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I'm not upset. I'm entertained. And as I mentioned in my first post, I agree with him about some things he listed.
That being said, he shouldn't be SURPRISED that people disagree with him or are even offended. I rather think he's not a bit surprised. In fact, I think he meant his blog entry to be provocative. I think he enjoys the debate. And that's OK too.
That being said, the OP placed his blog entry on THIS forum. I didn't go directly to his personal site and leave comments. It's his site, he can say what he wants. I'm responding to THIS OP on THIS forum.
I am sure that if I put a list of things I find silly or irritating about a place I visit on my own personal blog, I'd catch some flak as well. Not only that, if it was posted on other forums, I'd catch even MORE flak.
That's what you risk when you write anything on the, errrrr, "world wide web."
I guess I'm just an easy going person. When I visit other countries voluntarily, I focus on the positives and I enjoy most of the differences. If you point blank asked me "What did you dislike about Germany when you visited there a couple of years ago?" I would tell you, but it's not my job or duty to "correct" Germans or expect them to change their culture just because I personally am uncomfortable with some of the differences (now that we've handled that whole Hitler thing!). I don't want to live there - I prefer to live in the US. Both places have their pros and cons but that doesn't stop me from enjoying my visit there - in spite of some discomforts and surprises along the way.
Must be my Southern manners showing up!
The first of the 17 problems was that according to his experience, Americans are too sensitive, so yes, I'm sure he definitely did expect to get some come back. And don't imagine that him listing 17 (which isn't exactly a high number) irritations with the US is in any way him expecting the country or it's people to change, that would be arrogant. Nowhere does he suggest these are any more than the opinions of one man who happens to have spent some time there. Many people on here tend to say 'why don't you move then' when confronted with people's gripes about a place, but in this instance, he says it himself, he doesn't want to live in the US. You don't want to live in Germany, he doesn't want to live in your country. Also, I think he says at least once that by-and-large he enjoyed his time in America, and even listed pros as well as these few cons.
Quote:
Originally Posted by UTHORNS96
You're missing the whole point. As long as a European does that, in your mind, they're just exercising their right. Which is fine and dandy. But if an American were to do that, you would just write them off as being a typical, close-minded, uncultured, xenophobic American. There's a double standard there. That's the problem.
It has nothing, nothing, to do with where he comes from. This is a man who has spent over 12 months in the US. This is not a guy sitting in rural Kansas speculating about the world from the perspective of someone who's never left the state, or even the guy next door who's been to Mexico and France and feels able to spill forth all his thoughts on other countries because of it. This fellow has experienced everything he mentions. He doesn't say these things are universally true throughout the US. He simply says over and over this is just what he encountered. If an American wanted to blog about a few complaints he had after a visit to the UK, or Ireland, and speak only of what he or she saw, that'd be entirely fine. There's no double standard. If some idiot from Coventry wanted to spew some thoughts on somewhere he'd never been, or things he'd never experienced, I'd call him out for it, just as I would an American doing the same.
I mean, some of them were stupid, like Austin being walkable. I mean, yeah, it's one of the most walkable cities... as long as you include a long list in front of it! I wouldn't consider Oakland all that walkable, although parts of it certainly are.
#5 False prices I really couldn't care about.
#8 Is just just an American humor. We like stereotype humor.
#9 I like! Being someplace that's very homogeneous so heritigate isn't important to most since everyone has the same heritage as everyone else (aha! stereotypes are fun!)? Boring.
#12 Seems ridiculous.
#13 Is ridiculous. It's designed for people. Who use cars.
#17 is just the truth. =D
The first of the 17 problems was that according to his experience, Americans are too sensitive, so yes, I'm sure he definitely did expect to get some come back. And don't imagine that him listing 17 (which isn't exactly a high number) irritations with the US is in any way him expecting the country or it's people to change, that would be arrogant. Nowhere does he suggest these are any more than the opinions of one man who happens to have spent some time there. Many people on here tend to say 'why don't you move then' when confronted with people's gripes about a place, but in this instance, he says it himself, he doesn't want to live in the US. You don't want to live in Germany, he doesn't want to live in your country. Also, I think he says at least once that by-and-large he enjoyed his time in America, and even listed pros as well as these few cons.
OK. But I don't understand how anything you just said had anything to do with what I said. I guess we can talk randomly about this though. For instance, I wonder how many hamburgers the guy ate while he was in the US, and if he took any leftovers from huge portions home to munch on the next day? I wonder if he gained any weight while he was in the US? I wonder if he found it easy to drive on a different side of the road (I'm sure he thinks it's the "wrong" side of the road!).
I never said that he expected Americans to change.
I never said, "Why don't you move then?" though I did earlier say "Don't let the screen door hit you, buddy!"
You're right - I don't want to live in Germany (though I enjoy visiting there very much), but I also haven't ever blogged about a list of things I dislike about Germany either. If I did, I'd expect to catch some flak. And if someone quoted that blog on an open forum, I'd expect to catch even MORE flak. But like I said, I doubt this guy much minds the flak - he strikes me as someone who loves to "stir the pot a bit," which is certainly his right to do.
As for his short list of things he likes about the United States, that's nice, but that's not what his rant was about in general, and he didn't mean for that to be the focus. He intended to rant about a lot of things he doesn't like (some of which are more valid than others in my opinion) and he intended to be provocative and a bit inflammatory when he blogged about it. Mission accomplished, so I guess he's enjoying the attention.
Personally, I hope he never returns to the US again - seems like that would be a positive application to his issues, and one that would be mutually satisfactory.
but here is something where I don't think we're that sensitive- we've got more freedom of speech leanings overall , right? if a government is eager to ban speech that isn't like death threats or something then that sounds a little sensitive to me.
OK. But I don't understand how anything you just said had anything to do with what I said. I guess we can talk randomly about this though. For instance, I wonder how many hamburgers the guy ate while he was in the US, and if he took any leftovers from huge portions home to munch on the next day? I wonder if he gained any weight while he was in the US? I wonder if he found it easy to drive on a different side of the road (I'm sure he thinks it's the "wrong" side of the road!).
I never said that he expected Americans to change.
I never said, "Why don't you move then?" though I did earlier say "Don't let the screen door hit you, buddy!"
You're right - I don't want to live in Germany (though I enjoy visiting there very much), but I also haven't ever blogged about a list of things I dislike about Germany either. If I did, I'd expect to catch some flak. And if someone quoted that blog on an open forum, I'd expect to catch even MORE flak. But like I said, I doubt this guy much minds the flak - he strikes me as someone who loves to "stir the pot a bit," which is certainly his right to do.
As for his short list of things he likes about the United States, that's nice, but that's not what his rant was about in general, and he didn't mean for that to be the focus. He intended to rant about a lot of things he doesn't like (some of which are more valid than others in my opinion) and he intended to be provocative and a bit inflammatory when he blogged about it. Mission accomplished, so I guess he's enjoying the attention.
Personally, I hope he never returns to the US again - seems like that would be a positive application to his issues, and one that would be mutually satisfactory.
He doesn't say specifically if he ate many burgers, though I expect so. He does however particularly mention, that of course, the US is not the only place to get fast food, he could eat plenty of burgers back in Ireland or in any country he visits. He did however mention that he did gain weight, and that was due to being brought up to always clear your plate, and he regrets not getting a doggy bag many times. With the driving, he says he doesn't drive much, so maybe he did find it odd driving on the right, but he's been to lots of countries, many of which also drive on the right.
You didn't say 'why don't you move', that wasn't exactly in response to what you said, but the kind of thing people on here often do.
I doubt he even knows it's on here. I don't know why I feel I should fight his corner. I guess I can't stand to see an individual ganged up on, especially behind their back, even if he couldn't care less or even relishes it.
To the last point, he seems certainly set to return to the US, mentioning a visit next year I believe. I don't think it'd be a 'positive application to his issues' for him to not return, since he only listed 17 problems, which he specifically says are only enough for him to never live there, they won't stop him visiting.
To the last point, he seems certainly set to return to the US, mentioning a visit next year I believe. I don't think it'd be a 'positive application to his issues' for him to not return, since he only listed 17 problems, which he specifically says are only enough for him to never live there, they won't stop him visiting.
Well, darn. That being said, I doubt I run into him. If I do happen to run into an Irish dude who's complaining about attentive waitstaff and friendly natives, I'll try to set him straight.
Well, darn. That being said, I doubt I run into him. If I do happen to run into an Irish dude who's complaining about attentive waitstaff and friendly natives, I'll try to set him straight.
Ha, yeah he shouldn't trouble you. I think the whole waitress/quick serviced thing is a bit odd. I love quick service. If a meal comes quickly, that's great, I'm probably damn hungry, I'm in a restaurant after all. I do get annoyed with the 'awesome' thing though, it does dilute the meaning when even basic hot dogs can be awesome. The smiling however, that's never bothered me, you can still tell when there's sincere enjoyment in a smile rather than just politeness.
I had a good chuckle reading the 17 reasons by this guy. Some are good such as the sensitivity part. The only thing I fail to see is the smiling part. People should smile more overseas (that dour glum look doesn't do anything for a face). I'm glad at least we can put on a face overhere that isn't so sad looking.
Ha, yeah he shouldn't trouble you. I think the whole waitress/quick serviced thing is a bit odd. I love quick service. If a meal comes quickly, that's great, I'm probably damn hungry, I'm in a restaurant after all. I do get annoyed with the 'awesome' thing though, it does dilute the meaning when even basic hot dogs can be awesome. The smiling however, that's never bothered me, you can still tell when there's sincere enjoyment in a smile rather than just politeness.
I see what you mean about "awesome" but it's just a fad phrase, like "cool" or, back in the day, "far out." I am absolutely positive that there are fad phrases in Ireland too, that we would find just as tiresome if we were as hypersensitive as he is. Every culture has such words. He just can't see that what he criticizes in others, he's probably guilty of as well, with his own cultural twist on it.
I think that's what irritated me so much about his little rant. Take for instance "Americans are too sensitive." Can he honestly not see that HE himself is a bit too sensitive if people SMILING at him irritates him? Or if large portions and fast service at a restaurant are traits in a culture that make him actually dislike the culture enough to decide not to live there?
I'd say that's pretty hypersensitive, and a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
What are the odds of running into "Minnesota Nice" people all over the country?
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