Soft Power

Joseph S. Nye Jr., the man who invented the term “soft power,” died last week.  Nye thought the U.S. had global influence not because of its tanks and planes and missiles, but because of its ideals.  American music, American films, American ideas were influential around the world.  People wanted blue jeans, Big Macs, cool jazz, and democracy.

Dr. Nye said “Seduction is always more effective than coercion, and many of our values such as democracy, human rights and individual opportunity, are deeply seductive.  

Nye was dismayed at the way President Trump was destroying American soft power.  He pointed out that the Berlin Wall didn’t go down under a barrage of artillery.  “It went down under hammers and bulldozers wielded by people whose minds had been changed by the Voice of America and the BBC.”

It is amazing how we are blowing our reputation and our influence.  We are so stupid it is painful.