How does the world view us Americans English

Aff >>
I am not us-addict. I do not love them, nor hate them, as I haven't met any "in real life".
In France, Americans are often manichean characters in jokes involving fat people or representing militar and authoritarian regimes, especially when George W. Bush Jr was leading the country. They are also said to be quite... low-IQ ; or to be excessively patriotic ; or capitalists who consider socialism as the worst nightmare ever. HOWEVER, they are jokes. It's a pity to realize that some do not see any difference between the caricatured American and "Americans", who include various habits and mentalities. I am afraid that you, Aff, are meddling : you counfound the American soldiers in Iraq, who obviously in a wide majority do not care about gas and wish they could go back home soon, with the cliché of THE American, a selfish guy who just want to pump the petrol out of a country no matter if it becomes a wasted land.

As for me, I don't really know the American culture. I have discovered some of its aspects in films, but it has certainly be distorted a little (do you often fight against giant robots or aliens ? Maybe it's not so commonplace 😃 ) !
If someone wants to discuss with me, I shall answer for sure 😁

Bonsoir à vous 🙂

I started this so I would like to add. I have been to many places in this world and I have seen so many things. I have seen so many beautiful people I cannot begin to tell you. This world is such a cool place and I do believe our leaders spoil it thinking power and display is how you make a footprint. I see things differently. I think we leave a footprint when we cause others to pause and think and if they smile then you have accomplished something.

We Americans have been taught since we were children how we saved Europe so many times they should lick our boots (especially France) yet we have too soon forgotten how France pretty much provide the backing to make us a country.

Yes we Americans have been taught bigger and more is better………how are we ever going to learn that too much is just that……….too much.

This is how life goes my friends we are here to provide a positive impact and power and greed do not last.

Someone please tell me what really lasts?

Hey ! Wars last, of course ! What a better choice to let a footprint !
Just joking 😉

More seriously, I am not sure a "positive impact" lasts either ; however, that is why we have to savour it, and to spread goodness around us at every second. It is a duty to relieve these who're in need, and to make laugh those who're too serious. Because a sum of little positive impacts can form a great positive impact.

But Ricbarrett1 : I'm afraid you haven't listened a lot during your classes 😁

I'm an American and i dont like living here. i would soooo rather be living somewhere else. i dont really think the american dream really exists anymore. With the credit crisis and taxes, and dont forget well fare. i am patriotic in some ways but im not a big fan of America. i dont really like how our government works. In my opinion America is obsessed with 3 things:
1. Health (how thin/fat/tan or young you look)
2. Food (food servings keep getting bigger)
3. Shopping (we are always pressured to buy certain clothes and have certain gadgets/ipods, cellphones etc.)
i dont hate America, i just dont want to live here.

HEY AFF you're full of misunderstanding and prejudice in everything!
I already read your opinion about my country and I replied, and same as here.
Though I've never been to America, one thing is sure
: DON'T JUDGE PEOPLE BY ITS GOVERNMENT. of course there are many differences in culture but they are same people. It's very dangerous to have fantasy or prejudice.

Nutmeg, don't you think you're free to refuse "food" and "shopping" ?
As for "health", it is hard to rise against ; however, you are not forced to always pay attention on your figure, are you ? 😉

After all, as Colombus said in Zombieland : "a country is nothing without its inhabitants"

As an American, I feel that it is important for me to speak on behalf of my country. I think it is very sad today that in any country, there is so much hate and prejudice towards each other. That is why I love the idea of this website so much, because it gives people all over the world to talk with one another, and see countries beyond the stereotypes. I think that it is particularly sad that America has such a bad reputation in the eyes of the rest of the world. I am not here to say that America is perfect, and that it is better than any other country--no country will ever be perfect. I know, however, that as an American I feel very blessed to live in such a great country and have my freedom and the opportunities that I do. I for one, take my education very seriously, and I think it upsets me more than anything else when people from other countries view Americans as stupid people. I am very fortunate to have been provided some of the best education in the country, but I have worked very hard for it also. Likewise, it makes me sad that we are all viewed as fat--we aren't. Health is becoming more and more important everyday in America, and while obesity is still a very big problem, I think other countries fail to understand that we have a different lifestyle here. I think one of the first things that I would change about my country is how big the cities are. Big cities are nice, but in America, unlike most European cities, we are forced to drive everywhere, not walk to where we need to go. This, combined with our busy schedules and lack of time to prepare healthy meals, sets us up for poor health. Also, I would beg people from other countries not to judge us by what you see on the news or what you see from our government. The American people, I feel, are not well represented by our government. Yes, we can vote leaders into office, but with many issues, we are powerless. We are proud of our troops whether we support the wars or not, and I think our patriotism is often misunderstood as "arrogant" even when we are really just proud of how blessed we are to live in this country and have our freedom. Finally, I would urge everyone, regardless of your opinion of Americans, to talk to an American--or a few, seeing as one person isn't always a good representation of our nation. Get past the stereotypes, this world is beautiful and filled with beautiful people, and people fail to see that because they like to judge others before they know them. I have traveled to Europe, and am absolutely in love with it, but while I was over there, I received many mean looks and remarks simply because I am American, even though I was trying to be very respectful to other cultures and people. Please don't judge us all by what you see on tv, never pass up the opportunity to learn something new about another country (including ours) and we can all make the first step to understanding and interacting with each other better.

I don't really like big cities. I've been to London, and Paris, but... it was too big. I prefer medium towns, such as Torquay (England), or Nantes (France).
And I have been told that "the best education" in the USA was very expensive ; it is not enough to work very hard, is it ? I am not telling you are only a lucky person though. I am sure you make great efforts too !

Apart from that, I agree with your whole comment 😉

I have found on youtube a nice video, extracted from a popular emission in France (pardon their French). Before you look at it, ask yourself whether you can understand second degree or not 😁
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXDRsdPCwMA
That is humour, of course. For my part, I enjoy jokes involving French people as well, such as " what is the difference between God and a French ? God doesn't think he's a French !"

I actually did not have to pay for a good education. My family doesn't have a lot of money, and I've always gone to free public schools. I worked very hard and was accepted into one of the best public high schools in the nation, and continued to study hard and take advanced classes so that I could receive schoralships to a good college. By my comment, however, I just meant to imply that not all americans are stupid, but I am probably not the best representation for the quality of an american education because I have been more fortunate than most. And yes, I agree that in most cases, you do have to have money to get a very good education.

As for the video, I found it very funny (especially when it showed George W. Bush with his headphones on wrong! lol1 ) I did not take offense to it at all, mostly because I agree with a lot of it and can see how many other countries view us in this way. I agree that our government has a lot of areas to improve upon, but I also think that sometimes the world likes to pay more attention to the bad things that America does instead of the good. For example, everyone is quick to criticize us because of our wars and our thirst for oil, but I rarely see anyone praise us for sending help to other countries like Indonesia or Haiti, or the charity we give around the world. Almost everyday, I am asked to donate some money or my service to help people in countries like Haiti, Darfur, etc. and I do my best. My family has sponsored two children in Africa, for example. But it upsets me that people still continue to judge others based on the government of their country. Please don't misunderstand, there is a lot of good and bad in the American government as with any other government in the world, but why should people judge me for being a "bad, stupid american" when I visit other countries, am attempting to learn other languages, and try to respect other cultures? I think people are afraid of the unknown, and we should all start looking at everyone as just "people" instead of american, french, spanish, italian, etc.

I think I really appreciate your attitude. You are very modest, and it is nice 😉

You know, it is false that we don't pay attention to the good things USA do. But in fact, when you are the first power in the world, you have some prerogatives you can't avoid. And when you don't respect them, of course, it is quite visible.

I think that people want to be American specially those who haven't got money because everywhere your contry is described as a mervelous land, a place without poverty, with a lot of wealth, maybe because some people still believe on the american dream and because America is a model of economic success, I think that's the reason why we love america ... 😃

Adichou >> I really don't see where you have seen the USA described as a place without poverty, unless you are speaking about the USA of 1960's ?? A model of economic success ? Let's speak about the strong economic cycles and the sky high unemployment rate, then :x
We are all in the same mire.

However, you are a living proof that the American dream is not dead yet... but it is no more than a dream now.

Zadkiel- thank you for the comment, I really appreciate it. Most Americans actually feel the same way that I do, I think they just don't know how to express it in a way hat doesn't sound arrogant to a foreigner....and we can get a little defensive 🙂
But it is great to hear that we are recognized for the good we do in the world also. To us, we only hear the negative things about our country, so it is a little upsetting.

Adichou- It isvery uplifting to hear that you love America and are keeping the American dream alive, however, just like Zadkiel said, it isn't as perfect as you make it sound. It is true, we are a very lucky country, but especially today with so many economic problems, there is more and more poverty in the US.

Also, I think it's funny that so many people think of America as the land of celebrities. I suppose it is true that we have many celebrities, but it isn't like they're everywhere. I've never seen a celebrity-almost all of them live in Los Angelos, California, and I really don't pay attention to what goes on in their world 😉 It is a little funny to see so many different views of the US! 🙂

I don't know lot about America cuz I've never been there, I don't know any person from America. so maybe it's dangerous to say about them, but At any country there are bad people or good people.

Well Kenzie, that was not only a comment but also a compliment 😁
No matter what, you are welcome.

I think Americans can't often express themselves in front of other citizens of the world just like what we are doing. In fact it may be why they sound "arrogant" : each country tries to interpret what they say, and there is no dialogue.
But of course, the US have done good deeds, such as in Normandie. Well, it is an stale example. We could consider Haiti, or the intent of mediation between Israel and Palestine. Now Obama is trying to reduce the nuclear armament with the cooperation of Rusia, etc etc...

We are no different from anywhere else..

Nutmeg - you only feel these things because you're a young woman.. All women are pressured to feel beautiful / popular, not just in the states..

As for the war - for those of you whose countries have not been attacked, let them kill 3000 civilians in your country and then say 'we are against war' If you're so against it, let them kill innocent people and then go bake the terrorists cookies and share tea - i'm sure this will make them love you.

Presidents - blah blah blah..

In summary - Everyone has an opinion and not everyone's opinions are always the same. Our laws, economy, political agendas may differ slightly from other countries, but the people here are the EXACT SAME as everywhere else!

**EDIT** It hurts my brains to read everyone's opinions about things which they know little about.. Such as laws, politics, economy.. Unless you have studied the subjects for long periods of time, it's best not to add a biased opinion to the conversation and spread rumors..

As for the war - for those of you whose countries have not been attacked, let them kill 3000 civilians in your country and then say 'we are against war' If you're so against it, let them kill innocent people and then go bake the terrorists cookies and share tea - i'm sure this will make them love you.

don't want to start an argument about this , but do you think it's okay that the terrorists killed 3000 civilians in your country and your troops killed 10000 civilians in their ?

The first things what came to my mind when we speaking about Americans is movies and fastfood. They both are the best thing in world, even though the last one makes many people thinking just the overweight Americans... but every country has its own stereotypes, as many people think that we finnish people are shy and don't wanna talk to each others and we ALL drink alcohol and go to sauna, and there is allways damn cold here, but its definitely not so, but I donät really care if somebody thinks like that, RELAX, TAKE IT EASY big_smile