Non-Americans: How do you view us?

[The Cheshire]

Well, I am from Spain, mostly americans are viewed as illiterate cowboy bigots that live in a bubble ignorant about the rest of the world, only capable of analyzing things from the small little perspective of someone who lives in a suburbian home and only knows the way to the supermarket. Oh, and fat.

Then again, that is a cliché. As it happens with most clichés, it is true in many occasions, but it is also mostly fake. Personally I don't dislike most Americans I meet, they tend to be really nice people, sociable and with a sense of humour. Then again, you should know that most things you import do not help to dissolve the cliché, Hollywood films always give a potrait of frivolous prom parties, cheerleaders and conservative housewives. Also, having a president like George Bush for eight years, who started two wars...it's not helping.

And then of course there's other things that don't help, say, all these fanatics who refuse to teach evolution in schools, or all these biogt opinions such as "everyone is jealous of our freedom, that's why they hate America" strike as awful ideas. Trust me, there's plenty of reasons to have historical prejudices against the US of A, and jealousy is really down in the list. Imperialism is number one.

But I repeat: those are mostly clichés, there is a whole very large part of the American population that doesn't even get close to any of the things I mentioned. I know that because I have been in the US, and met many Americans, and dated one, etc, etc...but, really... most of what arrives from the US to the rest of the world does not give a great image, no.

 

[KoalaKid]

Americans are all big over a mic, but face to face and they stop being mouthy bastards and start kissing as much arse as possible. Your women however are easy. All I have to do is walk into an American bar and say, "Oioi, what's going on here then!?" and they come swarming! It's great!

Also for the guy who thinks America is the single fighting force on the planet - Let me guess, you think the Navy Seals are the best spec force on the planet, the marines are good at aiming and that Iraq was about WMD's?

Your judging our women by the ones you've met in bars? Are Bar girls the best your country has to offer? Also I'm just as mouthy face to face.

 

[Terrara]

No artificial intelligence can overcome the power of natural stupidity.

I don't believe that nations are oh so different. While we try to separate from each other using traditions and religion, in truth we all have same problems. Who will lead us? What will happen to my children? Will I go to work tomorrow? Will I have enough money? Is there someone near me? What will happen after I die? But for all people to understand that, a lot of time will have to pass.

But OT: *puts on Yahtzee-fan hat*

Other nations don't like America because it is everywhere. And too often where it is not supposed to be. America pressures the rest of the world with its own ideas of freedom, rights and liberty. Now think, when you were/are a teenager, did you happily accept every lecture your mentor gave you? Well America acts like a grown-up who thinks that he already knows everything and younger generation is doing it wrong. Teenagers (i.e. less developed countries) become spiteful because they want to find their own way.
Other grown-ups (i.e. Europe) are spiteful because the are either older and don't have as much vigour left to brainwash children and teenagers or simply because the car and house they have (in their opinion) are not as shiny and as as big as of the other grown-up. Especially when that grown-up never shuts up about it.

 

[KoalaKid]

When it comes to America I don't hate the people so much as the country itself. As 9/11 was deserved, when a country is that arogant for that long then things like that happen and its the population who suffer. The americans are a varied and multicultured bunch and on the whole are pretty decent with a couple of dicks every now and then. I still belive that in the next ten years america will get worse and maybe even suffer a civil war as china begins to further dominate all sectors, including Economey,military power,technological advancement and world standing. I think the transition from a superpower to just another country will be hard for America but just like us english who once ruled half the world, we had our time in the limelight now yours is also coming to an end.

9/11 was deserved? How can you even say that? did the kids in those buildings deserve to die? Maybe you deserve to burn alive in a building? Yes, I think you do; I hope you die in a burning building.

 

[lollypopalopicus]

Now why did you have to go and make a thread like this? You should know that everyone hates us already. Basically, this thread is about to get ass-raped by hate.
Coming from an American, I would say that the worse part about living in America is not the economy or the politics or even the occasional dicks you have to put with. The worst part is having the rest of the world hate you.

I don't hate America, to be honest I find it to quite a nice place with friendly people. I just find your leaders tend to be dicks and steer your country in the wrong direction and I'm sad that so many people get stereotyped for such a small group

 

[k-ossuburb]

I honestly don't give a rats ass about America, it's just one clump of dirt like any other clump of dirt on this planet. Now the American people on the other hand, that's a different story, I mostly view them on a case-by-case basis, some of them are intelligent people and some of them are dipshits. But just because some of them are complete morons doesn't make them all morons, do you see how that works?

Yes, for the most part you have a Christian majority which is unlike anything else in the world and, personally that is what I am more threatened by than your refusal to spell aluminum correctly or your tendency to say "could care less", which just sounds stupid when you break it down.

Your Christian population make laws based on the fear and oppression taught by a bronze-age text written by a bunch of nomads. This means that homosexuals are discriminated against legally, abortion is contested on flimsy grounds yet those flimsy grounds are still taken seriously, genital mutilation is considered "normal", have the highest evolution denial rating of any first-world country, will wish horrible things on people for very silly reasons and call the war in Afghanistan a "Holy War" without any hint of irony or any sense of just how horrible that sounds and just how barbaric that makes you seem in return.

So, no, I don't hate America, nor do I hate Americans. I like some Americans and I don't like others but hate is a bit of a strong word. I'd say some of you just make me uncomfortable sometimes. A lot of good has come out of America and so has a lot of bad, just because I don't agree with some of the things which are allowed in your country for reasons I find pathetic and rather silly doesn't mean I apply this to everyone who lives there and I'm fully aware that you produce a lot of great people as well as some of the bad apples. Like any country.

 

[ACman]

Fat,
Gun loving,
Corn syrup drinking,
Racist,
Christian Fundamentalist,
Hum-vee driving,
War-mongering........

Hmm,.. nice things, nice things....

Well despite what people say; you're very polite on holiday. Certainly better than the English or god love me, Australians.

 

[Lethos]

There is now way I'm reading 10 pages of this thread, but I have seen this thread before and it always ends the same way.

People saying they don't mind America and actually kinda like the place
People saying they hate America
Americans saying they know why people hate them
Americans saying that everyone else is jealous, angry and/or butthurt

How close am I?

 

[naab]

I honestly think this describes Americans very well from a military, and political perspective, at the very least.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncUSZ13T3pQ

 

[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.