ТHE АMЕRIКАНСКИS!

The other day I woke up with a title for a story; ´The Americans.´

Who are we? What do we like? What do we want? What are our dreams? Our desires? What motivates us? These were just a few of the questions that rumbled in my mind. After a thoughtful morning, I knew I had enough in there to write a powerful short story.

It's not complete yet, but I can feel it growing, ideas coalescing, themes becoming clear.

Anyway, I wanted to share it with you all. First, let me start with a 10 bullet point list that I came up with that quickly establishes who "The Americans" are in the context of this story. And that is, a misguided, dysfunctional society that wants world domination despite all the problems it has.

THE LIST

1. Wealth Amid Poverty – A land of billionaires and homeless encampments, where medical bankruptcy exists in the world's richest country.

2. Endless Wars – A nation that invades, occupies, and influences foreign governments in the name of "freedom" while ignoring its own decay.

3. Gun Worship – A place where school children practice active shooter drills, but gun control is seen as an attack on "freedom."

4. Corporate Rule – Where money is free speech, corporations are people, and elections are won by the highest bidder.

5. Crumbling Infrastructure – Roads, bridges, and water systems collapsing while the military budget soars.

6. Extreme Individualism – A culture that idolizes self-reliance yet leaves the sick, poor, and elderly to fend for themselves.

7. Misinformation Empire – A society drowning in conspiracy theories, propaganda, and a refusal to accept facts.

8. Political Paralysis – Two parties locked in endless battle, neither capable of meaningful reform.

9. Celebrity Obsession – A culture that worships influencers and reality TV stars over scientists, teachers, or thinkers.

10. Unshakable Arrogance – Despite all their problems, they still believe they are the "greatest nation on Earth", a nation to be emulated, a nation that must lead the world.

    
    

With the list ready, I can imagine a poor nation - Iceland? - as being at the center of an international struggle, where the powerful, in this case the ´leader of the free world´, wants to take control of it. Anyway, it´s still a work in progress. Enjoy!

Short Story:

"ТHE АMЕRIКАНСКИS" 

The Americans came with smiles and flags. They spoke of freedom and democracy. They arrived on steel birds, carrying weapons that could turn cities into dust.

They stood before the world—broadcasting their message through a thousand screens, a million voices echoing in unison: “We are here to help. We are here to lead.”

The world watched, skeptical. How could a nation that cannot care for its own people possibly care for others?

Back home, their streets were lined with tents—veterans begging for change, sick people crowdfunding their surgeries, parents sending their children to schools that had bulletproof backpacks for sale.

Yet, they called themselves "exceptional."

Their leaders, trapped in an eternal war of red vs. blue, could agree on nothing—except their God - The almighty Dollar! Green greed is always bipartisan.

When the world hesitated to accept their rule, the Americans grew angry. They accused others of tyranny while their own people worked two, three jobs just to survive.

They scolded others for human rights abuses while their police strangled black men in the streets.

They pointed fingers at oppressive regimes while their own government tapped every phone, read every email, watched every move.

Still, they demanded respect. They expected gratitude.

When a small nation refused to comply, they cut off its resources. When another resisted, they sent drones. When people protested, they called them terrorists.

The Americans, confused by the world's growing defiance, asked themselves, Why do they hate us?

And the world, after really learning who they are, tired of their selfishness, their violence, and their stubborn arrogance, finally answered:

"Because no one wants to live in a sick, unhealthy society like yours!"

Well, something like that. I do feel a good story can come out of this idea.

Thanks for reading. Abrazos.

Diego Rojas