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Wasn't your original statement that the US doesn't make anything anymore? Where did that go?
I said "It produces little the world wants because the quality is usually insufficient". Compared to, say, 40 years ago, when the US used to lead in many areas, that is just not the case anymore. And 10 years from now that situation will have changed even further, by then China will long have overtaken the US in IP, patents, etc.
Where the US still makes good stuff, it is often overpriced, for instance musical instruments from Fender or Gibson. I get the same quality or better from Japan or Germany for half the price.
I said "It produces little the world wants because the quality is usually insufficient". Compared to, say, 40 years ago, when the US used to lead in many areas, that is just not the case anymore. And 10 years from now that situation will have changed even further, by then China will long have overtaken the US in IP, patents, etc.
Where the US still makes good stuff, it is often overpriced, for instance musical instruments from Fender or Gibson. I get the same quality or better from Japan or Germany for half the price.
Why do we rank so high in exports..? oh wait, sorry is that too patriotic for you people?
You rank much higher in imports But you might improve by exporting oil and gas, Russian style...
Yeah because foreign companies want to benefit from the largest consumer market in the world.... but anyways, why does a country rank so much in exports even though apparently it produces little the world wants?
Anyway, to get back to the topic, I think it is important to be humble when abroad. There is a certain percentage of visitors who just lack that property and thus provoke negative reactions from locals.
Yeah because foreign companies want to benefit from the largest consumer market in the world.... but anyways, why does a country rank so much in exports even though apparently it produces little the world wants?
It's interesting that in dollars the US exports more to tiny Canada than to the EU, which has about 15x as many people.
No one has said it doesn't have two meanings. Obviously one meaning is much, much more common than the other, especially when we are typing it in English to native English speakers in the context of Obama and the US government.
Thanks for trying to explain my language to me, but I disagree that one meaning overweighs the other in German. Mind you, I agree that this discussion is a bit silly since it really was fairly obvious what everyone means with "America" in this context...
Australia imports a lot more from the USA than we export to them. Mostly the imports to Australia from the USA are larger scale heavy machinery used in mining and agriculture etc, military equipment,commercial aircraft and the various machines you get in hospitals.
Last edited by danielsa1775; 04-03-2014 at 12:22 AM..
It seems when I talk to Americans travelling abroad many try to downplay America, at least the nation (if not the place), and all seem pretty critical of the government (especially during the Bush years). Maybe it's the people I've met, but it seems many feel sort of embarrassed about being American at times, in contrast to the stereotype of them all being chest-beating zealous patriots. Maybe it's because of the general atmosphere of anti-Americanism one experiences in say Europe?
I don't think one should show much patriotism abroad. You are a guest in another country and should act politely. What galls me is Americans, almost exclusively from the left who go to other countries, usually European countries and actively say negative things or seek out people to say negative things about the US. I have seen this in many articles written over the years by left leaning people who go to other countries ask other people about our attitudes on guns or the death penalty or whatever.
It's almost like they get off on hearing negative things about America and just love to come back and report their findings to all us backward rubes in the US so we can feel inferior to our betters overseas. Frankly, I wish they wouldn't come back.
I don't think one should show much patriotism abroad. You are a guest in another country and should act politely. What galls me is Americans, almost exclusively from the left who go to other countries, usually European countries and actively say negative things or seek out people to say negative things about the US. I have seen this in many articles written over the years by left leaning people who go to other countries ask other people about our attitudes on guns or the death penalty or whatever.
It's almost like they get off on hearing negative things about America and just love to come back and report their findings to all us backward rubes in the US so we can feel inferior to our betters overseas. Frankly, I wish they wouldn't come back.
Yeah I imagine. I think a lot of Australians have these stereotypical attitudes of Australians too.
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But you might improve by exporting oil and gas, Russian style...
