International affairs

Kids post got me to thinking, and at the risk of sounding "minnesota fats ish" I was wondering what some of you folks from around the globe thought.

I'm and American, and proud of it. I realize our country has been percieved overseas as a bully as of late. Americans are sterotyped as fat, loud, borish, and greedy empiralists. I realize there is a little truth in every stereotype, but let's not go there and let this digress into an aurgument.

I have always felt that America not only shares a common history with other english speaking countries (Austrailia, Canada,Britain, New Zealand, Ireland), but similar goals and ideals and a close cooperative friendship. In the past, those nations have worked well together and I feel have done great overall good for the globe. Sometimes I feel like it's us agianst the world,and the us part is getting smaller and smaller.

So my big question is, why are we disliked so much these days? Is it just George Bush and Iraq? Or is it, we are the rich kid on the block and everyone hates the rich kid? or something else?

I don't know - I like Americans, then again I spend alot of time talking to them on the internet .. I think the George Bush thing definately made people think less of Americans a little - as in why was he re-elected.. but you are now taking steps to change that .. Maybe it's also because you seem like a massive country fueled by consumerism, then again it's been found out that Australia is the fattest country in the world - 1 in every 3 Australians are overweight Let's face it, you guys pretty much run the world so there is probably a little animousity towards you for that - no one likes the top dog.. We always get news stories over here in Australia about America and the tag line is always 'Only in America '.. take for example: In Australia we don't have guns, no one has them except police officers, hence the reason why we have less shoot outs, and why we've never had a shoot out by a student at a school - they can't get their hands on a gun to do so.. When Barack said he would change the gun laws and make it harder for people to obtain guns we in Australia were getting loads of footage of Americans going crazy buying lots and lots of guns just because it would be harder in the future - obviously the Australian mindset to guns is different than the American, but that footage that was shown to us looked really silly 'Only in America' But yeah the only stories about America that we get here are the ones that belittle you, and I'm well aware that the news we see is not the whole story, but alot of people don't..

I see Australia as the little sister to America - we love to make fun of you and annoy the hell out of you, but in the end we still love ya even if we don't show it

I edited my response because it was too defensive. I honestly was just interested in your opinions, not mine. I'll just suffice to say America is very divided in almost every respect,and it's difficult to generalize.

I was born in New York ,spent the first 7 years of my life there. From age 7 to 20 ,I lived in Ireland where my family are from. Then I spent 10 years moving about , 2 years in London and 6 1/2 years in New York. I,ve sent the last 14 years back in Ireland. I would love to move back to the US but my son has a medical problem and I couldnt afford his treatment over there. It's all free here in Ireland. I have relatives in Ireland ,England ,Florida ,New Jersey and New York.
I've been called a Fu**king Paddy in London , an Irish Donkey in New York . a white muthaf**ker in the Bronx and a fat F**king Yank in Ireland. That's my background before I continue.

I dont think anybody in the Western world is "jealous" of the US because we all pretty much have the same things/lifestyle now ,watch the same movies, read the same books, eat the same food , same cars etc etc.
People have stereotypical images of loud, fat Americans ,sure , same as everyone thinks all the Irish are drunk brawlers or the Germans are dour and obsessed with order or that the French are arrogant and all the other real and imagined opinions every race has of the other races.
The main problem anybody has with the US is what George Bush and co. did in Iraq. I dont think the first Gulf war upset the rest of the world like he did with this one. No thinking went into what the consequences of this war would be , even a total disregard for the consequences. It had nothing to do with the World Trade centre atrocity( I actually worked as a carpenter in those buildings in the 90's). Oil/buisness/control were the real reasons for that war IMO. Iraq and Bush are the bone of contention in the Western world.

The Arab/Muslim world is a differant matter. The existance of Israel and Americas support for Israel is the underlying problem. If the Palestinian situation was solved, alot of/maybe all of this hatred would cease. I dont know how this can be done of course. Israel has a right to exist , the Palestinians have a right to a homeland.
I dont think any Arab counry has seriously tried to help the Palestinians other than use them as pawns in thier game.

People think the US is full of gun tooting looneys which is part true, but the rest of the world is also full of looneys. They just dont have guns. The storys on the news are always bigger from the US ,thats all.

I hope that I've insulted no one with my two cents , I absolutly love America , there is just so much beauty there in every way.
I love Ireland too but the weather sucks and it's too claustrophobic and small for my liking.
I love London too but I never travelled around the UK so I cant say anything about it. I was never in Europe until a few weeks ago and that was only for 4 days. Never been to Australia but my wife spent a year there and she loved it.

Edited some spelling mistakes

I wish to say this and I think it's something that all the West forgets..........The Western world would not exist as we know it but for The United States. The Nazis and then the Soviets would have seen to that. \We wouldnt be worrying about the next BSO album if those guys had got thier way.

I love the USA. I haven't done much traveling abroad, and I don't really have a huge desire to. I do want to travel about the U.S. a bit more, and really take in the local cultures through a coast-to-coast road trip. I think we have lots to offer here, with so many diverse sections and peoples of this fair land.

I think part of the reason that the U.S. is disliked by some people is that our country stands for freedom, and the pursuit of happiness. Notice I did not say the right to happiness, but rather the pursuit. (Some people of the entitlement school of thought would disagree with my statement.) The U.S. has not been afraid in the past to step into areas that have not been popular, but the end results and history shows that if the U.S. had not become involved, the world would definitely be a different place today.

I totally agree with Lord Vincent Blackshadow: " I wish to say this and I think it's something that all the West forgets..........The Western world would not exist as we know it but for The United States. The Nazis and then the Soviets would have seen to that. We wouldn't be worrying about the next BSO album if those guys had got their way." --The only thing I can add is "amen!"

Unfortunately, I think we are treading on shaky ground right now with our current administration. The U.S. that my generation and many generations before me enjoyed is at risk of becoming extinct. I'm fearful that the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave will be swept away out from under our feet if we the people do not pay close attention to what is going on right now. I do remain hopeful that those who have chosen to remain silent over the past couple of years will gather together and create a grass roots movement that cannot be ignored. I think the recent tea parties were a good example, and a decent start to this.

Anyway, here's a couple of my favorite quotes, and they sum up my feelings about the U.S. right now.

The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other.
-Ronald Reagan

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.
-Thomas Jefferson

"I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious."
--Thomas Jefferson,
letter to Thomas Cooper, 29 November 1802


Just my thoughts,
hrg

vic wrote:

why are we disliked so much these days? Is it just George Bush and Iraq? Or is it, we are the rich kid on the block and everyone hates the rich kid? or something else?

I can speak for Spain (at least for some of the citizens here): The US has been "disliked" for a long time, way before Bush, so there´s no need to blame him only. Reagan, Clinton, Father Bush.... they haven´t been very popular here either.

I have not very clear the reasons why, cause a lot of people say "I don´t like americans" but they all end up going to McDonald´s, wearing Levi´s, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, and trying to get a good rate to fly to NYC for Xmas or Spring Break.
We all go to the movies to watch your Hollywood stuff, we like US rock´n´roll bands and try to imitate their style, and love the NBA.

When you are being critized by us, we have some people (actors, singers, sport players...) who get ass-kissed cause they made it to the US and got to be successfull and popular, so it doesn´t make much sense to me the way my fellow-spaniards think about you, Americans.


I, sometimes, get in arguments with people, cause I can´t keep on listening to their crap, while they haven´t even been outside of their hometowns.... and tell them about how many things we should learn from the US: respect among others, respect to the environment and public areas, discipline, respect to property....


Now, with the ObamaMania, things are smoother. Let´s just wait to see for how long does it last.

Thank you Spanish D and HotRod Girl for you thoughtful posts. HRG - I agree with you entirely.

Well, speaking for the germans in my age, I don't think that there are a lot of prejudices against americans, of course everybody knows about the stereotypes but most people know that they're just stereotypes, and nothing more! It's a little differet to america itself, as already mentioned here, the gun laws for example. I think it's just because it is different here, and people just know how it is here, so they don't understand that it works in the states. IN my opinion it's just logical that our countries have different points of view on some things because they have developed from different backgrounds and made different experiences in the past. On the other hand, I think, that the world is mor and more becoming a "global community" the differences betwenn us are getting smaller and smaller.

Well, to summarize what I'm trying to say: If america is prejudiced here, it's just because of "cultural issues", just because it is different here.

Paul

Not wearing Lederhosen, and not liking Sauerkraut-abilly

Uhh, in my opinion I must say that Americans are usually disliked because they consider themselves as the centre of the world or that's the image portrayed by what I see.

Truth is that many films have contributed that much to dislike America: many series portray a very idealized and happy life, others introduce characters saying "hey, I'm an American citizen" (and with that sentence everything is solved)... and then, being American seems to be the coolest thing on earth.

Mass media are always talking about US, about what the country does or doesn't do and one of the reasons people dislike America is because it's always against many international decisions/agreements... Guantanamo, pollution, no human rights respect, death penalty... and a less tolerant society respect the European

BUT as I stated above, just my opinion and appreciation by what I read and see.

Speaking of my country, Spain, we are stereotyped by bull fights, siesta, paella and going out at night... that has nothing to do with us! Wish this country of mine had the mentality of the Scandinavian or Northern European countrys, which think smarter than any other place on this world.
Things would be much better!!

vic wrote:

So my big question is, why are we disliked so much these days? Is it just George Bush and Iraq? Or is it, we are the rich kid on the block and everyone hates the rich kid? or something else?

First of all, i love your way of life. The USA invented Rock`n Roll !!!!!
Your cars and Bikes are fantastic. And you guys growed up with all these stuff.
Your Fathers and Grandfathers kicked the a** of the f*****g Nazi in WW2.
For THAT we still have to thank the USA. (especially we germans).

But, i think Iraq was a mistake (Saddam was a gangster but not responsible for 9/11 and the weapons of mass destructions are still missing)
Imho Bush was not the best president you have had in the past.
That is nothing special, 'cause here in europe we had and have also some leader we better should forget.
But the USA affect the world much more than any other country in the world.
So i appreciate the change in the USA.
Not only for Obama, i guess the other guy would been a good choice too. (and it is not my right to say which party or president is better for your country.)

One thing do all critics of Bush and the USA always forget.
USA is a democratic country, after 8 years latest the president (and his crew) changes. This is still no standart in the world.

And just a personal expierence with US people:
I worked in 2007 10 days in Shanghai for a big project.
We were a crew of germans, chinese people and we worked together with an US Company. It was for the special olympics. (Lightshow and Sound for the opening ceromony, my job was logistic)
The working process was very good, the project was successful, everything was fine.
But at the end the Boss of the US Crew came to me and said "Thank you, you did a really good job!"
It wasn´t neccassary to do this, but he did it.
The germans crew-boss didn`t do that (he only asked if i was using the Minibar) and the chinese guy was too stupid to find the entry out of the catering area.
That impressed me. The US guy`s worked really relaxed, but very professional.


Btw: next week i`ll do a 14 days trip to Florida...

Cheers

Brett

But is it really so? Americans as a nation and individuals is still different than your governments foreign policy .
I've been travelling in app.30 countries and several time s I've been asked "american?", not once in hostile way,
maybe it's just an easy way to start a conversation or guessing ones' origins or something.

I've been travelling also in arab countries, india, north-africa in where cultures & society is VERY different
than ours in Finland. Never had any serious troubles with religions, politics, ethics etc, I just try to take
people as individuals and avoid discussions involving touchy subjects in which I still may have an opinion
tha differs itself from the "suitable" one in that country.

Hope you got the point!


P.S.We finns are easily stereotyped as somewhat dull, hardworking alcoholics with knowledge of communication technology
but no skills or manners for conversation, we carry knives and have tendency for suicides. Who knows, it may be true but meanwhile
let's carry on living

I think it's not always America's fault that it gets perceived the way it does around the globe. George Bush Junior set you guys back, but Obama is definitely changing that simply by the way he speaks and comes across. I won't say GBJ was an idiot because that can't be true, but Obama comes across as a very intelligent man and he seems like a very warm and likable person.

In terms of Iraq, Afghanistan etc, that I blame totally on the UN. The misguided people of the world may think that the USA is the self proclaimed saviors of the world who do what they want to benefit themselves. The problem with that is if the UN actually acted and did what they're supposed to do, the Americans in a lot of instances wouldn't have to get involved. The UN is pathetic and does nothing but line their own pockets. No one could possibly blame the Americans for going to Afghanistan after 9/11. Who do people turn to or ask for help when they need it? People will always complain about a country that is powerful in one way or another. One thing I do agree on though, the gun thing is out of control, but with the gun lobby having so much power and it being in the constitution, good luck changing that. I think it's way beyond too late.

As for personalities, every country or people has loud obnoxious and self centered people.

So much good comes from America and I think outweighs what may be perceived as bad. Hell with America there would be no Mustangs, Corvettes, Stray Cats and Brian Setzer. We need you guys, so do the people that complain.

Maybe people in general should look for the good in people and not spend so much time complaining or maybe just get a life and live it.

Just my opinion, you can start throwing spears now.

René-a-pony

I think I'll my mouth shut just in case a ciber war brews... and to prevent myself from being banned again XD

Slim Jon Phantom wrote:

I think I'll my mouth shut just in case a ciber war brews... and to prevent myself from being banned again XD

That's the first intelligent thing I've seen you write on these boards SJP in any carnation.

Thanks so much for everyones honest and frank answers. I think we can all agree, the media does not do a good job of giving us accurate representations of one another, and it's unfair to stereotype. Hollywood and the American popular culture machine is out of control and we are all affected by it.
Keep em coming

Vic,
then it seems that you haven't read many of my posts.... and if I were to be honest with my thoughts, I would have already said what I thought but it might be pretty offensive, then, stay calm and enjoy Setzerland