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This is precisely what I'm talking about. America is undoubtedly great, and it's important and not at all bad to love one's country, but the thought that everything about it is the best is just misguided. People know they can be free in america? I'm not sure they do, any more than many other places.
America is not great as a governmental institution. It is just another country composed of crooks. Individuals within this country have opinions and speak their minds and act on that.
What makes America ok is the fact that folks of different stripes can cut right in and have influence and be indifferent to any disdain from the opposition.
Basically, speak your mind, don't give a damn and live for what you think is right.
Judge a nation by how many people are trying to get in.
That would put the US kinda far down the scale. Unless you do it in absolute numbers, rather than per capita. Even with Americas huge advantage in speaking what has become the international language, and a distinct PR advantage in Hollywood, America is not on top of the list of immigration targets.
Switzerland I think has 25 % immigrants.
This is what I am talking about when I talk about people whose ideas are from the 60s.
That would put the US kinda far down the scale. Unless you do it in absolute numbers, rather than per capita. Even with Americas huge advantage in speaking what has become the international language, and a distinct PR advantage in Hollywood, America is not on top of the list of immigration targets.
Switzerland I think has 25 % immigrants.
This is what I am talking about when I talk about people whose ideas are from the 60s.
Lol, we have more Mexicans at our Home Depot stores. The gazillions are trying to get in.
The American people span the intelligence range from imbecile to genius just like every other people on the planet. We are, however trained to be ignorant, trusting and foolish by the advertizing industry that fears anyone thinking critically about their message. As politics is just another advertisement for most people the same characteristics are championed by the sellers because the simpletons are more easily led to buy or vote against their self interest. This is great for the sellers of everything from Ronco Bassomatics to speculative mortgages.
Along with this fraudulent advertizing the industry also convinces many Americans that they are the most sophisticated and discerning consumers in the World. Part of this education is the adulation of idiocy on TV. Shows like “Gold Rush”, “Swamp Logger” and similar ilk glorify the ignorant and foolish. Even the Weather Channel spends more time railing against the “wrath” of nature and the pathos of storm damage than educating people about how the weather really works. Instead of passing on knowledge they blather about emotions in order to attract more viewers that think nature is some embodiment of a wrathful God. Americans are trained to react to emotions instead if discerning the facts of the situation. They are not stupid but purposely misguided.
This is nonsense. The really frightening aspect of nature is its total and complete indifference. The planet is just a place where physics runs by its own rules and a tornado or giant wave will do its thing regardless of how much damage to humans is involved. Nature is not capable of caring and simply does not.
The American people span the intelligence range from imbecile to genius just like every other people on the planet. We are, however trained to be ignorant, trusting and foolish by the advertizing industry that fears anyone thinking critically about their message. As politics is just another advertisement for most people the same characteristics are championed by the sellers because the simpletons are more easily led to buy or vote against their self interest. This is great for the sellers of everything from Ronco Bassomatics to speculative mortgages.
Along with this fraudulent advertizing the industry also convinces many Americans that they are the most sophisticated and discerning consumers in the World. Part of this education is the adulation of idiocy on TV. Shows like “Gold Rushâ€, “Swamp Logger†and similar ilk glorify the ignorant and foolish. Even the Weather Channel spends more time railing against the “wrath†of nature and the pathos of storm damage than educating people about how the weather really works. Instead of passing on knowledge they blather about emotions in order to attract more viewers that think nature is some embodiment of a wrathful God. Americans are trained to react to emotions instead if discerning the facts of the situation. They are not stupid but purposely misguided.
This is nonsense. The really frightening aspect of nature is its total and complete indifference. The planet is just a place where physics runs by its own rules and a tornado or giant wave will do its thing regardless of how much damage to humans is involved. Nature is not capable of caring and simply does not.
I totally agree, blindingly well said.
Another point I'd like to make, is that it's almost a circular argument that goes on. That makes no sense, what I mean is you'll get this exchange like this, with little variation.
American: America rules, we are the best.
Frenchman, Englishman, Brazilian, whoever: I hate america, you suck and are all stupid.
American: Well you suck, I don't care what you say, the USA is the greatest.
Equally who speaks first could be reversed, but often, despite wilfully consuming all your exports, be it films of fast food or whatever, people have a negative opinion of americans, and the unfortunate thing is, you enforce it when they tell you so. It's like telling a jerk that he is a jerk and then his comeback is hitting you. I'm really surprised this thread hasn't descended into that kind of crap.
Bruce, it is just human nature for folks of all cultures to have a certain self-pride in themselves and their tribe, or country. Americans are just as guilty as everyone else, and the name-calling is almost inevitable when one is prodded into talking about it.
A few personal observations after a career traveling and working in many countries and with many nationalities:
Brits are generally pretty friendly and often seem to think their country is the best place to live.
Germans are generally pretty friendly and often seem to think their country is the best place to live.
Russians can be friendly (if you get to know them) and often seem to think the old Soviet ways were a better way to live than what they have now.
Aussies are almost universally friendly and often seem to think their country is the best place to live.
Americans are generally pretty friendly. We often think our country is the best place to live. That is changing a bit as our president has pointed out our flaws to us and to the world.
I am not sure about the French. I could never seem to make friends with any of them.
Finally there are my fellow native Texans. Never ask someone if he is from Texas because if he is, he is gonna tell you anyway, and if he is not, you don't want to embarrass him.
Can you really blame Americans? They barely have time to do anything but work just to put food on the table. When time off is found, they just might want to go fishing rather than watching a documentary on Turkish prime ministers since the fall of the Ottoman Empire.
But, I am generally not impressed by the worldliness of other nations vs. America. Is that even really true, outside of Europe, where a $50 flight can get you to the coast of Greece from Scotland in a couple of hours? Is it really fair or a huge surprise to compare? I spoke with a friend yesterday who lives in Delaware. He routinely visits four states in like, an hour. Me? It takes hours and hours and hours of driving to get to the nearest state. It's easier for me and less expensive to get to the Bahamas. Am I more worldly if he takes off for the Poconos on the weekend, and I for the Bahamas? Is he more adventurous because he leaves his state multiple times a month, and me, just a few times a year?
Besides, what most of the world thinks they know about living in America they learn from our cultural exports. Even then, you'll find most Europeans have only superficial knowledge, and are often bereft of facts about what it's like to actually live here because their own knowledge and opinions of the US have been slanted by their own media and chattering classes. Plus, they almost HAVE to know what's going on in America, because everytime we sneeze they catch a cold.
We are like a celebrity. Some hate us, some love us. Most will watch us whether they hate us or love us. Madonna or Charlie Sheen.... We know the intimate details of these people's lives, and they could care less about us because they really don't have to.
Notice how the USA clustering at #40 with Sweden and Germany, trails not only countries with significant reasons for high percentages of foreign-born populations such as Croatia and Ukraine, but also places like Austria, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and Switzerland. If you're really going to judge a country by its ability to attract fortune-seekers, the USA is not doing more than averagely well.
This really perfectly illustrates my point about the subsection of "American attitude" that is stuck with a worldview from the 50s and 60s -when the USA was by far the best country- and cannot adapt to today, when that is not automatically true any more.
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