No Country is a Monolith

People view all groups except their own as a monolith, but in reality that is almost never the case. For instance, Americans can obviously recognize that America is divided between the left and right. There are massive differences between half the country who hold very different beliefs and visions for the country. However, when viewing other countries, Americans tend to view them as a monolith. They think Israel wants this, or Iran wants that, or India thinks this, and Russia thinks that... when in reality, all those countries are just as divided as America. Not exactly in the same way, but there are competing factions within those countries who hold different beliefs and visions.

When Americans talk about a foreign country as a monolith, they do so in a way that would further their own personal goals for America. For example, Zionist Americans frame Iran in a way that helps Israel, claiming that most Iranians oppose the leader and want regime change. Neocons and America Firsters frame Ukraine in very different ways. The American left and right frame Venezuela in different ways. Pundits say "Greenland wants X," but that is only partially true. Some Greenlanders may want X, but other Greenlanders want Y. No country is a monolith.

The same thing is true of other countries and their views. When you go to Europe, people there have a monolithic view of Americans, thinking we all believe the same thing. They likewise have the same view for every other country than their own. Every country is like this because it is human nature—you cannot escape your own perspective.

This is not only true of countries, but of smaller groups and organizations within a country. Just as America itself is divided, so are the organizations within it. The FBI and CIA are not monoliths—they are competing factions within those organizations. The same for the military and the Fed. Every federal agency has competing factions who hold different goals. Though, depending on the agency, it may be further to the left or right at any given time.

To truly understand the world, stop thinking monolithically of groups and organizations. Even Trump himself is not a monolith. He has a large administration, each member of which has differing beliefs and goals that they are acting toward. Many hope that Trump was more monolithic—or monarchical—in that he had his own core beliefs and visions and was able to force them onto his entire administration. But that doesn't seem to be the case, whether it's from lack of vision on Trump's part or lack of authority.

Trump is not a monolith. The US is not a monolith. No country is a monolith.