Smagmuck_ said:
Stereotypes exist because of the majority.
Don't get me wrong, we're complete idiots compared to the rest of the world. Why? Because we're only a 200+ year old country, and we don't quiet have everything sorted out yet. But, I hope, that by the Time America hits about 500 to 600 years in age, we'll be on par with the rest of the world.
My point being, every country has had it's "bump in the road", we just happen to be going through ours right now. We'll eventually get over it, or collapse.
So really, this American stereotype is only temporary. Much like the stereotype that British have bad teeth, they obviously don't anymore but they did at one point.
Speak for yourself. We're not "complete idiots compared to the rest of the world." That's a tired, old generalization based on a very small, very vocal minority. The "rest of the world" has more than its share of criminally stupid, corrupt, inefficient, or evil governments.
The age of this political entity has very little to do with anything. While it is "only" 235 years old, (Note that Great Britain didn't exist until 1707, a mere 69 years before 1776, not to mention Australia only gaining independence in 1901, and Canada even later than that) we have had a stable government and peaceful transition of power the entire time, marking one of the longest-running stable governments currently on Earth. (Example, France. France had an Emperor in 1815, then it had a King again. Then, in the mid 1800's, it had a Republic. America had been a republic already for 70 years.)
We have lead technological innovation in the last 100 years, and created the largest, most advanced economy of any human civilization, ever.
Obligatory disclaimer: Yes yes we have idiots, we have fatties, whatever. Everyone does. Tis human to have your percentage of dregs.
) I start spouting all the crazy right wing religious crap I can think up. Get them all good and pissed off