Can You Say Why America is the Greatest Country in the World?
2013 ж. 13 Қаз.
1 231 120 Рет қаралды
This is a clip taken from the premiere episode of the American television political drama series "The Newsroom" created and principally written by Aaron Sorkin. It premiered on HBO on June 24, 2012. The clip features Jeff Daniels answering the question, "Can you say why America is the greatest country in the world?" with a very thought provoking answer.
Who is here in 2024 wishing the whole country would listen to this just one time.
Self-criticism is one of the hallmarks of wisdom and almost a lost art.
You should study Buddhism
@Robert B neither do a lot of Rightwing leaning social media personalities.
@Abhijeet Kundu I assure you I see it only as self-criticism.
As a proud Welsh man all I can say is your appsalutely spot on my friend
self criticism is useless without the willpower to change
I am a true American, born, raised, military family, been around and truely love this country down in my bones but this speech is an eye opener as we Americans have lost sight of what and who we truely are! People in this country have become so ignorant, displaced and so so sensitive!!!
Over a decade, and this has aged flawlessly.
Except for those millions of people risking their life to come to this "terrible" country......
things got worse
@@romanfedotov1152 Yeah, true, serious mistakes were made in 2016, but fortunately they were corrected in 2020. Hopefully they stay that way.
This video is Boomer fantasy....its fiction. Its generational expression of extreme narcissism.
Steven Crowder and Michael Knowles already debunked this on their shows.
I never get tired of this speech. America needs to wake up. Make changes that benefit humanity and not Corp. pockets...
We never will. We're too nationalistic and selfish/capitalistic. Seek life elsewhere.
@Lord Quin LOL
@Lord Quin Did you huff leadead gasoline as a kid?
@@davido.9505 OK
@Robert B OK
Man, Harry really turned it all around after he stopped hanging with Lloyd
😂😂
Phenomenal comment. Lol
Ikr
I’ll say..
Hundy. 😝
The lady who held up the two cars: "It is Not" and "But It Can be" sums up his speech. Everything he cited on the negatives is true. But everything he cited positive & what what made this country great is also also true. Jeff Daniels's delivery & performance of that speech is A+. Justifies why he won an Emmy for his character on this TV series.
Correction: *& what made this country great also USED to be true. It is not anymore, unfortunately
To quote Genisis, a fovourite of so many American fundamentalist right wing christians -- "Take a look at me now".. There"s just an empty space..
Bollox.. I used that one....
@@IBeast989the word "made" is past tense. therefore, the statement "what made this country great is also true" already implies that it used to be true, making your correction unnecessary and redundant.
This monologue always brings chills to me because of the pure truth behind it.
Americans used to be The Greatest Nation before bending knees in fronta Zionists and their Corporations. Now, Americans are just puppitS.... 🤫
What? Man, who cares what’s the greatest county in the world? Only Americans 🤣 As a Central Europe citizen, I’ll never understand why is it so important to pinpoint the greatest country in the world and why it is always you.
@@bycha87 Finally somone with logic and brain.
@@AbdulHameed-bw4cg thank you. The feeling is mutual!
@@bycha87exactly….anyway what the character states in this clip is in fact nonsense anyway.
Fight poverty, not poor people..
Obvioulsy it is a ridiculous statement, those programs fighting poverty created more of it. So it was a war against poor people.
@@robertsmith8734 The programs are flawed then
Seriously, add spikes under bridges so homeless can’t sleep down there. Remove make modifications to benches so poor can’t sleep there. What the hell is wrong with this place
@@Danny13243 not really, if you look closely, it makes pure sense and their work like intended. If you are responsible for fighting poverty, how do you get funds and support the best? By increasing the poverty and solving just a part of it. If it would be gone, there would not be any purpose for you anymore and no funding. Why do you think America has so many agencies fighting terrorism after 9/11? Not because of security breaches and fear, but only for funding and contracts. By founding a new agency people get paid and contracts are made just to fill the pockets, terrorism is just the secondary objective. That should answer why the programs doesn´t work right, because why should they if funding stops when the problem is solved?
America to busy helping a genocide in middle east and feeding Israel domination agenda just to gain territory, America only thing good at is feeding wars around the globe and other countrys starting to wake up, America cant act like the bully of the world forever, other world leaders and countrys are fedup with that and dont trust America anymore
This was 7 years ago and it is still relevant today
Agree. Though America is my greatest country. We need work.
I wish they make a You Tube video about what would have happened if America never got involved in WW2.. What countries would have freedom now?
@Wal Leece said while surfing an American platform most likely with an American device 😂
@@jgz003 The best point here, Jaime. Glad you spoke up and recognized that fact.
@@davido.9505 Whoever said that smartphones and the internet makes a country great?
Best speech EVER in a sitcom. Still rings true to this day!!!
This speech is great but please, those of you who admire this monologue, watch the show! It's called the Newsroom, written by Aaron Sorkin and starring Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, and Sam Waterston. It naturally has its flaws, but it is full of incredible, revelatory, hard-hitting moments like this one. It's a wonderful show about the journalistic integrity of news and media outlets. Many call it moralistic and righteous because it addresses past events with the gift of hindsight, and many accuse it of being a criticism of other news channels who didn't have the understanding we have now. But, this is something I love about this show. Why can't we be idealistic? We can reach for the stars.
I watched it. It went south real fast a few episodes in.. Started great and then turned into unwatchable garbage and drek.
@@OldGrayCzechWolf It definitely had some issues but I still think it's worth a watch if you're able to look past some of the nonsense (namely, the romance and the melodrama). There are some really useful messages which aren't a be-all end-all by any means but it's thought-provoking and I think it's a good starting point for developing your own understanding journalism and American politics. I know it's not realistic but I think I prefer idealism so I do enjoy the show. Its commentary on the Tea Party, its frequent digression into complex topics, and the characters' devotion to honest news made it worthwhile to me. It certainly will not appeal to certain political groups, though.
I would encourage anyone to watch and re-watch "Good Night, And Good Luck". THAT shows journalism with a bloody backbone. Clooney will forever have my gratitude for making that movie (and David Strathairn was sublime as Ed Murrow).
@@marialette1 I haven't heard of that but if it's about Edward Murrow, then it must be an excellent movie about journalism.
"Sorority girl just in case you wander into a voting booth" damn he flamed her
Then he gave her a job.
"Just in case you ACCIDENTLY wander into a voting booth". lol
She got rekt
It exposes his own arrogance and how it blind he is. He has no idea she never voted, yet arrogantly assumed she didn't. He assumes she's in a sorority because she's attractive? This anti-America, anti-Christianity propaganda is what's wrong with America - they're trying to get Americans to hate America - makes it easier for them to manipulate you into helping them destroy it. It's one thing to point out ways to improve America - nothing wrong with that - but their biggest message is anti-America instead. And when "it sure used to be", those "statistics" he used to "prove" America is not the greatest were no better then, which exposes his use of those "statistics" as to why "America is not the greatest" is a farce. He pretends to care about morals yet attacks belief in God and ignores how over 60 MILLION sons/daughters have been sacrificed by their own parents in the name of "God doesn't really exist" - no one who believes God exists would DARE kill their own son/daughter. What utter anti-America anti-Christianity garbage this scene is.
@@ForumLight Awww, did that feel better?Now off you go get your cookie from the Corporate Oligarch, and maybe, just maybe they will give you a pat on the head. They like their dullard lemmings to be contented.
whoever wrote that speech is a genius. he/she represent the real USA.
Then how did the real Americans let it get so bad
@@JonnySublime Ignorance, laziness and brainwashing.
Aaron Sorkin
@@Pikkabuu and conspiracy theories, I swear its the biggest killer for that country, they dont trust their own government, and its not like we hear anything good from the government over there either, they make an embarracement of themselves by trying to buy greenland and then cry when denmark rejected saying its absurd to sell a country people live in to another country, it's sometimes a racist society, and not only the white hating on the black, it goes the other way around too, meanwhile asians are feeling the hammer of descriminaton and racism but nobody really cared about them. They couldn't even put on a mask to potect themselves and other people from a new dangerous virus that killed people and locked down the entire world without streaming for freedom like it were rippe from them, not even that could they do right... America is a disaster to look at, and they can't even see it themselves
Guess what he was not American
We need this now: sacrifice, cultivation and reach for the stars; don't scare so easy and we're informed...
We do need this but, not enough care to listen
never tired of hearing this speech.... should be some in some sort of speeches hall of fame... all time great or even in some sort of Guinnes world record
The most honest moment in television history.
This shouldn't have to be a "television moment" people should be able to come to this conclusion themselves, on their own. But we're all too caught up in social media and the image others have of us, that we don't care enough to inform ourselves on things that matter. p(myself included, European btw.)
@@TheRefilon Agreed, ( Canadian )
False statements and statistics, the infant mortality ranking actually means the U.S. has lower infant mortality. Total sham. He also fails to mention the U.S. has the highest total GDP, strongest military and best R&D, and best technology companies, most technologically advanced country, most generous country, best ranked musicians, most prestigious colleges, highest grossing musicians and movies. So many things the U.S. is number 1 in.
@@rs72098 Yeah keep believing that
@@rs72098 UK has better actors, Japan is the most technologically advanced, Finland has the bets education system, India has better musicians. So do I have to go on
Imagine if a US had a president like this who actually sees the flaws of US and actually does something about it.
The senate and congress would have to care about the US too or else you get the situation in which Obama was where he could bring up a cure for cancer and the Republicans would still vote against it because Obama brought it up.
@@Pikkabuu Obama's policies where trash.
@@tobiisiba1641 Care to elaborate how they were trash?
You mean socialism?
@@Pikkabuu Are you blind? His policies create poverty.
Honestly heartbroken over what the country has become.
This video is 7 years old and it has only gotten worse
Here is a hug from the Great White North. Keep moving forward. American can be a great nation again, no matter what Trump has done to it.
Me too, I'm mortified to go to another country and say where I'm from when I used to wear it proudly
UK is no different, money men control it all, it's all got down the toilet. Blame the poor, blame the immigrants, don't blame the Rich and Wealthy who are exploiting the poor and not putting their fair share back into the system which in the end, breaks.
In the UK, we're embarrassed and sorry that we were so busy with France and Spain that we didn't try harder...
It's been a decade since this was put out and nobody listened...we've kept falling. Hopefully this is coming back around to me for a reason...
2024 and look who we have as a republican candidate for president. I’d say our standards have slipped a bit.
Because, like all Sorkin sermons, everyone who hears it thinks "yeah! Everyone but me sucks, and i should tell them, and they should do better!"
"We did not identify ourselves by who we voted for inthe last election". There you have it just there.
100% facts right there. That’s what hit me the most. Ironic
You always did haha
@@OggaDugga well when u got over 70 million people voting for a racist and trying to rationalize it like that’s not the reason they voted for him. This is what you get people are not gonna turn other cheek anymore that’s one of the problems with this country
There was a time Republicans cared about America. Now they care about supporting the ego driven clown, who is dismantling democracy!!
@Gregor Constance Good businessmen don't go bankrupt multiple times.
I wish more people talked/believed in things like this. We would be a thousand times better off as a country.
Very true
Bolderdash. This is a worthless country, why so many illegals, moron
That's not how the modern world works. Bandwagon fallacy.
Feelings get in the way
It’s not even cynicism either there is optimism behind the anger
Totally agree with Jeff! And another terrific Aaron Sorkin masterpiece!
Thats what I call Oscar worthy writing, performance and direction. Truth told with no sugarcoating.
There are no Oscars for television. That's what the Emmy's & Golden Globes cover.
And that is what I call total bullshit Listen....USA is the greatest country on the planet. Not civilisation. Not ancient Egypt, Rome or China. We talking pre modern times and now. Tho now it resembles more a woke commie dream, than anything else. This scene if bull. Math? Education? Thats you qualification for a country? Hah, dont make me laugh. Go to Russia, enjoy KGB and Gulag. Go to china and North Korea, enjoy forced labour, rapes, sellig off family members to work hard labout in Africa and Syberia for years. Enjoying cartels, human trafficking for organs and sex? Try like...entire South America. Enjoying mutilations, cannibalism, rapes and torture? Try some of the lovely African countries. but dont try if you are white, to go anywhere near upper South Africa. If you wanna be gay, LGBT, feminist or freedom of speech is your go to thíing, try..oh IDK...anywhrre middle east. Thats where they toss gay men from tall buldings. Sometimes with rope, other times without. Camera dont lie See, its nice and all to bash the USA, which was founded on Judean Christian values, morality, wisdome, and freedom. But somewhere even lunatic leftist need to open their eyes. This scene was the writers wet dream, clap clap clap wokie. Nobody cares USA is the greatest country in the world. Shame its not as clean and safe like Japan... BTW, this actor is a tard leftie in real life too, so I guess he also believes what hes saying in this role. Pathetic garbage
of course, a lot of the things he talks about that used to be good about America happened way before I was born.
this is a TV show, not a movie.
what movie or documentary is this from
Notice how (I'm guessing) the host tried to cut him of at the start of the speech when he realised he was serious & it wasn't what he wanted to hear.
The news stations are really good at "losing the signal". Hard to do when everyone is on stage. This scene made a lot of valid criticisms, but it is unfortunately getting more controlled by the day with what media outlets get away with.
You understand he did that because IT WAS IN THGE SCRIPT right? It was a scripted drama series NOT real life.
It's actually a movie.. It's acting... They are all actors... Hello? Have they come round with your dinner yet?
I think that every American should have to watch this speech at least once a week. It’s very hard to hear the truth about your country but it’s the only way to fix what’s wrong with it. And a lot of what he said is easy to fix if you really want to work at it. I know this was only a speech from a TV show but maybe some of the real news anchors could start leadingus down that path. I don’t know, but this this clip has hit me very hard and a lot of other people I know also. I am from Canada and we have a lot of the same problems that you do. And we’re not trying to fix them either and we really need to.
Nobody in the US or Canada wants to hear it, they go to bed wrapped in the flag every night, fat, dumb, and happy
I've watched this numerous times. It still gives me chills. This should be broadcasts 24/7/365 nationwide.
"We sure used to be..." This is exactly what we've lost. We need to reach for the stars, not junk food & Facebook.
We were the first on the moon, recently developed Space Force, have multiple American-made satellites in space, recently had a private American company send astronauts into space, what more do you want? If you meant it figuratively, I’m sure I can give you more evidence for that too.
Amen to that lol
@@davido.9505 Space Force. Farce.
@@paulstanitz2723 evidence to which part?
@@jeeves6490 ahh yes. Ignored all of the other greatness like being first on the moon or having a private company send a rocket and astronauts into space. Thank you for accidentally helping to prove the point of America being the greatest country to ever exist!
Apart from anything else, the idea that any country on Earth is "the best" is so impossibly childish and shallow, that I despair of any adult human being who ever makes the claim for any country. My love for the UK is so strong, that it makes John Rambo's opinion of America seem positively ambivalent. Do I think Britain is the greatest country in the world? Not at all, it is a pointless question. Every sovereign nation on the planet has it's soaring acheivements and it's embarrassing failures, and what someone in America might think of as wonderful, might well be regarded as utterly irrelevant by a native of Bhutan. There is no intrinsic standard of what a country "should" be, by which relative merit could be judged. Anyone who thinks there is, needs to go back to eating glue while the grown ups talk.
Absolutly spot on
Well said
@Buddy Mac You do realise that the US isn't the only country that has immigration each year, right? That there are other countries that take in refugees and that there are other countries that people immigrate and sneak into illegally? Stop thinking the US is the entire world or that it's the greatest country.
@@gusmcrae-johns498 We in the UK have an immigration problem as well. As far as I am concerned, digging the Channel Tunnel was one of the worst ideas we ever had. The English Channel was a reasonably effective barrier for thousands of years, now it is possible (if insanely dangerous!) to walk from France to England.
@Buddy Mac Because there's opportunity here and our economy is strong. These people you who are sneaking in don't want to be Americans, they need a paycheck and Americans are incapable of doing mundane work. You obviously have not considered the rationale for "sneaking in"...They don't want to be Americans - that's why they don't ask to be Americans. They are largely seeking to improve their station and then go home which America facilitates nicely when we refuse to do low wage jobs and achieve minimum standards. Really it's a win-win; they work for pay and we have time to go shopping.
"We inspired to intelligence, we didn't belittle it. It didn't make us feel inferior." More than anything else he said in this monologue this line always sticks with me. It is probably the line that has aged the best.
I'm Canadian. When I hear Americans claim "AMERICA #1!" (or some variation thereof) - I wonder if they have ever been beyond the borders of their own country.
I have lived abroad , and it is the best country even with its problems. I’d be worried about your country where authoritarians are taking away all your freedoms with each draconian law they keep pushing and passing.
@@roninxix4428what exactly do you think is so great about it, then? Yosemite? And before you start sniping at Canada, you’d better have a think about which authoritarian the US is about to elect.
Jeff Daniels didn't act a scene. He gave a speech.
Well, Aaron Sorkin did. He brought it to life.
From driving a van dressed as a Shaggy Dog to this Epic speech...Lloyd would be proud
he got the job as a journalist after he came back from Aspen. Hired him to work 25 hours a week. Glad to see he didn’t go for the worm store.
both classics
I've Got Worms!!!
Jeff Daniels is one of the greatest actors who has never won an Oscar. He really is something else.
One of the best answers about America. Also, I feel like things have only gotten worse. This should be played on repeat and on loud speakers at all US monuments. We are so broken..
The fact that some Americans are getting offended at this while the rest of us is just like, "Yeah, he is making a lot of good points" is funny and scary at the same time. EDIT: The replies to my comment prove my point. But guys... don't argue with stupid people who can't use logic or reason, you are just wasting your time and energy.
Well, most of his statements of "fact" are actually false. So that blunts the effect of his rant somewhat. Also, he seems to be responding to the question "why is America perfect?" which was not the question asked. Nobody has ever claimed it is perfect. I mean, take the question of "freedom". The US is the only country in the world, in history, with a Bill of Rights. That's pretty insane. Not that the US has it, but that other countries don't. Whatever country you live in, if it doesn't guarantee your right to free speech or your right to armed resistance against the government, you aren't free.
@@absolomhumblebug7654 Actually, what's insane is that people are under the impression a Bill of Rights is required for their rights to be protected. A large number of other countries have the same freedom of speech, the same (and arguably better) protections of that freedom - of that right. They just know that HUMAN RIGHTS are HUMAN RIGHTS, and man doesn't need to right them down for it to be so. Americans, however, just have the giant fucking ego to say "these are rights because we decided so and wrote it down." And for the record, most of his statements WERE TRUE when this was filmed SEVEN YEARS AGO. And we're still trailing behind in ever. single. aspect. that he mentioned. The place number has just changed. He very clearly was not talking about why America isn't "perfect." He was talking about why it's not the "greatest country in the world" that so fucking many people claim it to be. And it's not. Quite simply, it's not. The only thing you can get here that you can't get in a different country is an assault rifle and a lifetime of debt over a medical bill. Any other freedom, any other benefit of living in America, there IS another country that not only does it, but does it BETTER. It would take two seconds of research to find that out for yourself. But anyone who still believes America is the greatest country in the world, at this point, is just willfully ignorant.
@@SickAndTiredPublishing it is the greatest country. I’ve posted on this video a comment with about 50 reasons to back up my claim. As far as your comment goes, can you name a single country besides America in which you can’t be jailed or fined for speech? Also, no one claimed America’s Bill of Rights was the first. America’s founding fathers were influenced by people like Montesquieu and Locke to create a great Constitution that includes a great Bill of a Rights.
@@SickAndTiredPublishing You are conflating a whole lot of terms. Freedom means freedom from something, not freedom to have something. Freedom means freedom to fail and suffer, not the freedom to be catered to. If the founding document of your country does not peremptorily proscribe infringements on your right to say whatever you want (and only one country in the world does), and to keep weapons at home to resist oppression (and only one country does), then you aren't really free. You are only doing and thinking what the powers that be allow you to think and do. And when it's no longer in their interest to allow it, they will proscribe it. The government will constantly and persistently make inroads on your ability to speak and think, as they do in nearly every country. In Canada and the UK, you can already be criminally charged for saying bad things. Is that likely to get better? Nope. But the bottom line is this: if you don't think America is the greatest country, that means you think another country is better. It means you think there is a country out there that IS the "greatest country world". Cool! Tell me, which is it? Make your case. Note, I'm not asking what country is "better". I want to know which country is the greatest. I can make the case for the US all day long, but unless you're willing to make a breast-beating case for whichever country you identify with, you're just an ankle-biter.
@@davido.9505 Actually, the comment I replied to DID claim America is “the only country in history” to have a bill of rights. Keep up. And the fines and jail time for the speech you’re referring to applies to literal hate speech. In places like the UK, the only type of speech you risk legal trouble for is LITERAL HATE SPEECH. So it’s a really weird argument to claim America is the best because we’re allowed to be blatant fucking racists here.
This needs to be broadcast at the next state of the union address.
How about someone who could debate with his points? Or should we only allow certain speech? Thank you first amendment for protecting Americans from this! You help make America the greatest!
😀🇨🇦🇺🇸🌍🙏🖖👊🖐
@@davido.9505 lmao.
I really loved that entire series. Wish it would start again because it would have so much great material with the issues we have now in America.
"Enough?!" Best "enough?" ever stated.
If you can't see what's wrong with something, How do you fix it.🙏🇺🇸
Every time I run across this, I watch it. It's one of the few things I watch that makes my chest swell. Not with pride but hope. It one of only a very few things that brings a tear to my eye.
This, and The West Wing. If only.... I weep because I believe We can be the great Nation we say we are. Imagine if we actually had a President Bartlett...
I had never actually seen the second half of that speech before until this clip.
I'm a Army soldier who loves this country I've been in the Army 17 years and still going so you might think I would have a problem with this video well I don't the script was dead on point
Thank you
Umm, why would anyone think you have a problem with this video?
@@paulasmith9736 Because I'm military and in the military the United States is the best country in every shape and form. I mean hell you can't talk bad about the president while your in the military I'm a major and some private could report me for talking shit about the president
@@joshuaghost4402 Lol, no one ever tells you America is the "
... best country in every shape and form" in the army, son! They just tell you to shut the fudge up and do what you're told!
This is scripted television at it's finest. It's meant to stimulate and provoke our thinking. It's selectively factual.
+Rick Newcombe So a tv series is scripted... no shit sherlock.
+jgpmac Um what? Did you read his comment? He was praising it
***** I actually dont think so.
+mainerblainer1 he wasn't, "selectively factual" implies they stated some little facts, while not revealing other important facts. I disagree with his comment and agree with the point made in the video.
+Rick Newcombe All speech is selectively factual. Intent of speech/topical speech is aka selectively factual because youre selecting for the relevant facts of the universe not all the facts of the universe. Take your cynicism to CNN.
These words are more important today than ever before. And hopefully never again.
Everything he said is so damn true!! Except Angels… and thank God for them.. but the rest of the speech… Oh God, Incredibly TRUE!!!
This reminds me of the movie "Network" that came out in 76'. Many millions of people need to see this. This important speech needs to be taken very seriously. This is so very true. Thanks.
I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore.
As well as Aaron Sorkin's "West Wing". Just loved that series!!
I like how he said: Even Belgium has freedom
Im butthurt he didnt even mention the netherlands
@@captaindonut5240 he did not even mention new Zealand
The fact that so many people react with such hostility when confronted with even the SUGGESTION that problems like racism, misogyny, social and economic inequality, prejudice, climate change, etc. exist still staggers me. The "zombie outbreak" is here...and it's been raging for a while now. THAT is a problem in desperate need of solving. 🙄
This is really an amazing speech especially in today's day..watching the capital being stormed and the virus spreading like crazy, people going homeless and the economy going down the drain.. we all need to wake up and realize the truth. We have a problem..
“We didn’t scare so easy” Hmmm. Give that some thought.
Destroyed our education system to quarantine our kids from Covid19, when they're practically immune to it anyway. If that's not fear, what is?
@@oddish4352 That is wrong, lids aren't immune at all lmao
@@godzxphobosx3307 But they're very mildly affected, and their chances of dying are negligible. Destroying a year of their education was absolutely ridiculous.
We are so terrified of Guatemalan toddlers that half of the country wants to build a wall to keep them out, and put the ones that get in into concentration camps.
@@paulpeterson4216 Not true. Both the Republicans and the Democrats want undocumented immigrants to be here. The rich businessmen who run the Republicans want them so scared of being deported, they stay marginalized and easily exploited. The Democrats want to make them into citizens so they can vote Democrat. One side wants money, the other side wants power, and both sides want those Guatemalan toddlers on THIS side of the border. Especially since we have decided that two kids is the ideal family size, and our population is declining as a result. We need immigration to compensate for this issue.
That was beautiful. You can’t say that without someone saying “if you don’t like it leave.” As if it’s so easy to pick up and leave with your entire family. Just ask immigrants who do it.
Totally true. We need to stop this chest pounding delusion that we are the greatest country in the world because we are not.
You can love your country and say “if you don’t like it leave it” while still pointing out flaws.. since when has a person ever said they agree and are proud of every single thing America has done. Not a single person.
If anyone ever says “If you don’t like it leave,” tell them they're supporting immigration. They won't have shit to come back with.
@@tj7483 They don’t need to say it. They can still be proud without saying it. Also, you have a profile picture of americas flag.... You’re not going to get much internet points except for your own.
@@solblackguyI was encouraged to leave and when I said that, they said, "I'm supporting you leaving."
Jeff Daniels is brilliant. Truth
This should be Shown in Ever American School! Not to Embarrass them but to Encourage then to be BETTER!!❤
This applies to every time period to come. This will apply every single day, year, and decade for years to come.
One of the most powerful scene ever put on TV, look at where we are today and tell me what he said isn't true, Bravo 🇺🇸👍👏
Spot on..
One of the greatest KZhead video ever. i can never get enough of it.
This speech is right on the money... And it speaks volumes of truth
Amen speak your mind because everything he said is 100% right
After I found this clip 6 years ago, I did few research about what McAvoy said to see if he is wrong. And he wasn't. So after that, I followed the series.
"We stood up for what was right. We fought for moral reason. We passed laws, struck down laws, for moral reason. We waged wars on poverty, not on poor people. We sacrificed, we cared about our neighbors, we put our money where our mouths were and we never beat our chest. We built great, big things, made ungodly technological advances, explored the universe, cured diseases and we cultivated the world’s greatest artists AND the world’s greatest economy. We reached for the stars, acted like men. We aspired to intelligence, we didn’t belittle it. It didn’t make us feel inferior. We didn’t identify ourselves by who we voted for in the last election and we didn’t scare so easy. We were able to be all these things and do all these things because we were informed… by great men, men who were revered. First step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one. America is not the greatest country in the world anymore.” What happened to you America, Your Canadian friend is asking :(
That was never true.
@@nikostheater what the guy said in his speech or America isn't the greatest county in the world part
@@nikostheater Of course it was. Unless you live in a bubble. Denial of America's greatness is to deny science. Technology. In what ways was this not true?
When you get to the end there, you get the real source of his discontent. He's mad that the general public does not hold him in the reverence to which he feels he is owed, that he wants to go back to the days when there were only three channels on TV and people not yet sophisticated enough in the medium to pay critical attention to the content, and deprived of the resources to inform themselves, swallowed whatever the talking heads told them. He's annoyed that he was stuck in an era when people rolled their eyes at TV News Anchors and don't give much a crap about them, because we can find the same stuff on the internet, with more factual data, instead of the pap he reads which has been reduced to the editorial slant of his producers and soundbites for people with better things to do than stare at a TV for half an hour to find out what's going on in the world. He's the modern American equivalent of Maggie Smith on Downton Abbey bemoaning all these peasants thinking they can get by without her.
"We stood up for what was right. We fought for moral reason.: We do stand up for what is right and seek to outlaw abortion. The same liberals that wrote this speech hate Christians and love their abortions, which shows they have no desire for "morals". "We passed laws, struck down laws, for moral reason." See above. The same people that wrote this speech hate Christians and do not want any stepping near any positions in government to affect laws being passed for moral reasons. They'd rather have a million+ babies being sacrificed a year and allow boys to walk in on girls in restrooms and locker rooms. "We waged wars on poverty, not on poor people." You don't wage war on poverty by making sure poor people remain poor and become dependent upon government handouts like these speech writers are seeking. "We sacrificed, we cared about our neighbors,:" Yes, love your neighbor as yourself, as taught in Christianity, but they hate Christians which shows these speech writers don't care about their neighbors. "we put our money where our mouths were and we never beat our chest." Then he goes right into beating his chest with "We built great, big things, made ungodly technological advances, explored the universe, cured diseases and we cultivated the world’s greatest artists AND the world’s greatest economy. We reached for the stars, acted like men. We aspired to intelligence, we didn’t belittle it. It didn’t make us feel inferior." "We didn’t identify ourselves by who we voted for in the last election and we didn’t scare so easy." It's not about who you vote for, it's about the ideals the person you voted for us going to stand for, or stand up against. This after these speech writers brag about how they voted for a person of a certain sex or a person of a certain race, which is sexism/racism. "We were able to be all these things and do all these things because we were informed… by great men, men who were revered." Thought you didn't want to 'beat your chest' yet here you are bragging again. We used to revere God and morals, loving your neighbor, fighting for moral reasons, helped the poor out of desire not compulsion, sacrificing to help others, humility abounded. But the *speech writers* hate God, hate Christians, and the more God has been removed we now idolize abortion and the slaughter of women in the name of "women's health", violate the rights of girls in the name of "transgender rights", make sure minorities stay poor and dependent upon them, scream "racist!" and "sexist!" as loud and as often as they can while being the most vile racists and sexists the world has ever seen. "First step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one. America is not the greatest country in the world anymore.” These
Best speech I have ever heard from any American and 100% correct.
I understand this is from a series....but the words hit ...hard. ....and Jeff delivers ....more than acting.....I believe he BELIEVES in every word he stated in this scene.
That what more People should do when asked a question give a truthful answers best I have seen
What about this answer is truthful? The nostalgia for some idealized version of manhood in the mid-20th century that never existed? The ignoring of the many ways in which America leads the world (Nobel Prizes, inventions, medical research, spending on AIDS relief, spending on foreign aid in general, space exploration, Olympic medals)? At best, I would consider his tantrum to be emotionally honest. That doesn't make it meet any objective standard of truth.
"Love gets your hurt, trust gets you killed, and being real gets you hated." - Johnny Cash. "No one is hated more than he who speaks the truth." - Plato
@@willerwin3201 Then you are blind and dumb
@@alexdesrouleaux2387 insults are not arguments.
@@willerwin3201 Not an insult. Just the truth
I don’t know America is greatest or not because i did not live in other countries, but five years ago when i and my wife came from Middle East to here, i just had one finance car in Middle East and nooo hope for future, i came here i work, study hard now we have 2 cars house, are we happy yes but just we miss family, thanks to 🇺🇸 thanks to American people they gave me the chance, i am in indiana they are so nice people, here the limit is sky that is it
First hand experience. Congratulations and continue to wish you the best.
No one is saying there isn't opportunity here. There is also tremendous racial oppression, income equality and government ineffeciency , grinding poverty, poor health care etc. But you have your house and not one but two polluting cars , so I guess every thing is alright, from your narrow minded perspective.
@@carlfoster1952 you don’t have any f ing idea what is racial oppression, income equality and government inefficiency, because you did not live in Middle east or other poor communities just you used to sitting and just talking and i BET you have just a big lazy ass just came from socialism, and i am worry because people like you will f this country. Work don’t be lazy study don’t spent your time in social media, improve yourself you will get more i have in my narrow perspective, no weeds too
@@nimtar3048 Yeah I forgot, those things only exist in one part of the world , the Middle East cornered the market on oppression.
@@carlfoster1952 you don’t have any idea to be a 10 years old and don’t know what is the taste of the meat, you don’t know be a dad who can not bring even peace of bread tp the table for his kids, or seeing his son is dying because of starving, or because can jot buy a milk or a medicine for his kids the only problem of young generation of here just know to talk talk talk talk, they don’t know how fuck the are lucky just born in usa, just talking talking .... before living all them just don’t sit behind the keyboard and write the words that you learned from your instagram or facebook, I am coming from there all inside the country dad can not come back to home afternoon because of shame, now tell me am I narrow mind all your fancy words make you open mind???
Perfect answer: It used to be and it can be, but it’s not because politics and oil come first.
When did it used to be? Before the civil rights? During Watergate? During Contra? During the War on Terror?
1990s
Aaron Sorkin. Dash you on the rocks. And, thank you. Thank you!
I think there is nothing wrong with loving your country and *wanting* it to be the best. But it is a big mistake to close your eyes to the things that are wrong with it, or act as if you are superior. One of the most important qualities to being a great individual and country is humility, and the US is lacking in that department, at least from what people can observe from putside of it, hence it's reputation hasn't been all that great for quite a while.
The word you are looking for is hubris.
Excellent speech, wish it wasn't only for a TV show but for real, mostly because it is 100% true.
a great country is one that treats it's citizens equally and has laws that protect the freedom of EVERYONE. but no country can claim to be the greatest because we all have problems, and we always will, because it is not a perfect world. i love my country (new zealand) and am so proud to be called a 'kiwi'. if you can't say the same about yours then YOU have a problem.
Now that I agree with
This makes me cry. This country has become a joke
💯
Sadley it has. But Australia is not the lucky country any more. Imagrents have ruined Australia
Wtf is an imagrent
@@Carpetduck They mean immigrants
@@William2512 Australia has been ruined by immigrants in the last couple of decades. They ruined this country with their BS. However, the ones before 1970 were the best immigrants ever had. If Australia did not go to WWI mainly and WWII this country would have been the best in the World, even beating the USA. We lost a lot of skilled men and men. I am not originally from an Australian background but my background has been in Australia since the 1920s.
I'm going to watch this show now
Good choice. Just keep in mind it was a reaction to US Republican Tea Party craziness and a warning about citizen journalism that does not check multiple sources before presenting rumor and conjecture as fact. Given we now have an era of US Democratic party Trump Derangement Syndrome and mainstream media are so politicized that citizen journalism is practically only way to get unfiltered news (as long as you keep in mind it might be inaccurate), I'd say the show did not age well. It is still well made and characters are compelling and writing is top notch so it is definitely worth a watch, but watching news network people be upset about public believing wild news spread on internet that turn out to not be right is kind of laughable given that today the big News channels edit news to fit their prefered narrative.
i remember when i kept seeing this on fb on the news feed and was curious what it was all about. my eyes were opened once i watched it.
0:55 - that sums it up. The moment your patriotism becomes nationalism - the moment you think your way is the best way, or the way things 'should' be - imperceptibly your greatness gets stripped away. A great piece of screenplay, still relevant.
That is so well put: the moment patriotism becomes nationalism! Thank you.
This scene should be aired on the media every single day. It is still the most relevant speech I have heard in years.
Well done my friend!! Because this is exactly what's going on right now
Most of the time, Aaron Sorkin delivers a lot of empty dialogue, a total meaningless verbal diarrhea but sometimes he gifts us with a superb monologue like this one. This is what makes Sorkin worth watching.
He's following a script 😂
@@lisacousins4192 Aaron Sorkin is the writer. Jeff Daniels is the actor who is following a script, although his talent should also be lauded.
This answered the question of why did I serve in the military!!! Never gets old,,,,,sometimes the best way to move forward is to step back once or twice first,,,,,
This is the best speech of my lifetime.
As a U.K citizen, I watch this every now and again so I can pretend America has a hope of getting rid of MAGA, getting humble, and realising reality from the perspective of everyone else.
You can't actually be serious. Trump is fighting for everything this man just talked about. Not sure what crap they are smoking across the pond but half of America is smoking it too.
He is right in every way. I think we have lost our ways. I hope we can once again become the greatest country in the world
tiktok brought me here
How?!? When?!? WHO!?!
Samee ee
Same
Tiktok gave me a great reminder tho
Tik Tok is for weenies.
Every time I watch this clip it is becoming more and more relevant in today's position. My favorite part of the speech is when he states "we were informed by people who were revered" that just hits right on the nose with all the media narrations happening. Pretty much why I stopped watching news channels.
This is such a great speech. Unfortunately, from experience, both sides of the political spectrum hear this and assume he’s speaking about the other side. Both sides need to make changes, and realize that we have to work together.
I watched this at least 20 time
this is one of my favorite clips on the internet
All of America no matter race or creed needs to hear this today! Needs to be shown in schools, libraries and universities! This is God's honest truth
The shocking part is that this comes as a shock to lots of Americans!
The power of propaganda and weaponized/politicized patriotism.
The video that “THAT” guy shares at least once every two months on Facebook.
THAT guy would be correct, you should thank him for trying to wake his fellow citizens up!
sean o'leary no thanks Libshart. I wake up every day in the greatest country in the world, the USA 🇺🇸
@@jguerra0117 Please detail what makes this country so great today? What makes it the "best country in the world"? Genuine question.
@@jguerra0117 lol no it isn't kiddo.
One of the best speeches I've heard ever and it hits the nail right on the head! And with this last joke of an election it's only going to get MUCH worse!
If you have time to check Mr Robot series have some amazing speeches.
@@TheSim4e90 we will do that! Thank you!
The flow of his dialogue delivery is absolutely fantastic
"We waged wars on poverty, not on poor people." this quote hurts
Yes!, fight poverty, don't fight poor people
It's easy to blame societies poor for the fuck ups by the rich.
how to define "greatest" is the main problem
Where else can you own your own private space program? Get free things because of the color of your skin? Burn cities with rarely any consequences? You can go to college for FREE if you work hard and earn scholarships. Name a better country and I'll tell you why it isn't. If you don't have everything you want, it's because you didn't try, and you probably don't deserve it. There's no excuse for anyone in America to not have or do anything they want, anytime they want. Literally ANYTHING, ANYTIME.
Different aspects, different results.
@@billybatson8657 Finland is better
@@billybatson8657 Not surprised at the fact that an american doesn't know other countries has scholarship programs as well
If the USA is going to declare itself the greatest nation, then it has to address what it's the greatest at. Most-free? The USA doesn't even make the top ten most-free countries. Most-wealthy? Per capita, the USA doesn't even make the top ten most-wealthy countries.
10 years later and I still watch this from Canada
Well done Daniel!!!! much respect
Now we lead the world in the number of COVID cases.
sadly
USA! USA!! ;-)
We are third highest in population world wide (not that this should have any effect on the number of cases, of course). The second largest is India, they have more cases than we do. China has the largest population, and while claiming low cases in general, continued to close off entire regions/major metro areas. All while committing human rights abuses in the name of "the common good". Bet you trust the numbers they are trying to sell. So glad we have people like you to run around in an uninformed fashion telling us how the sky is falling. Imagine where we'd be without you...
Covid deaths
With the highest testing by at least 75% compared to the second highest.
This should be broadcasted every day on all media ! Time to wake up
This couldn’t be more true for this year....
with great power comes great responsibility -Spiderman
When I first ran across this video it absolutely enraged me because I didn't know any better, now it sickens me to know how many people actually believe the lie that America is the greatest.