Britain had centuries of experience being a colonial power and they gained an encyclopedic knowledge of the various tribes and cultures and peoples inhabiting the world and their historic grievances and hatreds of each other.
We decided we could do this better than Britain (and France) at the end of WWII so we’ve basically been playing global referee/ policeman/ busybody/ for about 78 years, max.
And naturally we know nothing about any of these peoples while at the same time we are convinced that we can teach the world to sing in perfect harmony because dopes never know the limits of their power.
This problem will solve itself as the United States collapses from the internal rot that our ruling class has fostered and ignored while they bankrupt the country from playing Global Empire.
Ah, some erudition and sanity injected into this discussion!
Now that is a very astute observation. Well done, sir, and bravo.
Just a small quibble. In my humble experience, while formerly colonized peoples often resented what they thought of as British arrogance, they were pragmatists enough to appreciate the institutional legacy of the British left to them. And in practical terms it did stand them in good stead mostly. Just as it did us.
Nobody ever appreciated anything about the French. And don’t get me started on the Belgians.
In SE Asia, during and following WWII, they adored Americans, whom they contrasted with the British (and sometimes Dutch) thusly: “You Americans respected us and treated us like equals” while the British “in their silly hats and socks” talked down to them. My, how things have changed now. It breaks my heart for my country. But it is what it is.
Again, kudos and well said. Hat (silly or not) off to you.