Think in terms of debt.  

Argentina are big spenders (money printers), but they pay off their debt (meaning, they suffer the social costs of their money printing) more frequently.

The US are also big spenders but to a much lesser degree, however, america carries forward their social costs for decades, adding interest all along the way

An inevitable blowoff in the US is far more catastrophic than an inevitable blowoff in argentina 

 Not sure I see the connection with how it affected culture but appreciate your insight 

 Americas success was only a sort of drunken success.  Where Argentina drinks, detoxes, resets, and suffers periodic hangovers, America drinks all the time, never has hangovers, "seems" happy and well...until one day when Argentina is going about their routine, and Americas liver fails.