NationStates Jolt Archive

In the spirit of 21 Things that piss me off about America (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=445263) and 21 Things that piss me off about Europe (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=445364), I thought it would only be fitting to make sure everyone around got a fair share of things that are wrong.

1) Political leaders - while many may disagree, it seems that very few (if any) have a brain in their head and actually think of the people they are leading.

2) Television - it's the #2 opiate of the masses in every country.

3) Television news - in every country I've ever visited the nightly news always seems to be a) a bias tool of propaganda for the government or b) a bias tool of the government opposition. Either way, people take the TV news as the word of law on what's "really" happening.

4) Third World Nations - people always seem to think that in order to get these countries up to snuff they need to join the industrial age first. I say help them with infrastructure and get them into the information age.

5) Religion - no one can agree, not even people in the same sect worldwide. American Muslims aren't the same as Turkish Muslims aren't the same as British Muslims. The same goes for Christianity. I say worship how you wish, keep it out of the government

6) Music - wow is the idea of what constitutes good music different. When i was in Sweden, my wife's cousin took me to see "A good rock band" that was little more than long hair and screeching. I couldn't even say they were good hardcore metal. At least most countries agree that jazz is classy.

7) Ethnocentrism - every country is guilty of it.

8) Sense of community - while this is always thought to be had in each country, it tends to boil down to my state/province/district is better than yours.

9) Travel - while most Europeans and Australians are pretty good about actually leaving their country to check out other ones, that still leaves a large # of people (I'm looking at you US) that never bothers to leave home and see what people are like in other cultures. Most Americans only visit countries with resorts that are very "Americanized". That's like going camping by staying in a mansion with trees around it.

10) Energy - the world loves fossil fuels. Let them go and look at alternate sources.

11) Living in the past - Maybe if everyone looks to the future instead of saying, "This is how we were, you must respect that", then we'll all get along better. I'm not saying forsake the past, but stop wearing it like a freakin' badge of honor (honour for all English speakers not in the US).

Good Things about the World:
- We are all really more similar than most people think
- The variety of color and culture make life interesting
- There is always great food anywhere, sometimes you just have to find it.

That's my little rant. It's not as long as the other lists, but it was more general.

Somehow I find this one better than the other two. They were more personal... :D

Somehow I find this one better than the other two. They were more personal... :D
Yes, it's definitely easier and way more fun to point at others instead of at ourselves ;)

Yes, it's definitely easier and way more fun to point at others instead of at ourselves ;)

Well, I feel that really the world is all of us, regardless of the boundaries and political/social lines people draw. I know that sounds like hippy bullshit, but I'm not in fact a big pot smoking hippy. I've just seen alot in my years and feel like alot of the things people do and say should make them realize that many issues are worldwide, if they could look beyond their own front porch.

Well, I feel that really the world is all of us, regardless of the boundaries and political/social lines people draw. I know that sounds like hippy bullshit, but I'm not in fact a big pot smoking hippy. I've just seen alot in my years and feel like alot of the things people do and say should make them realize that many issues are worldwide, if they could look beyond their own front porch.
I wasn't saying I don't agree, not at all!
...but then, I am a hippy, just a little bit ;)

I didn't know The World was up and sailing yet...

I didn't know The World was up and sailing yet...
Not yet. It's in Beta 2 stage. It'll be rebooted anytime now to enter version 1.0

an interesting list. But what you need to realize about the U.S is that our country is bigger than any single European country is so for most, its pretty hard to go traveling to different countries(exceptions being Canida and Mexico).

{snip}
9) Travel - while most Europeans and Australians are pretty good about actually leaving their country to check out other ones, that still leaves a large # of people (I'm looking at you US) that never bothers to leave home and see what people are like in other cultures. Most Americans only visit countries with resorts that are very "Americanized". That's like going camping by staying in a mansion with trees around it.
{snip}
Ho hum. Seen one country, seen one people, seen one ecosphere, seen 'em all.
Try camping out on the moon for a day or so.
</subtle american arrogance>

an interesting list. But what you need to realize about the U.S is that our country is bigger than any single European country is so for most, its pretty hard to go traveling to different countries(exceptions being Canida and Mexico).

I have to disagree. While I have been to Cananda several times (I live in Buffalo which makes Canada kinda like a suburb), I have also been to Europe a few times. Most Americans don't consider Europe as a destination because the conversion to Euros is hard, and there are no fancy resorts (which is not true), it's to expensive (can be cheaper than a Vegas vacation or a cruise ship), or because they don't speak English, how will I communicate (nearly every European school child can speak two or more languages, one of them is English).

It isn't any harder to travel to other countries, other than Canada or Mexico, than it is to take a Disney vacation in Orlando. And really, most Americans don't even travel to other states to see what they have to offer unless there is some huge attraction like casinos or Disney.

an interesting list. But what you need to realize about the U.S is that our country is bigger than any single European country is so for most, its pretty hard to go traveling to different countries(exceptions being Canida and Mexico).

Actually I guess that's part of the problem. You got everything you could possibly want in your own country, why bother going abroad? Want skiing? It's there. Beaches? Also there. Culture? Well... there's the east coast with some 200 year old buildings. Wartime memorials? Pearl Harbour. Entertainment? Disney et al. Fun and making fun of backwards people? Armish.

You got everything you might want to enjoy in your vacation at home. Why go anywhere else? No hassle with passports and immigration laws (if you ever tried to actually go on vacation to the US, you know what "hassle with immigration laws" truely means), no worries about exchange rates and "how much is this in 'real' money?", no language troubles (ok, a vacation in Florida or California is tricky if you don't speak Spanish).

Why bother going anywhere else?

Ho hum. Seen one country, seen one people, seen one ecosphere, seen 'em all.
Try camping out on the moon for a day or so.
</subtle american arrogance>

I'd love to...but my oxygen generating tent and body heating unit are currently on back order. :)

I have to disagree. ... Most Americans don't consider Europe as a destination because the conversion to Euros is hard, and there are no fancy resorts (which is not true), it's to expensive (can be cheaper than a Vegas vacation or a cruise ship), or because they don't speak English, how will I communicate (nearly every European school child can speak two or more languages, one of them is English).

It isn't any harder to travel to other countries, other than Canada or Mexico, than it is to take a Disney vacation in Orlando. And really, most Americans don't even travel to other states to see what they have to offer unless there is some huge attraction like casinos or Disney.

Oh c'mon, the exchange rate of EUR:USD is almost 1:1. Or was for a long while 'til your economy took a nose dive and now it's like 1:1.3. Yes, I agree that it takes a bit to get used to not having the most valuable currency (London is CHEAP until you realize you have to multiply that price by about 1.5 to know it in your currency). Still, if you're used to prices in California, you can have a pretty cheap vacation in Europe.

And yes, pretty much everyone, at least everyone under 40, speaks English here. Some may be better at it than others, but you'd be hard pressed to find someone who does NOT speak English sufficiently well to let you buy your gifts. :)

I'd love to...but my oxygen generating tent and body heating unit are currently on back order. :)
;)

Oh c'mon, the exchange rate of EUR:USD is almost 1:1. Or was for a long while 'til your economy took a nose dive and now it's like 1:1.3. Yes, I agree that it takes a bit to get used to not having the most valuable currency (London is CHEAP until you realize you have to multiply that price by about 1.5 to know it in your currency). Still, if you're used to prices in California, you can have a pretty cheap vacation in Europe.

*snip*

I never felt like it took so much to get used exchange rates. It's just the perception most american's have. If they money isn't green, and only green, they have a hard time with it (I disclude myself althogh I am American). I'd rather see our money more colorful.

And what is the big deal about exchange rates. When I was in Europe, they posted the rates on a board that was updated every 5 minutes or so, so you knew the rates and there were pictures of the money denoting denomination.

So why don't American's travel to Europe more? I don't know. Ignorance I suppose.

9) Travel - while most Europeans and Australians are pretty good about actually leaving their country to check out other ones, that still leaves a large # of people (I'm looking at you US) that never bothers to leave home and see what people are like in other cultures. Most Americans only visit countries with resorts that are very "Americanized". That's like going camping by staying in a mansion with trees around it.

.

Well, we're kind of at a disadvantage in that respect. In Europe, if you drive 2000 miles, you can see nearly every country IN Europe. In the US, you can drive 2000 miles and you're still in the US. A plane or boat trip is required to visit any country other than Canada or Mexico. This puts foreign travel out of the reach of many people, especially those, like my wife, who are afraid of flying. Also, Americans, on the whole, don't have as much vacation time as do the people of most other developed countries.

Well, we're kind of at a disadvantage in that respect. In Europe, if you drive 2000 miles, you can see nearly every country IN Europe. In the US, you can drive 2000 miles and you're still in the US. A plane or boat trip is required to visit any country other than Canada or Mexico. This puts foreign travel out of the reach of many people, especially those, like my wife, who are afraid of flying.

People who are afraid of flying are a seperate issue. I think these people exist everywhere. But then the best way to defeat fear is to confront it.

People who are afraid of flying are a seperate issue. I think these people exist everywhere. But then the best way to defeat fear is to confront it.

Saying that will never get my wife on an airplane. ;) Actually, since 9/11, I'm a bit afraid of air travel myself. Plus, as I said in my amended post, Americans generally don't have as much vacation time as most Europeans, so we tend to visit places closer to home, so that the travel time isn't cutting significantly into the vacation.

Well, we're kind of at a disadvantage in that respect. In Europe, if you drive 2000 miles, you can see nearly every country IN Europe. In the US, you can drive 2000 miles and you're still in the US.
Even though this wouldn't keep me from travelling, there's a lot of truth to that... for quite a few years I lived in a city on the Swiss/German/French border, I could walk to France and take the streetcars to Germany... :)
Besides, the distance alone does not explain why so many Europeans have been to the US/Australia/somewhere far away but not vice versa.

People who are afraid of flying are a seperate issue. I think these people exist everywhere. But then the best way to defeat fear is to confront it.
Yep! Best way is to slap 'em in a straight jacket & toss 'em in a high performance combat aircraft with a pilot whos' callsign is "Bastard."

In the spirit of 21 Things that piss me off about America (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=445263) and 21 Things that piss me off about Europe (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=445364), I thought it would only be fitting to make sure everyone around got a fair share of things that are wrong.

1) Political leaders - while many may disagree, it seems that very few (if any) have a brain in their head and actually think of the people they are leading.

2) Television - it's the #2 opiate of the masses in every country.

3) Television news - in every country I've ever visited the nightly news always seems to be a) a bias tool of propaganda for the government or b) a bias tool of the government opposition. Either way, people take the TV news as the word of law on what's "really" happening.

4) Third World Nations - people always seem to think that in order to get these countries up to snuff they need to join the industrial age first. I say help them with infrastructure and get them into the information age.

5) Religion - no one can agree, not even people in the same sect worldwide. American Muslims aren't the same as Turkish Muslims aren't the same as British Muslims. The same goes for Christianity. I say worship how you wish, keep it out of the government

6) Music - wow is the idea of what constitutes good music different. When i was in Sweden, my wife's cousin took me to see "A good rock band" that was little more than long hair and screeching. I couldn't even say they were good hardcore metal. At least most countries agree that jazz is classy.

7) Ethnocentrism - every country is guilty of it.

8) Sense of community - while this is always thought to be had in each country, it tends to boil down to my state/province/district is better than yours.

9) Travel - while most Europeans and Australians are pretty good about actually leaving their country to check out other ones, that still leaves a large # of people (I'm looking at you US) that never bothers to leave home and see what people are like in other cultures. Most Americans only visit countries with resorts that are very "Americanized". That's like going camping by staying in a mansion with trees around it.

10) Energy - the world loves fossil fuels. Let them go and look at alternate sources.

11) Living in the past - Maybe if everyone looks to the future instead of saying, "This is how we were, you must respect that", then we'll all get along better. I'm not saying forsake the past, but stop wearing it like a freakin' badge of honor (honour for all English speakers not in the US).

Good Things about the World:
- We are all really more similar than most people think
- The variety of color and culture make life interesting
- There is always great food anywhere, sometimes you just have to find it.

That's my little rant. It's not as long as the other lists, but it was more general.
Very good, but my #1 would probably be: The existence of People who insist on telling everyone else how to live their lives. Religion and Politics (with TV being a subset of those two) are simply subsets of this problem.

In the spirit of 21 Things that piss me off about America (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=445263) and 21 Things that piss me off about Europe (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=445364),

what about 10 things that piss me off about Canadia (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=445591)?

Besides, the distance alone does not explain why so many Europeans have been to the US/Australia/somewhere far away but not vice versa.
I think one of the reasons is, as mentioned before, that Americans have less holidays. If you want to visit far away countries and only have 10 - 15 holidays for the whole year, it does limit you somewhat in what you can see.

The other reason is probably (mental) insularity. The more insular and self-absorbed a country is, the less its citizens want to venture abroad. Although a counter-example is Britain. I would call Britain very insular, yet the British have always been great travellers (and for holidays as well, not just to conquer an empire), even in the 19th century.

an interesting list. But what you need to realize about the U.S is that our country is bigger than any single European country is so for most, its pretty hard to go traveling to different countries(exceptions being Canida and Mexico).

Agree interesting list. But will add to that list of least travelled large population most likely China. However you can pile the vast majority of the poor countires citizens into that catagory also. Tired of the Americans being regarded as the least travelled. Everywhere I go I do see lots of Americans. As far as miles/Kilometers travelled. Hands down its Americans. Btw I do travel alot, about 1 to 2 months out of country per year on average the past 10 years. For business and pleasure.