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That's really the only thing I can say. We (most of us, there are some exceptions) only think that if it's done our way it's right pretty much, from politics to religion. Why are we just about the only nation on this planet that has to be that way?
Every successful country is like this, there is absolutely nothing different with the USA on that subject. Go hang out in Europe for awhile, they're even worse than Americans.
Your right, we aren't the only nation that is that way but I'm sure we are the largest.
We'll say all this crap about how the middle-east is wrong for building/possesing nuclear warheads (we honestly don't even know if they have any, President Bush made up lies to NATO in order to go to war) but we have the first or second largest supplyof them. Then we have our navy in their turf but once they do it back to us it's a uproar. It's like we can't see what other people go through we'd rather just criticize them instead of actually making agreements. I guess I should say we're hypocrites too.
After all that when it comes to religion we can't accept others religion, for ex. I've heard someone say "Long as your Christian your going to heaven, I feel bad for those who are other religions" (that's not exactly what they said but it was very similar wording). Why can't we accept others religions? It's a little ridiculous, I'm not sure if it's like that everywhere in America because when I went to the West Coast I didnt ask anything about religion but I know in the south it's def. that way.
Btw I've been to the UK; I'm sure if any European country is that way it's because we influenced them to be.
Your right, we aren't the only nation that is that way but I'm sure we are the largest.
We'll say all this crap about how the middle-east is wrong for building/possesing nuclear warheads (we honestly don't even know if they have any, President Bush made up lies to NATO in order to go to war) but we have the first or second largest supplyof them. Then we have our navy in their turf but once they do it back to us it's a uproar. It's like we can't see what other people go through we'd rather just criticize them instead of actually making agreements. I guess I should say we're hypocrites too.
After all that when it comes to religion we can't accept others religion, for ex. I've heard someone say "Long as your Christian your going to heaven, I feel bad for those who are other religions" (that's not exactly what they said but it was very similar wording). Why can't we accept others religions? It's a little ridiculous, I'm not sure if it's like that everywhere in America because when I went to the West Coast I didnt ask anything about religion but I know in the south it's def. that way.
Btw I've been to the UK; I'm sure if any European country is that way it's because we influenced them to be.
Um......remember the British Empire?
Textbook example of what you are speaking of.
After all that when it comes to religion we can't accept others religion, for ex. I've heard someone say "Long as your Christian your going to heaven, I feel bad for those who are other religions" (that's not exactly what they said but it was very similar wording). Why can't we accept others religions? It's a little ridiculous, I'm not sure if it's like that everywhere in America because when I went to the West Coast I didnt ask anything about religion but I know in the south it's def. that way.
Where are you getting your information? Look at the theocracies of the Middle East, where it's discouraged and can even be dangerous to practice anything other than Islam. Many countries in Asia have reputations of suppressing religious freedom. China's government dictates which religions are okay for its citizens to practice - unregistered religious groups there are actively harassed. Three countries in Europe currently ban the wearing of burqas by Muslim women. Sure, the US isn't perfect in this but you are free to practice whatever the hell you want without interference from the government or other people.
You have no idea how good you have it. I can't believe that you would conclude that the US doesn't support religious freedom because one person said to you that they feel bad for people of other religions...so I'll ask again, what is your process for forming these opinions?
I do however understand your frustrations with our foreign policy and need to be the world's policeman...but again that is not a trait exclusive to the US.
Every successful country is like this, there is absolutely nothing different with the USA on that subject. Go hang out in Europe for awhile, they're even worse than Americans.
When I was in France, hanging with a friend who was, at the time, an exchange student, I remember a perfect example of this. We were with a few French grad students at a cafe in Nice and this one kid went on and on about how things like wine, cheese, bread, any sauce, and all cooking done/made outside of France was automatically inferior to its French peer. Well, immediately after that lengthy rant, he began to tell us how arrogant all Americans are. I started laughing because I seriously thought this kid was attempting ironic humor (and had he been, it was spot on). Nope. Dead serious.
When traveling internationally, most people I've come across in other countries don't think Americans as people are all bad (in most places they like us which is contrary to popular belief). It's the American Government that is the target of scorn. Most people in other countries do a good job of realizing the difference between the American people and the American government and they don't truly believe all Americans are arrogant and "holier than thou."
Ignorance is everywhere. All over every country (rich or poor). You're just not going to experience, say, French smugness or German smugness here on the same level that you'll experience American smugness since in America you come across many more Americans.
People who travel to different places frequently become less ignorant about those places (the BIG exception being high school and college aged students). So when you are in your home town in the U.S. and you happen to meet a British tourist or expat, you'll probably find that they are fairly open minded and hardly arrogant. You'll base a lot of your opinions on British people based on that one encounter (and how could you not?). The problem is that that's a misleading sample. You have to be open-minded to leave your home country. So the majority of expats and international tourists who you meet here are going to be open minded about other places. The ignorant jerks are going to be back home.
The same applies to Americans. The ignorant, arrogant, egocentric folks in this country most likely will not be taking vacations to Europe, Asia, S. America, etc. Therefore, the impressions most people in those countries have of American people are not influenced by the most egocentric and arrogant Americans, but rather the open-minded Americans.
It's easy to sit here and say we have a ton of ignorant people in this country who just assume we're the best at everything because we're exposed to it. In reality, we do have a lot of people like that. We're also exposed to the minority of people from other places who are very open minded since that's what it takes to come to a foreign country. If you go to England, however, you'll find PLENTY of people who hate "Yanks" simply because we exist (and had a minor tiff with GB a little over 300 years ago) and feel that England is superior in every way. Same in just about any country (Italy and France were the worse I experienced).
It doesn't help that many people have opinions of Americans based on our diplomatic relations (we're bullies, let's be honest) and popular culture (10 year old Jerry Springer reruns are all over European and Asian TV). However, most people from other countries that actually interact with real Americans tend to think we're quite alright.
Their media never mentions any other country, except contemptuously.
They worship a false idol calling everyone else "The wretched refuse of your teeming shore."
Oy vey.
-facepalm-
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