Discussion » Questions » Communication » Until today I had never heard the phrase "spread-eagle chauvinism". Have you? I think I know what it means and it ain't a compliment, right?

Until today I had never heard the phrase "spread-eagle chauvinism". Have you? I think I know what it means and it ain't a compliment, right?

Posted - May 28, 2017

Responses


  • 16791
    https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/spread-eagleism


    S
    pread-eagleism (n)
    Extravagant or bombastic praise of the United States; aggressive assertion of United States interests or claims; the attitude behind these; (hence) similar speech or feeling in respect of other nations. (The italics are mine).

    Origin
    Mid 19th century; earliest use found in New York Herald.
    From spread eagle + ism, the bald eagle being the symbol of the United States of America.
      May 28, 2017 7:52 AM MDT
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  • 113301
     Thanks for the info Sbf. So it SPECIFICALLY directed at the United States then and unique only with respect to them? Only the US is guilty of spread-eagleism? SIGH.  :(
      May 29, 2017 2:36 AM MDT
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  • 16791
    Other nations are guilty of it, but it's only referred to as "spread eagleism" when referring to the brand which is rampant in the land of the bald eagle. A couple of generations were indoctrinated with the Davy Crockett "his land is the biggest, his land is the best" nonsense and it's hard to shake. It's like Australia's "lucky country" stuff that was pushed down my throat as a kid - but there's so few of us being "ugly Australians" elsewhere that it doesn't annoy people quite so much. There's almost twenty Americans for every Aussie.
      May 29, 2017 3:02 AM MDT
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  • 113301
    Which makes America a bigger target since there are so many more of us. SIGH. Well I appreciate that you didn't get ticked off at me for my reaction. I expect by now you know I say what I think and I don't parse words. We've weathered a few such "difficulties" and here we are still. I guess that's what friends do. Hang in there so thanks for hanging in there! :)
      May 29, 2017 3:08 AM MDT
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  • 46117
    People like that are the idiots who profess My Country Right or Wrong and mean it. 

    Ugh.  My country had better BE right for me to take any action in its defense.   To defend something that is WRONG makes me WRONG as well.
      May 28, 2017 7:54 AM MDT
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  • 113301
    So the phrase is not unknown to you then Sharonna? It's brand-new to me. I have heard of American Exceptionalism of course and I expect that is also unique to us. Worse than that are the politically partisan rigid ideologues who shove their beliefs down everyone else's throats and up their derrieres if they can. They don't give a dam* or a rat's a** about the country. Just their political party. UGH. AARRGGHH! Thank you for your reply and Happy Monday! :)
      May 29, 2017 2:38 AM MDT
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  • 22891
    ive never heard of it either
      May 28, 2017 3:37 PM MDT
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