break up of the USSR and the economic shock of privatization.
Yes, they said the Nazi German scientist was deprogrammed so their brain power could be harnessed for the Cold war. That German technology couldn't be wasted.
True American Exceptionalism no one owns or controls, it's an idea/ideal to inspire and live up to. Homelander is what happens when Corporations try to patent, market, and sell American Exceptionalism. It's not just corporate greed driving it either, living up to an ideal is hard work and one might fail along the way, in their wealth and safety Americans have grown fat with comfort and so try to pass off their responsibility and/or desire to reach the ideal by virtue signaling whether that's through social media, or in Homelander's case worshiping him, buying his merch, going to movies, etc.
Considering the fact that any high production value critique of America is going to invariable come to the conclusion nothing needs/can change, it will always fall short of honesty.
Doesn’t matter if it’s American Exceptionalism or American Imperialism. Americans will always be American centrics. Every foreign interest will always be seen through the American lenses and the idea that other countries don’t act in their own interests will always prevail in the West.
I’m sorry but this reads like “People see things from their perspective it’s not ok” Like that is how most people in most countries think from the lense of being from that country
Please guys make the analysis of the Cadmus arc form justice league unlimited. It is amazing it is like civil war, injustice, batman tas, superman tas, the incredibles, watchmen, the good/evil, the government, the authorities, the power of the superheroes and the government. The question, huntress, green arrow, Amanda Waller, superman and batman are amazing. And the speech of Shazam sorry the speech of Capitan Marvel is awesome
That would be great, but to do Cadmus justice, you need all the lead-up from Superman TAS (esp Clark's evolving relationship with Star Labs, and the big invasion from Apokolips/Darkseid controlling Supes). The best thing about DCAU Justice League is that it builds organically on literally years' worth of character & plot development for maximum dramatic payoff. (I weep that the DCEU will never really achieve that, and even the Arrowverse only barely hit that level with Earth X & Crisis.)
@@ShadowSonic2 I'm pretty sure the writers have gone on record saying that the reason for Brainiac coming up again was because they had legitimately no idea how to wrap up the Cadmus arc (I believe you can find this in one of the JLU Retrospective videos by J's Reviews, or whatever his name was, great stuff). Even if you are not a fan of his return, you have to admit there was some setup instead of an instantaneous resurrection. Luthor's kryptonite cancer being healed and his super strength being indicators of something going on, because if he could cure his cancer on his own he'd just say he did. EDIT: Forgot to mention Luthor being shot by Brainiac which caused a copy to be stored in him in the first place, which is believable enough given it's a DC cartoon. Also fitting two of Superman's most dangerous enemies join together and form a formidable obstacle.
But What If: America is a Shining City on the Hill - Just not Shining like Bejeweled Walls, Roads of Gold, & Buildings of Silver- Instead Shining like a Giant Dumpster Fire.
Uncle Albert: with great power comes...... Rick: you mean with great power comes great responsibility? Uncle Albert: well i was gonna say b*tches, but if you want to stay a virgin forever.
The American exceptionalism is that the world knows lots about the "USA" but AMERICA knows very little about the world. How many Americans are watching a Spanish RUclips channel right now? And how many of us watching this channel are American
I think the difference is who they fought for. All 3 got their power through the institution, but where John and Homelander blindly follow these institutions and fight for their interests, Steve realized that the institution was corrupt and must be stopped, even if that conflicts with his own identity.
Does anybody knows of any other exceptionalism because I find it very strange that a country teaches that it is the best. In fact the very concept of a best country sounds extremely stupid.
@@ilikestuff9250 No it is different. American exceptionalism is part of the curriculum that is taught to children. For us it may happen through parents and media if they are conservative. But as a formal concept that is taught to children it doesn't exist. Although the current government is trying to get elements of that into curriculum so that may happen in the near future but up until now that has not been the case.
@@homosapien5156 True enough But even Schools other countries don't exactly talk of the wrong we've done as a people at least till you reach 11th by which point the majority move to subjects which teach them nothing about the country.. I wish we'd learn of India's military excesses so we could combat this issue in a healthier manner.. It took till college for educational books to even broach the topic
@@ilikestuff9250 That's true. But I think the NCERT curriculum for social science in 9th and 10th is very good. I feel there should be 2 objectives of studying social science. One is understanding the world around us and knowing how we got here. The second is learning about terrible events, why they happened and learning from that so we can prevent that from happening again. And I think our curriculum does very well in that respect. Although there is definitely scope for improvement especially in the topics you mentioned.
It's painful to watch this video knowing that they're getting the concept of "American Exceptionalism" wrong every time they use it. The word "exceptional" has multiple meanings, and when it was first employed in the context of "American Exceptionalism", it wasn't about "being the best", necessarily; but rather, that the rules don't apply. Whatever was true in Europe, or in those indigenous or colonial places, doesn't necessarily mean anything over here, in America. The idea was an answer to a public discussion about rules of thumb that we can conclude anyway, so technically "exceptionalism" is a good argument to apply to everywhere, but especially to somewhere that's different in any important way. And that makes a lot of sense, to this day.
John Walker is actually a pretty tragic character he gets tasked with a job he's not qualified for he's just a soldier with no powers (not even sci fi adjacent training like black widow) just a special shield going up against super powered beings, Sam and Bucky needle and dismiss him as a joke, he loses his best friend who was was even more poorly equipped to do the job lacking any sci fi weapons. Then after being court martialed instead of becoming a punisher like sociopath or even the just the asshole he's usually depicted as in the comics he shows up in the grand finale to graciously help Bucky & Sam and while he just wants to be part of the team they still view him with contempt.
"Is this exceptionalism this exceptionalism actually a fantasy?" ... a question with an answer so obvious that it's offensive to the concept of questions.
Superman as depicted in the 1970's movies & when he first debued in the 1930's represents America in a nutshell. A well meaning, wholesome, liberty & justice loving immigrant.
I'm shocked to see a mainstream channel like this talk about the military industrial complex. Unsurprisingly a LOT of people struggle with making the blatant connections (like in The Boys, the US funding our supposed enemies). Well done! Keep it up!
@@ninjatortise8958 I highly encourage you to read up on America's military industrial complex and why it would be a bit of a mistake to compare it to any other country's
@@dripshameless5605 This is stupid. The military industry is like 11th when it comes to lobbyng or something. And it's by a wide margin. Biotechnology dwarfs the military industrial complex. Clark Kent is a farmer he's a better representative of what you pretend to care about. Private interest groups dwarf it too. You like this awnser because it's a simple answer to a complex question that you can roll out to make yourself sound smart. When you know Jack shit about this subject. I know that because I know more about the subject, and I don't know Jack shit about it.
I think to say that Modern America is exactly like Homelander is a bit extreme. To say American Exceptionalism means the entire world must criticize America and only America is disingenuous as well. The world likes to act as if America is the only one with seedy corporate self interest, and that it isn't a problem that Governments of the world face. I believe that for all of our country's faults, we are still among the freest, with the most rights and liberties. We have the freedom to critique our government without fear, the freedom the choose, be who we want to be, and still find some place to be accepted. These aren't liberties that many other countries have. If we are to critique America on the world scale, our allies and other first world countries should be critiqued on the world scale all the same. Maybe people would find that our countries aren't so different. Our history may be grim, but world history is grim, and all we can do is forge forward to be a better world as a whole. Nothing is ever Black and White.
Well it's not other countries illegally occupying Syrian oil wells to continue stealing Syrian oil after a failed attempt to bomb jihadists into power.
@@Eltener123 I could give you countless swept under the rug, or rarely spoken of cases of British and French Shell corporations vying for middle eastern oil by hiring mercenaries and smash and grabbing land from Iraqi and Iranian groups to lessen the impact of oil dependency on middle eastern governments and corporations. A vast majority of NATO/EU country counter-terror in the middle east is to reclaim land for Oil Production, the US has NEVER been alone on this. The problem will never be fixed if everyone assigns blame to one party and never holds any accountability, and politicians from every nation have done this from the start.
@@Rapier1-1 I agree about US never being alone on committing atrocities but the fact of the matter is that the US is also like the oldest sibling to all first world nations; if one day the US decides to not to commit foreign intervention anymore and make sure no other first world country does it either; do you think anyone would be brave enough to do it?
To say Captain America was war propaganda is a gross misunderstanding. Jack Kirby created the comic more as a call for America to do something about Adolf Hitler at a time when America refused to get involved and remain neutral, see he was Jewish and to hear about what was happening to Jewish people in Germany upset him and he wanted something done about it. In short, the Captain America comic wasn't propaganda but rather a plea.
It's not a "gross misunderstanding." Captain America falls under the definition of propaganda, since it promotes a specific cause to mobilize political action. He's not using the term maliciously.
American is definitely Homelander. I love the boys because it is by far the most realistic take on how superheroes would operate in the real world. My favorite quote would be from Stormfront, "People like what I say! They just don't like the word Nazi."
Both of these shows remind me of the Superman comic "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?", which really took a bit of a deep dive into these issues. Probably one of the best modern Superman comic storylines, imo.
Love America! Grew up watching GI Joe, Rambo, and loved Hulk Hogan. Now I just want us to stop with the imperialism, get health care for people, and pay them a wage that covers at least basic needs.
I'm guessing some people here have heard the phrase "Pax Americana", referring to the unpreceded levels of peace and prosperity in the world in recent decades, a peace enforced by America. Yes, there is still war, and America itself isn't perfect, but things are better now than they were at any point in history. There is statistically less war around the world than ever before, and people live longer, physically healthier lives. As soon as Pax America ends, maybe because China overtakes America, people are going to miss the good old days, especially any countries that are currently protected by America whom America withdraws its protection from. The things nations like China and North Korea may well do to nations like South Korea are unthinkable to us now, but things could get very bleak in the future. On account of Pax Americana, and America's previous victories over totalitarian regimes, I would say that, although America isn't perfect, it is exceptional.
More like America is the lesser of two evils. Unlike conservatives believe, you can still be patriotic while acknowledging the united state's systemic evil. "Liberty and justice for all" was never actually intended for "all" by those who created it, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't strive to turn that negative into a positive. Actual change will come about when a sensible person in the right place at the right time gets tired of all the hypocrisy of elites and corporations and turns the rage of entire generations into a movement that will bring the actual American dream to life. It's only a matter of time.
This episode reminds me of the two-part mini-series run of Uncle Sam by Vertigo that asks the same question about American exceptionalism and if our ideals and image can be salvaged.
🤣🤣🤣 this is the Thug notes Channel. They change the name a long time ago the second they started doing other shows. To be Fair, they never truly gave Thug Notes a proper send-off. I hope they bring it back on her time for like a proper send-off. Maybe on the Channel's anniversary or something since it did start off as Thug Notes.
Nobody can deny the US having been the vessel for so many improvements in human society and technology. What we shouldn't do is think that means anything without justice.
U.S. Army: Yes, my foregin fellas, we have come to save you... Random civilian: Hurray, is the United Estates! U.S. Army: ...FROM YOURSELVES!!! Random civilian: Oh no, it's the United States!
If we were to become more inward looking the private interests would be more interested in carving up the states and more West Virginia would be created on their behalf
7:48 nothing is like see the dictator of your own country for feel like a banana republic. But our dictator in particular is because of Nixon and the CIA
I always viewed the relationship between Homelander and Stormfront to be a bit of a nod to how ultranationalism tends to flirt with fascism.
Ohh they went beyond flirting and got married a looong time ago
@Barbosa Libertus what makes a free market under one party like China the left? They dont even have a better medical program than Norway? Did you think labelling fascism and authoritarianism as left absolves other military rulers and dictatorships? It’s just about power and not left and right. See horse shoe theory. Extremists are extremists.
@Barbosa Libertus finally someone says it
@Barbosa Libertus 60 million is a crazy high number that comes from Mao being horrible and in power for 27 years and from including deaths from failed policies that led to a eg. famine. If Hitler was in power for that long his numbers would be higher. Both suck by the way before you start ranting about the "left". And yes fascism in particular starts as ultra nationalism and conservatism.
@Barbosa Libertus Wasn't aware babies born without a brain were viable. Please, tell me, how you managed to survive for so long?
Maybe the real American Exceptionalism is the oil we find along the way.
Good comment
@@Biblioconto Pretty sure that was implied
I still pay $3 for gas so.....
@@Neojhun more of a statement that if it was about oil why am I still paying so much
Maybe it's also the countries we invade along the way
American Exceptionalism: "It's good when we do it because we are the good guys but it's bad if anyone else does it."
While true I wouldn’t exactly limit this to the United States. Pretty much every nation does this, it’s just more noticeable with the USA as we are the most powerful nation in history.
@@thedukeofchutney468 That's why he say this: It's good when we do it because we are the "good" guys but it's bad if anyone else does it.
Big example China. They do the same, they are not the "good" guys, it's bad if they do it.
@@jeramysteve3394
While not recent history, there was the the Trail of Tears and the internment camps for Japanese Americans. Additionally, for all the talk about "flipping the bird" on China, the American government and corporations make so much money from mainland China, namely expensive exports and outsourcing labor jobs.
That's not Exceceptiomalism per se. It's tribalism.
@@chikitronrx0 I think you're missing the point. Every country thinks they're the good guys, therefore it's okay when they do it. Not just America.
I think John Walker is a more disturbing take on the Captain Super-American Exceptionalism. Walker is a guy who reasons his way into justifying horrific monstrosities for the sake of Defending America. Homelands is just a psycho who does whatever he wants and handles bad PR by spouting the magic Patriot words your not allowed to argue against, or just lazers critics in the face.
Homelander IS America. He doesn't serve America, he's our avatar.
"just a psycho who does whatever he wants" no, he is much worse than that.
@@ashesmandalay1762 Just like the part where he kills innocents because he can.
You are vastly underestimating Homelander, he let a plane full of people crash just so supes can be considered for the military.
There is a flaw to your premise though, Walker didn’t reason his way into justifying horrific monstrosities, his action in killing the flag smasher was solely the reaction of someone who was traumatized after witnessing the murder of his friend. It’s not a take of American exceptionalism but rather one of a human being reacting as any human being might under the same circumstances.
As a non-American, we get SO much more of a Homelander impression from the USA. “Steve Rogers” America sounds like unrealistic patriotism.
Captain America is how the see themselves. Homelander is what they're like to the rest of the world.
Homelander, the kind of country will genocide for bananas
@@nicanornunez9787 weird definition of genocide, also I didn’t know that the US sending 4 billion dollars a year to Central America in aid was genocide. Maybe we should stop that hmm
That’s the point, he’s the ideal that the US try’s to live up to. Name a nation that was given more power in history that was more benevolent than the US with it. We ain’t perfect but at least we try
@@jaggerpirtle3766
Are you daft ?
America was involved in the overthrowing of legitimate democracies they don't like, installing brutal dictators and bombing brown ppl in illegal wars justified by absolute lies.
That's historical FACT.
Spare me the whitewashing mate.
The American ideal has not met the American reality.
Fucking hell, you supported coups just as recently as last year.
Wake up.
I've always feared the Pr department of Vought even more than Homelander himself.
I agree in your sentiment. The pen is more powerful than the sword. Some don’t realise that the pen controls the sword.
@@samanjj amazing
I agree with this, vought is like shield without some sort of moral code and in a sense vought itself is scarier than homelander in the sense its real if you think of companies like Disney or google, monopolies, the real world super power
@@samanjj anybody who actually uses this analogy has never been hit with a sword. I believe in the analogy the issue is homelander constantly goes against what the pr department wants. The pr department actually comes off reasonable but homelander is literally unhinged
@@peewee130946 yep. That’s the trick. Use language to appear reasonable while actually being completely despicable. I had bombs and missiles drop around my home. How about you? I don’t mean to be esoteric so let me be more direct. Think hearts and minds. Visions, missions, and propaganda. Laws, culture, and belief. This is the pen. The sword comes after. If the sword comes before it cannot sustain for long, and if the pen never comes, the sword will not sustain at all.
The ending of this video reminds me of Mr. World’s salsa quote in American Gods: “Of course they have a choice between spicy, chunky, and mild. Of course! *But they are buying salsa”*
I'm sorry, but what does that mean?
@@hcxpl1 that even if you have a choice in the slight differences of what you can get at the end of the day the base is the same. It’s surface level differences
@@ashv8253 Oh, basically politics, now I get it, thx
A big fat corporate demon with a sock puppet on each hand that squabble over trivial shit, and you get to pick which one wins.
@@hcxpl1 In the context of this video, the two companies that produced the Boys and TFAWS give you choice to believe what future American national exceptionalism is in store: one where it’s unchangeable, and one where we can change if we accept our past.
YOU have a choice which future to accept, but that choice is given to you by the people who (literally) run the show.
"I beleive we can do better," he said to a collection of corporate tycoons. Like they would actually give a shit about what's better.
I think the important part is him telling them that in front of cameras
Yeah, that's what bothers me about the recent Marvel material. The preaching is way too on the nose. As if senators and corporate tycoons would listen to that lecture and go, "Oh thanks I never thought of that. I will now immediately cease my corrupt, profiteering behavior."
Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with creators pouring their opinions into their stories. Just do it better in a way that isn't a literal speech. Like. Have some artistry. Use symbols and themes.
@@mowgli6345 it could be a little more subtle.
@@mowgli6345 you need to remember Disney aims their content for the lowest common denominator. I remember yesterday my brother telling me in an exaggerated tone how this shows (falcon and the winter soldier and loki) feel like they were written by 15 year olds and that's exactly correct in the sense that this shows are meant to be digestible even to 15 year olds (or even younger)
@@novakaizr exactly
I rarely comment on any RUclips video but I’m glad to see Greg, he’s the one that got me into the wisecrack channel back in 2013!
@sijjiin Same. Greg is one of the greatest code-switchers ever. It makes his analyses truly brilliant.
"Maybe the only thing that America is truly exceptional at is irony"
bravo, sir!
Whoa, whoa, whoa. There were a lot of bad things happening throughout the 40s, but big band standards and jazz was NOT one of them.
Setting musical preferences aside, this was a missed opportunity to highlight the growing acceptance, popularity and appropriation of early jazz by mainstream culture as another demonstrable crack in the wall of racially-charged American Exceptionalism.
The counter-cultural black jazz scene sported levels of racial heterogeneity that were unheard of at the time and was about as punk rock as it could get back then.
Let's get this more likes!
Yeah for real one of the biggest influences America ever produced.
@@thomasmullaney3472 *black America. During his peak, Duke Ellington was one of the highest-paid individuals in the country, as a black man. And despite white artists definitely being a part of early jazz, it is inescapably a black creation.
@@DJKokaKola 'tis correct
@@DJKokaKola why does it have to be separate? America is America, there is no "black America" same as there is no white America. You're part of the problem to why this country is so divided.
I'm unsure if there's ever going to be an ethical American military, but what I would say is important is the ability to have critical speech of institutions so that ethical failings can be addressed. There's never going to be a shining city on a hill, there never was, but we don't have to be brainwashed into thinking what isn't true. As Steve said, it's about choice, and you can only be an ethical paragon if you choose to be one.
The impossibility of an ethical military was part of the reason they were supposed to be under the command of a civilian. The idea was that having the President and his secretary of defense be civilians would act as a leash on the military. Unfortunately this only works when those civilians are moral enough to keep the military under control.
@@Nostripe361 So in basic terms if everyone isn't responsible then the military will fuck up
@@eduardopantoja9115 It should be the job of Congress to declare war and conduct operations, sadly everything that is for "national security" is just blindly accepted. The NDAA is a must pass bill without many even seeing what the fuck is inside it every year.
"Doing whatever you like" being a WORSE alternative to blind altruism is itself a very American idea, so guilt-tripping yourself over being "selfish" is just another American exceptionalist view. It exists so the population can act indignant towards the government and wash their hands from that devil of their own making, in the name and by the means of democracy, saying it's "the government" doing all this shit while the culture is where the government is borne off of.
American voters are lauded as the pinnacle of free speech, and the only people required to being ASKED if there's anything right or wrong in what "the government" is doing. USA's invasions are only held to the scrutiny of "did it offend the sensibility of voters", making moral questions NOT the result of finding GENUINE TRUTH through open dialogue, but a simple opinion poll. It is NOT EVEN "might makes right" which would justify acting as the world police, but a spineless aversion to admit that the democratic power we use ACTUALLY is OUR power when we use it and do evil. In particular, for this very reason, the american voter bombs civilians in dictatorships in order to "democratize" them, because having no vote those people are like non-human to the democratic system.
America not only controls a vast amount of very unscrupulously acquired lebensraum, but also it is essential that it will only hold a mere 1/3 billion people, that can be nicely retrofitted to having the correct opinions. The key factor is not to to censor people outright, but to make opinions unthinkable to begin with, especially by refering to them with irrational, emotional rhetoric like "disgusting". Being a felon and losing your voting right makes you conveniently a "disgusting" person, who may not be ALLOWED to choose between... Hillary and Trump? Or else some holy American integrity is compromised by these nasty votes.
Of course it doesn't REALLY matter that American democracy is run on people who include 20% of all the world's prisoners. That's right, being in prison AT ALL is 1 in 5 chance that the governemnt you legally disagreed with is United States of America. The "country" is just a way to justify a massive economic locus, buyers and sellers whose profits all flow to USA from all the way to Afganistan where the REAL border is being "protected", while USA only has to ensure any basic level of safety to some 330 million of them, with frequent drops to prison and under the poverty line with no hope of low crime rates anyway. And this keeps people busy enough that when the polling day comes, all the voter has to think about is "more shit for me!" Cheaper gas etc. is all that it amounts to, or having the world's top chance of having your criminal neighbor already shot or imprisoned so "self-defense" should be pretty low effort.
Ethical military used to be a thing. Remember WWII? And WWI? USA saved the world twice last century.
But in the process, a few big corporations discovered that war can be mighty profitable and they perfected the recipe quickly turning into the military industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us about in his last speech as President.
And the problem is not necessarily with these corporations because they fulfil their role of making money. The problem is the money they get to spend on politicians, legally in the USA, and get them to start wars for them (or never end them).
And that's one side of the coin. The other side is the foreign policy actions not relying on Pentagon, such as regime changes, support for dictators, espionage, propaganda, sabotage, assassinations (legal by the US law) etc. That's Machiavellian realpolitiks and every country does it, at least the less violent part of it. The US should just admit that their politics are as egotistical and amoral as anyone else's and thus de-fang anything Putin could accurately say about it. But instead of that you got idiot Biden asking "what if American influenced other countries elections"...
A wise man once said “Steve Rogers is what America should be and strive to be, John walker is what America is.”
Are we all gonna ignore how Steve Rogers actively fought against democratic oversight? Sure it's explained away by saying the politicians are all corrupt anyway and Steve obviously has strong morals, but it's still a rejection of democracy.
@@TimTYT Yeah. That's who Cap is. He's done that a number of times in comics too. And it isn't "explained away." That's the reasoning. The people he was listening to turned out to not be good people and him, as a good person, decided to do better.
Hopefully, you took this in the most non-hostile tone lol it's the internet so you never know.
John walker is great
@@TimTYT Democracy through elections have inherent flaws, despite being better than authoritarianism. I personally believe that we have the concept right, but not the means. Elections aren't the best way. An alternative that in theory is better would be a lottacracy. It still has democratic elements, in that its rule by the people, but it does away with elections and rather through random selection. Anybody is eligible at a certain age, and you still have a choice to accept being a member of the assembly. But because anybody can be a member, the assembly is forced to cater to everyone, else the next assembly change it. This allows for a much more dynamic means of governing.
@@TimTYT the US isn't a democracy it is a republic with democratic elements. If you actually knew about the country instead of just going off of what the news never shuts up about you would know that
I love that you pointed out the fact that both these shows (and their messages) are produced by two of the biggest companies in the world. The IRONY!
Cough, cough* Maybe they should practice what they preach and try and make positive changes rather then lobbying for their bottom line.
'...slow dance to terrible music.'
Pump the breaks, Greg. Pump the f*cking breaks, SIR!
Ikr?
Only time I didn’t agree with the man
I'm glad someone finally said it.
I swear I tear up every time the song comes up
"terrible music" is only ever spoken by the dimwitted and disrespectful.
in all seriousness, with statements like that, i'm never coming back to Wisecrack. i remember when the hosts were at least respectful and didn't clamber onto dodgy topics just for clickbait.
this isn't philosophy, this is pick 'n' mix.
I definitely like the way these characters are being portrayed in recent years. Homelander and US Agent being projections of what their societies want them to be rather than how they actually are. Clark Kent and Steve Rogers are genuinely good guys who do good because its the right thing to do whereas Homelander and US Agent are doing everything for a flag and are both fake versions of what the US government wants to be perceived as
Homelander and US Agent are like accurate versions of what the US government actually is.
I would say Homelander doesn't give a shit and is just playing a part. He's more an example of consumerism in capitalism. US Agent is an average dude trying to do the right thing and failing cuz he's just a good soldier. He's not cap. But to his credit he said he's not trying to be. He's just trying to do the right thing
@@ybyby3rdday Homelander though is trying to put on a mask for the people. They all love him and he plays into what they want him to he despite him not actually caring. A neat comparison would be Red Son Superman who yes is fighting for the totalitarian Soviet Union but he himself is still a good guy and does what he thinks is good
@@Spongebrain97 yes, exactly. I'd say he's a mirror opposite of Red Son Superman
I feel like John Walker was written well as just a guy trying to do good. When he killed the guy in front of the world with Captain America's shield, it was bad optics, but he had just seen his best friend-- who had been through hell and back with him-- die not even 30 minutes earlier. It was a realistic reaction, and the show plays with this idea that he's losing his grip and going down a pure path of vengeance and wrath, especially with the talk about how the serum just makes you more of who you are.
But then! When he later has the choice to save lives or pursue the person at the head of this organization, the person who killed his best friend, he chose to save lives. In the end, he did the right thing, but he's unknowingly walking right into the hands of the wrong people.
John Walker wants to be a good guy. Homelander's just a narcissistic shit with god-like power.
Everything is better with Greg!
word, insta like
Absolutely
Totally agree. Love this dude
I miss thug notes
Agreed. But he’s the wrong person to be doing the keeps advertising
Steve stands for American values. Walker stands for the American government. Homelander stands for the American corporatism.
Actually none of them stand for any of those. They all represent a liberal writers perception of the glorified tropes they perceive to be old fashioned and conservative. You might be right in the focus of each character but at their core they are an idealized still negative version because it’s almost a backhanded slight in the liberals eyes to be seen as America white male or conservative let alone all at once lol I wish we would get better writers but the diversity of thought is over lol
@@randomdude189 dude, I agree with you on most but that can't be all true, given that most of the characters were made before america got less diverse.
@@randomdude189 If you are concerned with better writing, perhaps some punctuation and less "lol"ing.
@@anomiceleven it's the youtube comment section, not an award-winning movie script.
@@Li01018 I imagine someone complaining about the quality of writing should be able to write. Silly me.
"So he could slow dance to terrible music." Watch it, them's fighting words right there.
Was gonna say 😂😂 Bout to throw hands ngl
I love how they keep marketing hair products with bald men.
I think it’s intentional. I have my theory
@@HydratedBeans Minoxidil existed in 1990, when Michael was five(?) or six(?) years old. Was Michael already bald at so young an age?
As a fellow bald guy I love the irony
Yeah I think it's trying to imply....keep your hair or you'll end up looking like these guys (as if it's a bad thing) but honestly I didn't even notice that they didn't have hair until the advert and its not like it doesn't suit them.
Hate to say it, but The Boys is a lot more accurate to how shit goes than Falcon and Winter Soldier.
falcon and winter soldier was very whitewashed. "guys, be nice! america is still the best, u just have to talk to the politicians. that always works. no being mean!"
I think that if it wasn't handled by Disney it would have been a much different story
@@ggs27 eh I just don't think marvel is ready to make any stance. sometimes I wish they just wouldn't even try to touch these subjects if they too afraid to actually go in
@@losisd3ad I agree. Although some political commentary would be nice, that's not the reason I watch these shows or movies. Maybe it is better for them to not make anything too strong
Corporations commit atrocities and are never held accountable, so yeah The Boys is closer to our reality sadly. Would be nice if "the good guys" and optimism usually won out like in the MCU.
Me: Thank you for changing my life.
Greg: I literally make thug notes about pop culture.
Meme format.
Why “thug” notes?…
@@Beeontree that was an old segment on the channel
Why would anyone consider John Walker a knock off Homelander when John Walker predates Homelander by around 30 years?
Yeah the character is older but the mannerisms and vibes of this new version of the character mirror Homelander, albeit not exactly
@@Spongebrain97 I disagree. While not exactly like his comic counterpart, Walker in the show is overall like he is in the comics. In both the show and the comics he really wanted live up to Steve Rogers but was unable to and in both he lost the job because he murdered villains who killed people close to him. In the comics it was his parents who were murdered and it was a group of people he murdered, not just one. I still say the John Walker we see in the show is more inspired by the comics than The Boys.
Because people only care about what they've heard of recently, like how anytime there is any nudity in something, it's trying to be like GoT.
Because people don't always think in chronological terms... Examples include (but are not limited to...):
Timberwolf came before Wolverine, yet, if you put them side by side, & try to explain Timberwolf to people, they'll often make the assumption that he's a ripoff version of Wolverine... The iPad wasn't the first tablet, yet, some people will swear to you that it was...
It's easy for people to assume things, based on what they THINK they KNOW, even if you present them with absolute proof that they're wrong, chronological terms aren't a factor for some people...😁
Neither is history and logic pal
I do find the anti-capitalism commentary in The Boys to be hilariously ironic given the show is made by Amazon. By its logic of how superheroes are agents of corporations, then shouldn't its characters be mercenaries under the employ of a big corporation as well? Especially given the amount of product placement in it.
As people have pointed out, The Boys still has more seasons to go but I'm not onboard with the "nothing ever changes" argument, which granted I don't think is the message the show will end on. Things do change. Change is an ongoing battle that doesn't happen easily. If people stop your efforts to push for change, then you have to keep pushing harder and never stop. Which is a good lesson to take away from Falcon and Winter Soldier. Change isn't easy, attempting to bring about change is scary because you might fail, but you can't let the fear of failure stop you from trying.
Plus what the kind of message would "nothing ever changes" be to end the show on? Conclude the series with a theme that it's futile to ever try to any good because you'll fail? That is the kind attitude that allows people to get away with things in real life.
Also I find that The Boys criticizing the violence in America's foreign policy to be undermined by its endorsement of its leads playing judge jury and executioner. It says that is wrong for the government to do that, but it's okay for private citizens as long as they kill people working for an evil corporation. Especially because private citizens resorting to vigilante justice like that in America's history haven't been people fighting back against oppression, they have been oppressors who kill the oppressed.
Hell our introduction to Homelander sees him essentially commit murder against a criminal he could have stopped non-lethally, and the show doesn't act like he did anything wrong. This show says it's okay to trust our safety to people who judge jury and executioner as long as they only kill bad guys.
Change happens too slow for you to realize it in the moment
@@themoon2232 That is true. Or the only change you tend to notice is negative change. We aren't as good at noticing when positive change happens.
Capitalists will try and make money off anything, if being a Leninist was profitable and popular and media pushing anti capitalist rhetoric made money then it would happen.
It is based on a comic.
@@lainiwakura1776 A comic that completely undermined its "superheroes are bad" message because its main characters had superpowers.
Granted the show also does that since its protagonists are still Punisher style vigilantes with the leader being a pastiche of the Punisher, not to mention they have a couple of superheroes as their allies. So really it's message isn't so much "superheroes are bad" as it is "superheroes are bad, except for the kind the series' creator approves of."
American exceptionalism is an interesting phenomenon to observe from the outside. It seems that the part of the population that genuinely believes in it crosses over pretty neatly with the part of the population that doesn't own a passport.
British exceptionalism, Arab exceptionalism and Spanish exceptionalism before it was of course no different. Hubris is a symptom of political entropy.
The big homie Greg makes the hopelessness fun. As always.
I mean, considering how conservatives think Captain America questioning whether the American Dream is achievable is too much critique, I wouldn't show them any of this.
But isn't that question self answerable. Not everyone has achieved the American dream but enough people have achieved it for us to know that it is achievable.
A prime example is Oprah Winfrey.
@@djgroopz4952 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
So nice to be a libertarian and watch the two ends of the political spectrum shit talk each other into oblivion, while us reasonable people enjoy the life we have to live
@@drroyalbleu7021 good job! Want a gold star?
@@automaticcaptions hell yes I love gold stars!
I think that any discussion about John Walker is incomplete without discussing how he represents our Military Hero Complex, and how destructive it is, and the governments treatment of its veterans.
Cap turned himself into a Shield to defend the weak. John is a Sword that the U.S. Government forged themselves, and then punished for cutting things apart.
I'm from Argentina and worked as a tour guide in Buenos Aires, I remember a family, that was pretty republican/conservative, talking about how horrible the military government was during the 70's and they couldn't belive how that was possible. In that moment, the 10 years old son from that family said: Mom, we supported the government during those years. Actually we supported all military governments in South America during that time.
When I'm working, I usually try to avoid the role of the states in this kind of things, but in that moment I started to nervously smile because I was gonna have a real intense conversation.
Point is: the problem of a country is not its people, if its government and how we, the people, don't hold them accountable for what they do
US citizen here, I'm really sorry how my government just keeps during this, they always say we need to learn from our mistakes from the past and prevent doing the same thing in the future, yet our politicians learn from the past and yet keeps repeating them. I will say this I love my country, but I really passionately from my blood to my bones hate my government
@@mi-lo4ec hey, thanks for your reply! It's a nice gesture, very kind. It's kinda sad because I even met American people who said they were Canadians because they heard we don't like America.... I think the problem is when you mix the nationality with the person, people aren't defined from they were born; of course that gives you/takes away opportunities, but it what a person does what defines them. Honestly we don't care were someone is from, it's stupid if you think a nation's history defines a person beforehand
@@mi-lo4ec the government does it for us. Dont act like we have nothing to do with it.
@@cadenglass1387 I'm not denying that, but however what I am saying why are we keep doings these coups and yet we are telling people that its a bad thing, so why are we still doing this?
@@ezequielnazer2617 Thanks for the response, yeah it's kind of stupid to hate people where they are from.
Steve Rogers represents what America should be, homelander and USAgent is a representation of what America really is.
Yes! Greg’s back!
GREG IS THE FREAKIN MAN!
Dudes my favorite
John Walker is what Erskine warned Steve not to become, the perfect soldier, not a good man. I think the state of America was summed up with John Walker honestly; a blond blue eyed bootleg reminding us of the “good old days” despite the fact that underneath it all is a ruse.
There was never really good old days
It was a ruse... Always has been.
American exceptionalism was implemented in the collective mind of the US by the people in economical and political power. The rational behind it was surly nothing new. All the Empires trough history had (and to some degree still have) their own version of exceptionalism. The very first time, when a human tribe set out to expand their influence and conquer resources from their neighboring tribes, was probably also the first time this idea was utilities to rally up the tribe. It is as simple as it is powerful: if enough people in any given tribe (or country) think that the are actually (and in some twisted logic) verifiably better than all the other tribes, they will rob, they will enslave, they will kill. And everything without a guilty conscience. They will think it's for the glory or survival of their tribe. But the ones in power know it's nether for glory nor survival, it is for profit. Or like one would maybe phrase it nowadays: it's Business. That is also the reason why The Boys commentary on American exceptionalism is a lot better and more genuine than Falcon and Winter Soldiers commentary. It dares to depict the economical interests underlying the mystified self-concept of the United States.
Expect the United States is self sufficent in oil and is one of the least dependent nations on international trade on Earth. The idea that the US is waging war for economic and financial ends is laughable considering they gain absolutely nothing from it financially.
@@8jijjoo126 don't say that from your China assembly smartphone, who works on a Taiwan chip.
Everything you eat, wear, etc is from another country.
self sufficent was always a myth.
There were news this week about a terrible dependence of natural rubber from Asia.
Etc.
@@8jijjoo126 Oil is temporary. The frank well are drying far faster than expected.
Being an American I understand that America isn't perfect but one of the best freedoms we have is to (peacefully) point out when it is acting un-American. If you think there is a problem, stand up, tell the nation what you think is wrong. The inventions of both the Internet and phones with both access to the internet and cameras has made getting your voice out easier then ever.
Greg! I was wondering if we might ever see you again! I may have missed a video before now where you appeared, but it's good to see you're still around!
I would change the title to "The Boys and John Walker." Because Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson aren't blindly obedient to this ideology.
Clicks
Both Steve and Sam have done horrible things on behalf of the country and for personal reasons.
@@centipedekid9824
Like what
@@centipedekid9824 What exactly?
In a way, the critique, especially in FATWS, is that any Captain America, regardless of how good they are as a person, is still representing an extremely flawed institution.
"You know what's as bad as Nazis? Desperate citizens doing anything they can to fight back against an untouchable super power that controls their lives without caring about them" -- I get really sick of this intensely bad take. Fighting back against violent oppression does not make you "Just as bad" as your oppressors, it's telling those who've been beaten down they better not dare try to save themselves. That they'd better wait for another rich powerful oppressing force to roll in and do the violence for them, that way they can be indebted to them!
I agree, although I understand what Greg was getting at. Greg said "desperate groups of people who resort to terrorism might be, well, Nazi-adjacent." A better phrasing would be to argue desperate groups of people who resort to terrorism and use the same "ends justify the means" logic that oppressors use often lead to fascism and further oppression. Historical examples include the French Revolution, Soviet Revolution, Chinese Revolution, etc. Group of people fighting for a just cause leading to worse conditions than they started out due to lack of self-restraint.
@@isaacium You have a point as well!
One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist. It’s all about who you ask.
His argument that Zemo's argument is a stand-in for what the showrunners are saying also sort of falls flat for me. Zemo says that Steve Rogers was a true hero, but that all other super-powered individuals were supremacist; I doubt that the writers of an MCU show believe that. Also, Zemo used to lead a Sokovian government sponsored death squad and killed T'Chaka, so you have to take into account that EVERYTHING HE SAYS IS A LIE.
@@isaacium The Russian Revolution and Chinese Revolution did not actually lead to worse conditions than they started out with though - living standards in the USSR and PRC were higher than before, even with all of the abuses of their governments. In addition, on most metrics the average Russian had lower living standards after the break up of the USSR and the economic shock of privatization.
12:29 Don't forget Operation Paperclip and how the American State department absorbed German scientists and officials in the lead up to the cold war.
But that happened after the war, the Nazi stuff in the Boys happened during Nazi rule.
Yes, they said the Nazi German scientist was deprogrammed so their brain power could be harnessed for the Cold war. That German technology couldn't be wasted.
Q: Is America Steve Rogers or Homelander? A: Yes. Don't be trapped in binaries.
This!
You're right I will give 0.9 Homelander
1.3 homelander 0.7 Rogers
Yes, it's a fight between Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson and Homelander. I guess that's the point of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
it's Homelander and Stormfront
True American Exceptionalism no one owns or controls, it's an idea/ideal to inspire and live up to. Homelander is what happens when Corporations try to patent, market, and sell American Exceptionalism. It's not just corporate greed driving it either, living up to an ideal is hard work and one might fail along the way, in their wealth and safety Americans have grown fat with comfort and so try to pass off their responsibility and/or desire to reach the ideal by virtue signaling whether that's through social media, or in Homelander's case worshiping him, buying his merch, going to movies, etc.
Corporate greed = America ... ps America ain't exceptional, its delusional
@@craighudy4196 Not all of America. The ruling class, yes.
@@craighudy4196 haha true :D
Considering the fact that any high production value critique of America is going to invariable come to the conclusion nothing needs/can change, it will always fall short of honesty.
Sparky Sweets! You've been missed Greg. Ohhh I miss Thug Notes.
We all miss thug notes 😕 genuinely cultured dude made classic literature relatable and entertaining for the masses
@@Ben-rz9cf Indeed. He got me to read some classics that I would not have read at all.
Doesn’t matter if it’s American Exceptionalism or American Imperialism. Americans will always be American centrics. Every foreign interest will always be seen through the American lenses and the idea that other countries don’t act in their own interests will always prevail in the West.
Well, yeah. People do tend to see things from their own perspective.
American foreign policy is literally just neo-colonialism
I’m sorry but this reads like
“People see things from their perspective it’s not ok”
Like that is how most people in most countries think from the lense of being from that country
@@KevinACarroll1996 I’m saying Americans believe that the world turns forward or backwards based on their own actions.
@@Valiguss Difference is some countries known they are just the rope and will always be just the rope that the hegemonic power tug on.
First video I’ve seen on this channel and I love it!!! keep it up!!!
This episode should be redone with the new "Captain America" in The Boys, Soldier Boy.
Please guys make the analysis of the Cadmus arc form justice league unlimited. It is amazing it is like civil war, injustice, batman tas, superman tas, the incredibles, watchmen, the good/evil, the government, the authorities, the power of the superheroes and the government.
The question, huntress, green arrow, Amanda Waller, superman and batman are amazing. And the speech of Shazam sorry the speech of Capitan Marvel is awesome
That arc made me truly love that show bcuz of how complex it was for a "kids cartoon"
Yes wisecrack please do this !!!!!
That would be great, but to do Cadmus justice, you need all the lead-up from Superman TAS (esp Clark's evolving relationship with Star Labs, and the big invasion from Apokolips/Darkseid controlling Supes). The best thing about DCAU Justice League is that it builds organically on literally years' worth of character & plot development for maximum dramatic payoff. (I weep that the DCEU will never really achieve that, and even the Arrowverse only barely hit that level with Earth X & Crisis.)
The problem with the Cadmus arc in JLU was that it all got hijacked by Brainiac and Luthor and devolved into a typical Superhero battle.
@@ShadowSonic2 I'm pretty sure the writers have gone on record saying that the reason for Brainiac coming up again was because they had legitimately no idea how to wrap up the Cadmus arc (I believe you can find this in one of the JLU Retrospective videos by J's Reviews, or whatever his name was, great stuff). Even if you are not a fan of his return, you have to admit there was some setup instead of an instantaneous resurrection. Luthor's kryptonite cancer being healed and his super strength being indicators of something going on, because if he could cure his cancer on his own he'd just say he did. EDIT: Forgot to mention Luthor being shot by Brainiac which caused a copy to be stored in him in the first place, which is believable enough given it's a DC cartoon. Also fitting two of Superman's most dangerous enemies join together and form a formidable obstacle.
I did college essays using Thug Notes, always got me A’s
It’s so great to see Greg back, his videos were the ones that helped me find this channel
But What If: America is a Shining City on the Hill - Just not Shining like Bejeweled Walls, Roads of Gold, & Buildings of Silver- Instead Shining like a Giant Dumpster Fire.
Yayyy Greg is back!
"With great power comes great responsibility."
- Uncle Ben
"f*ck it"
-Deadpool
“Ready in 60-seconds.”
-Also Uncle Ben
Uncle Albert: with great power comes......
Rick: you mean with great power comes great responsibility?
Uncle Albert: well i was gonna say b*tches, but if you want to stay a virgin forever.
With great power comes great malfeasance - Also Uncle Ben Parker, probably
I remember I heard some where that Americans see the country as Captain America, and other countries see us as Homelander.
THE BOYS IS SO UNDERRATED!! I love marvel and I think the boys is such a good twist on our favorite superhero’s.
Another awesome video by Greg!!
Ayyy, my main man greg! Good to see you, great vid
The American exceptionalism is that the world knows lots about the "USA" but AMERICA knows very little about the world. How many Americans are watching a Spanish RUclips channel right now? And how many of us watching this channel are American
I love the beautiful irony that Keeps sponsors Wisecrack when both Michael and Greg are bald
I think the difference is who they fought for. All 3 got their power through the institution, but where John and Homelander blindly follow these institutions and fight for their interests, Steve realized that the institution was corrupt and must be stopped, even if that conflicts with his own identity.
Great to see Greg again! Great vid!
11:33 wow 12:22 6:42 great writing team! 6:55 7:44 brilliant work 7:55
Does anybody knows of any other exceptionalism because I find it very strange that a country teaches that it is the best. In fact the very concept of a best country sounds extremely stupid.
It’s a large part of Chinese and North Korean education too. Says something about the nature of it aha
I'm pretty sure we're doing it too bud
All countries have such people
@@ilikestuff9250 No it is different. American exceptionalism is part of the curriculum that is taught to children.
For us it may happen through parents and media if they are conservative. But as a formal concept that is taught to children it doesn't exist.
Although the current government is trying to get elements of that into curriculum so that may happen in the near future but up until now that has not been the case.
@@homosapien5156 True enough
But even Schools other countries don't exactly talk of the wrong we've done as a people at least till you reach 11th by which point the majority move to subjects which teach them nothing about the country..
I wish we'd learn of India's military excesses so we could combat this issue in a healthier manner..
It took till college for educational books to even broach the topic
@@ilikestuff9250 That's true. But I think the NCERT curriculum for social science in 9th and 10th is very good. I feel there should be 2 objectives of studying social science. One is understanding the world around us and knowing how we got here. The second is learning about terrible events, why they happened and learning from that so we can prevent that from happening again. And I think our curriculum does very well in that respect. Although there is definitely scope for improvement especially in the topics you mentioned.
Making a specific chapter of a video for the intro and then including the sponsor in the intro what a chad move
It's painful to watch this video knowing that they're getting the concept of "American Exceptionalism" wrong every time they use it. The word "exceptional" has multiple meanings, and when it was first employed in the context of "American Exceptionalism", it wasn't about "being the best", necessarily; but rather, that the rules don't apply. Whatever was true in Europe, or in those indigenous or colonial places, doesn't necessarily mean anything over here, in America. The idea was an answer to a public discussion about rules of thumb that we can conclude anyway, so technically "exceptionalism" is a good argument to apply to everywhere, but especially to somewhere that's different in any important way. And that makes a lot of sense, to this day.
He's back...nice. Thug notes dude is the only reason I subscribed to this channel years ago
I love it when you host!!! Great video analysis! 👏🏻☺️
one does not simply replace Steve Rogers
Me as a guy who hasn't been watching the falcon and winter soldier: "Thats not Steve Rogers, what the fudge is this nonsense"
Anyone going to point out the irony of having a hot bald guy advertise the sponsor for prevent hair loss?
I just did when I first started watching, before coming down to the comments! saying, he's here advertising how good smooth can look!
😭I guess he didn't use it
Very well timed segment. Kudos.
John Walker is actually a pretty tragic character he gets tasked with a job he's not qualified for he's just a soldier with no powers (not even sci fi adjacent training like black widow) just a special shield going up against super powered beings, Sam and Bucky needle and dismiss him as a joke, he loses his best friend who was was even more poorly equipped to do the job lacking any sci fi weapons. Then after being court martialed instead of becoming a punisher like sociopath or even the just the asshole he's usually depicted as in the comics he shows up in the grand finale to graciously help Bucky & Sam and while he just wants to be part of the team they still view him with contempt.
"Is this exceptionalism this exceptionalism actually a fantasy?" ... a question with an answer so obvious that it's offensive to the concept of questions.
Superman as depicted in the 1970's movies & when he first debued in the 1930's represents America in a nutshell. A well meaning, wholesome, liberty & justice loving immigrant.
I'm shocked to see a mainstream channel like this talk about the military industrial complex. Unsurprisingly a LOT of people struggle with making the blatant connections (like in The Boys, the US funding our supposed enemies). Well done! Keep it up!
I mean you act as if every other country doesn't have a military industrial complex,
@@ninjatortise8958 I highly encourage you to read up on America's military industrial complex and why it would be a bit of a mistake to compare it to any other country's
@@dripshameless5605 This is stupid. The military industry is like 11th when it comes to lobbyng or something. And it's by a wide margin. Biotechnology dwarfs the military industrial complex. Clark Kent is a farmer he's a better representative of what you pretend to care about. Private interest groups dwarf it too.
You like this awnser because it's a simple answer to a complex question that you can roll out to make yourself sound smart. When you know Jack shit about this subject. I know that because I know more about the subject, and I don't know Jack shit about it.
So glad to see you again I love and miss Thug Notes greatly. The way you covered books was great.
Thanks for making Wisecrack Greg again
I think to say that Modern America is exactly like Homelander is a bit extreme. To say American Exceptionalism means the entire world must criticize America and only America is disingenuous as well. The world likes to act as if America is the only one with seedy corporate self interest, and that it isn't a problem that Governments of the world face. I believe that for all of our country's faults, we are still among the freest, with the most rights and liberties. We have the freedom to critique our government without fear, the freedom the choose, be who we want to be, and still find some place to be accepted. These aren't liberties that many other countries have. If we are to critique America on the world scale, our allies and other first world countries should be critiqued on the world scale all the same. Maybe people would find that our countries aren't so different. Our history may be grim, but world history is grim, and all we can do is forge forward to be a better world as a whole. Nothing is ever Black and White.
Well it's not other countries illegally occupying Syrian oil wells to continue stealing Syrian oil after a failed attempt to bomb jihadists into power.
@@Eltener123 I could give you countless swept under the rug, or rarely spoken of cases of British and French Shell corporations vying for middle eastern oil by hiring mercenaries and smash and grabbing land from Iraqi and Iranian groups to lessen the impact of oil dependency on middle eastern governments and corporations. A vast majority of NATO/EU country counter-terror in the middle east is to reclaim land for Oil Production, the US has NEVER been alone on this. The problem will never be fixed if everyone assigns blame to one party and never holds any accountability, and politicians from every nation have done this from the start.
@@Rapier1-1 I agree about US never being alone on committing atrocities but the fact of the matter is that the US is also like the oldest sibling to all first world nations; if one day the US decides to not to commit foreign intervention anymore and make sure no other first world country does it either; do you think anyone would be brave enough to do it?
To say Captain America was war propaganda is a gross misunderstanding. Jack Kirby created the comic more as a call for America to do something about Adolf Hitler at a time when America refused to get involved and remain neutral, see he was Jewish and to hear about what was happening to Jewish people in Germany upset him and he wanted something done about it. In short, the Captain America comic wasn't propaganda but rather a plea.
It's not a "gross misunderstanding." Captain America falls under the definition of propaganda, since it promotes a specific cause to mobilize political action. He's not using the term maliciously.
Propaganda isn't inherently a bad thing.
American is definitely Homelander. I love the boys because it is by far the most realistic take on how superheroes would operate in the real world. My favorite quote would be from Stormfront, "People like what I say! They just don't like the word Nazi."
Both of these shows remind me of the Superman comic "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?", which really took a bit of a deep dive into these issues. Probably one of the best modern Superman comic storylines, imo.
"MmUHmmmmm" - Gregg
Always rewarding sound to button hook a point.
Love America! Grew up watching GI Joe, Rambo, and loved Hulk Hogan. Now I just want us to stop with the imperialism, get health care for people, and pay them a wage that covers at least basic needs.
Sounds like communism to me brother (sarcasm)
Please dont, Russians are gonna overrun and destroy my country if you guys stop policing the world.
I'm guessing some people here have heard the phrase "Pax Americana", referring to the unpreceded levels of peace and prosperity in the world in recent decades, a peace enforced by America. Yes, there is still war, and America itself isn't perfect, but things are better now than they were at any point in history. There is statistically less war around the world than ever before, and people live longer, physically healthier lives. As soon as Pax America ends, maybe because China overtakes America, people are going to miss the good old days, especially any countries that are currently protected by America whom America withdraws its protection from. The things nations like China and North Korea may well do to nations like South Korea are unthinkable to us now, but things could get very bleak in the future. On account of Pax Americana, and America's previous victories over totalitarian regimes, I would say that, although America isn't perfect, it is exceptional.
More like America is the lesser of two evils. Unlike conservatives believe, you can still be patriotic while acknowledging the united state's systemic evil. "Liberty and justice for all" was never actually intended for "all" by those who created it, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't strive to turn that negative into a positive. Actual change will come about when a sensible person in the right place at the right time gets tired of all the hypocrisy of elites and corporations and turns the rage of entire generations into a movement that will bring the actual American dream to life. It's only a matter of time.
Captain America and the winter soldier in a nutshell good ideas but dropped the ball on those good ideas for only 6 episodes
Falcon and the winter soldier. He is just falcon in a new suit lets be real he isnt cap and never will be no one will.
@@centipedekid9824 falcons just a bland character overall
@@1kbmahan You do know folks used to say that about Steve too, right?
@@ShadowSonic2 I’m not those folks
Good to see you again Greg 😌😌
I love that Keeps is using a bald guy to hawk their stuff. They do it with Simon as well.
GREG!!!
This episode reminds me of the two-part mini-series run of Uncle Sam by Vertigo that asks the same question about American exceptionalism and if our ideals and image can be salvaged.
US Agent is MUCH older... these were comics before tv shows...geez!
Wisecracks best video yet
I like the bald guy plugging a service about keeping your hair. Lol
Yooooo didn’t know thug notes was on this channel.
Thug notes was under cracked a long time ago
@@37butterflyprincess damn I never even noticed. I binged thug notes like 2 years ago and completely forgot about it until rn.
🤣🤣🤣 this is the Thug notes Channel. They change the name a long time ago the second they started doing other shows. To be Fair, they never truly gave Thug Notes a proper send-off. I hope they bring it back on her time for like a proper send-off. Maybe on the Channel's anniversary or something since it did start off as Thug Notes.
@@HK47_115 100%
Nobody can deny the US having been the vessel for so many improvements in human society and technology. What we shouldn't do is think that means anything without justice.
Oh...we are Homelander. We are so much the psycho beating off on top of the Empire State Building as our status of "sole superpower" slips away.
Props for using "Hulk Hogan's" Real American song
U.S. Army: Yes, my foregin fellas, we have come to save you...
Random civilian: Hurray, is the United Estates!
U.S. Army: ...FROM YOURSELVES!!!
Random civilian: Oh no, it's the United States!
If we were to become more inward looking the private interests would be more interested in carving up the states and more West Virginia would be created on their behalf
@@GAndreC I see it more as being more inwards means loosing your global hegemonic power. You don't keep such a thing with sunshine and rainbows.
Isn’t that a Hellsing Abridge reference?
Greg! Good to see ya! Anymore Thug Notes? Was hoping to see The Alchemist on there!
I truly enjoyed your take on America. Looking forward to watching more videos from Greg!
Greg is the wrong person to be doing an ad read against hair loss - he's just there showing how good smooth can look!
"I make being bald look good. But your results may vary."
- Greg, Wisecrack
Anyone saying Walker is a copy of Homelander clearly doesn't know much about the source material
7:48 nothing is like see the dictator of your own country for feel like a banana republic. But our dictator in particular is because of Nixon and the CIA