Being America

"Much more than travel reportage, Being America is a meditation on the meaning of politics. With the wisdom and sensitivity that earned him earlier acclaim, Purdy explores how communities and individuals the world over interpret international phenomena. He argues that whenever the United States acts in a fashion that is ignorant, hypocritical, opportunistic, or arrogant, it weakens the case for our version of the future and undercuts people in every country who are working for it. His travels, both around the globe and in the literature that forms the ideological base of our country, lead Purdy to propose that the United States pursue a politics that is humane and attuned to the differing ambitions of other cultures."--BOOK JACKET.