that's irrelevant really, we pay them well for their training is what I'm saying, it's just the government paying for the people, like it's supposed to.Marowit said:
The government works for the citizens in a real democracy.
10 Things Most Americans Don?t Know About America
- Thread starter Yassen
- Start date
The government works for the citizens in a real democracy.
A lot of this is true, but not all of it. You can't generalize America just because of its sheer size and fairly diverse regions, (which I mentally consolidate into the northeast, the west coast, and the sovereign state of Redneckland) I mean that at no insult to any southerners/rednecks.
But yeah, the northeast is paranoid as balls.
But yeah, the northeast is paranoid as balls.
the first two seem right, the last eight are comprised of generalizations, falsehoods, or things which could be said of any nation.
Hmm, I agree with some of this, particularly one and two, but many of the points were highlighting differences between the US and other countries, and then placing value judgments on them.
The writer seems to have left of center intuitions about a hots of issues. For example, he takes a decidedly negative view of consumerism, when I could just as easily point out the benefits consumerism has provided people. I don't think people realize that much of the entertainment and conveniences we enjoy today only came about because of the consumer society. His critique of our heath care system is another example of this. Yes, I acknowledge many of those problems (though I think they are exaggerated), but you could argue that many of those problems arise from too much government interference (tax incentives to receive health care through an employer and not buy it for yourself, which screws up the market pressures that would normally force the price of health insurance, and thus health care, down, to use one example).
Even on less political points, he let his subjective point of view turn neutral observations into negative ones. As others have pointed out, there is no virtue or vice in being more or less expressive in interactions. While I personally lean on the directness side of the spectrum, that does not mean that indirectness or subtlety is
This was a piece of what I like to call "armchair sociology", and while I often enjoy such writing as far as it goes, this one felt like it was based too much on the writer's intuitions and life experiences, and not enough on data (which is not to say that all articles must read like PhD papers, but that if he wants to convince people with different intuitions about the US and its culture, as opposed to just preaching to the choir of a particularly kind of educated left-of-center Europeans and Americans, then he better do more than make assertions).
With all that said, I do worry about the lack of ambition that we have regarding our public institutions. We don't have to copy Europe or Japan or anybody else, but there is a sense of stagnation about our public institutions. It eerily reminds me of the Galactic Empire in the first Foundation novel and its prequels.
The writer seems to have left of center intuitions about a hots of issues. For example, he takes a decidedly negative view of consumerism, when I could just as easily point out the benefits consumerism has provided people. I don't think people realize that much of the entertainment and conveniences we enjoy today only came about because of the consumer society. His critique of our heath care system is another example of this. Yes, I acknowledge many of those problems (though I think they are exaggerated), but you could argue that many of those problems arise from too much government interference (tax incentives to receive health care through an employer and not buy it for yourself, which screws up the market pressures that would normally force the price of health insurance, and thus health care, down, to use one example).
Even on less political points, he let his subjective point of view turn neutral observations into negative ones. As others have pointed out, there is no virtue or vice in being more or less expressive in interactions. While I personally lean on the directness side of the spectrum, that does not mean that indirectness or subtlety is
This was a piece of what I like to call "armchair sociology", and while I often enjoy such writing as far as it goes, this one felt like it was based too much on the writer's intuitions and life experiences, and not enough on data (which is not to say that all articles must read like PhD papers, but that if he wants to convince people with different intuitions about the US and its culture, as opposed to just preaching to the choir of a particularly kind of educated left-of-center Europeans and Americans, then he better do more than make assertions).
With all that said, I do worry about the lack of ambition that we have regarding our public institutions. We don't have to copy Europe or Japan or anybody else, but there is a sense of stagnation about our public institutions. It eerily reminds me of the Galactic Empire in the first Foundation novel and its prequels.
you could say that. I stayed in California for a few days then headed on up to Detroit... I stayed in a gated community where everyone was white and wealthy.
that being said, when I was in L.A I didn't see anyone who looked remotely 'poor'. over here in NZ we are constantly shown things about how big the wage gap is between the rich and the poor in the US (so don't you complain about it here) but from what I saw, even the poor people roaming the streets still had nice clothes and drove respectable cars.
that being said, when I was in L.A I didn't see anyone who looked remotely 'poor'. over here in NZ we are constantly shown things about how big the wage gap is between the rich and the poor in the US (so don't you complain about it here) but from what I saw, even the poor people roaming the streets still had nice clothes and drove respectable cars.
I met an American guy who insisted that American healthcare was the best in the world, but insisted on using the Canadian healthcare to buy his medicine.Vault101 said:
While I can't absolutely refute everything you say, I speak about Russian and most of the post-soviet states. Most of your generalizations are wrong about these countries. Just as the audience you are seeking only sees one side of everything, you only see the other. Perhaps you are just exaggerating to make a point, but a more realist depiction of other cultures would be more effective than claiming broad strokes that don't hold up to close examination. You lost alot of your persuasive momentum there.
weeell from the time i chanced across this site (i occasionaly watch the zero punctuation show cause its funny) i noticed that y'all was ALL europeans, ok
this is just another post about how some americans hate they country so much they cant keep it to themselves and they wanna look to the foreigners for a pat on the back and an assurance that they too hate america
this is just a lot of broad generalizations from a 'american' that lives in new york or sumsuch and has NEVER seen the real country
to call america disgrateful or that we got bad manners is utterly ridiculous i am from illinois and tennessee and now unfortunately i live in australia, and i havent heard one guy call anybody sir once, i havent heard any of the politeness we had back home, people spit out the windows of they cars if you walkin on the sidewalk, they go round assaultin people just cause they can (and they know they aint gon cop a 45. of lead to the brow)
i have been to thailand before and a few times too, and once you go off the beaten track, or y'even go to the average neigborhood in bangkok you gon find this shithole you speak of, tin shacks, everybody trnto swindle yeh, muslims cuttin peoples heads off...
if you watch TV, or hollywood, my euro friends, please remember nothing is the same as in real life, we dont sound like that, we dont act like that and more or less our country dont look like that
all TV and hollywood is filmed in california in a 150mile radius round hollywood, most if not all the 'average americans' in said movies/TV are from california or the northeast, and if they aint they've been taught to drop they accent and they views to conform to the LA standard, if you wanna learn about america you gotta travel off the tourist track just a lil
and you gon find we nothin like what you thought (or what hollywood thinks)
some of this s**t is just propaganda for a foreign audience to score points w/em and some of this is just a lot of ignant bs..
if y'all europeans really wanna challenge your beliefs? you gotta look further'n the devil in y'ear? you all heard this before
ok 1. is basically "i dont believe in american exceotionalism and americans suck"
2. is a ignant theory from a liberal that aint never lived in a foreign country, i have lived in australia for years and australians, afghans, lebs, iraqis etc.. care very much about us and talk about us a lot, when i talk about my country amongst immigrants to australia (or poorer people) they shut up and listen, now australians and many left wingers all over the place LOVE to use america as the boogeyman LOVE IT, if you can blame sum'n on the big bad distant, unknown, evil boogeyman, then you aint never have to look at y'self or inside y'self and look for what might be missin from YOU..
3. thats bulls**t them vietnamese thought vietnam was a civil war (while we thought it was a client state of the communists(russia/china)) russia depende on our guns, planes, tanks, cars, ships etc.. just like britain did at that time at we were the industrial super super super powerhouse of the world, we pumped out dozens of ten thousand+ ton ships a day, we exported oil to the world and we didnt want nothin to do with these european wars in the first place and ya other two points is just basically foolish (and startin to make me think you friend aint no american at all) and yes we did invent democracy, them systems in europe was a joke for sure (and looked nothin like today) greece did not have the democracy we say they did back then at all (to begin with just the logistics woulda made it impossible)
4. is the most ignorant post you had yet just plain foolish y'must live in new york or sum'n also your next part is basically about why we aint so immodest as the euros (modesty is a virtue) and what y'said about tv shows is showin that that was just some hypothetical you thought up just then
and yeah we work harder and that helps to cleanse our souls of the weakness and laziness that pervades much of the world..
its what i KNOW well: the easy option is never the right one (morally or physically) what y'gotta do in life is think what MORE could i do?, not how can i do less?
6. is basically about how your already biased views about what you think is america (Boston?? are you f'real?) come into conflict with the exception to the rule.. to life in the big cities where they have ALL the best things of they're nations
7. once again your anti-american bias comes into conflict with the best a foreign country has to offer, normal peoples dont think these thangs is gonna happen, even though they statistically do.. you blind to the negative of foreign places while you blind to the positive of america
8. is what you'd get if y'watched too mush TV and never actually met a REAL american
possibly thats how lots of college age northeast yankees act. i dont know, i dont want nothin to do with em
----------------------------
We're status-obsessed. Our culture is built around achievement, production and being exceptional. Therefore comparing ourselves and attempting to out-do one another has infiltrated our social relationships as well. Who can slam the most beers first? Who can get reservations at the best restaurant? Who knows the promoter to the club? Who dated a girl on the cheerleading squad? Socializing becomes objectified and turned into a competition. And if you're not winning, the implication is that you are not important and no one will like you.
-----------------------------
we aint status obsessed at all and the rest of that is basically: be the best you can be, so i think thats a mighty good message, the implication is: get some thicker skin and a pair of balls my yankee friend
9. our healthcare IS the best in the world, maybe not the cheapest but by far the best, no waitin lines and good, professional service
your point on food = liberal conspiricy s**t and y'right some drugs is cheaper in canada and some is far more expensive..
10. = left wing bile and lots of modern day shit that infects ALL developed nations..
americans do outside leisure activities (huntin, fishin, baseball etc.) to a far greater extent than our euro friends here
-----------------------------
Throughout history, every dominant civilization eventually collapsed because it became TOO successful. What made it powerful and unique grows out of proportion and consumes its society. I think this is true for American society. We're complacent, entitled and unhealthy. My generation is the first generation of Americans who will be worse off than their parents, economically, physically and emotionally. And this is not due to a lack of resources, to a lack of education or to a lack of ingenuity. It's corruption and complacency. The corruption from the massive industries that control our government's policies, and the fat complacency of the people to sit around and let it happen.
There are things I love about my country. I don't hate the US and I still return to it a few times a year. But I think the greatest flaw of American culture is our blind self-absorption. In the past it only hurt other countries. But now it's starting to hurt ourselves.
So this is my lecture to my alcoholic brother - my own flavor of arrogance and self-absorption, even if slightly more informed - in hopes he'll give up his wayward ways. I imagine it'll fall on deaf ears, but it's the most I can do for now. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some funny cat pictures to look at.
------------------------------
basically thats your way of sayin "i'm a liberal and i'm from massachusetts" and therefore all of america is like massachusetts
dead wrong
and boy you need to stop insultin your country to a foreign audience that dont know no better
this is just another post about how some americans hate they country so much they cant keep it to themselves and they wanna look to the foreigners for a pat on the back and an assurance that they too hate america
this is just a lot of broad generalizations from a 'american' that lives in new york or sumsuch and has NEVER seen the real country
to call america disgrateful or that we got bad manners is utterly ridiculous i am from illinois and tennessee and now unfortunately i live in australia, and i havent heard one guy call anybody sir once, i havent heard any of the politeness we had back home, people spit out the windows of they cars if you walkin on the sidewalk, they go round assaultin people just cause they can (and they know they aint gon cop a 45. of lead to the brow)
i have been to thailand before and a few times too, and once you go off the beaten track, or y'even go to the average neigborhood in bangkok you gon find this shithole you speak of, tin shacks, everybody trnto swindle yeh, muslims cuttin peoples heads off...
if you watch TV, or hollywood, my euro friends, please remember nothing is the same as in real life, we dont sound like that, we dont act like that and more or less our country dont look like that
all TV and hollywood is filmed in california in a 150mile radius round hollywood, most if not all the 'average americans' in said movies/TV are from california or the northeast, and if they aint they've been taught to drop they accent and they views to conform to the LA standard, if you wanna learn about america you gotta travel off the tourist track just a lil
and you gon find we nothin like what you thought (or what hollywood thinks)
some of this s**t is just propaganda for a foreign audience to score points w/em and some of this is just a lot of ignant bs..
if y'all europeans really wanna challenge your beliefs? you gotta look further'n the devil in y'ear? you all heard this before
ok 1. is basically "i dont believe in american exceotionalism and americans suck"
2. is a ignant theory from a liberal that aint never lived in a foreign country, i have lived in australia for years and australians, afghans, lebs, iraqis etc.. care very much about us and talk about us a lot, when i talk about my country amongst immigrants to australia (or poorer people) they shut up and listen, now australians and many left wingers all over the place LOVE to use america as the boogeyman LOVE IT, if you can blame sum'n on the big bad distant, unknown, evil boogeyman, then you aint never have to look at y'self or inside y'self and look for what might be missin from YOU..
3. thats bulls**t them vietnamese thought vietnam was a civil war (while we thought it was a client state of the communists(russia/china)) russia depende on our guns, planes, tanks, cars, ships etc.. just like britain did at that time at we were the industrial super super super powerhouse of the world, we pumped out dozens of ten thousand+ ton ships a day, we exported oil to the world and we didnt want nothin to do with these european wars in the first place and ya other two points is just basically foolish (and startin to make me think you friend aint no american at all) and yes we did invent democracy, them systems in europe was a joke for sure (and looked nothin like today) greece did not have the democracy we say they did back then at all (to begin with just the logistics woulda made it impossible)
4. is the most ignorant post you had yet just plain foolish y'must live in new york or sum'n also your next part is basically about why we aint so immodest as the euros (modesty is a virtue) and what y'said about tv shows is showin that that was just some hypothetical you thought up just then
and yeah we work harder and that helps to cleanse our souls of the weakness and laziness that pervades much of the world..
its what i KNOW well: the easy option is never the right one (morally or physically) what y'gotta do in life is think what MORE could i do?, not how can i do less?
6. is basically about how your already biased views about what you think is america (Boston?? are you f'real?) come into conflict with the exception to the rule.. to life in the big cities where they have ALL the best things of they're nations
7. once again your anti-american bias comes into conflict with the best a foreign country has to offer, normal peoples dont think these thangs is gonna happen, even though they statistically do.. you blind to the negative of foreign places while you blind to the positive of america
8. is what you'd get if y'watched too mush TV and never actually met a REAL american
possibly thats how lots of college age northeast yankees act. i dont know, i dont want nothin to do with em
----------------------------
We're status-obsessed. Our culture is built around achievement, production and being exceptional. Therefore comparing ourselves and attempting to out-do one another has infiltrated our social relationships as well. Who can slam the most beers first? Who can get reservations at the best restaurant? Who knows the promoter to the club? Who dated a girl on the cheerleading squad? Socializing becomes objectified and turned into a competition. And if you're not winning, the implication is that you are not important and no one will like you.
-----------------------------
we aint status obsessed at all and the rest of that is basically: be the best you can be, so i think thats a mighty good message, the implication is: get some thicker skin and a pair of balls my yankee friend
9. our healthcare IS the best in the world, maybe not the cheapest but by far the best, no waitin lines and good, professional service
your point on food = liberal conspiricy s**t and y'right some drugs is cheaper in canada and some is far more expensive..
10. = left wing bile and lots of modern day shit that infects ALL developed nations..
americans do outside leisure activities (huntin, fishin, baseball etc.) to a far greater extent than our euro friends here
-----------------------------
Throughout history, every dominant civilization eventually collapsed because it became TOO successful. What made it powerful and unique grows out of proportion and consumes its society. I think this is true for American society. We're complacent, entitled and unhealthy. My generation is the first generation of Americans who will be worse off than their parents, economically, physically and emotionally. And this is not due to a lack of resources, to a lack of education or to a lack of ingenuity. It's corruption and complacency. The corruption from the massive industries that control our government's policies, and the fat complacency of the people to sit around and let it happen.
There are things I love about my country. I don't hate the US and I still return to it a few times a year. But I think the greatest flaw of American culture is our blind self-absorption. In the past it only hurt other countries. But now it's starting to hurt ourselves.
So this is my lecture to my alcoholic brother - my own flavor of arrogance and self-absorption, even if slightly more informed - in hopes he'll give up his wayward ways. I imagine it'll fall on deaf ears, but it's the most I can do for now. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some funny cat pictures to look at.
------------------------------
basically thats your way of sayin "i'm a liberal and i'm from massachusetts" and therefore all of america is like massachusetts
dead wrong
and boy you need to stop insultin your country to a foreign audience that dont know no better
You cry very very easily. That's one thing I've always found incredibly fascinating. Of course this is going by TV depictions of American people so for all I know it was probably set up to get the people who cry easily on camera to begin with, in which case I'm horribly wrong.Mortai Gravesend said:
EDIT: I'm really drunk so I kinda skimmed over the OP....and by "skimmed over" I mean "skipped altogether" so my bad if this has already been brought up.
Generalizations... Yup.
But oh god so true.
I am a non-American and I nodded to every single one of these, I've several American friends who'd agree with all of this.
The funniest thing is - it's not that people don't know all this, it's simply that they're too lazy to care!
But oh god so true.
I am a non-American and I nodded to every single one of these, I've several American friends who'd agree with all of this.
The funniest thing is - it's not that people don't know all this, it's simply that they're too lazy to care!
While I think that it is only fair to ask everyone in a country to be able to speak its most used language (For efficiency reasons), that's really not the way to go about it.IamLEAM1983 said:I've traveled a bit and yeah, some of these points are generalizations. Sure, you'll find your average Fox News drone who screams "AMERICA!" with pretty idiotic levels of pride and patriotism - but they're pretty rare, overall. Most Americans are just horribly average people leading horribly average lives.
You know; like the rest of us. I'd always like to work up enough energy to roll my eyes at the more flag-waving types, but the truth is Canada has its own share of excessive patriots. It used to be you had to stay close to Alberta to get the staunch Federalists to come out of the woodwork, but Stephen Harper's vision of Canada is pushing for a more generalized form of pride that does have the disadvantage of leaving folks like me, native French Canadians by birth, feeling more than a little excluded.
Going by his reforms, you're not a red-blooded Canadian if you don't speak English, glorify the image of Canada being a handsomely rugged and uniformly picturesque place to live in, or don't happen to miss the Colonialist days.
Sorry Stephen, but my ancestors all come from France, I speak French as my native language, I don't give two shits about Alberta's oil monopoly and don't think we have any reason to be proud of it, and you won't get me to say we need to start kowtowing to some old crown-wearing English biddy.
We've got our own identity. I'm not intent on being considered as "British by proxy", unlike you.
CAPTCHA: very nice
Why, thank you.
I wonder how many people have visited the rural parts of the US (I live in a small Minnesotan township), because if you have, you will notice that there are quite a few people who fit much of the criteria of the posted in the article. The article also does a pretty good job of describing my family (I live with three NRA supporters, two of whom have a conceal and carry). Where I live now is a farcry from where I used to live, which was the very urban St. Paul. I have a feeling that most people on this site are urbanites who have never visited the countryside. Moreover, I should note that most of the US is rural, and these places are extremely conservative.