You're getting downvoted into oblivion, but yeah, that's basically how I feel. Cultural differences, I'm sure, because I'm not USian; but every time I see it on the youtube videos it makes me deeply uncomfortable.
I'm fine about sporting events, because it's about something that doesn't matter --- the whole point of sport is to channel the sex-violence-and-tribalism thing in a safe and relatively controlled fashion.
What disturbs me about something like the chanting at SpaceX is that it's something that does matter, and which I feel strongly about. Seeing their great technical achievement turn into exclusionary tribal posturing makes me very sad.
I'm sure there's a long way to go before SpaceX fans and STS fans start beating each other up in the street... but it is one step down that path.
Its a collective/cult response, is why it makes me uncomfortable. "Everyone else is doing it, so should I", and while its occurring, no other rational thought is occurring. It is a known thought-stopping technique in cults.
I also despise it when it happens at sports events. Its just demeaning to whoever doesn't fall in line and start the goose-step.
First "and while its occurring, no other rational thought is occurring". I'm not really sure how to respond to that. Of course no rational thought is taking place. It's a celebration. They aren't trying to have a rational discussion.
Second "Its just demeaning to whoever doesn't fall in line and start the goose-step". I have never seen anyone that is somewhere people are chanting it and be ridiculed for not joining along. It is completely up to anyone whether they want to participate.
I think space exploration/achievement is a very big point of pride for Americans. Ever since the moon landing, everyone has fell in love with the space program. Chanting USA! doesn't mean give up all rational thought and blindly follow the countries leaders. It means a bunch of Americans just did something amazing. I'm glad to be a part of this country that is doing great things. It also doesn't mean go USA fuck Europe. Sure there is a little bit of a competitive undertone, but so what. If SpaceX says look what we did, I dare you guys to do better well then good. Competition is the reason why space programs are where they are. Sorry you don't like how one country likes to celebrate. Luckily everyone is free to do whatever they want.
The idea that a group of SpaceX employees chanting "USA", not "Europe Sucks" or "Death to Russia", or some other chant that specifically calls out and demeans another group, but simply USA-USA-USA, is somehow analogous to a Nazi rally is very surprising to me.
Perhaps you haven't taken enough time to observe and understand the conditions of those who are on the receiving end of Americas military-industrial aggression...
I would be wary in making assumptions about a stranger's background and what conditions they may or may not have grown up under prior to immigrating to the US. I can assure you I am more than familiar with the receiving end of both American and Russian military aggression.
I continue to find the notion of SpaceX employees chanting USA to be analogous to the rallies of a man who thought it a good idea to send several million people to the gas chambers as suspect.
I suppose I'll just chalk this up to me not being as enlightened as you.
If you want to see it on a dialectic +/- scale, fine by me, who am I to convince you otherwise .. but it is in fact a gradient scale, which starts with witless/robotic/cult chanting, and ends with crimes against humanity. BTW, yes, the USA is on the upper echelons of this scale: or did you think its wanton pillaging of nation after nation with its military-industrial toys is justifiable, somehow?
Hey, "Sieg Heil!" started off 'harmless enough' too, yo. All the cool cats were doing it .. at first.
So .. Who knows where all this is going to go .. we may well be on the precipice of an enormous catastrophe, all for the whim of wanton displays of pride, prejudice, nationalism, and awe-/fear-inspiring technology. All I'm saying is, it took a lot of nations for America to get where it is today. It didn't do it alone. And some of those nations were seriously broken in the process ..
(Besides which, there is no such thing as 'USA'.. it is a fiction. Gravity doesn't care about your fancy flag. In space, nobody can hear your chant..)
Surely you have seen examples of nationalism outside of the 1930-40s comtext? It's an ugly thing. Maybe watch a Trump rally and then you get a good idea with an American context.
I knew I would get down voted, because the collective group-think mindset is very strong around this particular issue, and Americans have been programmed to think its acceptable to make these kind of cult-chants when they do something special. It is a special event - most definitely - but the cult-chant ruins it. Very obnoxious.
Honestly you just sound kind of brittle if others chanting USA! ruins something for you. Sometimes the USA chant is overdone but in this case I think it's awesome.
To each their own. What starts as an awesome technological event, ends with thought-stopping cult-like behavior. I guess the two are entwined, eternally, throughout human culture, so I shouldn't be surprised ..
