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South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Why US exceptionalism and the export of crassness are finally losing their shallow appeal
In early May, as Roman Catholic cardinals convened for their conclave , US President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as the pope . Shortly afterwards, he declared that he would like to become a pontiff. Reactions from around the globe were swift, though not everyone was shocked. After all, this was American crassness at its finest – a spectacle the world has grown accustomed to. Trump is neither the first nor the only US figure to inure the world to such behaviour; there is a long list. When Trump announced sweeping tariffs on global trading partners in April , with China bearing the brunt, financial markets plunged into their worst turmoil since the early days of the pandemic. Ignorance, arrogance, exceptionalism, and fear of 'the other' converged in a display of American crassness on steroids. Trillions of dollars evaporated from stock valuations. Only when the fallout became too severe did Trump pause tariffs for most countries, eventually negotiating with China in mid-May. Yet much of the American public missed the larger picture: these tariffs weren't about sparking a trade war or addressing claims of the world 'ripping off' America. They were a desperate gambit to prop up the American brand – a brand that was sustained for decades by economic hegemony and the 'exorbitant privilege' of the dollar, but is now facing its moment of decline. Donald Trump holds a chart outlining 'reciprocal' tariffs at the White House on April 2. Photo: AFP Desperate to project strength, Trump boasted that world leaders were queuing up to make deals and even 'kiss his a**'. To call such behaviour crass would be an understatement, but the world barely blinked. This crude bravado has long been central to the American way, manifesting in entertainment, politics, media, finance and even sports. To much of the world, it reflects the immature culture of a brash young settler nation. Wealth accumulated through the colonisation of Native American lands bred an unfettered arrogance that normalised such behaviour. The world once playfully dubbed this the 'Ugly American', but that playful tolerance only emboldened the American psyche. Today, this has culminated in a rogue state run by supremacists, supported by a large majority. The US trade deficit, often cited as justification for protectionist tariffs, is merely a symptom of a deeper malaise. The real issue is that American goods – and the culture that sells them – are losing their appeal. Nations like China South Korea , and before them Japan , now produce superior goods. Meanwhile America, high on its own rhetoric about globalisation, shifted its economy towards services dominated by the financial sector, hollowing out its manufacturing base. Yet Americans continued to borrow and consume at unparalleled levels, encouraged by the state. Living beyond their means, they amassed crippling debt. All the while, they were led to believe that their consumerism was the engine of global growth, a myth perpetuated by American business media like Bloomberg and CNBC. For decades, this propaganda painted American life as the global standard. What was once irresistible now feels unsustainable, replaceable and, to the rest of the world, deeply crass. The world has finally woken up to the unsustainable mechanisms of the US-led 'rules-based order' and the hollowness of the so-called American dream. So why did it take so long for the world to realise that this dream is, in truth, a paper tiger? The myth of American superiority
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Why US exceptionalism and the export of crassness is finally losing its shallow appeal
In early May, as Roman Catholic cardinals convened for their conclave , US President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as the pope . Shortly afterwards, he declared that he would like to become a pontiff. Reactions from around the globe were swift, though not everyone was shocked. After all, this was American crassness at its finest – a spectacle the world has grown accustomed to. Trump is neither the first nor the only US figure to inure the world to such behaviour; there is a long list. Advertisement When Trump announced sweeping tariffs on global trading partners in April , with China bearing the brunt, financial markets plunged into their worst turmoil since the early days of the pandemic. Ignorance, arrogance, exceptionalism, and fear of 'the other' converged in a display of American crassness on steroids. Trillions of dollars evaporated from stock valuations. Only when the fallout became too severe did Trump pause tariffs for most countries, eventually negotiating with China in mid-May. Yet much of the American public missed the larger picture: these tariffs weren't about sparking a trade war or addressing claims of the world 'ripping off' America. They were a desperate gambit to prop up the American brand – a brand that was sustained for decades by economic hegemony and the 'exorbitant privilege' of the dollar, but is now facing its moment of decline. Donald Trump holds a chart outlining 'reciprocal' tariffs at the White House on April 2. Photo: AFP Desperate to project strength, Trump boasted that world leaders were queuing up to make deals and even 'kiss his a**'. To call such behaviour crass would be an understatement, but the world barely blinked. This crude bravado has long been central to the American way, manifesting in entertainment, politics, media, finance and even sports. To much of the world, it reflects the immature culture of a brash young settler nation. Wealth accumulated through the colonisation of Native American lands bred an unfettered arrogance that normalised such behaviour. The world once playfully dubbed this the 'Ugly American', but that playful tolerance only emboldened the American psyche. Today, this has culminated in a rogue state run by supremacists, supported by a large majority. The US trade deficit, often cited as justification for protectionist tariffs, is merely a symptom of a deeper malaise. The real issue is that American goods – and the culture that sells them – are losing their appeal. Nations like China South Korea , and before them Japan , now produce superior goods. Meanwhile America, high on its own rhetoric about globalisation, shifted its economy towards services dominated by the financial sector, hollowing out its manufacturing base. Yet Americans continued to borrow and consume at unparalleled levels, encouraged by the state. Living beyond their means, they amassed crippling debt. All the while, they were led to believe that their consumerism was the engine of global growth, a myth perpetuated by American business media like Bloomberg and CNBC. For decades, this propaganda painted American life as the global standard. What was once irresistible now feels unsustainable, replaceable and, to the rest of the world, deeply crass. The world has finally woken up to the unsustainable mechanisms of the US-led 'rules-based order' and the hollowness of the so-called American dream. So why did it take so long for the world to realise that this dream is, in truth, a paper tiger? The myth of American superiority
LBCI
19-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Pope Leo XIV receives US VP Vance
Pope Leo XIV received U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Vatican Monday, Vance's spokesperson said, a day after attending the new U.S. pontiff's inauguration mass. The Vatican released photographs of a smiling Vance meeting the Chicago-born pope, along with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. AFP
News.com.au
12-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Leo XIV gets down to business on first full week as pope
Pope Leo XIV launches his first full week as leader of the world's Catholics on Monday, with journalists, diplomats and top Vatican officials all set to meet the newly elected pontiff. Pomp and prayer marked the initial days of the pontificate of the former Robert Francis Prevost, the US pope first introduced to the world from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica on Thursday. But the former missionary now has a packed calendar. On Monday at 11:00 am (0900 GMT) he is to be introduced to the international press inside the Vatican's vast audience hall, where pontiffs hold their general audiences. This will be followed on Friday with an audience for foreign diplomats at the Vatican. The pope's inauguration mass at St Peter's Square on Sunday, May 18 will be a far grander affair -- his first public mass as pope, during which he will preside before thousands of worshippers and world leaders. The following week will see Leo's first general audience on May 21, usually a regularly scheduled event for the pope on Wednesdays. Members of the public are invited inside the Vatican for teachings and readings in different languages, after which the pope gives a blessing. Days later, on May 24, the pope will meet with the Roman Curia over which he presides, the powerful top officials and department heads running the government of the Holy See. - 'Continuing Francis's path' - The world is still getting to know the modest and soft-spoken pontiff born in Chicago, who spent much of his life in the priesthood as a missionary in Peru, where he holds a second citizenship. Before making him a cardinal in 2023, Francis entrusted Leo with the leadership of the powerful Dicastery of Bishops, which advises the pontiff on bishop appointments. As pope, Leo will have to heal rifts within the Church, renew faith among the world's 1.4 billion Catholics and address a host of modern-day challenges -- including the fallout of the global sex abuse scandal -- still weighing on the two-millennia-old institution. Among the tens of thousands of faithful who came out to see him Sunday, many said they were cheered by signs that Leo would follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Francis, who died April 21 at age 88, seeking unity in a fractured world with an attention to the world's poor. "He gives me a lot of hope just trying to bring about the universal language of love and peace for one another, especially in such a divided world that we have today," Christina Morey, a 31-year-old American, said. "I love that he is both continuing Francis's path while also seeming to create his own and I'm really excited to see where that will go," Morey said. Italian Leo Mita, 34, said that the world's first pope from the United States actually appeared to be "a citizen of the world for rights and for peace". Whereas Francis sometimes ruffled feathers among global leaders -- and within the Vatican -- with his more direct approach, Vatican watchers say Leo will tap his quieter, more collaborative style for best effect on the international stage. - 'No more war!' - On Sunday, Pope Leo did not shy from the turbulent geopolitical context, calling for an end to war around the globe. "In today's dramatic scenario of a third world war... as repeatedly stated by Pope Francis, I also address the powerful of the world, repeating the ever-timely appeal: No more war!" Leo urged from the balcony. Echoing Francis, who repeatedly called for an end to wars and bloodshed across the globe, Leo appealed for a "genuine, just and lasting peace" in Ukraine while also calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Before addressing the crowds on Sunday, Leo celebrated mass deep beneath the basilica, the site of St Peter's tomb. Giving a homily, the new pope urged open-mindedness among people worldwide. According to a Vatican transcript of his words, Leo urged people "to know how to listen so as not to judge, not to close doors thinking that we have all the truth and nobody else can tell us anything".
Washington Post
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Even as pope, Leo XIV might have to deal with U.S. tax returns
Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected pontiff, must answer to at least one more higher power: the IRS. The United States generally requires all citizens to file an annual tax return, even those who live out of the country. But assuming he doesn't renounce his U.S. citizenship, Leo — born in the Chicago area and known until this week as Robert Prevost — has special tax considerations, both as a clergyman and now as the head of a foreign government.
