U.S. way of life

The American emphasis on political democracy and economic development thus combines to convey a
simple ideological message that appeals to many: the quest for individual success en-hnnees freedom while
generating wealth. The resulliiiK blend of idealism and egoism is a potent combination. Individual selffulfillment
is said to be a God-given right that at the same time can benefit others by setting an example and by
generating wealth. It is a doctrine that attracts the energetic, the ambitious, and the highly competitive.
As the imitation of American ways gradually pervades the world, it creates a more congenial setting for the
exercise of the indirect and seemingly consensual American hegemony. And as in the case of the domestic
American system, that hegemony involves a complex structure of interlocking institutions and procedures,
designed to generate consensus and obscure asymmetries in power and influence. American global supremacy
is thus buttressed by an elaborate system of alliances and coalitions that literally span the globe.

by zbygniev brzezinski