Non-Americans: How do you view us?

[ecoho]

uhmm just want to point out rugby is not the same as American football. the players are larger and hit harder.(theres a reason for the pads and "body armor")

I know that bud.

Like I said earlier I do like Americans but that doesn't mean I can't have a little friendly dig every now and then.

nothing wrong with that just as long as we can criticize the way you prepare beef

 

[T8B95]

[And now you quote an anti-american book (and using wikipedia, a source that is given to being wrong 40% of the time to boot). Im not sure if youre a russian fanboy but they were stuck until mid 43 when the other allies opened up the front in Italy and the germans had to divert resources. Yes they lost more bodies than the western allies in the Euorpean theater, but its not because they did more fighting its beause that was thier way of battle as it has always been. Throw our masses of bodies at the problem and overwhelm them.

As for demonizing the soviets, well, im not sure ill ever make any headway with teh commies are bad argument so ill leave that alone and just concede it to you. Cuba allowed the soviets to put nukes in our backyard and castro was in charge so yeah pretty justified.

Vietnam i have no excuse for, I wont really try.

What, just because it says something you don't like, that makes it wrong? Poor muffin. I used Wikipedia just because it was already open and I didn't feel like going to Amazon to recommend the book.

Just to put somethings in perspective for you The German army lost 800,000+ lives on the western front but lost 4,000,000+ on the eastern front and by the time American troops had landed on main land Europe(Italy) the Russians had already advanced past Kiev so please don't act as if you won the war single handed.

This guys says everything that needs to be said about the war effort.

As for Castro, there were no missiles in Cuba by the Bay of Pigs, and I believe that the only reason that he allied himself with the Soviets was because of said invasion. And there really was no reason to continue with the attempts after the crisis was over and the missiles were gone.

 

[ecoho]

uhmm just want to point out rugby is not the same as American football. the players are larger and hit harder.(theres a reason for the pads and "body armor")

Erm, fuck no? I once watched a guy have his ear torn off purely because he refused to go down. And he still scored that try. Rugby is fucking brutal, and SO fun.

OT: I view you as individuals, however, as a country, you don't really help yourself all that much...

just want to point out that someone dies almost every year playing American football and leave it at that.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

That whole "your with us or against us" speech from post 9/11 comes to mind.

Frankly, I read about, listen, watch and talk to americans enough to know that you got something stuck up your arse and it's making you generally unpleasant to interact with. Your general populace act like they have blinders on and are being (mis)guided by your government. What happened to "for the people" huh? The majority of you are sheep. I've talked to seemingly intelligent people and found that they're brainwashed by either fanatical patriotism, faith or capitalism to such a degree that they are unable to see beyond what they are told by a heavily censored and biased media.

You also eat too much.

However, as much as that is my take on you as a generalisation, I'm well aware that there are exceptions to it.

On a case by case basis, I have quite a few American friends. Most of which would likely be pegged as "anti-american" (such fucking arrogance) due to their annoyance of your zombie nation.

Ah, generalizations. Got to love them! I could say the same about you Irish, you are all lazy drunken bastards, correct? Except you aren't. How do I know this? Why, that is simple. I listen to the world, I know Irish people (Hell I am partly irish/scottish. Part of the Collins/Ghalager family). Just because the media portrays a group of people badly does not MEAN THEY ARE BAD.

Your entire post is hypocritical! You claim that we are all sheep, we eat too much and we are fanatics. You have spoken to a "few" people and instantly you are correct? I could say the same for EVERY country on this planet. Ireland, they drink too much and have far too many bastards! The Congo have too many cannibals and follow whomever is winning the war! I can go on and on, does it make it true? No.

You are the one who is truly blind if you can't see that you are being a caricature of the things you apparently "hate" in America!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyways, back on topic.


I am an American and that doesn't mean I follow everything that the Government does. It doesn't mean I accept half the shit that the current president is doing. MANY Americans are pissed right now. We are in a Recession, dubbed with "The Great" in front, and guess who spent 10 million dollars of Tax payer money? Michelle Obama with her wild spending habits and constant vacations. We Americans are currently pissed because we can barely make ends meat (is that the correct term?) and they are spending Millions within a year for some bloody vacations!

You see what your Media wants to see. You notice all the children and stupid people who wildly insult other countries (see my example above) just as we see yours. The fact is, your country, whether you notice it or not, is trying to make you think that all other countries are terrible in comparison. Our government does it, England does it, I am pretty sure Russia does it as well. You may want to doubt it, however you KNOW it is true.

I want to say that I am sorry if you perceive Americans like a bunch of bumbling idiots. We are not. Well, I would argue that Obama is an idiot, but that is for another time. We are just like you, we have our fanatics, our morons, are brilliant/insane professors as well as our normal people. The only thing is that the Media makes their respective countries look better and others worse.

Never said I was correct... the OP asked for opinions and this is how I feel more often then not. Just as everything you said is yours.

A generalisation is all I gave. It is how I feel when I'm asked what do I think of America. It is what my brain focuses on when the topic arises. But it isn't a definitive opinion either. There are many things about america I can appreciate and/or admire. But I'm naturally cynical so my mind automatically picks on the worst of the worst when asked to give an opinion, especially when the subject is too broad to give finer details.

I hold no love for my own country mind you, in a political, social or even cultural sense (though I don't hate it either) and plan to leave this sinking ship before I drown with the rest of the drunken bastards. The only thing I have any admiration for, is our history (though not all of it) which has been shat on for decades after breaking away from British rule, by greedy politicians and mind numblingly dense voters.

The eating bit was a joke, playing on the stereotype. As far as I know Britain has a worse obesity rate for it's population size then america.

And your right, mass media is a poor choice when it comes to judging populations. I agree with you on that, in fact... so much so I do not even watch my own national news. What I do is read Journalistic accounts and usually from multiple perspectives. You know what I find? That opinions are about as varied as there are stars in the sky.

No matter what is said by you, or what your country does... chances are people will have multiple perceptions on it, ranging from good to bad. My view is not so much America is bad. The people who run your country and "lead" you are to blame for most of the negative optinions you get... that, FOX News and MTV shows. I have read stuff that gives me hope that you as a nation will come out of this slump heads held high, though on rocky ground, by the end of this decade. But the nation needs to wake up and start understanding that your country carries a much bigger burden on it's shoulders then your own populace seems to understand. Maybe change is already visible and I'm only blinded by my own cynicism, but at this moment, on an international stage, you are being watched and scrutinised by most of the worlds nations.

We have a saying here in Ireland, maybe England too, that whenever America sneezes we catch a flu. This is primarily down to economical matters, but it rings true with other influences. Despite what some people say here, America has somehow made itself a strut keeping the world aloft. And most of what I have seen for the last decade is War coming from your country. Wars that have yielded little beyond vindication (revenge if I was to be honest) and the weakining of your own country (with consequences felt globally).

So yes, people do generalise. It is a coping mechanism that allows us to assign levels of importance and basic responses to a broad subjet. America is getting flak due to your nations global actions. Because people are afraid of the backlash coming from your country. A lot of people are angry right now.

No amount of apologies will solve this problem. As you said, you have stupid people in power. Why? Is there nothing you can do? Here in Ireland our recent "leader" was thrown out due his is incompetence. Not that the person who took over afterwards has achieved any better yet, but at least it was change.

For the record, I don't think you are bumbling idiots. I do think you let yourselves be rallied too easily. I mean, you voted bush in twice and he did alot of damage to your countries rep.

But that's just me being negative. It's something I'm entitled to right? Freedom of Thought?

 

[Balobo]

What if I say all British people are xenophobes?

 

[I.N.producer]

I'm an American, and I'm not even a big fan of Americans. I love my country, but too many people are willfully dumb.

For example, I once corrected a friend about WWII when he thought America was the big savior of everyone. He refused to believe me after I gave specific examples that he was dead wrong.

Just one example, but I've talked to way too many people who will adamantly defend outright stupid ideas in the face of evidence. Not talking about religion by the way, I personally believe in evolution and creation via God being a fan of dominoes or Rube-Goldberg machines.

I know plenty of intelligent people, but the smart people tend to be less obnoxious and noticeable. The dumb people are more outspoken and get more attention.

Then there's politics. Since the political parties are basically just out for power, all they have to do is appear to care about issues, make empty promises, and forget to tell the people that the big problems are complicated. I think if we had more major parties, there would be a big drop in corruption, less name-calling, and possibly work getting done. I know some politicians are genuinely concerned, but not enough.

In short, many people are ignorant and too lazy to not be ignorant. The government is screwed up and could be fixed, but there's no profit in fixing it.
My view on many problems falls under Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

 

[sibrenfetter]

A good question that obviously needs an honest answer.

To be frank I think (from an European point of view), the main factor is that America is at the moment still the most influential country in the world. This in itself will always invoke hate and criticism. Yet what I think makes many people very anxious is the influence America has with their decisions as they most of the time reflect this on the whole world. Yet, these decisions are rooted in many things that seem to go wrong in America. Many Europeans see America as country that is fanatically religious, extremely nationalistic (saluting the flag, really???), hardly any free press, no social healthcare and a general view of black and white (democrat/republican, winners/losers, good/bad). Especially Europe has followed America for a long time now, because of WW2. But as we get further, the differences in values come in between more and more. Most of us get tired of hearing of some insane decision in the USA and knowing that we will feel the consequences as well.

 

[Rawne1980]

What the heck? I never said that. Who are you quoting?

Frick, sorry bud I got someones quote mixed up with another quote and it ended up quoting you if that makes any sense at all.

Actually it makes no sense I even confused myself.

I went to quote one person who was also quoting someone else who had quoted you and I ended up telling you my wife wants a holiday in Canada.

Well if nothing else at least now you know where my missus wants to go next year. You'll sleep better knowing that ..... honest.

 

[ecoho]

just want to point out that someone dies almost every year playing American football and leave it at that.

And what's the cause of those near-deaths? A little reading suggests it's often other medical conditions, heatstrokes, or other things not relating to the sport. Not the actual game obviously, because they do the exact same things as rugby players, except then protected by a lot of gear.

I don't know what it is with people thinking American Football is tougher than other sports.

Occasionally, I watched star of American Football Bob Sapp take on Peter Aerts a few years ago. Let's hear it for American Football being the toughest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq2WUJd2ecs

For everyone without an eye for that sport: the technique Aerts pulled was very off balance, and he got only minor power in it compared to how you normally perform a kneestrike.

ok first off i didnt mean the NFL i meant it as a sport. One more thing! you must do more RESEARCH for though rugby is a very demanding sport its a lot safer then American football if for no other reason then the players have a better set of rules to follow. also most deaths in American football are spinal or neck injuries due to idiots going head to head.

 

[ninja_panda797]

it's a little like us New Zealanders though, every time somebody of importace sets foot in our little country, even before they've had time to settle in we always have to ask "so what do you think of New Zealand?" it just makes us happy to know that we're liked, since we're quite out of the way. If the like us awesome, if they don't well that's just their opinion.

 

[CarlMin]

Only thing more annoying frustrating than American nationalism is people from other countries whining about American nationalism.

 

[9Darksoul6]

IMO (which shouldn't offend anyone, since the OP is directly asking) you're bunch of childish, ignorant and illiterate idiots, and the main responsibles for the cultural fallbacks in our civilization.

Hey that's not true, we're not illiterate!

Do you know what quadratic equations are or how to solve them?
Can you explain me what an equinox is, without googling it?
Have you ever heard of Franz Kafka, Victor Hugo, Jorge Luis Borges; Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Rene Magritte; Voltaire, Nietzsche, Kant?
Do you know 'evolution' is not an equivalent for 'neodarwinism'?
Have you ever heard the therm 'body mass index'?
Do you know what the Quran is?
Can you name five African countries (again, no google).
...

Also, you're arrogant enough see yourselves as a global authority, and therefore as having the right to police the world.

Erm what? Aside from being the only super power left and being the only nation in NATO that actually does anything worthwhile the only thing that could be thought of otherwise would be the UN I guess? The only thing that limits America tends to be China and America's economy.

Where have you been living this past decade?

 

[mrhappy1489]

WOW......Im amazed at the short memory of peoples in other countries. How much american blood has been spilled since the 1940's for the liberation of nations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the middle east. We were asked because we were the only ones who could help or had the power to. When the world asks you to be the cops, or cries upon you to say you have the power therefore you have the responsibility to help dont ***** when we do take action because were not helping your favorite cause. Step up and take charge yourself or sit down and shut up.

Buddy the only war's here that I can see that actually required the USA and to which I concede your intervention was the turning point, was WWII. All other wars that you have been involved in, were wars using other countries as battle grounds so you and the soviets could fight over which was the better political system, communism or democracy and do not try to rebut that with "How can you say that these countries were going to be taken over by the big bad Russians" the fact is you would not have intervened if it weren't for the fact that the Russians supported the other side. I didn't see you people helping out the East Timor when the Indonesians were attacking them, I didn't see you intervene when thousands of Rwandans were being massacred, no you were in Israel or rich middle eastern countries, so do not use that argument for it falls short on so many levels and the dark truth is you let it happen, even going so far as to support the Indonesians .

 

[zehydra]

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.

lulz. I don't know if you're british, but they invented the name "Soccer", not the US.

You have to understand that what goes on over here from an early childhood, is the instilling of an idea of patriotism, that the US is the greatest country in the world. When you're a kid, if you believe otherwise, you're "wrong".

Nationalism is a huge force in this country, and I believe it's a tradition that carries on from the 1940's.

 

[Balobo]

IMO (which shouldn't offend anyone, since the OP is directly asking) you're bunch of childish, ignorant and illiterate idiots, and the main responsibles for the cultural fallbacks in our civilization.
Also, you're arrogant enough see yourselves as a global authority, and therefore as having the right to police the world.

It's ironic that you're calling others ignorant and arrogant.