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I know many of my fellow Americans have the impression that the rest of the world likes to slam America, despises us, and so on, and inevitably this line of thinking leads to the angry exclamation, "Well, maybe they hate us, but if it weren't for us, all of Europe would be speakin' GERMAN today!" But I've got to say, as someone who's traveled abroad a fair amount, it's simply not true.
That's not to say that foreigners don't sometimes disagree strongly with some of our politics, or joke about America through stereotypes ("fat, loud hamburger-eaters", etc.), but in my experience most foreigners admire the USA a great deal, even if they disagree with some policies or tease us a bit (we're at the top of the list in many categories, so it's only human for other people to try to deflate our collective egos from time to time, don't you think?).
Also, I think it's hard for many Americans to appreciate the reach the United States has into other countries' cultures via film, music, commercial enterprises, military presence, and so on. There's bound to be some ambivalence about America's ubiquitous presence. For example, if 30% of our junk food and entertainment here in the States centered on Norway --- even if we loved lutefisk and Edvard Grieg --- we might be conflicted, as well.
Let me leave you, OP, with a clip as a counterargument, if you will, to the Dylan Moran bit (which I also love like a fiend, I must confess). This is from two British-born guys I like a lot. Don't let the "posh" accent of that Fry fellow put you on the defensive! (Watch especially from 2:00 minutes in): Craig Ferguson 2/23/10B Late Late show Stephen Fry PT3 - YouTube
Because I'm an insecure little boy from England who feels intimidated by the former colony becoming bigger and more powerful. I think I may cry, as this is such an important issue, I literally cannot sleep at night as I am haunted by this thread.
I know many of my fellow Americans have the impression that the rest of the world likes to slam America, despises us, and so on, and inevitably this line of thinking leads to the angry exclamation, "Well, maybe they hate us, but if it weren't for us, all of Europe would be speakin' GERMAN today!" But I've got to say, as someone who's traveled abroad a fair amount, it's simply not true.
That's not to say that foreigners don't sometimes disagree strongly with some of our politics, or joke about America through stereotypes ("fat, loud hamburger-eaters", etc.), but in my experience most foreigners admire the USA a great deal, even if they disagree with some policies or tease us a bit (we're at the top of the list in many categories, so it's only human for other people to try to deflate our collective egos from time to time, don't you think?).
Also, I think it's hard for many Americans to appreciate the reach the United States has into other countries' cultures via film, music, commercial enterprises, military presence, and so on. There's bound to be some ambivalence about America's ubiquitous presence. For example, if 30% of our junk food and entertainment here in the States centered on Norway --- even if we loved lutefisk and Edvard Grieg --- we might be conflicted, as well.
Let me leave you, OP, with a clip as a counterargument, if you will, to the Dylan Moran bit (which I also love like a fiend, I must confess). This is from two British-born guys I like a lot. Don't let the "posh" accent of that Fry fellow put you on the defensive! (Watch especially from 2:00 minutes in):
Craig Ferguson 2/23/10B Late Late show Stephen Fry PT3 - YouTube
Excellent post. I really did enjoy this and good video also. I have nothing against those guys. I know Craig is a class act and is in a tough late night slate against Jimmy but that's irrelevant.
However, not to sound like I am scratching more but the general tone that you get with these replies are "Tired of this AMERICAN CRAP!"
Then WHY CONSUME IT!
Why do they pay ANY ATTENTION TO AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD AND ALL OF THE GARBAGE THAT COMES WITH IT ?
They are aware that if something does not sale then ultimately companies begin to lose money and eventually pulls out....Right ?
They act as if it is their only choice on the planet. AND ITS NOT!
Examples:
Film (If you know its American, DON'T WATCH IT!
Music (Americans have a certain sound, TURN THAT CRAP OFF!)
Commercial enterprises (Don't buy from these guys!)
Military presence (Protest YOUR government! They have to give in eventually...).
Tourist. Believe it or not Americans get tourist also and guess what...They can also misbehave as well--start fights, get loud, drunken arrested. I have seen it myself. If you honestly think that does not happen your living in some fantasy world. Hell it was probably YOU.
Americans do not go around bashing the others. We put them in our films and Tv. In this year alone I have seen many Aus/British/Can in so many American Tv shows (Dexter, The Office, Breaking Bad, True Blood, Vampire D, Spartacus these are huge shows over here. Game Of T a US tv show with primarily foreign actors) and nobody complains about them what so ever. We have comedians (R.P, Lisa L, Richard C ect) who have done road shows, acts after act and feel no need to ever bash or even mention foreigners what so ever in their act. Well of course that is meet with insults and back handed compliments.
Op doesn't watch Family Guy or other similar shows that bash everything. IMO if America has shows and life like in Honey Boo Boo then I say bash us all day.
Well, as an American myself, I have to say there are certain types of Americans who are absolutely ****ing hilarious and stupid. They're fun to bash.
The problem with everything comes from outsiders though seeing these things, and who they're bashing too, and thinking that everyone here is like that. I'm not opposed to bashing those people. They're ****ing idiots and hilarious, but since i live here, I do know that tons of different types of people live here and they aren't necessarily the norm.
I think a lot of people see all this **** and just think it's all the norm, which of course anyone who is educated on the matter knows that's pretty far from the truth.
Americans DO NOT BASH them in any way shape or form.
What rock do you live under?
American comic Doug Stanhope shyts all over Europe in his stand up routine.Ever seen South Park or Family Guy? Americans love to bash the French in general. Don't even get me started on the Canadian jokes 'eh'.
Yes it's called an Inferiority Complex. The other anglo-phone countries are much "smaller" and "less complex" in every aspect so it's similar to a Napoleon-syndrome-kinda thing.
I was watching a show last night and they were bashing canada then tol.
Americans are always bashing canadians.
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