Poll: American sentiment

[northeast rower]

The only reason they even came to help us in WWII was because a Nazi Submarine was stupid enough to attack one of their vessels.

You, my good sir, are just completely wrong. America was drawn into WWI by an attack on the Lithuania. Though there were U-Boat attacks on US vessels before the US officially entered WWII, Pearl Harbor was the real event that drew Americans into the war. After that it was actually Germany that declared war on America. Not only that, but you have to consider that:

1. In WWII America was pursuing a policy of isolationism after the massive fuckup in WWI where many Americans were killed in a war fought on a continent that had been screwing Americans for years.

2. America came to help the Allies with the lend-lease bill in WWII before being officially involved.

3. You can't generalize about an entire country when you probably haven't been there in the first place.

4. You're talking about a time period during which you weren't even BORN, and during which this topic has no place. Not only that, but you are referring to the government in your post as opposed to the people.

OT: As an American I feel that I should not vote on this topic. However, from what I'm seeing, a lot of this seems based on either generalizations or falsehoods, in addition to anti-American sentiment concerning the government rather than the actual people.

 

[Seneschal]

I shouldn't judge, since most of my daily activities wouldn't exist without America. And it feels wrong to judge what amounts to AN ENTIRE CONTINENT, and I'm very grateful that the nucleus of almost every major social reform that shaped this, quite frankly, enlightened 21st century, was made up of awesome Americans.

But I get the feeling that those awesome Americans aren't really running things there, or at least the public isn't taking its own social advancement to heart. Human rights, civil liberties, equality, protection from segregation and discrimination by race, sexual orientation or faith - these things, I must admit, sound very American to me, yet where will you encounter them sooner? Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Iceland, Australia, Denmark, Germany...

Instead, the ones speaking for America uphold that ideal of self-sufficiency, economic opportunism, lack of social and fiscal responsibility, anti-intellectualism and reliance on faith-centred social norms. The ones that want nothing to do with each-other, and even less with foreigners. It's the same mentality that transformed the wonderful concept of free trade into today's desolate cutthroat ultracorporatist economy that puts price tags on lives and rights. And the American people's foreign ambassadors are the tasteless, lying, polarizing, shallow, slanderous, sensationalist and, above all, obnoxiously forceful and untactful American mass media. Exposure, publicity and PR govern both trade, show-business and politics, essentially transforming elections into trivial popularity contests. Profit margins are considered the only signifier of success - people-centred things like education, security, low crime rate, health, standard of living, equal distribution of wealth and the human development index are all secondary. How the hell does that happen?

Of course, I don't buy all of the above, but it's the prevailing image that Americans have created for themselves - an international Justin Bieber; a perfectly likeable lad in any context EXCEPT as an impossible-to-avoid artificially-inflated monument to shallowness and ruthless dehumanizing profiteering. Knowing better, even simply by the US people on this site, this is so far from the truth that I'm still wondering why it's an enduring stereotype. But if it's true, I oppose every aspect of it.

 

[Ivan Torres]

I'm American, and yeah I can sometimes be overly-patriotic, but that is usually after some movie like Red Dawn, or beating the russians in Battlefield (thats right I just brought videogames into this thread).

I think people have many reasons to hate the government, but they blame the people. Once we put them in office they can do whatever they want you know. I believe in a lot of those things that people from other countries hate, but I am open minded about things.

As for the people, well you know....they're people. People suck, and do awesome things.

On the topic of the system, I believe any system could work well,even a communist one. You just need the right people. We haven't really gotten any good politicians in office recently so of course it sucks right now. But it'll get better.

Oh, and I'm 16. That's right, you just read a (mostly) mature comment by a young American, what now!!!!!

 

[jack583]

i dislike the system, and it's the people that messed up the system.
i live in america, but i don't want to.

 

[octafish]

People, I can't say I haven't met all of them. But people in the U.S. oppose health care, that is just plain wacky. The ones I have met have by and large been OK.

Ok the system. Firstly I think we (Australia) have a better voting system, that is, mandatory voting for everyone of voting age, and yes convicted crimminals have the right to vote. Everyone's voice is heard. I think that is better.

Then we have the welfare state, we have one with free health care and an unemployment safety net that does not end unless you are not actively looking for work. Having lived with it all my life I cannot see what there is to be afraid of, we are not Nazis, Communists, or Commu-Nazis. This is the biggest reason I think U.S. system is flawed. Hell you pretty much abandoned New Orleans to their fate post-hurricane.

You can be Dickish/Bullish when it comes to foreign policy, OK I'll give you that there were plausible reasons for action in Afganistan, but Iraq? Come on. Plus you supported Pinochet, supported Mubarack, supported the Shah, supported the Taliban etc. etc. etc. Mind you, you can be good there too, even while he was fucking up the middle east "W" increased aid money to Africa more than any administation had before.

(Captcha= Res ectoi)

 

[FFHAuthor]

America is dipshit. The only reason they even came to help us in WWII was because a Nazi Submarine was stupid enough to attack one of their vessels. And they were pissed as hell about that.

But before that they didnt care at all. Sounds pretty egocentric to me.

Your ignorance of history is breath taking.

 

[Frankster]

golden snip

A great post though it's a shame it will be buried in the mass, it feels to me that the post contains more truth in it then most of the nonsense people have spouted in this thread (me included of course). I raise my drink to thee!

 

[TheDarkestDerp]

*shrugs* Meh. I've visited a few countries, still live in America. All in all? From what I've seen, people are petty much people wherever you go. Some are okay, some are not. Some are friendly, some are jerks. There are religious zealots, straight-laced zombies, sexual deviants and backwater looney-types in every country, nation and culture, they just go by different names and classes in society. Granted, some cultures value things differently to VERY different degrees and this can make the difference to you depending upon the specifics in your life.

 

[Spacelord]

I don't exactly hate them but our system is way more awesome.

Also what system are we talking about? Social, economic, infrastructure? Anyway my point still stands.

 

[commodore96]

This thread makes me want to slap some people with a history book. I also really hope some of the people commenting that they dislike the American people have actually been to America, so they actually have some justification instead of being ignorant.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

OT: As an American I feel that I should not vote on this topic. However, from what I'm seeing, a lot of this seems based on either generalizations or falsehoods, in addition to anti-American sentiment concerning the government rather than the actual people.

I am an American and I have to say that I believe more in its people than the government that is in place. The governmental system is in need of fixing, but I believe the people have to be united in that goal - something which is extremely improbable as of right now.

Most of the views I have on government come from reading a plethora of Noam Chomsky's books and the rest comes from comedians that were also strong social critics, those like Lenny Bruce, Bill Hicks and George Carlin.

I'd like to think that most of this anti-American sentiment comes from what the government has done outside its borders, how it has kept that activity secret from its people and how the people react once knowledge of said incident(s) is made public. Of course, there have also been internal issues, as well, such as George W. Bush's terms and whether or not he was elected legally (and that, in turn, puts into question everything he and his administration did), when the U.S. bombed Iraq in retaliation for the alleged assassination attempt on George H. W. Bush when Clinton was is office, all of the criminals and lawbreakers during Ronald Reagan's time in office, etc.

What I've learned from Noam, Lenny, Bill and George is that the more I question things and the more open my mind becomes, the more I realize that what is and what should be...aren't always the same thing. In fact, I think most people would agree that it is usually almost NEVER the same thing - and that is the responsibility of the people, that if it isn't, to rectify it. Like the people in Egypt did, with admirable restraint and dedication.

I'd like to thank everyone for posting their thoughts and views thus far. I hope discussion on this view furthers itself into a very positive learning experience for some. It is my belief that the more people I meet and listen to, the more I can potentially learn. As a user named Cryssoberyl posted on this YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLK8IrYrZxA&feature=related

"Every person is a culture unto themselves - a collection of thoughts, feelings, impulses, mannerisms, and memories...painstakingly built up through time. Each little piece helps to shape the people that we are, and that we will become, and yet...some experiences are so profound that, no matter how distant the encounter becomes, we feel it at the very center of us always."

Therefore, I hope to see many more views, be them positive or negative towards the country I live in and its people, so that I can learn more of the people that I share this world with and how, potentially, I can help to make it a better place to live for all of us before I die.

 

[Westaway]

have a car?use light bulbs?have a pc or xbox?(and even though i hate apple) a mac or ipod?enjoying the internet?like ant comic from DC or MARVEL?stop bashing America cause we made those

And everything else was not.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

Also what system are we talking about? Social, economic, infrastructure?

All of it, from social to governmental. It was my intention that it was to mean governmental; however, I believe that what you mentioned holds merit to this discussion and that it does influence governmental issues, in varying degrees, so I'll simply say the entire American system. Hope that helps!

 

[Westaway]

Snippity snapity

An entire continent? Canada and Mexico are infinitly different then America.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

Do you have a car, use light bulbs, have a pc, an Xbox(and even though I hate Apple) a Mac or Ipod, or enjoying the internet? Do you like any comic from DC or MARVEL? Stop bashing America cause we made those.

Germany invented the car, and your grammar needs improvement.

 

[Zeraki]

America seems pretty nice, except your media seems rather over the top and dramatic and i've heard some negative things about the US education system (though those could be wrong).

Yeah I only get my news from the BBC now because all the American media is freaking insane. Our education system really is pretty bad, that's one of my biggest gripes about living here. We've got our idiots like any other country, only in our country stupid people get rewarded by getting put on TV and made 'celebrities' for doing nothing other than being stupid(that includes the media).

 

[Hashime]

I am fine with individual Americans, but based on who they elected twice, and many of their views on things like health care I dislike the people as a group. I also strongly dislike their political and economic systems.

 

[SFR]

Way to make a thread that breads generalizations. I demand you do this exact topic for every other country in the world as compensation.

 

[Littlee300]

Do you have a car, use light bulbs, have a pc, an Xbox(and even though I hate Apple) a Mac or Ipod, or enjoying the internet? Do you like any comic from DC or MARVEL? Stop bashing America cause we made those.

Germany invented the car, and your grammar needs improvement.

Bleh, how can you hate all Americans? I am American but I have mostly Norwegian and Germany ties in terms of genes. It is so diverse and yet idiots are judging the American people as whole in this thread/

snip

 

[jawakiller]

Here's some shit to process. I like the people but hate the ignorance sometimes shown. I understand the system and anyone who has a problem with it is a complete moron. Do you know how hard it is to govern a country with over 300 million residents? (Not to mention the richest country in the world) I didn't think so. I hate people in general because they think they're morally superior or the top authority on politics, well here's some food for thought; you not only know a minuscule amount of what goes on in global politics but you're an idiot if you think you do. America has its problems but so does every other fucking country.