Poll: What do other country think of america

[TheVioletBandit]

I dont want Americans to die and burn in hell, I want America to die and burn in hell, if you know what I mean.

Although I guess without the Vietnam war we would have never had that hilarious scene at the end of "A fish called Wanda", so that makes up for all the dead people.

I'm a US American and it seems that there are fellow US Americans that hate us just as much as the perceived hatred coming from other countries. Honestly, we're a country that makes mistakes and I don't think there's a country out there that has never made a mistake.

We in Europe spend our time glancing across the pond occasionally, turning away again to shake our heads and smile in pain.

Thats why we cover the elections - not because we give a shit, but because it makes us feel better about ourselves. No matter how fucked up shit is, the republicans are always topping it.

"I don't want Americans to die and burn in hell, I want American to die and burn in hell, of you know what I mean."

You wish us all to be homeless refugees, and the land of my ancestors to be destroyed, because you disagree with a government I have no control over is what I assume you mean, but I'd like to think your better than that. So no, I don't know what you mean.

 

[Crazy Zaul]

I doubt anyone's real answer to this can be simplified to a poll answer.

 

[Agayek]

You're far too religious. Other than that, meh.

Although I can never quite work out if you vote for retards because you actually want them in any position of power, or because they're rich enough to get there and you just feel you should vote for someone.

I mean really, I may not be a fan of the Conservatives over here, but they're a shining beacon of light compared to the supposed creme of the Republican crop.

From what I've seen, it's mostly the latter. For example, most of my extended family votes Republican, and when I ask why, instead of an actual reason, I get "because they're not ". It's really fucking stupid, and I get yelled at every time I try to press the issue, but there you go.

Politics in the US is super fucked up. It's so polarized that the government as a whole is in an almost constant state of deadlock. The current federal government takes years and trillions of dollars to decide that yes, the sky really is blue. I personally blame the 2 party system and the bullshit that politicians are allowed to get away with.

 

[DirtyJunkieScum]

I'm sure you are a lot like the rest of us.

Thing is you let your idiots into the world's view, others have learned to keep them away from media.

This is a good point, the rest of the world (or Europe at least) is good at keeping vocal idiots away from the cameras whereas the USA has realised that while they are idiots they do have money and so they are catered to as well.

 

[DarkishFriend]

Being from America, I can say that we do, for the most part, fit awful stereotypes; though I am from the South. We are are God Fearing to the manner that people give more shits about Obama being a Muslim, than his actual policies. We are racist enough to throw entire ideas and people down the drain because someone has a different ethnicity than white. We love our guns, and don't believe anyone that says it's self-defense. People where I live routinely buy assault rifles, and so many more awful things.

 

[Laser Priest]

It's a country.

It has some stupid people and it's government does some stupid things as well.

Just like every other nation in the world.

I guess America is just louder about it.

 

[JochemHippie]

I'm sure the country as a good amount of decent folks in it. Though the country as a whole is a disgusting violation of rights and morals.

 

[DirtyJunkieScum]

I'm not a fan of the USA's government treating the UK like it's *****.

To be fair to the US Govt it is the UK politicians that put up with that crap or even actively encourage it that deserve our ire for that one. The US has no power in the UK other than what it is given by our spineless politicians. You don't see them treating France of Germany like that because the French and Germans have the guts to stand up for themselves.

 

[TheVioletBandit]

Well here in Canada we don't really hate Americans, even if we do consider them to be an inferior culture in general.

A lot of us do take issue with America's portrayal of WW2 though, how they ignore every other country's contributions and even take credit for famous battles they didn't win. Also quite rich when you consider most of the world still looks down upon America for joining the war two years late.

I can't speak for other Americans, but I personally find the "inferior culture" statement to be pompous and insulting.

Of course, even to claim that the US has a cohesive overall culture is a failure to understand what the US is, which is a nation of immigrants, and native people; a multitude of small cultural groups living together under one banner. Cultures in the US drastically change even state to state. Saying that the cultures of California is anything like that of Kentucky would be a mistake. So, which culture is inferior? That fabricated culture you see on television? Chinese American culture? Native American culture? Jewish American culture? Middle American Culture? etc.

 

[erykweb]

We love our guns, and don't believe anyone that says it's self-defense. People where I live routinely buy assault rifles, and so many more awful things.

It actually is self defense, but not in the way that you are thinking. It started as way way to keep the governments of the world (including our own) on their toes, giving the people the power. There is a reason that no one has invaded since 1812. That was the idea behind having it be in the constitution. Now, we have forgotten this, our military is so powerful that no country would dare invade, and no uprisings would ever succeed within the US. Things were fine when the people had all the guns, but now it is the US government that has them.

 

[teh_Canape]

I personally think it has a very unbalanced smart/moron ratio and a lot of religious nuts, especially in the political scene
which is a bit frightening considering USA pretty much owns the world =P

but that's just my opinion, I don't particularly hate you folks

 

[TheVioletBandit]

Being from America, I can say that we do, for the most part, fit awful stereotypes; though I am from the South. We are are God Fearing to the manner that people give more shits about Obama being a Muslim, than his actual policies. We are racist enough to throw entire ideas and people down the drain because someone has a different ethnicity than white. We love our guns, and don't believe anyone that says it's self-defense. People where I live routinely buy assault rifles, and so many more awful things.

Being from American I can say that the greater majority of people that I have met here do not fit the stereotypes. I can also say since I use to live in the south myself that the above quote is a terrible exaggeration.

Yes, people are allowed to own guns here.
No, not everyone does.
Yes, their are a few racists here, But in general bigotry is looked down upon, and those people that are racists are a small minority, even in the south.
Yes, some people are religious here, but so what.

 

[samaugsch]

Some people outside of America probably think of us as the stuck up guy that thinks that he's better than everyone else. With that said, I agree in some points. There seems to be a fine line between being proud of your country and believing that where you live is Earth's equivalent to heaven.

 

[katsumoto03]

I'm Canadian and while our countries are quite similar (especially while Harper is in control), some of the shit you guys like to pull is fucking disgusting. (Lookin' at you, Republicans.)

 

[Thaluikhain]

Eh, no point hating the US, lots of it seems to do that much better than anyone else could already.

Seems very strange that people can be extremely proud of their country, while hating so much of it at the same time.

 

[unoleian]

America is the combination of South America and North America. I think it's funny that citizens of USA seem to believe their country spans two continents. I understand that this is just a colloquialism, and no one really believes it, but if a brit started talking about Europe being occupied solely by other brits people would look at him as if he was an imbecile

Should I start at the top?

Canadian, Mexican, Guatemalan, Honduran, El Salvadorian, Nicaraguan, Costa Rican, Panamanian, Colombian, Ecuadorian, Brazilian, Bolivian...

I could go on, but that's not the point. Keep on going, and it becomes patently clear that every single country in the western hemisphere has perfectly fine national identities that are perfectly understood and used regularly and without hesitation throughout the continents, in their various languages and dialects. Whenever anyone, anywhere, at any time, in any place, refers to "American," it's pretty fucking obvious what they mean, and they know they know what they mean, and that's just the way it is. I can't say I've ever met anyone of any nationality who did not, of their own accord, refer to people of The United States of America (what a mouthful) as anything other than "Americans."

It shows as much insensitivity to the cultural climate on this side of the world that people are all too ready to accuse people over here for of having for the other. Granted, I'm making an assumption, there, but I've never met a Chilean ready to defend his right to be called an American, I've never heard a Canadian do the same, and so on. I don't deign to speak for others, but do feel comfortable stating that I'm making a pretty safe assumption this is a universal idea across most all (if not simply all) countries.

It's not so much as the people of The United States of America took ownership of the term "American," as it was both handed to us and naturally developed over time. Arrogance? No.

Go ahead. Change the world. I've never seen a Mexican get huffy when the French stereotype uttered, "Bah, zose Stupeed Americans!"

 

[Dense_Electric]

America is the combination of South America and North America. I think it's funny that citizens of USA seem to believe their country spans two continents.

Oh good lord, didn't we already have this conversation? "America," referring to the United States of America, is simply shorthand. Much as the People's Republic of China is just "China," or the Russian Federation is just "Russia." I don't know what you've been told, but I assure you that when we refer to ourselves as "Americans," it's not because we think we're superior to everyone else in North and South America (and for the record, there is no one continent called "America," since you're going to make such a big deal over semantics).

Oh, and by the way, did you know that the Commonwealth of Australia is not the only country on the Australian continent? Papua New Guinea and part of Indonesia also lie on the Australian continent. Does it irritate you when people from the Commonwealth of Australia refer to themselves as "Australians?"

EDIT: Since you mention it...

'The States' is a shortened version of the United States of America, also USA.

"The States?" Is that the United Mexican States? Or any one of about a dozen historical "United States" (such as the United States of Columbia, the United States of Belgium, etc.)

 

[revjor]

Thing you gotta remember about politics in the U.S. is that in a presidential election year we usually get about 55% turnout. Non presidential year is far below that. Not nearly enough people care enough to make U.S. politics sensible. It's why politicians get away with so much. Enough of us just don't give a fuck. We're barely taxed and the decisions they make usually get repealed soon enough anyways. You just don't have to care if you don't want to. You don't have to want to make the world a better place.

Thing about us you also remember is that much like a Scot is not a Welshman... A Californian is not a Nebraskan is not a Vermonter is not a Floridian. Hell, Nor Cal is not So Cal. We have a state that is majority Asian. We have a state that is majority Hispanic. We may have a state that is majority bovine. There are identities and cultures that are so drastically different it'd spin your head. If you say, "I've been to America and they are like this..." Wrong. You've been to Trenton, New Jersey and it's nothing like Santa Fe, New Mexico.

I love being American becuase it's so absurd living here. Nothing ever makes sense but it keeps on tickin.

 

[Robert Ewing]

You have no idea how bad America's reputation is in Britain. We see them as fat, arrogant, warmongering, overly-patriotic, redneck world police. Which is quite ironic when you realize it's British people saying all that shit, but oh well, water under the bridge, the sun has set on our empirish oppressive ways, and now it's America's turn to take all the abuse! And as I make a habit of going to other countries, and me being white, people often mistake me for being American (for some reason.)

So here is a run down of all the impressions I got about America from different countries that happened to mention it.

South Korea - Really not good.

Japan - America is a terrible place

Vietnam - America is a terrible place

Brazil - America is quite bad

France - America is okay sometimes

Germany - America is okay sometimes

Russia - Oh... god...

Israel - Aren't we America? Oh, we're not?

Syria - Down with democracy in general!

China - Don't... Even... Fucking... Go there. Serious malice against Americans there.

Really, I've been to a lot of countries, and I can tell you that popular opinion really isn't too hot. The public just plain don't really like Americans.

It's not so much that America is bad at being a country, it's the richest for a reason and most influential at the moment, it's just the bad eggs spoil the bunch, and there are quadrillions of bad eggs in America, and the entire world see's them quite clearly... As America is so quick to flash it's slightly obese and arrogant, high military spending, aluminum dong all over the world stage, without shame, and remaining in complete bliss about what the world thinks of them, and basic sums.

I think a quote I heard once sums it up somewhat. "America is terrible at everything, it's education system is worse than Syria's, health system is a hilarious mess, social system is awash with hatred and discrimination, it's history is as poor as the culture it's churned out, and the only thing worse than the obesity rate in the greatest country in the world, is the American guidance systems. But somehow they managed to take all those qualities that usually define third world countries, and make it work. They overcame the most powerful superpower in the world, and took it's place"

 

[Robert Ewing]

America is the combination of South America and North America. I think it's funny that citizens of USA seem to believe their country spans two continents.

Oh good lord, didn't we already have this conversation? "America," referring to the United States of America, is simply shorthand. Much as the People's Republic of China is just "China," or the Russian Federation is just "Russia." I don't know what you've been told, but I assure you that when we refer to ourselves as "Americans," it's not because we think we're superior to everyone else in North and South America (and for the record, there is no one continent called "America," since you're going to make such a big deal over semantics).

Oh, and by the way, did you know that the Commonwealth of Australia is not the only country on the Australian continent? Papua New Guinea and part of Indonesia also lie on the Australian continent. Does it irritate you when people from the Commonwealth of Australia refer to themselves as "Australians?"

EDIT: Since you mention it...

'The States' is a shortened version of the United States of America, also USA.

"The States?" Is that the United Mexican States? Or any one of about a dozen historical "United States" (such as the United States of Columbia, the United States of Belgium, etc.)

Not forgetting that the U.S.A is composed of 46 states, and 4 commonwealths. So referring to it as the states would leave 4 quite large chucks of it out.