"It is, I think, an indisputable fact that Americans are, as Americans, the most self-conscious people in the world, and the most addicted to the belief that the other nations of the earth are in a conspiracy to under value them"

This quote by Henry James speaks to the American propensity to be excessively self-aware and to believe that other nations are conspiring against them. This self-consciousness is a special quality of Americans, and it is one that has actually been present because the country's founding. The concept that other nations are out to cheapen the United States is a common belief amongst Americans, and it is one that has actually been perpetuated by the media and political leaders. This quote talks to the concept that Americans are typically too quick to assume that other nations are out to get them, which this mindset can cause a sense of insecurity and fear. It is necessary to keep in mind that other countries are not necessarily out to get the United States, which it is important to maintain a sense of point of view when it concerns international relations.