Around the World; Women from the United States

[Ryotknife]

But America doesn't present itself well.

So we should fire the PR department?

I guess we really dont present ourselves well because we are incredibly pessimistic. We are the most powerful nation in the world, yet many believe that life is worse now than it ever has been in our history. Nor is their any kind of unity or social spirit, at least not at the national level. The only unity or social spirit that exists is at the racial and ethnic level (which is fine if your country is mostly made up of one race or one ethnicity, but not in a diverse nation). Unless we are attacked, that is the only time we actually band together which is why it is kinda pointless for countries to attack us because we could do far more damage to ourselves than they can.

Since this phrase is already getting thrown around a few ways in this thread, speak for yourself.
I don't think we're anymore pessimistic than any other nation and I don't think we're the most powerful either for that matter depending on how you define power.

Life is significantly better now than it was in the past, that's just looking through rose colored glasses[footnote]I'm not saying you are looking through rose colored glasses, I guess I'm just agreeing with you here[/footnote]. I also happen to think the unity is there considering not a state has decided to leave even if we joke about it and how fast we do band together when we get attacked (aka when we actually have a reason to).

I was talking about the approval rating of Congress hitting single digits and how roughly half of our country feels that our best days are behind it

As for is life better now, i guess that depends on what metrics are used. Medicine is certainly better, entertainment is certainly better, but i would say we are less free now than in the past. That said, if i was given a time machine with a one way trip to any time in US history, the farthest i would go would be the 90's simply because any farther than that and i would be bored to tears. My parents on the other hand would gladly go back and stay there.

I will stand by my statement that the US does a piss poor job of presenting itself. both the positives and negatives attributes associated with the US are not really true.

 

[Jayjay47]

I think an episode of Southpark put it the best in how the USA are perceived: A country of saying one thing and doing another.
In regards to women (stereotypes from Germany):

- US Women think theyre independent while actually wishing for a rich and successful man that'll make all the hard choices for them.
- They think theyre highly intelligent while being naive or dumb if you will.
- Sexually repressed and prudish in public but actually having really loose standards for sex. (this one isnt that far off the truth in my honest but not only for women)
- Saying theyre bffs while constantly talking bad about each other behind their backs.
- Highly egocentric and narcisstic (both genders), materialistic (especially women).
- They want everyone to accept their "special" kind of beauty i.e. fat acceptance.

I have to say that not a lot of people in Germany that i personally know really hold these beliefs. Also those beliefs don't stem from reality tv shows. We have those too and everyone knows it's bullshit.
Also in my opinion people here rather like to hate the American government more than the actual people. Again that's because a lot of people thinkt Americans are really naive.

 

[w23eer]

Irish here. I know a lot of people don't like American accents or media, but that applies to men and women. The only real stereotype is that they are prudish (unless they're from California) and idiots (also applies to men), which, I dunno, I always thought was a tad unfair. Most Americans I've met are brainy bastards. And there's nothing wrong with being a 'prude' either...

 

[MonsterCrit]

To be fair Op... Amaricans in general are more... 'tolerated' as a whole. It's like how you tolerate a rich loud, blowhard beligerant uncle when he comes to stay for a week because he's rich and very giving with the money.

So it's not just a matter of gender. As for women... they tend to have worse manners than the men.. or should I say tend to be less respectful of the cultural norms of other societies.

 

[Bellvedere]

I know that it's been rather trendy to be critical of the USA and its citizens for some time. Have not been aware of any criticisms related directly to American woman though. Even in this thread, I haven't seen a stereotype yet that isn't also applied to (particular individuals/groups of) non-American western women.

 

[The Almighty Aardvark]

I'm trying to decide whether or not a lot of these posts aren't mistaking the title for: "What do you think about American women?"

OT:
I find it odd that you say that American women are thought of more poorly than the men, American tourists in general have a pretty bad rep worldwide.

In Canada though, we tend to have a negative impression in general of Americans. The stereotypes are typically that Americans are stupid, racist, fat, and rude. Which is amusing, because every American I've met has been pretty much indistinguishable from Canadians. We like to think we're better than them while we're pretty much the same.

Nothing specific about women though, at least that I've seen.

I'm not sure. I've heard stories, though, of American women being viewed as "loose" by other countries because of American television. For instance, many women have gone to India, where they can't even walk down the street without a chauffeur, because they're being harassed for sex. Meanwhile, many women there evidently feel that American women lack morals. I've also read first hand accounts written by immigrants that stated that they expected all American women to be rather leud. His immigration instructor evidently held up a volume of Maxum, and said that most women weren't like that.

I don't know if that's what you mean, but it's what I've heard. I'm sure it varies based upon country.

I went to India with two female friends, and I can attest to the spirit of that. A large number of the young Indian guys we ran into tried to separate me from them and invite them to clubs or to stay at their place for the night. From what I've heard, Indian women having sex outside of marriage is looked down upon quite a bit. That leaves the Indian men who aren't particularly judged for sex out of marriage, but are met with women who won't dare risk the damage it'd do to their reputation. As a result there's a pretty high demand for foreign women who don't have such hangups.

 

[Angelblaze]

Right. This is going to seem a bit brutal, so I'll just be blunt and lay it out.

Here is how we see the American woman in the U.K.

She is probably going to sleep around.
She is a "woo" girl.
She says "like" a lot.
Imagine Snookie? Imagine Paris Hilton? There are what people think.
She will divorce you and take the kids and half your shit.
An American woman will shout in your face about her opinion.
American women have no grace or elegance.
American women want to be men.
American women are the worst kind of feminists.
American women will throw a rape charge at you for no reason.
American women have no empathy for anyone except other American women.
American women will ***** about each other behind their backs.
American women made the phrase "frenemies"
American women are self-obsessed and not very caring.
American women will get fat and call it "curves".
American women love the phrase "If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve my best" like they're a fucking animal that needs handling.
American women are bad mothers, and bad wives.

American men, on the other hand, are seen as potentially violent, but kind, honest, and slightly silly creatures

So exactly how people here think other people are like.

Delightful, good to see there's less difference from us and our friends across the pond....unfortunately.

Edit: I need to stop reading threads about women and how other people see women. It's just going to piss me off.

 

[L. Declis]

So exactly how people here think other people are like.

Delightful, good to see there's less difference from us and our friends across the pond....unfortunately.

Edit: I need to stop reading threads about women and how other people see women. It's just going to piss me off.

I highly recommend it.

However, join in. I'm interested to hear your opinion. Just a bit of light banter.

But America doesn't present itself well.

So we should fire the PR department?

Yes, you should.

You may joke, but Finland has launched a 20 year plan to change how it's country is seen (its hope are to be happy, to be green, and to have a great education system)

 

[stroopwafel]

Whenever I visited the States(mostly East Coast) I found the people by and large really nice and attentive. As always media stereotypes are mostly ridiculous. What I like most about the U.S. is that the culture is more 'social'. Chatting up to people is much easier there than it is over here. And that includes the women.