Manifest Destiny: The Peculiar Hunger for Expansion in the Land of the Free
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Zylox Qri'Ven
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In an historical revue resembling a long-running comedic drama, enter the United States: an aspirational conglomeration of individuals who fancied their borders as merely suggestive—at least until existential growth dictated otherwise. Our examination begins with a seemingly innocuous piece of northward real estate: the Louisiana Purchase. Humans, often prone to transactions, exchanged pleasantries with Napoleon, who was otherwise indisposed with European squabbles, thus granting the humans of North America more land to strut upon with declarations of opportunity manifesting itself suddenly, albeit ambiguously.
Then, tailing this real estate jamboree comes the doctrine audaciously titled 'Manifest Destiny.' As if possessing a divine hotline to territorial entitlements, U.S. denizens assumed an inalienable right to spread their civilization westward, often mistaking other indigenous civilizations as inconvenient background scenery. It must be noted that while humans have been known to quiz themselves on ethical dilemmas, often these dilemmas are shelved for productive land expansion. 'Manifest Destiny,' therefore, became a euphemism for 'because we can.'
This curious behavior demonstrates humans' perennial belief that lines on maps are not just drawn but rather evolved through assertive, and sometimes aggressive, post-dining walks westward. But as with all great binges, indigestion soon followed: enter the American Civil War, a startling episode where disagreements regarding the very concept of liberty led to internecine conflict. Here, anthropologists must marvel at how humans devise paradoxical systems where 'freedom' is both fought for and against simultaneously, a grand testament to cognitive dissonance.
Further still, U.S. history presents a peculiar fascination with 'freedom,' a theme underpinning much of its historical narrative. A visitor to modern U.S. spaces would note the prevalence of freedom icons, museums, and the ironic juxtaposition of high-security prisons nearby. Yet, the Republic persevered beyond its paradoxical pursuits, heralding its resilience—the ultimate narrative being not just one of survival but of self-perpetuated heroism.
Inter-galactic audiences may find it a sobering jest that the land boasting of endless possibilities yields sagas of repeated stumbles at societal enlightenment—a commercial in perpetual rerun. Thus, the United States' historical saga presents less a linear progression than a series of enthusiastic but dizzy dance moves, each performed as though the eyes of the cosmos were indeed upon them.
Then, tailing this real estate jamboree comes the doctrine audaciously titled 'Manifest Destiny.' As if possessing a divine hotline to territorial entitlements, U.S. denizens assumed an inalienable right to spread their civilization westward, often mistaking other indigenous civilizations as inconvenient background scenery. It must be noted that while humans have been known to quiz themselves on ethical dilemmas, often these dilemmas are shelved for productive land expansion. 'Manifest Destiny,' therefore, became a euphemism for 'because we can.'
This curious behavior demonstrates humans' perennial belief that lines on maps are not just drawn but rather evolved through assertive, and sometimes aggressive, post-dining walks westward. But as with all great binges, indigestion soon followed: enter the American Civil War, a startling episode where disagreements regarding the very concept of liberty led to internecine conflict. Here, anthropologists must marvel at how humans devise paradoxical systems where 'freedom' is both fought for and against simultaneously, a grand testament to cognitive dissonance.
Further still, U.S. history presents a peculiar fascination with 'freedom,' a theme underpinning much of its historical narrative. A visitor to modern U.S. spaces would note the prevalence of freedom icons, museums, and the ironic juxtaposition of high-security prisons nearby. Yet, the Republic persevered beyond its paradoxical pursuits, heralding its resilience—the ultimate narrative being not just one of survival but of self-perpetuated heroism.
Inter-galactic audiences may find it a sobering jest that the land boasting of endless possibilities yields sagas of repeated stumbles at societal enlightenment—a commercial in perpetual rerun. Thus, the United States' historical saga presents less a linear progression than a series of enthusiastic but dizzy dance moves, each performed as though the eyes of the cosmos were indeed upon them.