I was at the swimming pool and the kids and adults from a particular nationality were behaving really badly. That got me thinking about soft power because everybody excuses their bad behavior because of their country's entertainment and entertainment industry.
On the other hand, there was another nationality's kids behaving badly and everyone was condemning them, even going to the point of doxxing them on social media.
What's the difference? The lack of soft power. 20 years ago, the results would have been very different and the first group would have been ridiculed as well but instead, everyone gives them a pass.
So, countries should focus on building up their soft power more than their hard power. It is a bit like you can never change someone's mind. You can only get them to think about their position and they have to make the change themselves.
This even relates to foreign policy. If a country is rich and makes donations to countries in need and at the same time has a vibrant entertainment industry, then I think it would do well. I think this is where American exceptionalism comes from, although it does seem to be waning in recent decades.