non Americans: do you think we are violent?

[chuckman1]

this is a question mainly directed to Europeans but also a bit to Africans and Asians.

Do you think that the United states are violent or scary and crime ridden? I know globally we look good, but compared to rich European countries we may seem like the ghetto. also most of Asia and some of Africa has lower murder rates. The only European countries I can think of with more murder are more corrupt or Russia.

I know my friend from ghana thinks were these crazy barbaric drug addicted violent people. Is that sentiment common?

Violence in the us is half what it was 20 years ago, but in the hood gunshots are a fact of life.

Simply, what do all you guys think of American violence? Are we violent? A lot of our music talks about shooting down your enemies.

Is this just the way it is in a county that was born from violent revolution.

Bonus: also interested in the perspective of other Americans (Mexicans, Chilean) and especially Canada since you guys seem like the cousin who succeeds better at everything.

Edit: plus there's our tendency to invade anyone that can make us a profit for vague reasons as long as the world doesn't all denounce if.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

I think it's that unique mixture of easily obtained guns and crime.

 

[Pirate Of PC Master race]

US is pretty allright- looking to me.

Maybe a little prejudiced due to... some reason, which makes it more entertaining!

 

[Sleepy Sol]

I'm just another dirty American, but I think like most stereotypes, it tends not to be exactly accurate for a LOT of people. I feel that it's weird to build up a single perception of the United States when you have 50 freaking states that are already so different from each other in a number of ways.

I'd count myself lucky to have never felt my life was threatened anywhere I've traveled in the United States, but that doesn't mean crime is rampant wherever you go.

 

[DementedSheep]

A lot of time I see something about the US it is negative but it's is a big place and in the spotlight a lot. Bad things are more interesting to report and stick in your mind more so I know what I see isn't necessary reflective of the whole.

Basically, I just don't know. Sorry that's not a great answer but it's the long and the short of it. I've never set foot in the US so I have only an outsiders perspective based on what is presented in the media and the news. I know you have some systems in place I disagree with, seem to have a corruption problem in politics (doesn't everyone?) and there may be some "cultural trends" I think are problematic though I don't how widespread those actually are and I can't make a judgement on an entire country. It's not something I've ever really looked into or tried to form a solid opinion on. I also hear plenty of negative things about the UK and we have corrupt politicians and violence (though rarely involving guns since less people have them) in little old NZ too.

 

[Evonisia]

I get the impression that the means of violence are a lot easier to get in America, and thus people will be more willing to act on it. I imagine that people over there are more desensitised to the idea of violence than in Europe, though just as nervous in the face of it as anybody else.

 

[DoPo]

I didn't know "violent" was even a stereotype for the people in the USA. Perhaps "the USA" on account of going to war could be called that but the population? I wouldn't have thought so. I think the most common stereotypes are "lazy" and "stupid".

However, I dislike stereotypes. I prefer to treat people as individuals and there are no US citizens I know who can even be described vaguely as "violent" - the other two stereotypes I've not encountered, either.

 

[Silence]

Well, the combination of "hoods", city parts that seem ridden by poverty and violence, no functioning health care system and guns free to buy - well, at least the stereotype sees americans as violent.
However, there are a few different stereotypes. Silicon valley nerds are exempt, and the southern state have a much worse reputation than even New York.

Thinking about it, I actually don't have "violent" as a thought about stereotypes of americans. Needlessly gun-friendly, yes, but not violent.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

I went to London once (I'm from the U.S.A) and I ran into this. We were all having tea and this random stranger came up to our school group and just chewed us out. Said our country was ruining the world, we're too obsessed with bombing anything or anyone we don't like, and just a whole bunch of that stuff.

So yeah, I think the rest of the world sees the U.S. as perhaps a bit more...cowboy, gun-ho, solve problem with bullets. Which I can understand, because living here, there are some states that are viewed the same way by other states.

 

[FalloutJack]

I'm invoking the "Pennsylvania is a Commonwealth" rule to get a vote in.

We are violent, but it doesn't appear to be unmanageable. I understand it use to be worse than it is now.

 

[Lufia Erim]

You lost me at " in the hood". So basically what you're saying is that there is only violence when black people are around?

OT: i'm from canada. And i refuse to set foot on U.S soil. As far as i'm concerned everyone has guns, and guns kill people. And people there ( as far as i hear) are violent and intolorent. Especially texas.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Yes...or perhaps it'd be better to say seem really unwilling to do anything to stop violence.

 

[Parasondox]

Not much the people but your politicians really seem war hungry.

"Let's nuke Iran"
"Let's nuke North Korea"
"Put boots here, put boots there"
"Drones, Drones and more Drones"

The USA are like teenagers. You assume the world is against you, you are afraid of the unknown, you are paranoid about anything, you make the small matters into a major drama but the big problems are often brushed underneath the carpet and from time to time you will jump into a situation without a second thought or back up plan that it then hurts you later on in life. Also, you do binge drink on world power way too much that you will need an intervention sooner rather than later.

Enough with the war baiting already!

 

[Lightspeaker]

Hmm I think it'd be more accurate to say that the US glorifies violence. It's well known that in the US it's: violence = fantastic, sex = terrible.

Yes...or perhaps it'd be better to say seem really unwilling to do anything to stop violence.

Pretty much these two. Its not really violence per se, its this. Largely as a result of the combination of gun fetishisation/obsession and the apparent 'fear' of anything sexual but acceptance of large amounts of violence in media.

Admittedly its based on stereotypes, but it is what it is. Also this seems somewhat relevant:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an_r6cAaxI8

 

[chuckman1]

You lost me at " in the hood". So basically what you're saying is that there is only violence when black people are around?

OT: i'm from canada. And i refuse to set foot on U.S soil. As far as i'm concerned everyone has guns, and guns kill people. And people there ( as far as i hear) are violent and intolorent. Especially texas.

you do realize that the ghetto in the us has people of all races right? In my state it's mainly white and Mexican people with a small black minority. Even a few Asians but they tend to be well off economically in my state. Speaking as a white guy who lived in parts of South phoenix where police were afraid to come and id hear gunshots as a kid sometimes. Reevaluate your jumping to conclusions.

 

[RicoADF]

The US encourages violence and competition, your culture is built around being the best and always winning. It also seems quite backwards as far as how women and other races (like African Americans) etc are treated, when I visited the states back in 2011 it felt like I had gone to Australia circa 1970/80s (going by what I've read in history).

The obsession with the gun mixed with the violent nature of your country is not a good combination, during my visit I was always on guard and frankly the place didn't feel safe or welcoming at all. It was also strange having your bags searched when entering museums etc, we don't do anything like that over here, felt like a totalitarian state. Freedom is certainly not in the US anymore.

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

I think the US government is violent, yes. That said, I imagine any country's government would be if said country happened to be a world super power and could get away with it.

As for the general populace, I'd say it isn't more violent than usual. There are many poor communities in the US, and poor communities tend to naturally breed violence and crime. This is true all over the world, even here in Australia. It probably doesn't help that the US is so multicultural though. Any country that is that diverse with culture is inevitably going to wind up with some violence just due to sheer incompatibility, really.

I don't think the common US American is violent or maniacal. But the country certainly has its fair share of problems. That said, the US also has over 50 million people, compared to most country's having significantly less, so it makes sense the crime rates would appear larger.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

English guy here. I heard it said once that the world views the US the same way the US views Texas. Make of that what you will. As for my personal opinion, I don't think the US is violent. Really all the US government needs to do is not be so defensive of guns and corporations and it'd be treated the same as any other first world nation.