NationStates Jolt Archive

As this thread about the world hating America obviously won't die in the next weeks, I just wanted to know why you people actually care what the world thinks about you or why you think the world should love you?

I'm from Germany, Germans know the world hates them. After all, they've given the world one of the worst dictators ever. They also gave the world people like Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Albrecht Duerer, Reiner Maria Rilke, ETA Hoffmann, Goethe, Schiller, Immanuel Kant, Hegel, Wernher von Braun and Albert Einstein. but the world tends to remember bad things more easily, so what the hell, learn to live with the hate.

France, for example, just couldn't care less if the world hates them or not. It just doesn't matter at all. I would be surprised if the French even knew that there are countries who don't consider them the greatest nation on earth, and even if there are some, hey, their loss.

Britain has been hated and admired by the world, they didn't change their behaviour one bit when faced with either. They enjoy being admired, I think, and they would consider this admiration earned. It is, to some extend. But if somebody doesn't like Britain, I guess the Brits would assume this to be jealousy of the fact that the haters aren't British themselves. What a pity, we can't all enjoy this privilege, the island just would be too small.

Australians... I honestly don't know. Then again, I don't know anybody who would go out of their ways to hate Australia. They're pretty inoffensive, aren't they?

So, why is it that Americans expect the rest of the world to love them and can't seem to cope if the rest of the world doesn't?

[ecent] the reason americans feel this is because they are foreign and therefore excitable[ecent]

HA no i dont mean that

As this thread about the world hating America obviously won't die in the next weeks, I just wanted to know why you people actually care what the world thinks about you or why you think the world should love you?

I'm from Germany, Germans know the world hates them. After all, they've given the world one of the worst dictators ever. They also gave the world people like Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Albrecht Duerer, Reiner Maria Rilke, ETA Hoffmann, Goethe, Schiller, Immanuel Kant, Hegel, Wernher von Braun and Albert Einstein. but the world tends to remember bad things more easily, so what the hell, learn to live with the hate.

France, for example, just couldn't care less if the world hates them or not. It just doesn't matter at all. I would be surprised if the French even knew that there are countries who don't consider them the greatest nation on earth, and even if there are some, hey, their loss.

Britain has been hated and admired by the world, they didn't change their behaviour one bit when faced with either. They enjoy being admired, I think, and they would consider this admiration earned. It is, to some extend. But if somebody doesn't like Britain, I guess the Brits would assume this to be jealousy of the fact that the haters aren't British themselves. What a pity, we can't all enjoy this privilege, the island just would be too small.

Australians... I honestly don't know. Then again, I don't know anybody who would go out of their ways to hate Australia. They're pretty inoffensive, aren't they?

So, why is it that Americans expect the rest of the world to love them and can't seem to cope if the rest of the world doesn't?


i agree 84% ...we are not arrogant..were just not phased about what the rest of the world thinks of us....

I wouldn't say us brits are quite as arrogant as that. Certainly I know people can dislike us and I can sympathize with that. There's plenty I do't like about us either. It's more that we aren't 'Britain, right or wrong' than a 'their loss if they hate us'.

Sorry, I didn't mean to portrait you as arrogant. Just... more distant to other nations, I guess.

Sorry, I didn't mean to portrait you as arrogant. Just... more distant to other nations, I guess.

oh...thats ok then... :D ..not that it matters either way...arrogance is not always a curse ...well not to me

Australians... I honestly don't know. Then again, I don't know anybody who would go out of their ways to hate Australia. They're pretty inoffensive, aren't they?

We invented Speedo's.

As of now, I hate Austalia. ;)

I don't know why
a) British people still seem to make a distinction between themselves and "the continent"
b) Britain feels it so important to damage the EU whenever possible. Don't you like the idea of enduring peace and a more influential Europe?
------------------
But I reckon the reason the US-ians get so offended is their absolutist education.
They are being taught from the first day of school that their country is kind of like the final stage of political evolution. Like all of history has only worked to form them. I find that a really naive and dangerous way of looking at things.
Not everyone is as much of a relativist as I am, but at least in politics it would help to acknowledge that other views and other ways of life are just as valid as theirs is.

As of now, I hate Austalia. ;)

There is only a few Australians I hate:
John Howard, Phil Ruddock, Amanda Vanstone (especially that ugly fat mole), Alexander Downer...and pretty much every other Liberal politician.
Except maybe that private member's bill fella.

[QUOTE=Leonstein]I don't know why
a) British people still seem to make a distinction between themselves and "the continent"
b) Britain feels it so important to damage the EU whenever possible. Don't you like the idea of enduring peace and a more influential Europe?
[QUOTE]

A) yep whats your problem?.
B) it was Winston Churchil who first thought of a united europe.
And Your "britain" only refers to the backwards football loving lager drinkers and the spineless politicians. I my self am for a united europe

Britain feels it so important to damage the EU whenever possible. Don't you like the idea of enduring peace and a more influential Europe?

Not true. People like Robert Kilroy-Silk, Michael Howard and Nick Griffin fee this and manage to persuade the nationalists to follow them blindly. It's the only reason the Cons get votes these days other thn tradition.

I feel the EU has potential but is currently badly flawed.

Because most Americans want to be liked, it is in our nation character. I guess we are as a people not as cynical as much of the world is. We stupidly believe people and nations wish to be our friends.
There are no friendships between nations, there are give and take relationships. Nations use each other for gain and that is all there is to it. Most Americans have not grasped this idea at their core. Oh, many f our leaders have, but most of the regular folk have not and so tend to be a bit stunned when they discovered we are so reviled in the world.
They think, "WTH? We plunk down how much money for these people in foreign aid. . .how many of our soldiers died for them. . .so on and so forth." Now that may be a naive way of thinking but I think it is basically the way many of my countrymen think.

B) it was Winston Churchil who first thought of a united europe.
And Your "britain" only refers to the backwards football loving lager drinkers and the spineless politicians. I my self am for a united europe
Actually, our old friend, Kaiser Wilhelm II. made it one of his goals in WWI to establish a European Free Trade Zone.
Forgive me for not being too excited about Churchill. He seemed to have a fairly deeply rooted hate of everything German for most of his life, and seemingly didn't feel bad about bombing German Civilians, or getting American civilians sunk on the Lusitania.

I would like to appologise right now. Obviously not all British people are like I said they are. Nonetheless, Blair declaring he won't do the referendum is a malicious attack on the process and completely uncalled for.
I was merely referring to the response on these forums from self-proclaimed British people when the Vote in France failed.

Before the Cold War, we didn't care less what you thought. We just sat there with our giant swath of the world and lived life. NOW, however, the Cold War changed that. For 50 years there was a giant popularity race. We won because we were more popular. And we liked being popular. We'd go somewhere, everyone besides the communists would go "Yay!" and then we'd have a good time. Now, however, since there is no popularity race anymore, the world doesn't need to like America. What will America do if it isn't liked on the same level as it was before? Not invite Chirac to go fishing? People before focused all their troubles on the Soviets, because we were more popular. Now that the Soviets have gone, we still want to think(or still do think) that we are popular. In a decade or two, we may not care, but a large portion of our population was alive during the Cold War. Those who weren't are just kids or teenagers.

Actually, our old friend, Kaiser Wilhelm II. made it one of his goals in WWI to establish a European Free Trade Zone.

I would like to appologise right now. Obviously not all British people are like I said they are. Nonetheless, Blair declaring he won't do the referendum is a malicious attack on the process and completely uncalled for.
I was merely referring to the response on these forums from self-proclaimed British people when the Vote in France failed.


Indeed kaiser bill wanted the trading zone..but it was church who wanted a united influential europe capable of working together and forming a power rivaling the US.

And i to must apologies..i was being a little harsh with you

It's vanity.

Look at Tony Blair, it's exactly the same thing. He so desperately wants to be loved, but can't seem to work out why he isn't, bless him. I guess it could have been creepy, but actually it's quite sad.

The yanks don't care much about what the world thinks about them.
Their view is highly internal, and all this about other countries hating them is more surprise than emotion.
It's like knowing that red looks good on you, trying black and looking better - is somethign you don't see coming.
Think about it - you have a population that's larger than any other first world country, you have massive differencces between regions, etc, it leads to an internal view of the world.

Now Australia - we kinda rely on what other people think of us. So we care. Tourism = major industry.
But at the end of the day, we're too relaxed. And we brought board shorts to the table , so we make up for the Speedos

There is a part of me that would dearly love to go back to pre-WWII isolationism. It really isn't possible but the idea is so appealing. Cut off most foreign aid, withdraw our troops back into our own territories and refuse to become involved in the world's problems. . .ah it would be such a relief. Impossible though.

Cut off most foreign aid, withdraw our troops back into our own territories and refuse to become involved in the world's problems. . .ah it would be such a relief. Impossible though.
Alas. :(

The yanks don't care much about what the world thinks about them.
Their view is highly internal, and all this about other countries hating them is more surprise than emotion.
It's like knowing that red looks good on you, trying black and looking better - is somethign you don't see coming.
Think about it - you have a population that's larger than any other first world country, you have massive differencces between regions, etc, it leads to an internal view of the world.

Now Australia - we kinda rely on what other people think of us. So we care. Tourism = major industry.
But at the end of the day, we're too relaxed. And we brought board shorts to the table , so we make up for the Speedos


not to mention you supply over half of britains bar staff....we owe you a preverbial coke

There is a part of me that would dearly love to go back to pre-WWII isolationism. It really isn't possible but the idea is so appealing. Cut off most foreign aid, withdraw our troops back into our own territories and refuse to become involved in the world's problems. . .ah it would be such a relief. Impossible though.

And our economy wouldn't do so good. What happened during isolationism? The Great Depression! Also, while not sending our troops anywhere, the world will hate us MORE(although I don't think we'll care), and what if genocide breaks out somewhere? Most U.N. nations wouldn't do much. At all. And then the world wouldn't be so good for a few decades. Oh, the Chinese or Indians or someone might take our role, but that wouldn't be for a while.

There is a part of me that would dearly love to go back to pre-WWII isolationism. It really isn't possible but the idea is so appealing. Cut off most foreign aid, withdraw our troops back into our own territories and refuse to become involved in the world's problems. . .ah it would be such a relief. Impossible though.

...If you did...promise me this.....Bring back 1930s america...that would be plenty compensation in my veiw...yep...Jazz, Prohibition "coffe" houses, Gangsters...America always seems nicer in gangster movies or "jeeves & Wooster"

Alas. :(

Yeah. . .getting involved more outside our borders seems only to have brought headache after headache and the hatred of the world. We existed just fine without messing about in world politics for a long time, if only we could do it again. Use our nukes as a shield, lighten and tighten our military and start investing back into our own infrastructure, our own economy.
The world would get what they wanted, we would be out of their lives and we could get what we really wanted, peace and quiet.

Yeah. . .getting involved more outside our borders seems only to have brought headache after headache and the hatred of the world. We existed just fine without messing about in world politics for a long time, if only we could do it again. Use our nukes as a shield, lighten and tighten our military and start investing back into our own infrastructure, our own economy.
The world would get what they wanted, we would be out of their lives and we could get what we really wanted, peace and quiet.


shame isnt it

-snip-

I hope it'll happen eventually, but you have neo-conservatism, extreme nationalism and dangerous fundamentalist religious issues to work out.
I just hope that the rest of the world won't be the victim of your struggles...

And our economy wouldn't do so good. What happened during isolationism? The Great Depression! Also, while not sending our troops anywhere, the world will hate us MORE(although I don't think we'll care), and what if genocide breaks out somewhere? Most U.N. nations wouldn't do much. At all. And then the world wouldn't be so good for a few decades. Oh, the Chinese or Indians or someone might take our role, but that wouldn't be for a while.

If genocide breaks out somewhere then those people would have to deal with it. They did so for thousands of years without the US coming to the rescue. It shouldn't be our job to clean up all the messes of the world.
We were isolationist for a long time before the Great Depression and the ecnomy had booms and busts all the time. Isolationism was not the cause of the Great Depression.

...If you did...promise me this.....Bring back 1930s america...that would be plenty compensation in my veiw...yep...Jazz, Prohibition "coffe" houses, Gangsters...America always seems nicer in gangster movies or "jeeves & Wooster"

ah the 30's, back before they didn't have color and the world was black and white! Back when all married couples slept in separate beds.

ah the 30's, back before they didn't have color and the world was black and white! Back when all married couples slept in separate beds.


true the bed thing could have been better...but ...the hats! ...come on..you want a trilby dont deny it

I hope it'll happen eventually, but you have neo-conservatism, extreme nationalism and dangerous fundamentalist religious issues to work out.
I just hope that the rest of the world won't be the victim of your struggles...

It isn't only the neo-conserves, Democrats made us the world super power we are, they brought us out of our shell and into the world arena. Now both parties would keep us there, just in different ways.
I think most fundamentalists would be very happy to go back to isolation, it was their golden age.

true the bed thing could have been better...but ...the hats! ...come on..you want a trilby dont deny it

I would love to wear a fedora, but there is no way in hell I could pull it off.

If genocide breaks out somewhere then those people would have to deal with it. They did so for thousands of years without the US coming to the rescue. It shouldn't be our job to clean up all the messes of the world.
We were isolationist for a long time before the Great Depression and the ecnomy had booms and busts all the time. Isolationism was not the cause of the Great Depression.

I'm sorry to point this out, but it isn't your job today either. I couldn't really think of a single case where the US got involved in an armed conflict or internal struggle in another country and it did so purely for idealistic reasons... however, you always managed to find some ideals afterwards that "have been fighting for all along".

If you want to be world police, feel free. But this would mean taking down dictatorships worldwide and fighting for freedom and justice in every opressed country, not just a select few. Until you do so, please refrain from using the title of "police"

I would love to wear a fedora, but there is no way in hell I could pull it off.

If only we were like our fedora wearing forefathers...

If genocide breaks out somewhere then those people would have to deal with it. They did so for thousands of years without the US coming to the rescue. It shouldn't be our job to clean up all the messes of the world.
We were isolationist for a long time before the Great Depression and the ecnomy had booms and busts all the time. Isolationism was not the cause of the Great Depression.

It wasn't the cause, but coming OUT of Isolationism started our "Golden Age" and got rid of the depression in two seconds flat.

You really have to realise that now, there is no turning back. The world is too interconnected. Something happens on one side of the globe, reprecussions are felt on the other side. One country declines into genocide, anothers economy crashes. Even if we WERE to become isolationist, unless we broke ties with every single country, would would feel the reprecussions.

Also, wouldn't an American living overseas be AGAINST Isolationism?

I'm sorry to point this out, but it isn't your job today either. I couldn't really think of a single case where the US got involved in an armed conflict or internal struggle in another country and it did so purely for idealistic reasons... however, you always managed to find some ideals afterwards that "have been fighting for all along".

If you want to be world police, feel free. But this would mean taking down dictatorships worldwide and fighting for freedom and justice in every opressed country, not just a select few. Until you do so, please refrain from using the title of "police"

Oh, yes sir! We'll do as you order! ;) :D
Why are you sorry to point it out, do you think I live under some delusion we are the world's police? We are far from it yet we are constantly labeled that. I know of very few Americans who like the label and wish it put upon us. We fight wars in self-interest, the same reason nations have always fought wars. This is a normal practice of nations and it is the normal practice of nations to claim moral and spiritual justification for doing so. The US is doing nothing different than what most other nations in the world have done or would do if they had the power to do so.
Of course Americans will claim high ideals for wars, there is nothing new about this and there is nothing new with people criticising this practice. All nation are hypocritical. All history is cyclical (spl?)

it was Winston Churchil who first thought of a united europe.
It was Kaizer Wilhelm.

Actually it were Habsburg kings Charles V and his successor Philip II, in the 16th century (they nicknamed parts of their title as "super omnia", indicating they went beyond the frontiers of Europe, both in a literal and transfigural sense, and they actually wanted "a Europe" to rule). And even then the Brits (among others) were forcefully objecting the idea :p You gotta love redheads!

Oh, yes sir! We'll do as you order! ;) :D
Why are you sorry to point it out, do you think I live under some delusion we are the world's police? We are far from it yet we are constantly labeled that. I know of very few Americans who like the label and wish it put upon us. We fight wars in self-interest, the same reason nations have always fought wars. This is a normal practice of nations and it is the normal practice of nations to claim moral and spiritual justification for doing so. The US is doing nothing different than what most other nations in the world have done or would do if they had the power to do so.
Of course Americans will claim high ideals for wars, there is nothing new about this and there is nothing new with people criticising this practice. All nation are hypocritical. All history is cyclical (spl?)


It's "ma'am", actually :)
And I apologised in advance as I know from experience how some Americans react when their motives are being questioned...

I do have the impression, though, that many American politicians like the label, as they don't have to come up with too many justifications for their wars themselves. Also, the public seems to buy it, as the argument of "world police" will inadvertedly be thrown into any discussion about America's relation to the rest of the world, and in most cases by an American.

It wasn't the cause, but coming OUT of Isolationism started our "Golden Age" and got rid of the depression in two seconds flat.

You really have to realise that now, there is no turning back. The world is too interconnected. Something happens on one side of the globe, reprecussions are felt on the other side. One country declines into genocide, anothers economy crashes. Even if we WERE to become isolationist, unless we broke ties with every single country, would would feel the reprecussions.

Also, wouldn't an American living overseas be AGAINST Isolationism?

Yeah, I know it is impossible, I said so in my first post and second. It is a dream and one I know will never happen again.
I wouldn't call it our golden age, Korea, Cuba, Vietnam and the 70's were hardly golden era stuff.
Naw, an American living overseas and getting a full dose of the hatred of the US every week could be very prone to wanting isolationism again. You wouldn't believe the people I have met over here. Or, maybe you would.

Yeah, I know it is impossible, I said so in my first post and second. It is a dream and one I know will never happen again.
I wouldn't call it our golden age, Korea, Cuba, Vietnam and the 70's were hardly golden era stuff.
Naw, an American living overseas and getting a full dose of the hatred of the US every week could be very prone to wanting isolationism again. You wouldn't believe the people I have met over here. Or, maybe you would.

in jappan?.....they always seem so freindly...allwell...

It's "ma'am", actually :)
And I apologised in advance as I know from experience how some Americans react when their motives are being questioned...

I do have the impression, though, that many American politicians like the label, as they don't have to come up with too many justifications for their wars themselves. Also, the public seems to buy it, as the argument of "world police" will inadvertedly be thrown into any discussion about America's relation to the rest of the world, and in most cases by an American.

Whoops, ma'am. Sorry.
Well, when Americans bring up the label I would argue that they are not wearing it as a badge of pride, not seeing it as a good thing but more as a saddle we are stuck with. It is like, "We are the world's police and it is more trouble than it is worth." or "We are the world's police because somebody has to do it and we are stuck with it."
Now I would argue we don't have to do it and we are suckers for trying to do it.

Whoops, ma'am. Sorry.
Well, when Americans bring up the label I would argue that they are not wearing it as a badge of pride, not seeing it as a good thing but more as a saddle we are stuck with. It is like, "We are the world's police and it is more trouble than it is worth." or "We are the world's police because somebody has to do it and we are stuck with it."
Now I would argue we don't have to do it and we are suckers for trying to do it.

...i dont think i would like to be "world police"...Although if you think about it Briatin was dure in its hayday...

There is only a few Australians I hate:
John Howard, Phil Ruddock, Amanda Vanstone (especially that ugly fat mole), Alexander Downer...and pretty much every other Liberal politician.
Except maybe that private member's bill fella.

Shane Warne, nobody likes him! :p

Whoops, ma'am. Sorry.
Well, when Americans bring up the label I would argue that they are not wearing it as a badge of pride, not seeing it as a good thing but more as a saddle we are stuck with. It is like, "We are the world's police and it is more trouble than it is worth." or "We are the world's police because somebody has to do it and we are stuck with it."
Now I would argue we don't have to do it and we are suckers for trying to do it.

Most of the time it's more on the lines of "We are the world police, but does the world thank us? Oh, no, they still hate us"
It always makes me think "If you're stupid enough to take a job without checking what you will get for it BEFORE you start it, that's really your own fault, now, isn't it?"

But saying that would be like kicking a puppy, somehow...

in jappan?.....they always seem so freindly...allwell...

Oh, most of the Japanese are very friendly, nice people. Tend to have a crush on the US and Canada and Australia and the UK.
It is my fellow English speakers who have sometimes been incredibly hostile. The Uk gal who crawled over to me before I had even met her. . .she was drunk and found out I was a Yank. "America is shit, isn't it!" and she glared at me. "It's SHIT!" she yelled and the izakaya went silent.
I looked over at my Australian drinking buddy is puzzlement. He just smiled and shook his head. Bit angering at the time but funny when I remember it.

The other nations allways hate the top nation...everone hated Rome, Everyone hated The British Empire, And now the other nations hate america....the only way we put up with it was the great blissfull illusion of cricket and sherry........

Oh, most of the Japanese are very friendly, nice people. Tend to have a crush on the US and Canada and Australia and the UK.
It is my fellow English speakers who have sometimes been incredibly hostile. The Uk gal who crawled over to me before I had even met her. . .she was drunk and found out I was a Yank. "America is shit, isn't it!" and she glared at me. "It's SHIT!" she yelled and the izakaya went silent.
I looked over at my Australian drinking buddy is puzzlement. He just smiled and shook his head. Bit angering at the time but funny when I remember it.


As a british globetrotter i can only apologies...this woman does not represent us!..Its Yob Culture thats what it is!....

...i dont think i would like to be "world police"...Although if you think about it Briatin was dure in its hayday...

Rule Britannia! Britannia rule the waves! da da dum dum dee dum dee dum. . .umm I don't know any other words.

I'm American and none of the Americans I associate with are concerned about what the rest of the world thinks of us.

I once read somewhere in here that was the reason "everyone" hated us. I'm still hardly concerned.

As a british globetrotter i can only apologies...this woman does not represent us!..Its Yob Culture thats what it is!....

Ah, don't worry about it, geezer. My bet mate over here is a Brit. Big Chelsea fan as he grew up in Chelsea. I have met far more nice people from English speaking country than jerks and just as many jerks from my own country as any other nation.
The girl who took offense at absolutely everything. "It's because I'm American, isn't it! We're all stupid so you make me be the stupid student! It's not fair!"
I wanted to slap her across the room and bury my head in my hands at the same time.

Rule Britannia! Britannia rule the waves! da da dum dum dee dum dee dum. . .umm I don't know any other words.


Rule britania
britania rules the waves
britans never ever ever shall be slaves

....just off the top of my head...however i prefer

There'l always be an england
and england shall be free
whenever theres a cottage small, besides a feild of grain

Red, white and blue
what does it mean to you?
these are the chains
freedom remanins
nothing can brake

the empire too
she can depend on you
...etc............................i am a very patriotic person

Ah, don't worry about it, geezer. My bet mate over here is a Brit. Big Chelsea fan as he grew up in Chelsea. I have met far more nice people from English speaking country than jerks and just as many jerks from my own country as any other nation.
The girl who took offense at absolutely everything. "It's because I'm American, isn't it! We're all stupid so you make me be the stupid student! It's not fair!"
I wanted to slap her across the room and bury my head in my hands at the same time.


.Its never nice to see a citizen of ones own country making an arse of themselves on foreign shores.....or even in the homeland

.Its never nice to see a citizen of ones own country making an arse of themselves on foreign shores.....or even in the homeland

Elsewhere is more embarassing, though, isn't it?

I normally avoid German-speaking people everywhere on the globe. Come to think of it, I avoid them in Germany as well...

.Its never nice to see a citizen of ones own country making an arse of themselves on foreign shores.....or even in the homeland

I couldn't agree with you more. The gal from LA who went into the department store here and was angered because none of the staff spoke English. She wrote a complaint to the company because of this. When her co-worker pointed out that since this was Japan it was maybe incumbent upon her to speak Japanese, she threw a fit and refused to speak with him anymore.

Rule britania
britania rules the waves
britans never ever ever shall be slaves

....just off the top of my head...however i prefer

There'l always be an england
and england shall be free
whenever theres a cottage small, besides a feild of grain

Red, white and blue
what does it mean to you?
these are the chains
freedom remanins
nothing can brake

the empire too
she can depend on you
...etc............................i am a very patriotic person

but. . .free doesn't rhyme with grain. I am very confused.

In the end I guess America is hated for sooo many reasons, but hey, thats jus the price of having such a vast sphere of influence along with a wide variety of stereotypes and ideals. Personally I don't believe in the European Union, or the United Nations; i think it would be better if the america, britain, australia, canada and new zealand formed a new alliance, it would work cos were all more or less the same people....more or less

Elsewhere is more embarassing, though, isn't it?

I normally avoid German-speaking people everywhere on the globe. Come to think of it, I avoid them in Germany as well...


hmm...once i was in a campsite in france and the people in the next pitch were from Essex..they just kept shouting at each other...so we pretended to be from norway for the rest of our stay

As this thread about the world hating America obviously won't die in the next weeks, I just wanted to know why you people actually care what the world thinks about you or why you think the world should love you?

I'm from Germany, Germans know the world hates them. After all, they've given the world one of the worst dictators ever. They also gave the world people like Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Albrecht Duerer, Reiner Maria Rilke, ETA Hoffmann, Goethe, Schiller, Immanuel Kant, Hegel, Wernher von Braun and Albert Einstein. but the world tends to remember bad things more easily, so what the hell, learn to live with the hate.

France, for example, just couldn't care less if the world hates them or not. It just doesn't matter at all. I would be surprised if the French even knew that there are countries who don't consider them the greatest nation on earth, and even if there are some, hey, their loss.

Britain has been hated and admired by the world, they didn't change their behaviour one bit when faced with either. They enjoy being admired, I think, and they would consider this admiration earned. It is, to some extend. But if somebody doesn't like Britain, I guess the Brits would assume this to be jealousy of the fact that the haters aren't British themselves. What a pity, we can't all enjoy this privilege, the island just would be too small.

Australians... I honestly don't know. Then again, I don't know anybody who would go out of their ways to hate Australia. They're pretty inoffensive, aren't they?

So, why is it that Americans expect the rest of the world to love them and can't seem to cope if the rest of the world doesn't?

Since when does the world hate Germany...that 'incident' in the earlier part of the 20th century has long been forgotten. And if it were for thosedictators

The world would be in a completely different structure now. So props to Germany.

As for Americans, they don't like ppl having their own opinions, its against the 'Fox News' culture!, its wrong and only leads to terrorist associations. So by caring how the rest of the world thinks of them, they are saving us poor 'independently minded' individuals from a spreading aexis of evil!!

The majority of the world doens't hate the US, how many times must we tell you, its Bush that ppl don't like. And none of this 'but his election is an expression of our democratic will'. If you want the other 6billion ppl here to like you, just accept its Bush(and the annoying patriotic ppl) that no one likes!

Elsewhere is more embarassing, though, isn't it?

I normally avoid German-speaking people everywhere on the globe. Come to think of it, I avoid them in Germany as well...

Can I ask you something and I hope you will take no offense. When I went to Turkey on my honeymoon I saw many tourists and most of them were German. I began to get really annoyed at them because they always seemed to speak very rudely to the Turkish people.
Is this normal. My German is non-existent so I was reading body language and tone. Was I just completely off base?

but. . .free doesn't rhyme with grain. I am very confused.

.....no...it doesnt does it?.......hmm...well it works when you sing it...i guess thats all thats important

OK kind of confused, setting aside sudden bursts of Rule Brittannia, I think things need to be set aside. First America doesnt need to care what everyone thinks, seeing as the rest of the world is too concerned filling their pockets to disagree majorly. They cant disobey them greatly anyway as mass American culture and Americanisation of the world defies the majority from realising what a piece of droppings America is. As for Germany, Britain doesnt hate Germans anymore...well except for the ignorant brits, but what can you do about them?

OK kind of confused, setting aside sudden bursts of Rule Brittannia, I think things need to be set aside. First America doesnt need to care what everyone thinks, seeing as the rest of the world is too concerned filling their pockets to disagree majorly. As for Germany, Britain doesnt hate Germans anymore...well except for the ignorant brits, but what can you do about them?


poison all the WKD

I couldn't agree with you more. The gal from LA who went into the department store here and was angered because none of the staff spoke English. She wrote a complaint to the company because of this. When her co-worker pointed out that since this was Japan it was maybe incumbent upon her to speak Japanese, she threw a fit and refused to speak with him anymore.
*groans* God, that reminds me of the ID10T who wrote into the Japan Times about how he was pissed off at the pro-Japan slant that they took in their news items about the copter crash in Okinawa.

What is it about gaikokujin and acting silly in Japan?

As for the orginal question, many Americans are taught in school that everyone wants to be us or like us, that's why so many people have come to America looking for a new life and why the rest fo the world consumes so many American products and ideas. It comes as a shock to people then when they find out that many people don't like Americans.

Still, I do wish that more people would learn to seperate the actions of a country's goverment from its people.

.....no...it doesnt does it?.......hmm...well it works when you sing it...i guess thats all thats important

well, we did the same thing come to think of it.

ore' the land of the freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
and the hoooooooooooome of thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaave!

urgh, national anthems, who needs em :( maybe if we replaced the anthems with rocks songs then maybe id feel a little more patriotic :D

well, we did the same thing come to think of it.

ore' the land of the freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
and the hoooooooooooome of thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaave!
The most unsingable anthem in the world. That must be why the world hates us. ;)

well, we did the same thing come to think of it.

ore' the land of the freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
and the hoooooooooooome of thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaave!


hmmmm....thats your anthem though...

god save our grasciouse queen
gda da d a da ...i dont actuall know the words to this...blue birds over thew white cliffs of dover however i know well....

allwell....this was great talking to you guys..i hope to do it aghain but i have to go now :( bye :)

urgh, national anthems, who needs em :( maybe if we replaced the anthems with rocks songs then maybe id feel a little more patriotic :D


not rock...JAZZ!...not that would go well...allwell...bye i have to go

The most unsingable anthem in the world. That must be why the world hates us. ;)

It should have been America the Beautiful. Or how about The Macarena! Could you imagine the Olympics! As the gold medal is presented 1000 Americans rise to their feet and suddenly dance the Macarena. It would bring a tear to the eye.

hmmmm....thats your anthem though...

god save our grasciouse queen
gda da d a da ...i dont actuall know the words to this...blue birds over thew white cliffs of dover however i know well....

Yes, but Americans hear that as "My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty..." which is why I think all American movies give the notion that Rule Britania is the UK's anthem.

hmmmm....thats your anthem though...

god save our grasciouse queen
gda da d a da ...i dont actuall know the words to this...blue birds over thew white cliffs of dover however i know well....

allwell....this was great talking to you guys..i hope to do it aghain but i have to go now :( bye :)

see ya! :) Well that was pleasant.

As this thread about the world hating America obviously won't die in the next weeks, I just wanted to know why you people actually care what the world thinks about you or why you think the world should love you?

I'm from Germany, Germans know the world hates them. After all, they've given the world one of the worst dictators ever. They also gave the world people like Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Albrecht Duerer, Reiner Maria Rilke, ETA Hoffmann, Goethe, Schiller, Immanuel Kant, Hegel, Wernher von Braun and Albert Einstein. but the world tends to remember bad things more easily, so what the hell, learn to live with the hate.

France, for example, just couldn't care less if the world hates them or not. It just doesn't matter at all. I would be surprised if the French even knew that there are countries who don't consider them the greatest nation on earth, and even if there are some, hey, their loss.

Britain has been hated and admired by the world, they didn't change their behaviour one bit when faced with either. They enjoy being admired, I think, and they would consider this admiration earned. It is, to some extend. But if somebody doesn't like Britain, I guess the Brits would assume this to be jealousy of the fact that the haters aren't British themselves. What a pity, we can't all enjoy this privilege, the island just would be too small.

Australians... I honestly don't know. Then again, I don't know anybody who would go out of their ways to hate Australia. They're pretty inoffensive, aren't they?

So, why is it that Americans expect the rest of the world to love them and can't seem to cope if the rest of the world doesn't?


I don't think Americans want the world to love them. Two important things about Americans:

1. They usually don't know what you think of them.
2. They don't care that they don't know.

For those that do know what you think of them, number 2 still applies.

It's also hard to say if it was worse that America gave the world Jerry Lewis, Michael Jackson, and McDonald's. I mean, that's right up there with Hitler if you ask me.

Can I ask you something and I hope you will take no offense. When I went to Turkey on my honeymoon I saw many tourists and most of them were German. I began to get really annoyed at them because they always seemed to speak very rudely to the Turkish people.
Is this normal. My German is non-existent so I was reading body language and tone. Was I just completely off base?

I hate to generalise people, so it's a bit difficult to say.

German tourist have an annoying habit of talking down to people from southern countries. May have to do with the fact that a large number of them came to Germany to work in the 60s, 70s and 80s and Germans are kind of "used" to percieve them as the people who do the dirty work, who don't have a full grasp of the language, who are a bit "dumb". Especially the Turks form a large minority in Germany; the largest, I would estimate.

Then again, Germans on the whole are not known for their politeness, they tend to be very direct to the point of being offensive to others, and rather agressive and blunt whenever it comes down to money. And for Germans, most things do come down to money. They paid for the holiday, they are paying for the food or whatever else it may have been they were buying from the locals, and they won't fool around there.

Actually, that is one of the things I particularly hate about Germans abroad. they travel to a country that they know is a whole lot poorer than their own country is, they come loaded with money, expect to be treated like kings and will still try to argue about prices with the locals. Not because they need to, but because they have the feeling that otherwise the locals would "take advantage of them" and might have the cheek to ask 50 cents more for the souvenir than they would ask from their countrymen...

Disgraceful behaviour, I think.

It should have been America the Beautiful. Or how about The Macarena! Could you imagine the Olympics! As the gold medal is presented 1000 Americans rise to their feet and suddenly dance the Macarena. It would bring a tear to the eye.
OH NO! I'd move imediately if that happened. Kimigayo is rather nice and I'd rather be forced to sing that twice a year than the Macarena! :D

More the fact it gets in EVERYWHERE. Seriously, I watch a game of baseball (I'm bored, even more bored than when cricket seems attractive) and some daft bint is always singing GOD BLESS AMERICA before the game.

I don't see the US as world police. When your own politicians say you are, you should either rebutt them fast or act like world police.

:( I hate to generalise people, so it's a bit difficult to say.

German tourist have an annoying habit of talking down to people from southern countries. May have to do with the fact that a large number of them came to Germany to work in the 60s, 70s and 80s and Germans are kind of "used" to percieve them as the people who do the dirty work, who don't have a full grasp of the language, who are a bit "dumb". Especially the Turks form a large minority in Germany; the largest, I would estimate.

Then again, Germans on the whole are not known for their politeness, they tend to be very direct to the point of being offensive to others, and rather agressive and blunt whenever it comes down to money. And for Germans, most things do come down to money. They paid for the holiday, they are paying for the food or whatever else it may have been they were buying from the locals, and they won't fool around there.

Actually, that is one of the things I particularly hate about Germans abroad. they travel to a country that they know is a whole lot poorer than their own country is, they come loaded with money, expect to be treated like kings and will still try to argue about prices with the locals. Not because they need to, but because they have the feeling that otherwise the locals would "take advantage of them" and might have the cheek to ask 50 cents more for the souvenir than they would ask from their countrymen...

Disgraceful behaviour, I think.

Hate to admit it but your right there, germans arent that polite, I had a german foreign exchange student living with me for a week a few years ago, hed shout at my mother jus for asking him if he was sure about somthin, it was like

mother: do u want more coke tom?
german:....no
mother: ok r u sure?
german: I AM SURE!

not that bein impolite is always a bad thing, sometimes i find the fact that most us brits r overpolite can be friggin annoying at times :(

I hate to generalise people, so it's a bit difficult to say.


This statement is out of phase with the rest of your post.

I hate to generalise people, so it's a bit difficult to say.

German tourist have an annoying habit of talking down to people from southern countries. May have to do with the fact that a large number of them came to Germany to work in the 60s, 70s and 80s and Germans are kind of "used" to percieve them as the people who do the dirty work, who don't have a full grasp of the language, who are a bit "dumb". Especially the Turks form a large minority in Germany; the largest, I would estimate.

Then again, Germans on the whole are not known for their politeness, they tend to be very direct to the point of being offensive to others, and rather agressive and blunt whenever it comes down to money. And for Germans, most things do come down to money. They paid for the holiday, they are paying for the food or whatever else it may have been they were buying from the locals, and they won't fool around there.

Actually, that is one of the things I particularly hate about Germans abroad. they travel to a country that they know is a whole lot poorer than their own country is, they come loaded with money, expect to be treated like kings and will still try to argue about prices with the locals. Not because they need to, but because they have the feeling that otherwise the locals would "take advantage of them" and might have the cheek to ask 50 cents more for the souvenir than they would ask from their countrymen...

Disgraceful behaviour, I think.

Thanks for the insight. I only saw a bit of them but came away feeling negative but I also thought I had seen so little of them that it wasn't fair to make a judgment based on it.
A lot of my family came from Germany (Prussia) before it became Germany. That means absolutely nothing these days and I claim no special affinity but it has always made me a little interested in Germany.
Kinda funny, my relatives that left Prussia did so to get away from serving in the Prussian military. They entered the US in 1858. . .two years later they were serving in the Confederate army. Whoops!

This statement is out of phase with the rest of your post.

Yeah but she did so to answer a question I had asked so she was just saying what I was asking her to do was out of character for her.

i am from canada, the country that hates the USA probaly the most. I would just like to know what the world thinks of canada.

And Your "britain" only refers to the backwards football loving lager drinkers and the spineless politicians. I my self am for a united europe

I am anti Europe and I am none of thsoe things. In fact a large majority of the country is anti Europe and are none of those things. In fact only the minority actually like the idea of the European Union - the usual minoirty of politically correct, wine swilling, soulless, incapable fools who think they can somehow seam together nations whose cultures have been moulded by hating their neighbours.

I congratulate the French and the Dutch for shoving those Euro-hippies back to Brussells where they will now collapse. I also congratulate the Labour government who (for once) are standing up for Britain's interests and valiantly defending our rebate, which the great and glorious Thatcher won us in the 1980s.

i am from canada, the country that hates the USA probaly the most. I would just like to know what the world thinks of canada.

Start a thread about it. Up toward the right corner there should be a forum tools thingy, use that and make a thread about what the world think o' Canada. :)

i am from canada, the country that hates the USA probaly the most. I would just like to know what the world thinks of canada.

I dont love nor hate canada, canadas jus too quiet n out of the way

The most unsingable anthem in the world. That must be why the world hates us. ;)
I'd like to say that the words of the USSR/Russia anthem can be sung quite well to the tune of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'. ;)

I'd like to say that the words of the USSR/Russia anthem can be sung quite well to the tune of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'. ;)

My mom, although not Russian, bursts into tears whenever she hears the Russian national anthem.

It is a rather stirring piece of music (most European anthems border on the bombastic).

:(

Hate to admit it but your right there, germans arent that polite, I had a german foreign exchange student living with me for a week a few years ago, hed shout at my mother jus for asking him if he was sure about somthin, it was like

mother: do u want more coke tom?
german:....no
mother: ok r u sure?
german: I AM SURE!

not that bein impolite is always a bad thing, sometimes i find the fact that most us brits r overpolite can be friggin annoying at times :(


See, that's what I meant about generalising. If this guy is the only German you ever met, please don't judge all Germans according to him.
I'm not saying that this was really impolite behaviour (the way you describe it, it would even have been regarded as impolite in Germany), but I'm saying that not all Germans are that way.
That's actually the reason why I avoid Germans abroad and will go to some length not to be recognised as German... I really don't feel that I should have to justify myself for their bad behaviour.

My mom, although not Russian, bursts into tears whenever she hears the Russian national anthem.

It is a rather stirring piece of music (most European anthems border on the bombastic).
I agree - after all, it was composed during World War II by our leading military music composer and conductor.

The Yeltsin government tried hard to find a replacement to it, and we had a different anthem for several years. However, the people didn't get accustomed to it, and Putin restored the anthem of 1944.

I don't know why
a) British people still seem to make a distinction between themselves and "the continent"
b) Britain feels it so important to damage the EU whenever possible. Don't you like the idea of enduring peace and a more influential Europe?
The chief foreign policy goal of the British government is the same as it has been for the past five-hundred years: A divided and weak continental Europe.

The chief foreign policy goal of the British government is the same as it has been for the past five-hundred years: A divided and weak continental Europe.

:) If it ain't broke don't fix it.

I could care less what people think of us.... and I think really the only reason most other countries hate us is because mostly just rich assholes go and visit other countries and when people visit here they go to New York and Chicago which arnt the most friendly places....

oh and yeah Germany didn't give us Hitler... Austria did :) He was born there... sure he rose to power in Germany but we should blame Austria instead :)

Interesting posts, to many people don’t do their own research and rely on media for their facts.

Fact one… Use a Dictionary … Conservative; Supportive of traditional values, moderate, cautious, tendency to resist change.

Tendency does not equal absolute… simple put if its not broke don’t fix it… improve it but use caution. But if its broke, fix it.

Nationalism: Culture and Nation are above the individual. Follow the logic… if you blow up the Nation… there is no individual.

Tradition: That is only established by free will… never dictated… don’t listen to the dictators who try and sell the hype that they can establish tradition. Think about what must happen in order for free will to happen, to be allowed to grow…. That is what it takes for tradition.

All these things support free will, Nationalism, Conservative, traditional, caution.. What does not support free will is lacking moral restraint, loose interpretations, anti-authoritarian, not bound by law,

The difference between America and other countries is simple. Take the elite out of world History and all you have is the tyranny the elite have inflicted upon the majority. Take the royalty out of Europe and what’s left is ugly. The war’s fought in the name of the King or the dictator, the children that served the royalty. As a culture, only the royalties children count… everyone else is expendable.

Take the elite out of America and what do we have… America… our history is about the 97%… the people… the elite are only a part of our history.

We did not build America, the oppressed of the world built America… so when hear about world opinion… what we really are seeing are the elite’s opinion… the 3%… while the 97% remain oppressed. Before people get smug and act in denial… remember this. America is 4% of the world’s population, Europe is 4%(excluding old Russia). So that is only 8% of the Worlds population, the richest… and if you feel oppressed… remember that 92% of the world lives beneath you.

Before you believe the media… know that most view themselves as modern day elite and you are expendable. Know that Capitalism is the only system that allows for mans greed. Like a pressure cooker, capitalism is the steel ball on top… all other systems just weld the lid shut and the only way to release the pressure is to blow the pot up. Capitalism… we have to find a new job now and then when things get corrupt. Socialism/Fascism/Communism/Dictatorship (all close cousins)….. you have to die when things get corrupt.

I find it easier to get a new job … but if you want your children to die so you don’t have to work… knock yourself out. Only a fool believes that a system can be free of corruption.

Before you knock America… remember this… it was your ancestors fleeing the tyranny of your nations that created this Nation… your ancestors that wanted to be free.

As a proud American, I can honestly say I wipe my ass with what the world thinks of us

As this thread about the world hating America obviously won't die in the next weeks, I just wanted to know why you people actually care what the world thinks about you or why you think the world should love you?

I'm from Germany, Germans know the world hates them. After all, they've given the world one of the worst dictators ever. They also gave the world people like Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Albrecht Duerer, Reiner Maria Rilke, ETA Hoffmann, Goethe, Schiller, Immanuel Kant, Hegel, Wernher von Braun and Albert Einstein. but the world tends to remember bad things more easily, so what the hell, learn to live with the hate.

France, for example, just couldn't care less if the world hates them or not. It just doesn't matter at all. I would be surprised if the French even knew that there are countries who don't consider them the greatest nation on earth, and even if there are some, hey, their loss.

Britain has been hated and admired by the world, they didn't change their behaviour one bit when faced with either. They enjoy being admired, I think, and they would consider this admiration earned. It is, to some extend. But if somebody doesn't like Britain, I guess the Brits would assume this to be jealousy of the fact that the haters aren't British themselves. What a pity, we can't all enjoy this privilege, the island just would be too small.

Australians... I honestly don't know. Then again, I don't know anybody who would go out of their ways to hate Australia. They're pretty inoffensive, aren't they?

So, why is it that Americans expect the rest of the world to love them and can't seem to cope if the rest of the world doesn't?


This is part of a amazingly hypocritical world-view common to many Americans that I have noted on many occassions. It relates to an intriguing about-face they manage to perform when looking at their country internally versus externally.

I dunno, perhaps it's a bit of a residual inferiority complex from the earlier part of the 20th century before they became a superpower, or perhaps it's just out of some deeply held need to feel loved, or perhaps it's out of some embarrassment when others poke a hole in the facade of their being "The Greatest Country in the World (tm)"

You can see it in instances like when those talentless tarts the Dixie Chicks opened their pie-holes a couple of years ago. The primary complaint wasn't that they were critical of the government - because they have that right. The whinefest exploded because they were critical of the President in front of a foreign audience. Excuse me, but what the fuck is the difference? In today's world of instant media their comments would have been on the news around the world in 15 minutes so who the fuck cares?


I dunno the root cause, but is apparent that this is a common sentiment. The same sort of people that will spew their own opinions of their country here on an International forum and to an international audience will complain about or dismiss the opinions of foreigners as being irrelevant. And people who will whine about the opposing political party to the extent of calling them traitors will defend the actions of their country while under that party's leadership as being consistent with the American ideal.


Does it make sense? No, not entirely.

But then again, people will insult a familly member in a way that they would refuse to accept by an outsider also, so we all have some elements of that double-standard.


American's just are more open in setting themselves up for that hypocricy as they play nasty partisan politics alongside the "my country right or wrong" mindset in perfect harmony.

e.g.) "Clinton was a fucking lying maroon who's cigar fetish caused all of the evils in the world that we now have to clean up..... but America was still the most perfect country in the world for that whole time"

huh?

Yeah - It makes no fucking sense at all, but it's what the attitude is.

As a proud American, I can honestly say I wipe my ass with what the world thinks of us


Try using paper.... it works better.

See, that's what I meant about generalising. If this guy is the only German you ever met, please don't judge all Germans according to him.
I'm not saying that this was really impolite behaviour (the way you describe it, it would even have been regarded as impolite in Germany), but I'm saying that not all Germans are that way.
That's actually the reason why I avoid Germans abroad and will go to some length not to be recognised as German... I really don't feel that I should have to justify myself for their bad behaviour.

sorry i didnt mean to generalise like that, but i have met many germans who are this impolite, i should have mentioned that in my last post i guess

edit: and for the record i never judge people by where theyre from

As a proud American, I can honestly say I wipe my ass with what the world thinks of us

That seems to have been American foreign policy in general for the past 60 years.

what i dont like is the lies.People like George Bush goin around wavin flags sayin they fight for freedom and all that.Did you know America has gone to war to destroy democracy before?in the Dominican Republic for example.Castro,for all his faults,was fighting a corrupt dictator in Cuba.And the reason sanctions were imposed on him was far from just or noble.it was because he was trying to save Cuba from becoming a colony of American companies,and when he expelled them the US didnt like it.at the end of the day,nations act mainly in their own interests,and rarely for a moral cause.now im not saying its just the americans,lots of countries do it,but it just makes me sick when i see Bush making himself out to be this great champion of liberty and so on.all that said,i think its stupid the way some people judge a people for their country's history.im Irish,and a lot of bad shite happened to my country because of the British Empire,but that dosnt mean i hate the English.the world might not be too happy with the American government but thats no reason to complain about the American people

what i dont like is the lies.People like George Bush goin around wavin flags sayin they fight for freedom and all that.Did you know America has gone to war to destroy democracy before?in the Dominican Republic for example.Castro,for all his faults,was fighting a corrupt dictator in Cuba.And the reason sanctions were imposed on him was far from just or noble.it was because he was trying to save Cuba from becoming a colony of American companies,and when he expelled them the US didnt like it.at the end of the day,nations act mainly in their own interests,and rarely for a moral cause.now im not saying its just the americans,lots of countries do it,but it just makes me sick when i see Bush making himself out to be this great champion of liberty and so on.all that said,i think its stupid the way some people judge a people for their country's history.im Irish,and a lot of bad shite happened to my country because of the British Empire,but that dosnt mean i hate the English.the world might not be too happy with the American government but thats no reason to complain about the American people


Wrong thread, I'm afraid. You might be looking for Why does the wolrd hate America? (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=409429)

Here, we are trying to find out why that question occupies Americans so much.

I think the world would be a much better place if everyone realized what a joke politics are. I think that the world should require every major politician from every country to once a year dress up as carnies and put on a circus for the world. Then we could air it on television and take all the money made and go cure AIDS or something humanitarian or whatever. Also, there should be two other events of all the major politicians. One where everyone has to say something nice about everyone else, and one where everyone has to make a joke at everyone elses expense.

By the way Im an American.

Ive been watching this forum and its been a real eye opener. What I see more than anything is not a hatred for Americans, but a general acceptance on alot of countries part for eachother. As to why we Americans need to be liked. I think we want to feel important. I have great respect for other countries, and what we have learned from them. In the end im just a laid back ks gal, and if we are not liked today, tomorrow is another day.

Ive been watching this forum and its been a real eye opener. What I see more than anything is not a hatred for Americans, but a general acceptance on alot of countries part for eachother. As to why we Americans need to be liked. I think we want to feel important. I have great respect for other countries, and what we have learned from them. In the end im just a laid back ks gal, and if we are not liked today, tomorrow is another day.

tomorrow may be another day but America would have to change significantly for the world to like you guys, for your dark history is a major factor in your reputation, now im not an anti-american but its obvious that most of the world hates and fears america for their opportunist way of thinking

what i dont like is the lies.People like George Bush goin around wavin flags sayin they fight for freedom and all that.Did you know America has gone to war to destroy democracy before?in the Dominican Republic for example.Castro,for all his faults,was fighting a corrupt dictator in Cuba.And the reason sanctions were imposed on him was far from just or noble.it was because he was trying to save Cuba from becoming a colony of American companies,and when he expelled them the US didnt like it.at the end of the day,nations act mainly in their own interests,and rarely for a moral cause.now im not saying its just the americans,lots of countries do it,but it just makes me sick when i see Bush making himself out to be this great champion of liberty and so on.all that said,i think its stupid the way some people judge a people for their country's history.im Irish,and a lot of bad shite happened to my country because of the British Empire,but that dosnt mean i hate the English.the world might not be too happy with the American government but thats no reason to complain about the American people

are you trying to say Cuba is a Democracy?

Is that why taxi drivers make thier cabs into boats so that they can flee Cuba? Is that why a mother dies trying to free her children to come to America? Quite an interesting take you have of what Democracy and freedom are.

are you trying to say Cuba is a Democracy?

Is that why taxi drivers make thier cabs into boats so that they can flee Cuba? Is that why a mother dies trying to free her children to come to America? Quite an interesting take you have of what Democracy and freedom are.

dude hes saying that America has a long history of forcing 3rd world countries into economic slavery in the name of so called "freedom", 1st the american declared war on spain claiming to be helping its colonies (like cuba) claim independance, as soon as spain let go of those colonies the americans took over

are you trying to say Cuba is a Democracy?

Is that why taxi drivers make thier cabs into boats so that they can flee Cuba? Is that why a mother dies trying to free her children to come to America? Quite an interesting take you have of what Democracy and freedom are.

Sorry to ruin this shiny image, but has it ever occured to you that many picture the USA a lot better than it actually is?

My uncle studied in St. Petersburg in 1992. One of the things he noticed of course was how enthusiastic the Russians were about the west in general and Germany in particular. Everything would be possible there, this country doesn't have to rid itself of the old communist corruption, people are free, the country is rich, nobody goes hungry, the buildings are beautiful, everybody is living in (comparative) luxury, they have shiny cars and central heating, they can buy the most exotic fruits in the shops, their clothes are so much better, they don't have to queue for hours to buy lightbulbs or fresh salad, the streets are clean, they have central heating and electricity everywhere, the (then) German Mark is hard currency other than the Rubel, they can go on holidays whereever they want....

My uncle tried to caution some of the people he spoke to, telling them that not everything is like that in the west. He tried to tell them about unemployment, about homelessness, about hard work for hard money, but their reaction was normally on the lines of "There really is no pleasing some people, he's from the west, he had all that from childhood on, and he's still not happy"

Now, I'm not saying that living in Germany at that time wasn't better than living in Russia. All I'm saying is, the grass is always greener on the other side, if people see a place as their "promissed land" they will try everything to get there. But in the end their reaction might be like the reaction of many East Germans "If we had known it was going to be like this, we would have stayed where we were"

Funny... I just had a look at this "Worst bit of Anti-Americanism ever" thread.
Isn't it curious how there is such a word as Anti-Americanism, but no word like Anti-Frenchism or Anti-Italianism?

Why do people who object some factors about America get an -ism, whereas people pouring French wine down the drains in protest of French politics don't get anything, not even the wine they paid for?

I like this thread very much. As with all ideologies, why do we really care what others think? As long as we stick to our guns and act out of the beliefs we espouse and support, what have we to fear from others?

Get to acting 'em out and we'll admire. Unless you mean the ideals of your rulers which cme down to 'get rich and keep the proles in their place'.

So, the people in these two other threads (and in that flag-burning one the other day) are basically all Europeans and Asians wondering why they hate America?

:confused: :confused: :confused:

You can see it in instances like when those talentless tarts the Dixie Chicks opened their pie-holes a couple of years ago. The primary complaint wasn't that they were critical of the government - because they have that right. The whinefest exploded because they were critical of the President in front of a foreign audience. Excuse me, but what the fuck is the difference? In today's world of instant media their comments would have been on the news around the world in 15 minutes so who the fuck cares?

Maybe Americans assume that foreign media are like their own. Whenever I go there, I'm always amazed by how little news coverage is about countries other than the USA, be it in newspapers or on the tv news. They probably assume that, since they don't hear anything from overseas, the people overseas hear very little about them

And in the case of the Dixie Chicks, they'd probably have been right. If those dumb broads had made their comments in, say, Chicago, the rest of the world would have little noted their words.

I like your family analogy. You know how parents, when talking to their kids, put a big emphasis on presenting a "united front?" It's probably like that when talking about your country. You can criticize all you like in-country, but don't go badmouthing your homeland when you're visiting someplace else.

Maybe Americans assume that foreign media are like their own. Whenever I go there, I'm always amazed by how little news coverage is about countries other than the USA, be it in newspapers or on the tv news. They probably assume that, since they don't hear anything from overseas, the people overseas hear very little about them

And in the case of the Dixie Chicks, they'd probably have been right. If those dumb broads had made their comments in, say, Chicago, the rest of the world would have little noted their words.

I like your family analogy. You know how parents, when talking to their kids, put a big emphasis on presenting a "united front?" It's probably like that when talking about your country. You can criticize all you like in-country, but don't go badmouthing your homeland when you're visiting someplace else.


I don't know. I mean, Americans have a reputation for being ill informed concerning world events- but a lot of that comes from not playing Football right. Hardly any of them even know when the world cup game is, and those few that do watch Never get emotional or riot or anything.


They miss out on these kind of interactions. They think they are being singled out (because they don't realize that the French hate everyone).

They also have been told by their own media that this is a new thing. They think that everyone loved America until 9-11 and that everyone hates it now. They think that the world hates Americans because they elected George W.

It's hard to explain to anyone that it was always that way. You are just better informed now.

American's aren't concerned about what the world thinks, the liberals in the nation are. Those simple-minded conformists know nothing. They're the ones that care, and suprise, suprise, they're the ones that are pretty much ruinning our country. The conservatives, don't give a rat's ass what the world thinks. My friends and I, we all think the rest of the world can beat the crap out of themselves, cause they don't really influence us. Bottom line, listening to other people on important decisions is a bad idea, that's why the conservatives don't really give a care.

Naw, an American living overseas and getting a full dose of the hatred of the US every week could be very prone to wanting isolationism again. You wouldn't believe the people I have met over here. Or, maybe you would.
Really? I thought Japan was one of the more pro-American countries around.

American's aren't concerned about what the world thinks, the liberals in the nation are. Those simple-minded conformists know nothing. They're the ones that care, and suprise, suprise, they're the ones that are pretty much ruinning our country.
Erm, one thing wrong with that...
I don't remember many liberal blathering on and on about how the world hates the USA. Maybe it's just where I live, but to me it seems like it's more of the conservative, patriotic sorts that are always talking about anti-americanism.

Oh, and thanks for insulting liberals too, we lefties appreciate your attention. But maybe next time, a logical argument instead? Please?

They also have been told by their own media that this is a new thing. They think that everyone loved America until 9-11 and that everyone hates it now. They think that the world hates Americans because they elected George W.

Does anyone actually believe that? When we on the Right hear that GWB has single-handedly made people hate the US, or has "squandered" some tremendous reservoir of goodwill that had been built up during the Clinton years and just after Sept 11, the accusation usually comes from liberals. Either our liberals are very stupid, or they are willing to seize upon any weapon to further their factional cause. I'm not sure which is worse.


I don't remember many liberal blathering on and on about how the world hates the USA.


Most of the above is still applicable.

I don't know. I mean, Americans have a reputation for being ill informed concerning world events- but a lot of that comes from not playing Football right. Hardly any of them even know when the world cup game is, and those few that do watch Never get emotional or riot or anything.


What was that about being ill informed?

Why does football have anything to do with world events. Football or as we say Soccer really never caught on here. I am actually a pretty damn good fullback and goal tender but the game is kind of "meh" to me. I like playing it but it doesn't dominate my life.

As to rioting? Well it does happen but it doesn't make the world press.

Come to a Cubs baseball game and you will find the people you like ;)


They miss out on these kind of interactions. They think they are being singled out (because they don't realize that the French hate everyone).


The French don't hate everybody. It's the Parisians. I have been to France and found the average person quite pleasant. Even tossed out friendly insults at the fact I can't eat cheese. If they hated us so much why not take the opportunity to make one of them very sick?


They also have been told by their own media that this is a new thing. They think that everyone loved America until 9-11 and that everyone hates it now. They think that the world hates Americans because they elected George W.

Actually no we don't. Everybody stood with us on 9/11. How many countries offered troops when we said we were going to hit Afghanistan?

About the only person really hated is the shrub. As a French coworker said, "As long as you don't look like GWB; you don't have much to worry about."


It's hard to explain to anyone that it was always that way. You are just better informed now.
Well all I can say is that there are more informed Americans then you think.

When we on the Right hear that GWB has single-handedly made people hate the US, or has "squandered" some tremendous reservoir of goodwill that had been built up during the Clinton years and just after Sept 11, the accusation usually comes from liberals.

It is kinda true though. After 11.09.2001 the entire world, exceptions in Palestine and Afghanistan and maybe a few other places, was on your side. Most nations on this planet have experienced terrorism at some point, and they could feel for you in what happened.
(The first thing I said when I saw it on TV - This is true, no bullshit: "I hope George W. doesn't do anything stupid now.")
There were voices from somewhere saying that this may now be the "wounded giant" ready to stomp all over the world in its' pain, but no one listened at first.
And then came the whole talk of "evil". That's actually what shocked me more than anything. I thought they shouldn't have attacked Afghanistan immediatly, it smelled a lot like plain revenge to me, but the UN okayed it and so I accepted it.
But this rhetoric of good vs evil, of "with us or against us" (that was the time I said "I guess I'm with the terrorists then... :rolleyes: ") sounded too much like Europe of a hundred years ago for me to find it funny.
Maybe the liberals in the US just have kept more of a connection with the rest of the world than the Republicans, and that's why they have seen these things happen, rather than the Right.

Does anyone actually believe that? When we on the Right hear that GWB has single-handedly made people hate the US, or has "squandered" some tremendous reservoir of goodwill that had been built up during the Clinton years and just after Sept 11, the accusation usually comes from liberals. Either our liberals are very stupid, or they are willing to seize upon any weapon to further their factional cause. I'm not sure which is worse.

GWB is not a liked man in parts of the world. The old soviet countries like him but our traditional allies? Not really.

GWB was fine through Afghanistan. If he was a talented statesman, he had a chance to have much of the world eating out of his hand. All that went away with Iraq.

As to this:

Either our liberals are very stupid, or they are willing to seize upon any weapon to further their factional cause. I'm not sure which is worse.

You get a :rolleyes: as the conservatives have their own "fractional" causes.

So, why is it that Americans expect the rest of the world to love them and can't seem to cope if the rest of the world doesn't?
Three words... World Trade Center
Americans, just like everyone else, don't like being attacked. The difference is that by and large no one hates the US because of racial or religious issues. Even the muslims don't hate us because we're "infadels" that's just the crap they feed to their flunkies. They hate us for economic reasons. Therefore because this hate doesn't go back centuries to the time when some dork killed another tribe's matriarch, it's possible for that hatred to be reversed and thus cesing the attack against our civilians. (In fact the only people that have cause to hate us for cultural or racial reasons live contentedly within our borders...)

Personally I couldn't give a sh*t what the rest of the world thinks of us......well I'm not so cynical about it generally, must be my borderline-isolationist foriegn policy acting up again

-snip-
So you're saying we're all just jealous?
:rolleyes:

Jealous or ungrateful/spiteful. These are the two explanations I've heard so many times...

Honestly, is there really sombody out there who thinks that other countries want to be like the US?
Or that other countries hate you just out of spite, because your country is so much better?

That's so... egocentric and uninformed, somehow.

I don't know why


b) Britain feels it so important to damage the EU whenever possible. Don't you like the idea of enduring peace and a more influential Europe?


I think the answer is:

Sir Humphrey Appleby: Minister, Britain has had the same foreign policy objective for at least the last 500 years: to create a disunited Europe. In that cause we have fought with the Dutch against the Spanish, with the Germans against the French, with the French and Italians against the Germans, and with the French against the Germans and Italians. Divide and rule, you see. Why should we change now when it's worked so well?

James Hacker: That's all ancient history, surely.

Sir Humphrey Appleby: Yes, and current policy. We had to break the whole thing up, so we had to get inside. We tried to break it up from the outside, but that wouldn't work. Now that we're inside we can make a complete pig's breakfast of the whole thing: set the Germans against the French, the French against the Italians, the Italians against the Dutch. The Foreign Office is terribly pleased, it's just like old times.

James Hacker: But if that's true, why is the foreign office pushing for higher membership?

Sir Humphrey Appleby: I'd have thought that was obvious. The more members an organization has, the more arguments it can stir up. The more futile and impotent it becomes.

James Hacker: What appalling cynicism.

Sir Humphrey Appleby: We call it diplomacy, Minister.

I think the answer is:<snip>

I'm not an authority on hat field, I doubt that that approach would work.
I think he's greatly overestimating British influence on the EU. The concept he described did work very well in the past, but it ended up costing Britain almost as much as the rest of Europe in 2 world wars.

What I find kind of funny is how America seems intent on copying this kind of diplomcay and puppet-warfare and how it keeps blowing up in their faces...

[QUOTE=Cabra West]I'm not an authority on hat field, I doubt that that approach would work.
I think he's greatly overestimating British influence on the EU. The concept he described did work very well in the past, but it ended up costing Britain almost as much as the rest of Europe in 2 world wars.
QUOTE]

Well, its an extract from a Comedy progam - a very good politically satirical one, as well - so its not going to be completely accurate. But it kinda makes sense... :)

Well, its an extract from a Comedy progam - a very good politically satirical one, as well - so its not going to be completely accurate. But it kinda makes sense... :)

:D you got me there... and, yes, it does. It would explain a lot of actions of the British government regarding the EU recently

As this thread about the world hating America obviously won't die in the next weeks, I just wanted to know why you people actually care what the world thinks about you or why you think the world should love you?

I'm from Germany, Germans know the world hates them. After all, they've given the world one of the worst dictators ever. They also gave the world people like Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Albrecht Duerer, Reiner Maria Rilke, ETA Hoffmann, Goethe, Schiller, Immanuel Kant, Hegel, Wernher von Braun and Albert Einstein. but the world tends to remember bad things more easily, so what the hell, learn to live with the hate.

France, for example, just couldn't care less if the world hates them or not. It just doesn't matter at all. I would be surprised if the French even knew that there are countries who don't consider them the greatest nation on earth, and even if there are some, hey, their loss.

Britain has been hated and admired by the world, they didn't change their behaviour one bit when faced with either. They enjoy being admired, I think, and they would consider this admiration earned. It is, to some extend. But if somebody doesn't like Britain, I guess the Brits would assume this to be jealousy of the fact that the haters aren't British themselves. What a pity, we can't all enjoy this privilege, the island just would be too small.

Australians... I honestly don't know. Then again, I don't know anybody who would go out of their ways to hate Australia. They're pretty inoffensive, aren't they?

So, why is it that Americans expect the rest of the world to love them and can't seem to cope if the rest of the world doesn't?


when you pose a question such as this, you will never get just one answer, I as an american would know, that it is unfair for one person to represent a whole nation(excluding those who have been voted my the masses into position to do so) those who sit and watch a country from another country does not know how that country works, not all americans want to be liked, not all americans hate every one, the fact of the mater is America was founded on the principle of free speech and because of that principle we all say different things. Now if one were to visit our country, and ONLY visit one side it would be like reading a book where every other word was missing. people change from town to town, city to city, and state to state, every one of my bretheren is different in their own way, that is what makes america, america, difference. Now to answer your question how would you like it if a neighbor moved in and you tried in all your power to make him happy in his new home, you give him presents, you invite him over, everything in your power, and he still hates you and his new house. wouldn't it make you kind of aggrivated that you put all this time, money, and effort into making someone happy and they still don't? that how I feel atleast, we put tax payers money, our fine young soldiers into other countrys to help them with their problems and they still hate us, now I don't mind being hated, but atleast they could insome way repay us, such as gratatude, or friendship. and 2 last things
A) I admire the german culture and am on summer vacation in Germany as I write this
B) The french really do suck (no offense) I was visiting Metz the other day and me and my parents were sitting in our car when some guy started throwing lighters at us, I think he may have been drunk...

when you pose a question such as this, you will never get just one answer, I as an american would know, that it is unfair for one person to represent a whole nation(excluding those who have been voted my the masses into position to do so) those who sit and watch a country from another country does not know how that country works, not all americans want to be liked, not all americans hate every one, the fact of the mater is America was founded on the principle of free speech and because of that principle we all say different things. Now if one were to visit our country, and ONLY visit one side it would be like reading a book where every other word was missing. people change from town to town, city to city, and state to state, every one of my bretheren is different in their own way, that is what makes america, america, difference. Now to answer your question how would you like it if a neighbor moved in and you tried in all your power to make him happy in his new home, you give him presents, you invite him over, everything in your power, and he still hates you and his new house. wouldn't it make you kind of aggrivated that you put all this time, money, and effort into making someone happy and they still don't? that how I feel atleast, we put tax payers money, our fine young soldiers into other countrys to help them with their problems and they still hate us, now I don't mind being hated, but atleast they could insome way repay us, such as gratatude, or friendship. and 2 last things
A) I admire the german culture and am on summer vacation in Germany as I write this
B) The french really do suck (no offense) I was visiting Metz the other day and me and my parents were sitting in our car when some guy started throwing lighters at us, I think he may have been drunk...

First, if I was that neighbour and had somebody droping by all the time and give unwanted and unasked presents, a well-meaning meddler, I would start to hate him after a while, wouldn't you? Such a person really is annoying, like Ned Flanders, only more aggressive, I would imagine.
If you give something, you don't ask for anything in return, otherwise it's not called giving but trading. And it doesn't go down well if you force things on others and then ask them to pay you back in any way.

Not that I would generally percieve the USA that way, it's just a bit of advise for dealing with neighbours.

Secondly, you judge an entire country by one drunk guy, after all this lecture how people are individuals and different everywhere?

Now to answer your question how would you like it if a neighbor moved in and you tried in all your power to make him happy in his new home, you give him presents, you invite him over, everything in your power, and he still hates you and his new house. wouldn't it make you kind of aggrivated that you put all this time, money, and effort into making someone happy and they still don't? that how I feel atleast, we put tax payers money, our fine young soldiers into other countrys to help them with their problems and they still hate us, now I don't mind being hated, but atleast they could insome way repay us, such as gratatude, or friendship.

Oh, please. Tell me you're not really so ignorant that you know nothing of all the harm the US has done throughout the world, toppling democracies and propping up, installing and funding pro-American dictatorships. Millions and millions of people have suffered as a direct consequence of cynical, hypocritical US foreign policy, and many have died, while public opinion in the US turned a blind eye and went on clinging to simplistic, manichean nationalism that painted them as the can't-go-wrong "good guys". It's that ignorance which is appalling more than anything else. It's sickening.

Having said that, anyone with an ounce of decency in them is grateful for the good things the US has done. Just stop seeing the world in black and white.


B) The french really do suck (no offense) I was visiting Metz the other day and me and my parents were sitting in our car when some guy started throwing lighters at us, I think he may have been drunk...

Right. And you don't feel you're contradicting yourself here? Do all 62 million French go around chucking lighters at people as a national hobby? Newsflash: I don't. Your comment is absurd.

I don't know why
a) British people still seem to make a distinction between themselves and "the continent"
b) Britain feels it so important to damage the EU whenever possible. Don't you like the idea of enduring peace and a more influential Europe?
------------------
But I reckon the reason the US-ians get so offended is their absolutist education.
They are being taught from the first day of school that their country is kind of like the final stage of political evolution. Like all of history has only worked to form them. I find that a really naive and dangerous way of looking at things.
Not everyone is as much of a relativist as I am, but at least in politics it would help to acknowledge that other views and other ways of life are just as valid as theirs is.

Way to generalise about us Brits!

Now if one were to visit our country, and ONLY visit one side it would be like reading a book where every other word was missing.

B) The french really do suck (no offense) I was visiting Metz the other day and me and my parents were sitting in our car when some guy started throwing lighters at us, I think he may have been drunk...
I admire the irony of these two phrases...

The question is, "why are Americans so concerned with what the world thinks about them?"
That's actually the problem. They're not concerned at all, to the point where they are just plain ignorant of the rest of the world. Americans are taught from a young age of the "importance" of their country. Things like, " if it weren't for us, we'd all be swearing allegiance to hitler right now."
I live in Canada, less than an hour by car from the border. I've seen my share of American society, and I can say I'm happy I'm not American.
I like all countries of the world. I like Germany, in spite of the whole WW2 thing. I like Britain, even though they often neglect my country, their largest former colony.
Canada has had 2 wars with America. One in 1776, and one in 1812. The one in 1776 was a bit iffy, but in 1812 was completely un-caled for. American troops came to Canada, got drunk, and were actually pushed back to virginia within the year. We signed a treaty, pretty much saying the whole thing was just a "misunderstanding", and we all lived happily ever after.
What's my point? Americans are too busy to care about the world around them because they're stuck dreaming the "american dream". The difference being, the rest of us are awake.

The question is, "why are Americans so concerned with what the world thinks about them?"
That's actually the problem. They're not concerned at all, to the point where they are just plain ignorant of the rest of the world. Americans are taught from a young age of the "importance" of their country. Things like, " if it weren't for us, we'd all be swearing allegiance to hitler right now."
I live in Canada, less than an hour by car from the border. I've seen my share of American society, and I can say I'm happy I'm not American.
I like all countries of the world. I like Germany, in spite of the whole WW2 thing. I like Britain, even though they often neglect my country, their largest former colony.
Canada has had 2 wars with America. One in 1776, and one in 1812. The one in 1776 was a bit iffy, but in 1812 was completely un-caled for. American troops came to Canada, got drunk, and were actually pushed back to virginia within the year. We signed a treaty, pretty much saying the whole thing was just a "misunderstanding", and we all lived happily ever after.
What's my point? Americans are too busy to care about the world around them because they're stuck dreaming the "american dream". The difference being, the rest of us are awake.

Still, they must know that the rest of the world has one or two issues with them, otherwise why would they keep whining about it?

Why do U.S. citizens care about the rest of the world? Perhaps it is because of our international ties. I went to public high school in the most conservative area of my state, a rural area, with a school population of nearly a thousand people. Every year two to five foreign exchange students attended my school at anyone time. A sizable chunk of our population can directly trace our ancestors back to our original countries. As I walk down the hallway of the dorms of my public university, every second person is either an immigrant, or first generation American. Many of my friends have most of their extended families still living oversees. Eleven million (according to NPR, which was citing the Pew Report) foreign nationals are living here illegally. A large number of my cousins are adopted from oversees, and most of my relatives have at one time worked oversees. We are still actively a nation of immigrants, with ties to the world, despite our intellectual wish to be independent and self-reliant.

In general I don’t think that we really care about how the rest of the world views us, as long as they leave us alone and for the most part play nice. When they don’t, when they burn our flags, protest our president, we are displeased, exploit it for our own personal political agendas, but for the most part ignore it. However, when foreigners hijack our aircraft and directly attack civilians, we, as a people, care. Even if said attacks occurred thousands of miles away from us personally, we more likely than not, have relatives who barely escaped with their lives.

We care because of our ties historically and actively to other countries. We care because we spend billions on aid, and often fail to see what it is buying us. Foreign policy wise, we hope to spread freedom and capitalism as a way to alleviate suffering (I will be the first to admit it doesn’t always work), yet we are not omniscient, nor are we all powerful, so we are forced into moral dilemmas where not choosing is effectively making a choice. We don’t always make the right one (*gasp*), but we make one never the less.

We want the fairy tale ending, with happy, intelligent, wealthy, people world wide living with an ever increasing standard of living, with dignity and freedom. In short we want it all, and we believe that everyone else should be able to have it too (well that is the capitalist theory that they teach in into economics).


How is that for a partriotic rant? Tear apart as you will.

Way to generalise about us Brits!
Hey I already did apologise! Please read on, I thought I made peace with the empire again... :p

We want the fairy tale ending, with happy, intelligent, wealthy, people world wide living with an ever increasing standard of living, with dignity and freedom. In short we want it all, and we believe that everyone else should be able to have it too (well that is the capitalist theory that they teach in into economics).


How is that for a partriotic rant? Tear apart as you will.

Only one thing to say about that. What you want is hardly what you get. Its a bit like wishing for stuff by tossing a coin into a well and hoping a million dollars will plop into your lap.

In general I don’t think that we really care about how the rest of the world views us, as long as they leave us alone and for the most part play nice. When they don’t, when they burn our flags, protest our president, we are displeased, exploit it for our own personal political agendas, but for the most part ignore it. However, when foreigners hijack our aircraft and directly attack civilians, we, as a people, care. Even if said attacks occurred thousands of miles away from us personally, we more likely than not, have relatives who barely escaped with their lives.

So, you're saying you are ignoring the problems the rest of the world may or may not have with you until they start attacking and killing you? Hmm...


We want the fairy tale ending, with happy, intelligent, wealthy, people world wide living with an ever increasing standard of living, with dignity and freedom. In short we want it all, and we believe that everyone else should be able to have it too (well that is the capitalist theory that they teach in into economics).


How is that for a partriotic rant? Tear apart as you will.

I can accept that this is what you want, I can even accept that this would be what the majority of the American population wants. However, it doesn't really seems to be what your government wants, at least not judging by its actions both politically and economically.
Spending billions in Forgein Aid is commendable, but most 1st world nations do that.
And while, yes, you should be able to have it all, not everybody else should be, too. Otherwise the US wouldn't bully small developing countries into dropping their custom fees on US goods, while at the same time raising insanely high customs on everything imported into the US... Capitalism isn't about "everybody should be able to have it" it's about "I should be able to force everybody to buy mine"

Jealous or ungrateful/spiteful. These are the two explanations I've heard so many times...

Honestly, is there really sombody out there who thinks that other countries want to be like the US?
Or that other countries hate you just out of spite, because your country is so much better?

That's so... egocentric and uninformed, somehow.

Yes, I'm sorry to say that a lot of people in this country DO believe that. We're force fed that viewpoint in history classes in public schools.

Yes, I'm sorry to say that a lot of people in this country DO believe that. We're force fed that viewpoint in history classes in public schools.

I think what the USA urgently needs, on a large scale, is contact with the outside world...

So, why is it that Americans expect the rest of the world to love them and can't seem to cope if the rest of the world doesn't?

It gives me clearer reason why we should go back to partial-isolationalism. Second, this is a nation driven by capitalism. And a bad image rep can be bad for business. At least that is my theory.

It gives me clearer reason why we should go back to partial-isolationalism. Second, this is a nation driven by capitalism. And a bad image rep can be bad for business. At least that is my theory.

So you're afraid of losses in revenue if not everybody buys into your worldwide image-campaign? :eek:

Forgive me for not being too excited about Churchill. He seemed to have a fairly deeply rooted hate of everything German for most of his life, and seemingly didn't feel bad about bombing German Civilians, or getting American civilians sunk on the Lusitania.


Conveniantly forgetting of course, that Hitler seemingly didn't feel bad about bombing British Civillians (There are relatives I shall never know because of The Blitz), French Civillians, Polish Civillians, Dutch Civillians, Belgian Civillians, Norweigen Civillians, Soviet Civillians, Czechslovakian civillians, Greek Civillians, Balkans Civillians....or placing civillians in Gas Chambers whilst invading Austria, Poland, Czechslovakia (Now Czech Republic and Slovakia), France, Holland, Belgium, Norway, The Soviet Union, Greece, The Balkans.

Forgive me for not being too excited about Hitler. He seemed to have a deeply rooted hate of everything non-aryan or 'true German'.

I've noticed of late that some Germans have a growing tendenacy to bemoan the fact that their cities were bombed in WW2, making Churchill and Eisenhower to be war criminals.

Forgetting that your Army tried to conquer Europe and Eurasia are we, whilst bombing cities?

You receive what you dish out, what goes around, comes around.

You don't like it? Look into your own history.

I'm sure you will rant on about how the British were the aggressors and moan about Dresden.

The Germans were not? Trying to conquer half the world?

You say Dresden and Berlin and other German cities.

I say London, Coventry, and other British cities.

Oh and Churchill did not care for Germans because Germany was a main player in WW1, and used gas on British troops, and were the first to use gas in the WW1.

"Why are americans so concerned about what the world thinks about them?"

I think that what shocks more America is that they try to instaure democracy everywhere, and many people don't accept it.

take their ridiculous lack of envirionmental laws. Bush won't consider anyone but American buissness until every factory office and cattle ranch stolen from the rain forest is incinerated by global warming. And then he'll blame some oil rich middle eastern country, and get my idiot primeminster to sort it out for him (Blair). Thank god this is his second term!

lol bush is a bit obsessed with the middle east at the moment, jsut as long as he stays out of Libya, I'm not too bothered. I just hate they way everyone in the US hates the french cos they stood up to them

They say they're cowards but to me it takes more courage to stand up to a bully than to meekly go along with them and do something you dont beleive in

Viva la France lol

lol bush is a bit obsessed with the middle east at the moment, jsut as long as he stays out of Libya, I'm not too bothered. I just hate they way everyone in the US hates the french cos they stood up to them

They say they're cowards but to me it takes more courage to stand up to a bully than to meekly go along with them and do something you dont beleive in

Viva la France lol

That's why we kicked out that bul****t of Aznar out of Spain. HAHA! He got exiled!!

<snip>

I think you will be hard put to find one single other nation on this planet who is half as self-aware about its past as Germany is. But amidst all the apoligising and all the trying-to-make-up-for-it, which has now entered the 4th generation after the end of the war (that is to say people who were born after Hitler was dead), I think it is fair to point out that Germany, too, was traumatised by the war.

I think it's very simple really. Most Americans are basically nice people and nice people tend to care about what others think.

And before I get blasted, please note that I said "most", not "all" - there are obviously numerous exceptions :)

I think it's very simple really. Most Americans are basically nice people and nice people tend to care about what others think.

And before I get blasted, please note that I said "most", not "all" - there are obviously numerous exceptions :)

Which are called "Pro-Iraq war". :D

I think it's very simple really. Most Americans are basically nice people and nice people tend to care about what others think.

And before I get blasted, please note that I said "most", not "all" - there are obviously numerous exceptions :)

Well, most Americans I met are nice people.
I've never known another country where there was such a huge discrepancy between the general attitude of the people and the general attitude of government. Unfortunately, the rest of the world tends to see only the government actions...

"Why are Americans so concerned about what the world thinks about them?"

I suspect that, as America matures as a world power, this is going to be less and less of a problem. The unfortunate downside of being less and less concerned about what people in other countries think about us is that we will decide more and more often to act purely in our own self-interest, with little or no consideration for what's best for everyone involved.

Unfortunately, the rest of the world tends to see only the government actions...

Because are those which affect the rest of the world. BTW, are the americans who choose their government.

"Why are Americans so concerned about what the world thinks about them?"

I suspect that, as America matures as a world power, this is going to be less and less of a problem. The unfortunate downside of being less and less concerned about what people in other countries think about us is that we will decide more and more often to act purely in our own self-interest, with little or no consideration for what's best for everyone involved.

Oh, ouch, I'm SO biting my tongue at the moment... musn't say that....

Well, most Americans I met are nice people.
I've never known another country where there was such a huge discrepancy between the general attitude of the people and the general attitude of government. Unfortunately, the rest of the world tends to see only the government actions...


That one I can explain actually. The problem is that in order to get the number of votes to be elected to a Federal office, one needs to spend millions of dollars on advertising to reach the voters and be a recognised name. Most of us don't have that kind of money so we are forced to choose between (usually) 2 candidates. The problem is that those candidates are by necessity from filthy rich privileged families and they know very little about how the average person lives or what they want. Bush once referred to the "average" american family as having a household income of $100,000 per year - and that's actually double the true figure.

I think you will be hard put to find one single other nation on this planet who is half as self-aware about its past as Germany is. But amidst all the apoligising and all the trying-to-make-up-for-it, which has now entered the 4th generation after the end of the war (that is to say people who were born after Hitler was dead), I think it is fair to point out that Germany, too, was traumatised by the war.


During WWII, how many German citizens were actually aware of the Nazi's final solution? I'm under the impression that the vast majority of the average German people didnt know the awful truth. Believing this, I never held WWII against the average German. I dont see Germans today and think "Nazi".
And yes, I'm well aware at how traumatized the German citizens were by the war. Conditions leading up to it, the war itself and then the aftermath must have taken a tremendous toll on the German citizen.

Maybe, as a German, with ancestors that lived through it, you could shed a little more light on this.

I think it has something to do with the fact that internally we are so devided between political parties, so we wonder what outsiders think so we can say 'haha! you're wrong!' to which ever one we oppose.

Then again there are a FEW people that like to take the ideas of others (outsiders) and evalutate them in order to better understand/improve our own country.

During WWII, how many German citizens were actually aware of the Nazi's final solution? I'm under the impression that the vast majority of the average German people didnt know the awful truth. Believing this, I never held WWII against the average German. I dont see Germans today and think "Nazi".
And yes, I'm well aware at how traumatized the German citizens were by the war. Conditions leading up to it, the war itself and then the aftermath must have taken a tremendous toll on the German citizen.

Maybe, as a German, with ancestors that lived through it, you could shed a little more light on this.

It's a complex topic, and a large number of people have tried to find answers to those moral questions, without much success.

It is true that most Germans really didn't know what artrocities were being committed in their country and in their name. It's not as if those pictures of inmates of concentration camps could be seen on the newsreel, on the contrary. The propaganda machinery that was at work during the 3rd Reich is almost unparalleled, even to this day. The party penetrated every aspect of life, private, professional and social.

"We didn't know what was going on, nobody told us, nobody saw a thing"
That's what I would get ot hear over and over again when asking my granparents and great-grandparents about this time. And although that is true, the fact is also that few people ever asked, or even dared to criticise the regime. Some people got information on what was really happening, and tried to spread it. But most of them were caught and executed.

That's why it is so very hard to place the blame... people didn't know. But they didn't want to know. They wanted this feeling of belonging, of being good patriots, of community that the NSDAP provided. And therefore, they closed their eyes to what was going on around them.


I know that I risk being flamed for what I'm going to say now, but from what I gather on the news, from friends and on this forum, the situation in Germany did have parallels to the situation in the US today. The big difference is that the world is watching the US closely, so whatever happens, I hope we won't be as surprised by it as most countries must have been when turning around and finding Hitler invading Poland... under the same pretext that Bush used for invading Iraq.

Bush once referred to the "average" american family as having a household income of $100,000 per year - and that's actually double the true figure.

Silly man. In his world view and of the people that concern him; that is probably the correct figure. ;)

Why are Americans so concerned about what the world thinks about them?
Actually I am much more annoyed when a (usually right-wing, pro-interventionist) American says "I don't give a damn what the rest of the world thinks of us" - and I hear that sadly often.

Actually I am much more annoyed when a (usually right-wing, pro-interventionist) American says "I don't give a damn what the rest of the world thinks of us" - and I hear that sadly often.

I wouldn't be bothered by that half as much if it wasn't always followed by something like "If they don't do what we want, we'll bomb them back to the stone-age"...

It is true that most Germans really didn't know what artrocities were being committed in their country and in their name. It's not as if those pictures of inmates of concentration camps could be seen on the newsreel, on the contrary. The propaganda machinery that was at work during the 3rd Reich is almost unparalleled, even to this day. The party penetrated every aspect of life, private, professional and social.

"We didn't know what was going on, nobody told us, nobody saw a thing"
That's what I would get ot hear over and over again when asking my granparents and great-grandparents about this time. And although that is true, the fact is also that few people ever asked, or even dared to criticise the regime. Some people got information on what was really happening, and tried to spread it. But most of them were caught and executed.

That's why it is so very hard to place the blame... people didn't know. But they didn't want to know. They wanted this feeling of belonging, of being good patriots, of community that the NSDAP provided. And therefore, they closed their eyes to what was going on around them.


I know that I risk being flamed for what I'm going to say now, but from what I gather on the news, from friends and on this forum, the situation in Germany did have parallels to the situation in the US today. The big difference is that the world is watching the US closely, so whatever happens, I hope we won't be as surprised by it as most countries must have been when turning around and finding Hitler invading Poland... under the same pretext that Bush used for invading Iraq.

I had a feeling that was the case. I have friends that were Marines/Army in Europe and didnt know about it till they were actually liberating concentration camps.
My late grandparents on both sides in the US also said they werent aware of it.

Maybe you wont be flamed for making a parallel between Nazis and Bush, but in my opinion....ahh- I'll save it. I'd really like to keep this civil.
Not even close. No comparison. maybe someone would like to believe that or characterize us this way, but-really- people's dislike and mistrust of America seems to be burning out of control.

So, why is it that Americans expect the rest of the world to love them and can't seem to cope if the rest of the world doesn't?
Because we saved it from that guy that everyone hates Germany for. :p

Actually I am much more annoyed when a (usually right-wing, pro-interventionist) American says "I don't give a damn what the rest of the world thinks of us" - and I hear that sadly often.
I’m a non-interventionist libertarian who really couldn’t care less as long as they keep buying our stuff.
Most Americans really think the rest of the world owes them, though.

cuz our intervensionalism is too high. No matter what we do ppl will bitch. Its a lose-lose situations. Theres so much wrong with the world, why not blame it all on america? After all we waste oil, dont we? If we invade a country, we have no right being there. If we let a dictator massacre his population its our responsibility to help out. Everyone in America lives in big fancy apartments in new york, or nice brick houses in suburban Indiana right? with our perfectly manicured lawns, and the golden lab lying under a big shade tree on a perfect American day? Dont all us Americans live like that? Thats what people seem to think. SInce they think we do, isnt it our responsibilty to help them out? Theyll go and get their supply box, then return home and burn our flag. If we dont help, we're greedy and selfish. Isolationalism was pretty cool.*(great depression was all over the world then btw, so it wasnt our isolationism that caused it) Its simple, no matter what path we take the world will deplore us. Because its that damn easy. And we care cuz hell, no one wants to be hated.

To sum it all up, America never truly introduced itself. It merely grew up and integrated itself subconsciouly into everyone else's lives. It's no one's fault, but because America had spidered into the world, everyone will blame the only thing they have in common.

As this thread about the world hating America obviously won't die in the next weeks, I just wanted to know why you people actually care what the world thinks about you or why you think the world should love you?
the problem is when there are attacks against the US and our leaders almost every other thread. Heck, the thread doesn't have to deal with politics. yet some posters start sniping at the US or President Bush. for example...
Ganja Clown Convention (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9502535&postcount=15)

And count how many threads are about the USA or Bush vs all of the other countries.

Even the most patient of persons will be irritated by that.

so do we care? me, actually no. for when the brown stuff is sliding to the fan, I know everyone turns to the US for help and will expect the US to help. and when the crisis is over, they go back sniping the US again.

the problem is when there are attacks against the US and our leaders almost every other thread. Heck, the thread doesn't have to deal with politics. yet some posters start sniping at the US or President Bush. for example...
Ganja Clown Convention (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9502535&postcount=15)

And count how many threads are about the USA or Bush vs all of the other countries.

Even the most patient of persons will be irritated by that.

so do we care? me, actually no. for when the brown stuff is sliding to the fan, I know everyone turns to the US for help and will expect the US to help. and when the crisis is over, they go back sniping the US again.

Yup. People here seem to want the deaths of US military personnel and hate America....

I couldn't care less about what the world thinks of us. Many in the world think just like us-look at who else is in Iraq slugging it out with us.

Maybe you wont be flamed for making a parallel between Nazis and Bush, but in my opinion....ahh- I'll save it. I'd really like to keep this civil.
Not even close. No comparison. maybe someone would like to believe that or characterize us this way, but-really- people's dislike and mistrust of America seems to be burning out of control.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't compare the Nazis with Bush. That's not really possible at this point. What I did compare however, was the general attitude of the media and the American public to those of the media and the German public in 1933-1940. In the early years of the Nazi dictatorship until the early years of WW II. And there are some rather scary parallels there.

Because we saved it from that guy that everyone hates Germany for. :p

If that's the case, why doesn't everybody utterly despise Russia? Believe it or not, they fought Hitler a lot longer and a lot harder than the USA...

the problem is when there are attacks against the US and our leaders almost every other thread. Heck, the thread doesn't have to deal with politics. yet some posters start sniping at the US or President Bush. for example...
Ganja Clown Convention (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9502535&postcount=15)

And count how many threads are about the USA or Bush vs all of the other countries.

Even the most patient of persons will be irritated by that.

so do we care? me, actually no. for when the brown stuff is sliding to the fan, I know everyone turns to the US for help and will expect the US to help. and when the crisis is over, they go back sniping the US again.

You know, I find this view kind of puzzling.
You do realise that American politics influences the world more than the politics of any other country? American politics influences my life here on this small island on the edge of Europe. And it doesn't do so because I asked it to, I never had a say in that matter. It's just how things are.
If Bush decides to use the "old country" nostalgia during his election campaign, we can protest all we want, the image of Ireland will still be exploited.
If a person or country influences your own life to such a degree and you can even legally get rid of him in any way, bitching about it is the only remaining option.

Have you ever asked yourself why the world expects America to solve international problems? Largely because America applied for and got the job. Now, I wouldn't know why they did that, but they did.
And if you meddle in the affairs of other countries this much, you can't avoid the questions.

I actually find, as a US ex-pat living in China, that Europeans and Koreans are way more concerned about what people think about them and generally more obnoxous and ruder than American or Canadian tourist who tend to be quieter and less obtrusive. Americans, in general, only get really put out when they have to endure someone who just won't quit bashing their country, wether deserved or not. Political humor is one thing but vicousness is another.

I really can't blame them. Most people don't go on a vacation to have people call them names. And, in general most merchants in the non-muslim parts of Asia are more concerned about you spending money with them than they are about anything in Iraq.

What can I say, The French are the French where ever they go. Actually they may be the best of the bunch other than being a bit loud at times.

People from the UK are, in my experience, especially bad in HK, Malaysia and other non-white place that used to be colonies and seem to often, not always, think they should still be the colonial masters. (None of them would ever admitt this) They even try to lord it over Australians at times. God, I hate to have a 50+ year-old retired school teacher from the UK try to correct my pronunciation! Get behind me Satan!

Koreans are just strange. The'll pay a lot of money to visit another country and then not eat anything except Korean food and not speak to anyone who doesn't speak Korean. Why not just stay at home?

One notable exception is that if you go to Thailand and particularly places like Phukett and Bangkok you seem to see an abundance of Northern European men (German, Dutch Sweed) or at least they are guys speaking German cavorting with young teenage to pre-teen prostitutes (either boys or girls) Those guy obviously couldn't care less about what anybody thinks about them.

Your experience might be different.

No country can control the world without the respect of the international community, if thats not your bag then what the hell enjoy yourself

If that's the case, why doesn't everybody utterly despise Russia? Believe it or not, they fought Hitler a lot longer and a lot harder than the USA...
It was a joke responding to the general mood of the OP about your nation of origin. I don’t care what the world thinks of the US as long as we can keep up economic relations.