Why are Americans so Patriotic?

[poleboy]

Why are non-Americans so stereotypical and elitist to America?

Because your stupid government keeps dragging our stupid governments into stupid wars. I think it's mostly that.

 

[aegisadin]

A true patriot would not defend the wrong doings of their country. A true patriot has enough respect for their country to point out its flaws and suggest solutions for the betterment of all. Kind of like how a true friend will tell you when your breath smells bad.

The problem is, the average american would rather be lied to and told their breath is great. If you think this is incorrect, just look at what mass media succeeds.

 

[AndyFromMonday]

I didn't say that.......but if you want to get into it, not for the most part.
However if culture A beliefs that its ok to kill babies born with birthmarks, while culture B doesn't, than yep, culture B is superior imo.

But you won't change the opinion of those who adhere to culture A by saying your culture, customs, people and country are superior to theirs.

 

[Mark Hardigan]

You are confusing patriotism with blind governmental and political policy support. Patriotism is being proud of, and wishing to defend, the community. Blind governmental and political policy support is blindly following and insulting anyone who disagrees with the laws and leaders of said community.

As Gamblerjoe said, true patriotism is national pride. And true patriotism is a good thing. Blindly following a government, ideology, law, etc and calling it patriotism is not.

I am a patriot. That does not mean I blindly support policies or governments, etc. I do my best to research things, and only support the policies that the facts and my own moral judgement have shown to be the best course. I also don't blindly follow these policies and governments, despite how many facts support them.

 

[Abedeus]

Let them have their patriotism.

Their country is still new, they still have time to do a few more war crimes, maybe colonise some places, kill the natives etc.

You're only young once.


*sips tea*

Yes, quite.

Pretty much.

When your country is a thousand or more years old, you are kinda like "eh it's been around so long, whatev". Half of the European countries are two, three or four times older than USA...

 

[Kathinka]

it might be just an unfair stereotype, but it's generally believed that if you badmouth america, any nearby americans will go up in arms and get very angry, and i'm just wondering why. Just to clarify, i have nothing against america, but i hardly think it's anything to write home about. and don't say that anyone would be that way about their home country, because if someone came up to be and said "hey, england's crap!" i'd just say "yeah, it is a bit"

We have opportunities very few other countries provide. Here you can be an American and still retain culture.

this is also part of the problem: many americans don't know all that much about other places. nowadays pretty much every first world country offers it's citizens the same or more freedoms that americans enjoy. many u.s.-americans don't realize that.
when i lived over there i often heard things like "america is the only truely free nation in the world" or "the usa are the onyl real democracy!"
granted, those are extreme examples, not the rule. but it shows nicely why it is so alienating to the rest of the world.

other countries offer all the nice things the USA do. but their citizens are not being dicks about it.

all in all the concept of 'patriotism' is a stupid, dangerous, useless and anachronistic one anyway.

 

[O maestre]

It is the only country i know of that has enforced pledges of allegiance every morning. so of course they are patriotic, they are brainwashed from the start. doing something like that everyday is going to leave an impression of some kind.

 

[go-10]

I'm a soldier for us navy and if somebody bad mouths America in front of me you can be 100% guaranteed that I will do absolutely nothing about it.
its not because lack of patriotism or anything its just I believe and understand people who think differently and surprisingly most soldiers do as well its just the few that are "dumb, loud, and stupid" are the ones people pay the most attention to

 

[Jegsimmons]

it might be just an unfair stereotype, but it's generally believed that if you badmouth america, any nearby americans will go up in arms and get very angry, and i'm just wondering why. Just to clarify, i have nothing against america, but i hardly think it's anything to write home about. and don't say that anyone would be that way about their home country, because if someone came up to be and said "hey, england's crap!" i'd just say "yeah, it is a bit"

We have opportunities very few other countries provide. Here you can be an American and still retain culture.

this is also part of the problem: many americans don't know all that much about other places. nowadays pretty much every first world country offers it's citizens the same or more freedoms that americans enjoy. many u.s.-americans don't realize that.
when i lived over there i often heard things like "america is the only truely free nation in the world" or "the usa are the onyl real democracy!"
granted, those are extreme examples, not the rule. but it shows nicely why it is so alienating to the rest of the world.

other countries offer all the nice things the USA do. but their citizens are not being dicks about it.

all in all the concept of 'patriotism' is a stupid, dangerous, useless and anachronistic one anyway.

i think there's a difference between patriotism and NATIONALISM, which i think people on this thread are confusing. its fine to be a patriot, patriotism is loyalty and love for ones country. Nationalism is an EXTREME form of that that usually ends up in fascism and sometimes racism.

 

[Waaghpowa]

it's natural for someone to feel devoted to their clan, creed or country. The problem is that people seem to get the definition of patriotism wrong.

Patriotism isn't blind faith in your nation and it's leaders, it's about caring enough about your country to think critically of the decisions being made on your behalf. It's not "Un-American" to oppose going to war or policies. It means you care enough about your nations well being to criticize.

 

[Riff Moonraker]

It's just the vocal minority. Which unfortunately (as always) are far more in the spotlight than most Americans, who plainly don't give a crap.

Sorry, but its NOT the vocal minority. The vocal minority are actually the ones who are NOT patriotic.

You are wrong, most Americans in this thread agree with me. The people who are not patriotic are the ones you never hear, cause they could care less.

Riiiiiight. The small number of people here hardly make up anything that could be considered a majority in the whole of the good ole USA. My argument stands.

 

[TheGreatAndPowerfulZOG]

Well, I think there's a perception in the U.S. that Europeans, Australians, and Canadians are all somewhat biased against Americans. It makes us defensive. Stereotypes are brought up constantly on the internet about stupid, lazy, fat, or arrogant Americans, and it just gets to the point where as soon as I hear someone's from Europe I assume he's going to look down on me, and I gear up for my defense.

The U.S. is a deeply flawed country, but the way I hear some people talk you'd think it was the spaceship from Wall-E. As a poor, overemployed american I resent being stereotyped as some kind of sheltered, overprivileged brat.

 

[Blindswordmaster]

Let them have their patriotism.

Their country is still new, they still have time to do a few more war crimes, maybe colonise some places, kill the natives etc.

You're only young once.


*sips tea*

Yes, quite.

But we've done all of that. Several times.

 

[Wintermoot]

America,s history is quit young when compared with a majority of the world they are proud on the little they have )no offense guys but the US government started just around 1800s years ago whilst Europe had kings and queens around the at least the 1500,s)

also this is a bit of a stereo type since every country has atleast a few patriots.

 

[Blindswordmaster]

Honestly? A lifetime of propaganda and cultural saturation. Think the German scientists were the only thing we took from the Nazis?

 

[Lethos]

To quote John Dalberg-Acton, "Power corrupts, and absoulte power corrupts absolutely". Think about if this government gave to ok to do something like what (PRC)China is doing to Tibet, America is doing at Guantanamo Bay, what England did to Ireland/India/China/Africa/Argentina. Who could oppose them? They would be the most powerful organized body in the entire world. It would be to risky to have.

Not disputing your argument (which I mostly agree with), but what exactly did England do to Argentina?

Be among the first to recognise their sovereignty as a nation? Invest heavily in their economy when they most needed it? Lose to their football team due to an illegal handball (and constantly thereafter)? Or defend themselves in the Falkland Islands when the Argentines invaded?

The British Empire did not have a great Human Rights record, but I don't think Argentina is generally included on the list of abuses...

The issue with the Falkland Islands, England has no right being there anymore than they did being in Hong Kong.

Ask that to the people who live there.

The islands were uninhabited when they were discovered, so it was fair game.

When soverignty came into dispute, they even let the islanders vote on who they wanted to be part of.

The British did many terrible things in their colonial days, but the Falklands was not one of them.

"Fair game"? Really? Sounds more like Imperialism to me. Why would a country that is 777.8 miles away from the Faroe Islands, need to go there? Honestly?

The Islands didn't belong to anyone, and that was pretty much the 'in thing' at the time. You know. Finding places.

I meant to type Falklands not Faroe Islands, my bad. Anyways, the whole issue should be between Argentina and the Falklands, England has no right to but in between the two places anymore than it does butting in between any issues Hong Kong has with Mainland China.

But the people want to be British. They voted to remain British.

I'm sure if they were under Argentinian rule for just as long, they would want to remain Argentinian. I think that vote has to do more with people not wanting to change.

It's like North Ireland, in that England is sticking its nose where it doesn't belong. Hong Kong could have voted to remain British, but that doesn't change the fact that it's part of (PRC)China.

But that's a silly thing to say. Surely the imaginary lines on the map that we call boarders should be decided upon who wants to be part of who, not some undefined status quo.

 

[TheGreatAndPowerfulZOG]

gehhh, double post

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Let them have their patriotism.

Their country is still new, they still have time to do a few more war crimes, maybe colonise some places, kill the natives etc.

You're only young once.


*sips tea*

Yes, quite.

But we've done all of that. Several times.

Not properly.

But you're still young yet. You'll learn.