Interesting how you left out the biggest lie, Iraq War. That's the one lie that caused the decline of the US from its peak of uncontested supremacy after the fall of Soviet Union.
History happens on a timescale of generations. You need to zoom out to appreciate it.
Please do not misquote me.
I did mention about the Iraq War. It was in my first sentence. I said that the Iraq War is one of the few exceptions. Because that lie was quickly debunked when coalition troops are done defeating Saddam Hussein. The other lies that I have listed out took decades to debunk, or were never debunked.
I am looking at history for generations. The post Iraq War era is not the only time where the US fell from grace. The Vietnam War and its aftermath was also just as significant as the Iraq War in 2003. Back then, honest journalists for the first time unraveled the lie that America was fighting the good fight. Anti-war culture and progressive movements back then was even more significant than even in post-Iraq. But what happened next? Starting from 1991 America decided to go after 'brutal' dictators and then America is back again. Again becoming the most liked and trusted policeman of the world. All was well until 2003 of course.
Remember the Syrian War and the anti-Russian hysteria during the Obama period? It was also the Occupy Wall Street spirit was also happening at that time. There were a lot of criticisms of the US for getting too involved in the Middle East, and dangerously provoking Russia. So spawned the many alternative media fighting against the MSM. It looked like the US had really lost the plot.
But wait. Who says America is gone? Donald Trump came next. US declared China enemy #1. Suddenly almost everyone agrees with America again. Those alternative media that I was talking about? At least half of them started bashing China over America. Governments and media around the world join in on the China-hate. America was able to rally Sinophobia around the free world. It was so much easier than Islamophobia or Russophobia. There is so much less resistance for Sinophobia. Everyone can hate China now. Its so easy. Whether you are White, Black, Asian, Christian, Muslim, or Hindu. Hating China is trendy, and is actually favored. I have seen and met people who oppose the Iraq War, oppose Israeli occupation of Palestine, oppose the demonization of Russia; but is fine about Sinophobia. Many of these people are Asians by the way. Then Covid-19 pandemic came and everything else is history.
So, I can see the history. America's influence has waxed and waned. But recently, it has recovered in some areas. America always recovers influence when it has found a new enemy to hate. The five eyes, Japan, South Korea, India, parts of SEA, and parts of Europe have chosen America over China. Australia is the best example. Gone were the days where Australians can vote for a PM like Kevin Ruud to build better ties with China. This is not a short-term problem, trust me. This is going to go on for decades.
Chinese, Russian, and the alternative media sometimes portray China's perception in the world abit too positively. In the real world, it is far more nuanced. Sinophobia is much more mainstream than most of us would like to think. Everyone knows that America is a serial liar. But then so many of them too, proudly joined the 'Wuhan Virus' bandwagon. Its not because they truly trust America, its because they trust America more than China. It is quite foolish to underestimate the power of American media and influence. Most people in the free world are not as rational as China likes to think. The media still plays a very important role, and China still has some ways to go to match the Western media in both sophistication and persuasiveness. Chinese media still likes to lecture to its viewers. While Western media knows how to lead the viewers into their message. The Chinese method just cannot work these days, because people are more sophisticated. Few people like to be lectured. For sure, China is catching up, but it can do better. Chinese people do not lack news media talent. It frustrates me to see SCMP, a HK-based news media doing a far better job at newscasting than any of the English-language Chinese media.
