What does the world have against America?
- Thread starter Pierce Graham
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Sounds kind of like a sitcom. Also, very few people are like that here in America. At least very few that I've seen in person. Also, patriotism here isn't necessarily like the movies. It's more prevalent in movies and stuff like that than actually displayed by the citizens.theseworlds said:
I live in Washington state btw, I can't really say about the other states.
I don't know... I made a joke about Americans forgetting what country they are in and requiring flags to remind themselves for a reason. I kid you not, every second house in California was decked out with flags and other signs of nationalize. Oh yes, the act of displaying flags and other national identities is not patriotism but nationalism, in that you blindly follow what these things represent regardless of the reality around you.SilentCom said:
As someone who has been through the States, and other countries, I can contest your level of nationalism is frightfully high.
This is part of the problem if you ask me: Blind following of symbols is just one aspect of a nationalistic nation. The others are present and directly lead to the reasons why others might not like America as a nation. Sadly, those flag wavers have the loudest voice and they are all for the USA "policing the world." After all, you're the 'good guys who can do no wrong' in the eyes of this vocal minority so any other nation that disagrees with your laws or does anything to upset the ruling class have to be evil and deserve the bombs being dropped on them.
That is the core reason many nations do not like the USA: It is led by this vocal minority whom have no fucking clue about the real world and yet still believe that they are the good guys and everything they do is justified. This very thought pattern is then used to excuse all sorts of actions being taken in the name of the US, after all: The US can not do any wrong in the eyes of these nationalistic followers. Hell, the very act of dropping a bomb on another nation automatically makes that nation evil: after all, if they where not evil the US would not be bombing them now, would they?
Nationalism has always been dangerous because of this fact, it makes it possible for a whole bunch of people to turn a blind eye to the crimes of their nation and further promotes these crimes to continue.
This nationalistic group, this vocal minority, see no problem in shitting over other countries laws, customs and traditions as they are clearly inferior to the US way of life. In fact, the very existence of a different thought pattern is often seen as justification to bomb the hell out of a country for being 'evil.' The logical conclusion of this thought pattern is: if the USA is the good guys then anything non-westernized has to be evil because it isn't the USA and hence is not 'good.'
At least they make themselves easy to identify when you are in the US: don't go near streets flying a sea of American flags and you should be fine.
Remind me, what's the national anthem of the UK, which is used for various occasions across the Commonwealth?SL33TBL1ND said:
Though, fair enough if you also hate much of the Commonwealth, especially the UK, and New Zealand twice as much
I also have the suspicion that the American government formed contingency plans in case of rebellion sometime in the past, so there are entities more shadowy, more permanent than whichever president is in charge. Obama could declare peace with the Middle East and cuddle with Ahmedinejad (forgive the misspelling, it was either that or I'm-A-Dinner-Jacket), and yet, somebody would still see a mysterious black helicopter or a couple of Americans riling things up.ComradeJim270 said:
The Libyan 'revolution' was reportedly started by a few 'Westerners', and the Ugandan gay death penalty was started by a trio of American evangelists. I don't think these operations would cease just because the President says so.
I have no evidence to back up this idea, though, so it remains just a theory. I'm not a conspiracy theorist - I don't believe a race of alien lizards are running the government - but it doesn't sound too far-fetched, given America's current actions.
Arrogant world policing, Ridiculously conservative politics, huge influence of religion on everything, ignorant culture...
American culture seems to be rather insular. Yet, their views are broadcast around the world, so, they come off as rather arrogant, or ignorant to many people. I guess some people feel they've invaded culture, perhaps that or it's just people hating the big boys.
I don't have that problem, many of my favourite authors are American, Bradbury and the like.
I don't have that problem, many of my favourite authors are American, Bradbury and the like.
America won't share centre stage with anyone.
Americans are generally as decent as the rest of us. But America is as obnoxiously self-centred and reactionary as .... we were in the Victorian age.
Americans are generally as decent as the rest of us. But America is as obnoxiously self-centred and reactionary as .... we were in the Victorian age.
I'm too lazy to remove everything else but I will say this, the European Union and the Euro Zone on their own are either the biggest or second biggest economy in the world, so what goes on there is going to have significant impact on any country that has invested in them. For example, being an Australian I know that we have a fair bit riding on what happens over in there, case in point that we keep lending money to the Euro Zone, because of it's importance. I'm not saying the US doesn't affect the world significantly whenever they have financial trouble, or feel the need to intervene in world affairs, but it is silly and ignorant to think that one of the worlds chief economic regions would have no affect on the world around it. Also I don't hate the Americans and I believe that the reason so many people have a bad view is because of the image that America projects of itself. I never see the US lovingly portraying it's intelligent individuals about, like it does it's good old fashion mentally challenged trailer trash, which includes the idiotic trailer trash who happen to make money from other mentally challenged trailer trash.Talshere said:
Because they're cocky and self centred, and their accent is horrible. Also, all the fucking patriotism. Most irritating and horrible comments or acts I see usually tend to be done by an American. That's not even getting into all of the shit with their foreign policies.
So yes I dislike America, and no I do not dislike every American I come across.
So yes I dislike America, and no I do not dislike every American I come across.
mrhappy1489 said:
As I pointed out to a previous poster, if the euro were genuinely entered a point where it became unsalvageable in its current form, the euro would either decentralize and revert to individual currencies within the single currency (Each EU note has a serial on it, the first 2 letter states the country of origin so this is more than feasible), or it would boot out all the countries that can no longer support its value and let them crash and burn.
The issue was never "will it kill the big economies", its "can we save the Euro". After all, Germany and France have invested a lot in the Euro and its value to the poorer Eastern Europe countries make it incredibly valuable and desirable to keep active.
How many times am I going to have to say this? I AM NOT ENGLISH. English-born, yes, but everything else about me is NOT ENGLISH. I'm Scots-Irish, god damn it, and nobody has been fucked over more often by the English than her Gaelic neighbours. Stop trying to tell me that I'm somehow pro-England, because I'm NOT. HOWEVER, the people in the Middle East are no more upset about the Empire than they are about the Crusades. It's history. It's over. You're incredibly patronising - why the fuck do you think that full-grown men are upset about something that happened two hundred years ago? It's not happening now, it's over. They DON'T CARE!Starke said:
No. Islam4UK hate us because they want Sharia law in the country. The rest of the religion don't like us because we're infidels. But they don't harbour a particular hatred of us. Well, not until Tony Blair went and signed his arsehole over to President Bush, because then we went and put ourselves under YOUR flag. We're not the British Empire anymore, Starke. We're Little America.
So, what brought all this on? Did you just read a history book on the British Empire and assume you'd stumbled across some treasure trove of horrific atrocities?
EVERY FUCKING BRIT KNOWS THIS ALREADY. Contrary to popular belief, we do not pretend nothing bad happened during our conquest. But there is one thing we have over you.
At least we accepted what we did. As a country, as an empire, we knew that what we were doing was immoral, but we fought on to expand our influence. We at least opened ourselves up to the fact that we were going to be seen as the bad guys. We can't change what we did, but at least we have that going for us.
But America? Oh no, not America. You're 'liberating' these countries from their 'oppressive' cultures. You're staging your shows backstage, while telling the patrons that you don't do theatre. At least when our country oppressed people, we didn't tell them it was for their own good.
Stop trying to use the actions of the Empire, that NOBODY NOW IS ALIVE TO REMEMBER, to justify the current atrocities of your own corrupt regime.
Because of the downright rude and arrogant actions of what I hope is the minority when they travel oversees. Things I have observed Americans do oversees (Note, not saying all do, I've met some very nice Americans too, but some are just downright awful) :
-Walk into a restaurant, take a seat and demand to be served. Suffice to say, they were still sitting there after my family had finished our meal, being completely ignored by the waiters due to their behaviour (And by walk in and take a seat, I don't mean walk in, say hi to the waiter and get seated. I mean barge in, walk past the line, take their own seat, and then demand that they get served. Probably the worst I have seen.)
-Complain about water restrictions and deciding not to obey them, using water for whatever they want whenever they want. (Anyone who has been in Australia for the last few years will tell you we've had reasonably restrictive water allowances, and fines for going over them that we are just starting to get out of now)
-Try to one-up everything that is said on tours with something about America. Doesn't matter what it is. Old English castle? 'Oh, I've seen this castle in x that was more impressive than this...'
Subway systems? 'Oh, the subway system in x is far better than this, I don't know how people here can stand it'.
Theme parks: 'Oh, x is far bigger and better than this'
It gets really annoying.
There is a reason more than half of the tour guides oversees ask our nationality, and then say 'thank god' when we say Australian, because they have just had a loud mouthed and annoying American filled tour that got on their nerves. Sadly, this is all a number of people see of America; these loud mouthed and arrogant people that go oversees and couldn't give two shits about anyone else. As such, they generalise all Americans that way. Sure, other countries will have people like that too, but from all accounts those people don't appear as often. The solution to this problem: Get every nice American you know and go on a round the world trip. Take tours, stay with families, meet new people, eat out - do everything you can, and whilst you do it, be polite, nice and agreeable. It will hopefully start to undo the influence of what those other American's have done.
-Walk into a restaurant, take a seat and demand to be served. Suffice to say, they were still sitting there after my family had finished our meal, being completely ignored by the waiters due to their behaviour (And by walk in and take a seat, I don't mean walk in, say hi to the waiter and get seated. I mean barge in, walk past the line, take their own seat, and then demand that they get served. Probably the worst I have seen.)
-Complain about water restrictions and deciding not to obey them, using water for whatever they want whenever they want. (Anyone who has been in Australia for the last few years will tell you we've had reasonably restrictive water allowances, and fines for going over them that we are just starting to get out of now)
-Try to one-up everything that is said on tours with something about America. Doesn't matter what it is. Old English castle? 'Oh, I've seen this castle in x that was more impressive than this...'
Subway systems? 'Oh, the subway system in x is far better than this, I don't know how people here can stand it'.
Theme parks: 'Oh, x is far bigger and better than this'
It gets really annoying.
There is a reason more than half of the tour guides oversees ask our nationality, and then say 'thank god' when we say Australian, because they have just had a loud mouthed and annoying American filled tour that got on their nerves. Sadly, this is all a number of people see of America; these loud mouthed and arrogant people that go oversees and couldn't give two shits about anyone else. As such, they generalise all Americans that way. Sure, other countries will have people like that too, but from all accounts those people don't appear as often. The solution to this problem: Get every nice American you know and go on a round the world trip. Take tours, stay with families, meet new people, eat out - do everything you can, and whilst you do it, be polite, nice and agreeable. It will hopefully start to undo the influence of what those other American's have done.
For me it's americanization, or localization as it should be called. It's just the way that the american culture shapes those in other countries. For example, I live in western australia and I come from an english family. Many people here go on about the great australian life and all that but through my eyes australia doesn't have its own culture anymore, it's just american under an aussie disguise.
Another thing are the wars and disputes they keep dragging us into. I'm pretty certain that the Vietnamese war was easily avoidable and didn't have as much to do with america as it did with australia (mind you, the Uk refused to get involved). Anyway, because Australia is allied with america they got dragged into the conflict.
The war in Iraq was pointless as well, with Bush trying to continue what his father finished but thats a bit off track. Australian soldiers suffered from that war but australia has nothing to do with terrorism in america!
Anyway. I suppose another thing is americas obliviousness to the other cultures. I mean australia is said to be a multicultural country and I believe that we get an insight to other cultures past racist stereotypes yet I know that the average american doesn't. I'm saying this because it is what turned me of bleeding RayWilliamJohnson after that c---flaps video.
In the end, I probably hate america for its paranoid army, gullible average public, somewhat obsession with WWII, westboro baptists and kkk, bias poorly though gun laws and all round foolishness. I would go on but I fear that I've already insulted more than half the members of this forum...
Another thing are the wars and disputes they keep dragging us into. I'm pretty certain that the Vietnamese war was easily avoidable and didn't have as much to do with america as it did with australia (mind you, the Uk refused to get involved). Anyway, because Australia is allied with america they got dragged into the conflict.
The war in Iraq was pointless as well, with Bush trying to continue what his father finished but thats a bit off track. Australian soldiers suffered from that war but australia has nothing to do with terrorism in america!
Anyway. I suppose another thing is americas obliviousness to the other cultures. I mean australia is said to be a multicultural country and I believe that we get an insight to other cultures past racist stereotypes yet I know that the average american doesn't. I'm saying this because it is what turned me of bleeding RayWilliamJohnson after that c---flaps video.
In the end, I probably hate america for its paranoid army, gullible average public, somewhat obsession with WWII, westboro baptists and kkk, bias poorly though gun laws and all round foolishness. I would go on but I fear that I've already insulted more than half the members of this forum...
The ones I've spoken to over the years had a pretty strong and specific hatred for the UK. You're right of course, in that they don't care what you did two hundred years ago, but the shit you pulled fifty years ago? That's still fresh in their memory. They're not going after you because they can't get to us, they're going after you because they want to go after you as well.Thyunda said:
Last I checked you do still have a few colonies in stock, pretty close to home in fact. On top of that the Empire still casts a long and bloody shadow over many parts of the globe. Your legacy is, quite literally spread across every continent. The world doesn't like America, agreed, but I find it incredibly hard to believe that no one in the world can remember to hold a grudge against more than one group at a time. The Middle East still holds the British responsible for the League of Nations Mandate, the Suez Crisis, the ousting of Mosaddeq (even though, yes, that was CIA), and many other events I'm not inclined to recall of the top of my head.Thyunda said:
And you're right, for some extremists, your stubborn refusal to except Sharia law is a sticking point, but, to be fair, with people who are that far out already, that was all you needed to do, assuming you needed to ally yourself with the US in order to piss them off enough to come at you is a bit like assuming jumping into traffic only became problematic because of your tie.
Why, you did of course. Isn't it obvious?Thyunda said:
You keep assuming the world has forgiven you and moved on to hate us, but then it turns around and bites you, and all you can think is to point your bloodied finger at us and say it's our fault you kicked the dog that bit you. It's not. You kicked it, you got bit. That we took a swipe at it with a newspaper between point A and point B has no relation.
Then accept it. Deal with it, and stop pretending it never happened.Thyunda said:
And you were doing so well. God save Bloody ole' England.Thyunda said:
English patriotism is a hillarious thing because, let's look at that paragraph again with a few minor corrections:
See, that's the thing, people are alive who remember. Granted, they're getting on in years, but the British Empire as a thing didn't really end until the 1960s. That was when you, the French, and others started ceding control of your colonies remaining. That was 50 years ago, and with the number of people living into their 80s, you honestly believe there's no one on the planet who was alive in 1960?Thyunda said:
Come to think of it, Malta hasn't celebrated their sixtieth anniversary of independence from The Empire yet, have they?
Hell, there are people alive today, who were around when there was no Pakistan, just India.
In point of fact though, nearly every colony in (what's now) The Third World began with the belief that the Europeans were bringing civilization. It happened in Algiers and Vietnam with the French, in South Africa with the Dutch, in America with the Dutch, French, Spanish, and English (over time), in China and India, well, you know. (And, yes, I do know you divested those colonies earlier) The point is, all of these were with the express intent of "civilizing" these lands, and bringing these "uncivilized" people into the modern world.
In the aftermath of the First World War, America adopted our isolationist stance again, our bad. And France and England carved up the Middle East. For you or me, that may be ancient history, but the native populations remember that. Ironically, the League of Nations mandate was about "liberating" and "protecting" these "oppressed" people. The terminology has changed, true, but what we did, what you did, what everyone did, it's all the same. And, I think I know what really pisses you off. It's not that I'm trying to claim the moral high ground, it's that I'm telling you, bloody old England is just as much the bad guy as we are, just as corrupt, just as nasty.
But, to be fair, we've yet to invade a country because we wanted to addict their population to drugs.
The fact of the mater is, The British Empire still is a thing. They still lay claim to conquered territories Scotland and Ireland, all we've got is a chunk of Japan. I'm not sure that counts as a colony, after all the rest of Japan is there...
Wait a moment... the Fauklands were in the early 80s, weren't they? So that means the British Empire persisted up to at least 1982, if we're not counting Hong Kong, so that means the empire existed thirty years ago. You're telling me there's no one alive today over the age of thirty? I mean, if we're talking about The Escapist, maybe, but no one alive today who remembers the British Empire? I think you might be mistaken there.