Some Questions concerning America

[steampunk42]

As an American capable of understanding that there are in fact some problems with our country and that there are in fact other countries other than our own, it occurred to me that while i realize we are not a "loved" country on the global scale but please answer me this. Why exactly do other countries dislike us? and while we are on that topic do you really hate us as a people or do you hate how our country is run? (can we keep this topic clean and mature, i dont need a million re-posts of "America rocks shut up!!!"

 

[ace_of_something]

It's not that they don't like american citizens personally. It's that they don't like american involvement in global politics and 'global policing' that our govt. seems to do.

But mostly everyone's opinion changed rather harshly when this man took office.

I'm old enough to remember when everyone didn't hate us except certain groups.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Because we're the big dog on campus can sum a lot of it up.

the US (america consists of two continents) is THE leading superpower at the moment, and is trying to stretch out its influences to better its own personal gains (and maybe sometimes genuinely help the under privileged).

You know. Like how all those European powers did when they were the big dogs on campus (france, britain, spain, etc) and like the USSR did back before it completely collapsed under the weight of its own futility.

So yeah, people hate the player, not game, and dont usually to stop to think and put in perspective that if their country was in the same position they'd be doing the same.

EDIT:

...

But mostly everyone's opinion changed rather harshly when this man took office.

...

You could say it started more with his father first, but I would say it started truly with this man:

http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/026749.jpg

cause he really started bugging the world and letting the CIA take a bit more boldness. or even earlier probably.

 

[Terrible Opinions]

Well, a lot of the english-speaking world will have reasons like ace's up there. Some might bring up the killing of the Kyoto accord. Or cultural hegemony. Maybe a few other things.

The real big thing to most of the world, though? Israel, man. Pretty much nobody likes Israel, and the US is their big backer, financially, militarily, and politically. Israel's done more harm for the US' image than Vietnam, Iraq, and puking on the Japanese Prime Minister combined.

 

[Rawne1980]

I look at America like I do every country.

It's okay.

I've had 3 great holidays there and met some really nice people.

I've also met some morons.

I've said it before and i'll say it again. America has a bad press due to it's more insane and nuts as shit politicians and religious fanatics being shoved in our faces by our media (British media that is).

In answer to emeraldrafael, a lot of people stopped viewing America as a superpower a long time ago. You are in massive debt with shaky leadership and your influence can only stretch so far.

I'm not saying that from a biased opinion it's just how a few people abroad see you. You had your time and it's wavering. Nothing lasts forever. America isn't 'feared' like it once was.

But yeah, a lot of us don't hate America. You are just the same as every other country but a bit louder. You have your good and bad points like everything else.

You also have lasses with that nice "southern belle" accent but thats for another thread.

 

[Shadow Druid]

I think it is because you are the Superpower at the present moment. It was probably the same when the British Empire or the Roman was the largest Superpower in the world.

But unlike Britain or Rome it is unlikely that America will collapse under it's own overstretched reach due to it being around when most of the world has been sorted out and invading a neighbouring country becomes a International issue, expansion is more or less a thing of the past and the most likely thing to bring America down is an Economic Crisis (trying not to jinx the current situation).

but that's just my opinion

 

[Baradiel]

I've met plenty of Americans, and with a few exceptions I loved them. They were lovely people.

However, to quote Dylan Moran, "American stupid people sound much stupider than any other type of stupid person".

Also, the US is just enjoying the negative results of being an empire. The European Colonial powers had the same problem, but it was in a time with less media coverage.

Also, I despise the hypocrisy of your government, mainly the whole 'freedom' thing they keep preaching on about, while simultaneously imposing dictatorial regimes over countries for their own gain. I'm not necessarily referring to recent events, but the US's behaviour during the Cold War was disgustingly hypocritical and imperialistic.

So... yeh, I wrote more than I was originally planning.

 

[StrixMaxima]

Americans, in general, are OK. They have their quirks, but so does everyone else.

What is not so great about the US is that they think (or thought, at lease) that their take on how to rule their land is applicable just about anywhere on the Universe, that they believe that they are the world police, and that they 'get it', while other nations don't.

But, probably, your worst sin is choosing terrible governments and representatives. Few countries are more adept at placing imbeciles in high office than Americans. Hint: not talking about Obama, here. He was the exception.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

As a Canadian, I don't dislike America or Americans. If I had to guess why your country has a less than stellar international reputation, I'd suppose I would suggest that America has a long history of ideological and cultural imperialism, and people tend to get twitchy about that sort of thing.

 

[steampunk42]

Americans, in general, are OK. They have their quirks, but so does everyone else.

What is not so great about the US is that they think (or thought, at lease) that their take on how to rule their land is applicable just about anywhere on the Universe, that they believe that they are the world police, and that they 'get it', while other nations don't.

i believe this is a perfect definition of ethnocentrism: the belief that your way of life is superior to everyone else s, but i think everyone is guilty of that, im fairly certain that people in Japan or England think that their way of life is superior, even if only in a slight way.

 

[Da Orky Man]

As an American capable of understanding that there are in fact some problems with our country and that there are in fact other countries other than our own, it occurred to me that while i realize we are not a "loved" country on the global scale but please answer me this. Why exactly do other countries dislike us? and while we are on that topic do you really hate us as a people or do you hate how our country is run? (can we keep this topic clean and mature, i dont need a million re-posts of "America rocks shut up!!!"

Here's a small list, though I do believe that America overall is a good thing:

Foreign policy. It appears to be "invade anyone who looks at us funny".
Tendency towards extremism. Your fundamentalist Christian population is huge compared to Europe.
Conservapedia. It needs no explanation.
And you tend to follow the media. You hate Communism and Liberals for very little reasons. Us Brits were rivals of the Soviets, and we don't hate them.
Bush.

 

[StrixMaxima]

i believe this is a perfect definition of ethnocentrism: the belief that your way of life is superior to everyone else s, but i think everyone is guilty of that, im fairly certain that people in Japan or England think that their way of life is superior, even if only in a slight way.

I believe most populations think their way is the best. After all, when you think you are doing something wrong, you change it.

However, few are willing to go to the lengths the US did to prove it.

 

[BRex21]

Let me put it this way. A few years back (8-10 i think, fist term for bush #2) Americas popularity on the world stage was dropping, someone in the US state department set out on a campaign to improve the popularity by getting schoolchildren to write essays about how great America is and provide them free of charge to be distributed to other countries.
Since the biggest problem i have with modern America/Americans (not all americans mind you but they are out there) is arrogance, the "Best country on earth" mentality that, on objective reasoning, there really isn't much you can justify that on. Particulairly in a world whose economy America is largely responsible for the collapse of and that there are a few wars recently started on dubious terms.
Personally i think Canada loves to hate The USA on the basis that, since you make us look good in comparison, putting you down helps make us feel better about ourselves.

 

[thiosk]

People hate medicine and modern technology-- THATS why they hate america. Give them food, medicine, cars, entertainment, and the best pornography on earth, and they'll take it and cut your heart out for not giving more.

 

[Spygon]

I have no problem with the american's i think the people are great i am just worried about the country as a whole.Your country is rather scary as it is a giant propaganda machine telling every citzen from and early age that "usa is number 1".

That made sence when you were guys were number one but things have changed and i think slowly your waking up to the fact that your not number one anymore.

But i still love America as the people are always intresting and a large number of them are pretty cool.Just a shame about the others but every country has there assholes

 

[Seventh Actuality]

One of the main reasons I think is that America is influential. Your media and your politics might not actually dictate what happens elsewhere, but they have consequences we have to take note of. Take the repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell recently. It wasn't just a step forward for gay US servicemen, it was a step forward for gay rights everywhere. On the other end of the spectrum, America's extreme religious right has inspired similar movements in the UK and probably elsewhere. Most people can't name leaders of countries other than their own, literally everybody knows who the President of the USA is.

 

[MoeTheMonk]

I think most people who dislike America do so because of the perception that America is always sticking its big, fat nose into everyone else's business. Which we most certainly ARE.
I used to bristle whenever someone insulted the honor of the glorious US. Now, I usually agree with them. Our politicians have decided to appoint themselves "World Police" and fly around the world trying in vain to solve everyone's problems and end up making them worse as a result. All at the expense of American citizens and their tax dollars. Thanks! We appreciate it!

Bottom line, the American government needs to get out of everyone's business, both the world and America itself. Why do they need to involve themselves in every conflict that doesn't even relate to us? To mediate every dispute? To regulate anything and everything that goes on in the country and the world?
How 'bout we let the world handle itself for a few years, see how it goes.

 

[The Harkinator]

US government foreign policy, US government in general, I certainly don't hate the American people. I think it is just that they are led by a blind eagle, that has nuclear missiles tied to its feet.

The USA seems to get involved a lot in the affairs of other countries and it's not always beneficial. I also agree with the guy who gave the reason about America funding the IRA, the US government directly financed terrorism. Against the country I live in. Who is Allied with the US.

I think your politicians way of going about things isn't right (though that may just be because its different to mine)

Winston Churchill: 'I could never be an American policitcian, all that shaking hands of people I don't seem to care about would be exhausting.'

I haven't made much sense with this.

 

[thethingthatlurks]

I've lived there for a little over 9 years, and I don't hate it. There are a ton of really stupid people (a sizable portion of whom appear regularly on Fox for some reason...), the "we are the greatest" mentality of some people is blatantly contradictory to any statistics in education, population health, religiosity, income distribution, science acceptance, etc. The politics of the US are a nothing short of a mess. It's not the unstable 3rd world dictator kind of mess, just the pandering to extremists and the pathetically low level of discourse in politics and in the press. Oh, and lobbyists, aka the sort of cancer cancer would get if cancer could get cancer - the base cancer is the political system, obviously. Remember health care reform? Not having that pass is essentially proof that the whole political system is screwed. Oh yes, the previous presidency. I know calling it fascist is a low-brow move, but the label is quite apt. There were repressions of basic freedoms in the name of non-threatened safety, profiling of anybody not looking "right," massive amounts of corruption/cronyism, wars for the sake of war (and profit!), government authorized torture, etc. The whole pretending-to-be-the-world-police thing didn't help either, and your broke economic status doesn't make it any more bearable.

Yet aside from all that, it's a great place! I received a great education (not high school obviously, god that was pathetic), I met wonderful people, I saw the great natural wonders of your land, and I loved to explore the facets of your culture. All in all it's just like any other country on earth; some people are great, some are assholes. Some years are great, other years are awful (hint, last ten, /hint). I had many wonderful times there, and I had many shitty days as well. And I still write "we" when referring to the US, go figure...

But kindly allow me to return a question: why is it that so many US citizens claim to love their country so much, despite its many and quite obvious flaws?

 

[rokkolpo]

People hate medicine and modern technology-- THATS why they hate america. Give them food, medicine, cars, entertainment, and the best pornography on earth, and they'll take it and cut your heart out for not giving more.

Because America only does those things?
And are the only ones in the world that do it?

>_>
You are kind of the reason people dislike America, arrogance.