Non-Americans: How do you view us?

[gertmenkel]

There's nothing wrong mith most Americans, but I just wondered, what's up with your voting system? If 55% of the people would vot for guy 1, guy 2 still could be president.
Also this

Spoiler

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

This thread is a case-in-point of why Americans are disliked. The very question you're asking could not be more blind and narcissistic. For every one French, German, Egyptian, Chinese, or Brazilian saying "What do you think about my people?" there are a hundred Americans asking the same question. Like people sit around trying to organize their feelings about you. Forcing oneself to the center of attention is a despicable quality in any entity. If Americans would just mind their own business and let other people do the same, we wouldn't feel so detested.

By the way, I'm a Kentucky-born, white American studying in Virginia.

I think America tends to catch more flack in the media than most of those countries you've listed though, which is why Americans wonder why it happens.

 

[Da Orky Man]

I don't really like you. Mostly because most of you americans think you are superior to everyone else, which irritates me. I also hate you for the word "soccer". It usually sends me into a homicidal rage which I can't explain to the police.

You say we think we act superior to you, but in doing so you declare your belief that you are superior to all the hundreds of millions of us here in America. But that makes sense, because you admitted with the soccer thing that youare a psychopath.

"Psychopathy: A mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness."

Isn't that just a bit harsh? Anyone would agree that Americans tend to act superior. It's a cultural thing. America is currently the world's premier superpower, so it's natural. Of course, still doesn't endear you to the rest of the world.

 

[Alex Mac]

There are alot of Americans who love to chant "best country in the world", and it is still annoying/wrong even if other people do it too.

Sure it is. But you can't really point to that and say it is representative of only an American attitude or behavior, though. Excessive nationalism is a poison that taints worldwide. Perhaps I have a naive outlook but I know that I, personally, don't really dislike any national group. The thought is outright anathema to me. So, I guess that I just find the double standard a bit jarring. Either we condemn excessively nationalistic behavior in all forms or we don't condemn it at all. And we certainly don't use it as a baseline barometer for judging a certain group of people.

I like how no-one've disagreed with me on the "America is run by complete morons" bit, though.

I tend to believe that is mostly par for the course everywhere. Most people who seek power are not the type of people who are doing it out of civic-mindedness. The politics of this country absolutely need to be overhauled. And I think that, slowly, it will happen. Global changes are all but assured to expedite things as America's influence wanes, as it certainly will. But as much as people want to rage about the current state of things and point to that as a reflection to write off the larger population as vapid or lacking thought (a sentiment no doubt reinforced by some of the more vocal and disgusting minorities of said population), they need to understand that an about face isn't going to happen over night.

As a final point, I think that discussions like this downplay the diversity of a country. Be it America or any other. My neighbors, respectively, are Creole speaking Haitians and a family of immigrated and naturalized Brazilians. I myself grew up speaking French and English, both of which were taught in school. The point is that my taking all these diverse voices and turning them into one lump sum, it really does a disservice to people.


[quote="gertmenkel]Also this:[/quote]

Somewhat proudly, I will say that I live in one of the states that allows gay marriage but not the cousin thing.

 

[Crazycat690]

Well, as a whole I I see USA as a country full of ignorant rednecks, wondering who to wage war on next. Reality shows with retarded people, news programs with retarded people, politics with retarded people, want more? Hollywood, my God. And then there's that superior attitude that makes everyone say GTFO!

However, all those things are like a thick layer on a otherwise tasty fruit, if you're able to dig through that stuff you will find good stuff. In this case people. You got nice people, good actors, and I couldn't imagine if I came home and didn't get to play an american game and watch american comedy shows like the Simpsons. What I'm trying to say is, you do stupid stuff but we forgive you because you give us nice things.

Also, watching COPS right now actually, doesn't give a good impression of the good ol' US I'm afraid, the problem might simply be bad PR.

 

[Alex Mac]

Also, watching COPS right now actually, doesn't give a good impression of the good ol' US I'm afraid, the problem might simply be bad PR.

I wouldn't say that a show which focuses on highlighting deviant behavior is a good measuring stick for judging the average citizen of any country.

 

[Siege_TF]

9/11 played out like an episode of the Simpsons in which homer becomes President. To quote him (Homer, not Bush): "I wasn't asleep at the switch; I was drunk!" It's a damn shame so many civilians had to suffer for it.

As a whole however I view Americans much like I view my fellow Canadians, only slightly less so, and trying to make up for that with belidgerence.

 

[GraveeKing]

Oh boy.... I could go into details but I don't want to offend anyone, the nicest way I can put it is that.... My views basically state:
I don't think your country should ever have existed, you becoming independent was one of the worse things in History in my eyes. I admit - from your side it was definitely justified but it really shouldn't have been, so I'm as angry at us for taxing you until you rebelled just as much.
There we go... that simplifies it pretty well....

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

So after reading the "what if 9/11 happened to another country?" thread, it seems quite a few people think that us 'mericans suck. I think I read one saying that we would laugh at them. And I am saddened by that. So I wonder: How do you view the U.S.A as a whole?

You guys are alright. You seem a bit arrogant, a tad cocky, and you like to throw your weight around but hey, these are pretty minor offences, you guys do a lot of good in places. Loving the libya intevention.

However your nationalism comes off creepy even borderline sexual. Im talking about this.


Its really fucking creepy. Im not gonna lie. I dont really understand it.

To be honest ALL of the above faults stem from this. The brain washing of your children using this kind of teaching and indoctrination. Also a 50% evolution belief rate. Thats just sad... really really sad. But on the whole, ok people. Nothing wrong with you really. Met some awesome californians on holiday in Boston. Were great people.

Also the war. Please forget the war. No one else talks about it anymore other than you guys :/
Also 9/11 is a bit weird. Plenty of this kinda thing happens world wide and just because you are american people care about you more. What you guys did to japan makes 9/11 look positively friendly. At least they didnt heavily irradiate small children. Fair enough it was provoked. Just saying that in terms of loss of life its an equal tragedy, with innocents lost both times.

 

[allmadeup]

I view Americans with an overwhelming sense of apathy. I have no real opinion about you lot as a collective one way or another, much as I don't have much of an opinion about the folks of Botswana of Luxembourg. I imagine most are pleasant enough, and some are dicks; seems to be the case in most places

 

[Crazycat690]

Also, watching COPS right now actually, doesn't give a good impression of the good ol' US I'm afraid, the problem might simply be bad PR.

I wouldn't say that a show which focuses on highlighting deviant behavior is a good measuring stick for judging the average citizen of any country.

Indeed, and that is exactly my point, everything we see here is the bad stuff, we don't get shows about the bright, educated and nice people. Because that stuff is booring ^^ still, the point remains.

 

[Suicidejim]

All the patriotism tends to just come off as arrogant to a lot of other countries (you know, the whole "Greatest Country Ever" kind of thing). There's a sense that a significant number of Americans see themselves as the centre of the world. Also, you took football, a sport where you kick a ball with your feet, and turned it into 'soccer,' before replacing it with a sport with a comparatively low foot-to-ball contact ratio. As a Brit, that annoys me relentlessly. Oh, and that irritating tendency for American culture to seep into other countries, which is a great thing in some aspects, but I tire of turning on the TV to find some new, mediocre American sitcom filling up the TV schedule. Don't even get me started on all the needless American versions of words that looked perfectly fine before. Color, for example, when it worked perfectly fine for many years as 'colour.' Same thing applies to verbal stuff, like saying 'herbs' with a silent 'h,' and just sounding artificially French in the process.

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of things I like about America. I know that many of it's citizens are wonderful, intelligent people. Many of my issues are trivial. Oh, except for all the wars. Not to mention the fact that my own country still thinks that it has a 'special' relationship with the US, and will therefore follow them into any war it chooses to get into. But most of the rest, like I said, is trivial stuff. All countries have issues, it's just that the US tends to get more media coverage.

EDIT: Forgot to mention all the really fundamental Christians. That kind of bugs me. You know, the ones who are really adamant that evolution shouldn't be taught, or that homosexuals should be lynched. The ones that put God above all else, and regard other religions, or atheism, as inferior and misguided. Them.

 

[Logodaedalus]

Personaly I've got the feeling Americans have the opposite of a hive mind. when you've got one ant it's as dumb as shit, however a colony of the bastards can be very organised and effecient. Now, if you have a normal American he/she wil be fairly nice and friendly, but when you have 250 milion they make George Bush their president.

Now I realise this is probably true for most countries but it seems to be particularly true in america where any one individual can be nice whilst the group isn't.

I could go rambeling on about a billion and one stereotypical things to say about Americans that we Europeans think but that would be pointless.

 

[Draitheryn]

I lived in the U.S (Boston) for a couple of years in my teens, and since then have lived very close to the border of the U.S. While there, the people were pretty much the same as in any other country I've been in, some really nice, some obnoxious. The main issue is their education system is a joke and the world outside America does not exist. Their news is the most biased crap I have ever seen and they think themselves infallible. America is like human zerg, everything they succeed at is done by sheer numbers (people/money etc).

That being said, the style of life I've been able to afford is solely due to a country like the U.S being in power, and I am grateful for that, unfortunately their power is severely waning and likely to fall in our lifetime. I dread to think what changes may occur when they are finally supplanted.

 

[Bloedhoest]

There lays the problem, more or less, the louder you shout the beter you get heard. Idiots tend to shout very loud.
Spoke to a American at a concert once, he could not believe that all the Dutch aren't potheads. Goes to show how biased people sometimes get because of some tiny piece of information.

I understand where you're getting at, but America is a 'free country' which means parents included can raise their children however they want and won't enforce (depending on their morals) education to their child. That guy you talked to, lacked common sense because he himself ether did drugs or just wasn't educated to take things seriously (or least watch what he said). Besides, I am American and I honestly know that Dutch aren't potheads.. but I also know that they were the 'founders' of Santa Clause because it trails way back then with Saint Nickolas.

Pretty interesting fact, I could link you to it if you'd like to see it.

Wasn't Santa Claus partly invented by Coca Cola?

 

[Gluzzbung]

Everywhere I've experienced American culture, in films, books, games and over the Xbox and such other interactions, Americans seem to be incredibly egotistical and patriotic beyond belief which engenders a certain arrogance in them that "America's the best," direct quote.

I think it's films like saving Private Ryan that let you down. This is posibly most other countries experience of American attitude besides in newspapers and what-not. First part with the D-Day landings, brilliant. Stepping into the landing craft and waiting to get to the beach where there was a 9/10 chance you would be shot take's courage and I'm completely fine with the machoism shown in the, it's the parts afterwards that I worry about. For example, the worst part for me was when that guy got shot by the sniper in the bell tower and then he goes on to say thing like (paraphrasing) "give this to my dad, tell him how I died, blah blah blah, did this for America," and it's just dull and bland, shallow patriotism. There's a half dozen of therse parts in the film.

In the media you always seem to glorify war, this is done in a multitude of ways but primarily, no one fucking dies. Does anyone else pick up on this? You really expect us to believe that you go to war against a huge super power which, oh fuck it, lets use Germany again for simplicity, SPR, one guy dies and the main character at the end, they both have the stupid fucking speach thing that I've mentioned and the 9, was it 9? the 9 people we started the film with 8 survived until the very end, which is stupid. Another thing that is like this, Band of Brothers and The Pacific. I like BoB but not enough people die for it to be taken as an accurate account of what happened in WW2 to "Easy" squad.

 

[Bloedhoest]

They advertised him at his earliest legacy which got him a good reputation. However, there are a few stories on how Santa Clause came to be. One is based on Saint Nickolas who's a real person, another one is based on a famous Cartoon Comic artist who drew Santa Clause in a one single Newspaper article that sparked popularity, and another one is even based on alie- ...er you wouldn't even believe the alien one so just know that any one of these stories could of been the real deal ^_^

Funny thing is, Sinterklaas comes from Spain. So they think, he comes from Turkey. He died on December the 6th, we celebrate it on the 5 th.
It is true we put our shoes in front of the fireplace, or central heating system, to receive gifts.

 

[TheBelgianGuy]

There lays the problem, more or less, the louder you shout the beter you get heard. Idiots tend to shout very loud.
Spoke to a American at a concert once, he could not believe that all the Dutch aren't potheads. Goes to show how biased people sometimes get because of some tiny piece of information.

I understand where you're getting at, but America is a 'free country' which means parents included can raise their children however they want and won't enforce (depending on their morals) education to their child. That guy you talked to, lacked common sense because he himself ether did drugs or just wasn't educated to take things seriously (or least watch what he said). Besides, I am American and I honestly know that Dutch aren't potheads.. but I also know that they were the 'founders' of Santa Clause because it trails way back then with Saint Nickolas.

Pretty interesting fact, I could link you to it if you'd like to see it.

Wasn't Santa Claus partly invented by Coca Cola?

They advertised him at his earliest legacy which got him a good reputation. However, there are a few stories on how Santa Clause came to be. One is based on Saint Nickolas who's a real person, another one is based on a famous Cartoon Comic artist who drew Santa Clause in a one single Newspaper article that sparked popularity, and another one is even based on alie- ...er you wouldn't even believe the alien one so just know that any one of these stories could of been the real deal ^_^

Santa Clause comes from the Saint Nicholas or Nikolaos of Myra, nowadays but then part of the Greek/roman Byzantine empire. He is amongst others the patron saint of Children, Whores, Archers and Sailors. A weird collection, but he is mostly remembered for his miracles around Children. Some European countries still celebrate him (as does russia I guess, as the Orthodox St. Nikolai), so most likely he was brought to the US by early Dutch colonists.


About the US:
I've been in the US for 4 weeks. Two of those were planned, the other 2 I was stranded at Washington because of the Icelandic volcanoes. Our group of students were immediately helped by a group of a Methodist church, a bunch of rich republicans who welcomed us into their church/school for the first day (with red cross aid), and then their homes until the planes started flying again.
They were possibly the sweetest people I've met.

Yeah I guess every country has assholes and angels, but I guess America just has a PR problem.

 

[Avae]

I think their are a lot of people in the US who just cannot accept any criticisms of the US.

If Japan had dropped Atomic bombs on two US cities then it would be called a heinous crime against Humanity, because the US done it is probably viewed by the majority as being something that had to be done to end the war.

Of course I think that you can't judge 360 million people and I really wouldn't because that is just not fair, but their is a lot of double-standards and hypocrisy in the US.

The ordinary US citizens are like most people around the world and are good and honest but some have views that are just so completely out there and politicians rather than trying to moderate them just seem to go with them and it comes across as completely false and wrong, you can believe in religion but still understand that the Dinosaurs did in fact exist, that the World wasn't made in 7 days and that really religion shouldn't be used as a basis to discriminate towards others.

Like I said, ordinary US citizens are decent people, it's just they believe in all this crap about "American Exceptionalism" and "Manifest Destiny" which was really just an excuse to expand the States into the mid-west and Western areas of North America.