What does the world have against America?

[Jinx_Dragon]

I just mean the way the OP and thread titles like this always ask "Why do you hate America(ns)" in a way that asks "Why do you hate every single American" and go on about "Every country has douchebags/idiots". People like the OP assume that someone who hates America(ns) think all the best of every single other person on the planet, but Americans as a whole, each and every individual are mindless douchebags. It's just stupid and properly annoying to come across in a forum thread all the time.

Fair enough, I do know it would be a rare few people who place Americans below every other person in the world. Most of us are pissed more at our own governments, seeing they are local problems, and are smart enough not to blame individual people for the actions of governments.

I, for one, hate Australia more then I do the USA... and mostly cause of the bigotry a large vocal minority seem proud of.

 

[Leemaster777]

I think it's clear why: The rest of the world is jealous, since we have Sam the Eagle:

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

We wouldn't hate you so much if you stopped asking why everybody hates you.

 

[btenkink]

Winds blow hardest at the top.

Nobody hated that youtube busking kid from Ontario until he became Justin Bieber(TM).

Nobody hated the Colonies until they had amassed the greatest GDP on earth, trained the most dynamic military force, and openly waged war, toppled governments, and globalized economies the world over.

The same hatred was aimed at the British Empire 200 years ago, and will be reserved for which ever nation replaces America in the future.

 

[Starke]

*whining that history doesn't matter to him, so it shouldn't matter to others*

The US never invaded a country because we wanted to addict their population to drugs, so we could exploit them more effectively.

The US never invaded Pakistan and said, "I know, we'll make a business monopoly out of goods they need for everyday life. And in order to pay for those goods, they will need to start producing drugs for us."

The US never spent so long trying to secure a country that their own citizens got confused as to whose side they're on.

The US never carved up the middle east with our buddies like a Christmas turkey and subjugated the whole damn place. We did double dip on one of your pieces, but, it's just not the same thing, really.

The last five years haven't been too bad, the last ten, more so, but it still pales in comparison to the blood and hypocrisy of the British Empire. Now, I have confidence we'll catch up with either you or the French, but you're going to have to give us time to eclipse either empire's actions.

What does your name have to do with your political affiliation? Absolutely nothing. And speaking for the Irish and Scottish people is taxing stuff, I just couldn't bare the added strain of having to speak for the Welsh as well, so they'll need to fend for themselves for the moment.

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

The last five years haven't been too bad, the last ten, more so, but it still pales in comparison to the blood and hypocrisy of the British Empire. Now, I have confidence we'll catch up with either you or the French, but you're going to have to give us time to eclipse either empire's actions.

The thing is, that was all nearly a century ago. There is no-one left alive who can be blamed for those actions (ith the exception of northern ireland but lets face it, both the British and the Irish did some terrible things there). America is the one acting like an imperial power when the age of empires is dead. 100 years ago it was the norm for the great powers to act like that and because there was more than one blame was never foisted on one power alone (America is hardly excused what with the wars fought with the mexicans and spanish and the genocide of the native americans so don't act so holier than thou about your own country's past, its kind of annoying)
sorry if i'm kind of rambling, rum can do strange things to a guys mind xD

 

[CulixCupric]

What are your thoughts?

people hate America, because most are usually thick, and this is coming from someone born in America, and has never left the country. however, oddly enough, a lot of people ask me if I'm British, which I think would be a lot better if i was British. I hate American TV, and I enjoy the BBC, especially Sherlock, and I curse like a Brit, which always gets awkward responses.

 

[Starke]

The last five years haven't been too bad, the last ten, more so, but it still pales in comparison to the blood and hypocrisy of the British Empire. Now, I have confidence we'll catch up with either you or the French, but you're going to have to give us time to eclipse either empire's actions.

The thing is, that was all nearly a century ago. There is no-one left alive who can be blamed for those actions (with the exception of northern ireland but lets face it, both the British and the Irish did some terrible things there).

The thing is, this isn't how people deal with being wronged. Well, for the most part anyway.

Ignoring for the moment, that the Empire did exist 50 years ago, and there are people that have been alive since then, there's another issue at work: When I was a child, I heard the stories over and over about how my great grandparents had fled for their lives. And this would be illustrated with "that tray wasn't supposed to come with them, but it got thrown on the cart at the last moment", shit like that. It was impressed into me to distrust and hate the people responsible (the Turks, if anyone's wondering), without regard for the whole picture.

In the case of the middle east there is a lot of people who have been raised in a culture of being wronged. We see this with Palestinians in exile who've kept their keys, we see this with Syrians and Algerians hating the French. So while there's some merit to saying, "no one's alive who saw this," that only makes sense up until the moment when you realize that these people had families. Iranians tend to still hate the English for bringing the CIA in, and there tends to be an awareness that both the UK and the US are to be hated for different reasons. Now, there, the US has the balance due to Reza Pahlavi, but, the fact remains people do remember, even if it isn't first hand.

America is the one acting like an imperial power when the age of empires is dead. 100 years ago it was the norm for the great powers to act like that and because there was more than one blame was never foisted on one power alone (America is hardly excused what with the wars fought with the mexicans and spanish and the genocide of the native americans so don't act so holier than thou about your own country's past, its kind of annoying)
sorry if i'm kind of rambling, rum can do strange things to a guys mind xD

Nah, it's okay, it's not a terrible point. The problem is, everyone has engaged in this behavior. If you want to talk about what motivates American action, there is a philosophy of ends justify the means we picked up someplace in the Cold War, when trying to fight off the Soviets, and for many Americans that created a permanent bipolar understanding of the world. I don't object to America being painted with the same brush as everyone else, what I do object to, is posters like Thyunda, who seem to believe that England is cut from a cleaner cloth, when in fact, they were the power we learned our nastiest habits from.

EDIT: In fact, some of the early and infamous bouts of genocide against the Native Americans were conducted while we were still subjects of the crown.

EDIT 2: A also really object to Thyunda's assertion that the British were somehow loved by the middle east until Bush, and that the animosity there is our fault. When in point of fact, they were as much targets before.

 

[Thyunda]

What does your name have to do with your political affiliation? Absolutely nothing.

Then you've never been to Ireland. I know of few other countries where your name denotes your religious and political beliefs.
Look. Stop trying to speak for members of the United Kingdom when you clearly don't know what you're talking about. The most defiance I saw from a Scot was when my Glaswegian cousin visited, and had a fierce argument about the legality of Scottish money.
It's legal tender.

Also. I don't know why I have to keep hammering this at you. I have not denied that the British Empire did bad things. You know who else did bad things? The Romans. The Byzantines. The Norse. The Turks. The Egyptians. EVERYBODY.
So, what, I take it that America is the nicest country around, because it missed the imperialist stage of history? No. Now we live in a 'peaceful, civilised age', and America STILL wages a backroom war on peoples it sees as inferior. That's the big middle finger you've given to the world. You push 'democracy' and 'freedom' on the world, without realising the hypocrisy of the statement. Not that it matters. It's bullshit anyway.

 

[Thyunda]

EDIT 2: A also really object to Thyunda's assertion that the British were somehow loved by the middle east until Bush, and that the animosity there is our fault. When in point of fact, they were as much targets before.

American bipolarity indeed. I said we weren't hated as much as America. Clearly, that translated to you as 'President of England's fan club'.
Oh, and genocide is traditional. Can't really get around that - for thousands of years genocide was synonymous with 'victory'. You won't meet many Hittites, that's for sure.
The Native Americans are the first people to lose their country and not their heritage. Do you know how many true Englishmen I've met in my entire life?
Just one. A direct descendant of the Cornovii tribe. I think Cornovii was right...I can't remember. But everybody else is a mix of the forces that conquered us. The English have been wiped out and replaced so many times, claiming that the native Americans were hard done to is just plain ludicrous. We COULD have just killed them all. That's what everybody else did. It's what the Portuguese did to the original South American cultures.

Put simply - the reservations existed. Therefore not genocide. Therefore it's a stupid argument. When your Bible advocates complete genocide, you are in no place to criticise the actions of the colonists.

 

[KingofallCosmos]

Wha? I love you guys.
Sure there's some differences in opinions, views, philosophy, w/e. America has a big influence in most western societies, so if there's got to be a fall guy it'd be them. Cause they're big. It's easiest to blame America for everything.

My (and lots of other peoples) grievance is declaring "war" on things like terror or drugs or immigrants. I don't have a solution for these things, so who am I to judge? It's their way of dealing with anxiety.

I guess the word "hate" just doesn't coincide with my feelings, it's far too strong. Besides, it's christmas eve and I've had about 11 shots of (real fine) rum. Better stop rambling and get some sleep

 

[SnakeoilSage]

I don't hate Americans. I hate what Americans are doing to themselves.

 

[Thistlehart]

I think 2 says it better than I can, and more angrily.


Ultimately, Americans, for the most part, have lost touch.

 

[Ranorak]

A county where it's perfectly fine to marry someone for money, but not for love if they are the same sex.

A country where personal gain is praised above helping your fellow men.

a country run by a government that has the major corporate bribes hanging out of their suits.

...you do make awesome hotdogs.

 

[strongbow1075]

In my opinion it is because of all the ridiculous interference in the affairs of sovereign nations without cause or invitation deciding to be the worlds uninvited police does not help foreign relations

 

[Darth_Dude]

Warning, Rant incoming.

People hate America because the good ol' US of A has been screwing the world over for more than 60 years. CIA coups that overthrew democratically elected governments (Iran & Peru to name a few), to invading any country that doesn't adhere to their brand of 'democracy'. Not to mention that the USA has invaded two Muslim countries in the past decade, and is itching to invade another.

That in addition to the double game it has been playing with supporting dictators, from Ben Ali, Noriega and Mubarak, to Saddam.

The USA thinks it's so fucking great, and thinks it's the best damn country in the world, just look at the arrogance and impunity with the way it acts in the International stage, from not signing the Kyoto Protocol to stopping funding to UNESCO because they recognized Palestine as a country. Really America? Really? And what about the drone attacks in Pakistan, every strike killing civilians. The USA deserves every anti-American sentiment directed at it. How about Obama promising to support a bid for a Palestinian state just last year, and then when the Palestinians actually try for a bid, Obama threatens to veto? Screw you Obama. You're a spineless coward and a liar. And don't get me started ob Bush

America is going down the drain, it's economy is fucked, it's international image tarnished. It has become the opposite of what it claims to be, "A free state". You dont have to look further than SOPA or the 'indefinite detention' bill for that.

I welcome declining American influence in the World, it has fucked over the people of the world so many times it deserves everything it has coming to it.

-Deep breath-

I'm sorry, I just really needed to get that off my chest.

Also, I want to clarify, I don't hate Americans as people, I've met some pretty nice Americans, (although I've met equally as many douchy ones) I just hate your foreign policy, and your nauseating and self-destructive capitalism.

 

[JdaS]

Goddamn it! I swear I was just thinking about making a similar thread as my first thread ever. Mainly about the "Stupid Americans" phenomenon. I've been noticing people around me like to point out stupid stuff that happens in the USA and snort out that trendy catchphrase: "Hurr stoopid Americans" I just find it terribly a ignorant and thus ironic generalization.

To any smart Americans reading this and willing to waste 5 minutes: how do you feel, being called stupid because of that one fat fuck who microwaved his cat and sued the manufacturer, or the parent that left a loaded firearm at the reach of a 3 year old?

EDIT: Just so I don't get flogged for totally avoiding the topic and asking an entirely different question: I'm no fan of USA, the country, the entity. Its people, however, I will always judge strictly as individuals. I've met a few Americans during my short life, and all of them have been awesome people.

EDIT2: Also, most of you are indeed ignoring the original question and turning this thread into just another "FUCK USA" circlejerk.

 

[Necrofudge]

I always figured it was a combination of constant war and unbridled arrogance from a population that tends to under-perform in math and science compared to Europe, then boasts about how they're the greatest country on earth.

At least, that's what I've figured out from talking with non-american friends from Europe. It could be some completely different reason depending on where the person is from.

 

[ReinWeisserRitter]

A lot of us are jerks, and our government is generally run by selfish, manipulative assholes, and supported by slack-jawed, gullible morons. We're also the only "civilized" country who makes a business out of health care.

Incidentally, a lot of people are jerks everywhere; we just get more exposure. That still leaves the asshole government and its idiot supporters, of course, all of which are more interested in "beating" whoever doesn't agree with their chosen camp than they are getting anything useful or beneficial done, unless it involves making money at the expense of all else.