Only 29% think the US has a positive influence on the world

[Kytro]

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

then what is it? Our drive to succeed and rugged individualism is what got us to the top.

That is really a hard thing to prove. Certainly they were present -but where they the defining factors?

[Diamond Cross]

American SUPERIORITY!

Americans R SUPERIOR!

WE RULE THe WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORLD!

[nbiggershaft]

The percentages themselves are fairly meaningless without alot more info. But a drastic negative change is fairly unsettling.

[R-Type]

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

Fuck the world. We're on top for a reason.

Originally Posted by Dumpy Dooby

Why should we give a shit what the UN or anyone else thinks of us?

Rugged individualism can be a good thing as long as it does not transform itself into intolerance/ignorance of other sides, coupled with the kind of arrogance that blinds people from pragmatism. Attitudes like these will surely help in an American downfall, not (continued?) ascendancy.

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

Hah! I view this like I view how happy Americans are. People in the world have no idea how much the US helps the world, just like people in the US have no idea how well they really have it. All anybody wants to do is complain.

It's people that live in the villages deep in the jungles of Africa and South America that have the real appreciation for life and the things they have.

yes.. Americans complain a lot.. about the fact they can't hang their pretty jesus statues on publically owned land and that some choose to live their lives without using the christian bible as a manual. Americans complain that they can't have ALL the money in their paychecks, while expecting the roads to work, the government to fight wars in places they don't like, their environment to remain healthy, and to drive their fat, overweight asses in SUVs to work every day all the while being confounded why the middle east hates the 'hard working' american family so. Yes, americans do complain a lot and their biggest problem is being selectively ignorant whenever it feeds their 'rugged, individualistic' egos. Are they alone in this? Nope. Are many europeans, asians, and australians also arrogant because they are ignorant of american politics/culture? Yup. They should all take heed that they don't become like 'them over there' whom they hate. If we all focused on making our respective lives/societies better instead of nitpicking and stereotyping each other on cultural/national scales, we might then learn that most of our grievances with each other are really immaterial after all.

Nationalistic pride is an excuse to stir shit up, nothing more. Respect is earned, not given..and that is done by taking objectively positive action, not haughty arrogance followed by hypocritical acts. Maybe a greater percentage of the world would think of america as a beacon of honest-to-goodness liberty if her citizens' leadership actually strived for it, both within their own borders, and with world relations.

...and yes, I am a US citizen.

[Dumpy Dooby]

Originally Posted by R-Type

Rugged individualism can be a good thing as long as it does not transform itself into intolerance/ignorance of other sides, coupled with the kind of arrogance that blinds people from pragmatism. Attitudes like these will surely help in an American downfall, not (continued?) ascendancy.

In terms of intolerance, America is far more tolerant than the Europeans. Those guys have so much intolerance in there parts that it's fucking disgusting.

[Donkey®]

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

I agree, as our entitlements increase the less likely we are going to stay at the top.

Our fucked up meddling in every thing we don't need to be meddling in has less to do with it than entitlements? Jesus dude.

[TheScatman]

while they use products produced here. apparently our markets do some good

[kinggovernor]

Originally Posted by Donkey®

Our fucked up meddling in every thing we don't need to be meddling in has less to do with it than entitlements? Jesus dude.

our meddling got us to the top and it is the reason we are still on top today

[PetriW]

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

rugged individualism

Some would say that Swedes takes the grand championship in individualism... (in a way of a different kind) Why? We've outsourced all our need to care even for our closest family to the government.

Admit you're behind in the individualism department, you still care for your own parents!


Question, do americans use their first name or their last name when answering the phone / on the answering machine? Here in Sweden the last name is essentially never used anymore.

[PetriW]

Originally Posted by TheScatman

while they use products produced here. apparently our markets do some good

Drink Fanta, the nazi drink. (Honestly, ever since I found that out I haven't bought a single product from the Coca Cola company.)

[Kytro]

Originally Posted by PetriW

Drink Fanta, the nazi drink. (Honestly, ever since I found that out I haven't bought a single product from the Coca Cola company.)

[Dumpy Dooby]

Originally Posted by PetriW

Drink Fanta, the nazi drink. (Honestly, ever since I found that out I haven't bought a single product from the Coca Cola company.)

Urban Legends Reference Pages: The Reich Stuff?

I guess you can go back to drinking Coke products.

[R-Type]

Originally Posted by Dumpy Dooby

In terms of intolerance, America is far more tolerant than the Europeans. Those guys have so much intolerance in there parts that it's fucking disgusting.

I don't think so.. I'd say overall it's about dead even because at the base, people all think in similar ways. I will agree the laundry lists are a bit different. Most of the intolerance comes from lack of information because people tend to fill in the gaps with prejudicial assumption.

[Dumpy Dooby]

Originally Posted by R-Type

I don't think so.. I'd say overall it's about dead even because at the base, people all think in similar ways. I will agree the laundry lists are a bit different. Most of the intolerance comes from lack of information because people tend to fill in the gaps with prejudicial assumption.

I completely disagree. Americans are exposed to many different cultures, races, ethnic groups, whatever you want to call them. The Europeans don't really have that same exposure.

The following is from ...

JSmythe>I find europeans who think that tend to be fucking douche bags, and trying to compensate their feelings of guilt about the WW's by acting like their culture is so much more sophisticated than america.

Racism and nativism are very prevalent in Europe. Black footballers get called monkeys, told to go back to africa, get bananas thrown on to the pitch at them. Think of the outcry if that happened in America? It happens at just about every football match you go to in Europe. Thierry Henry sounds off about it alot.

Dumpy Dooby>

Germany is another example. They're having a problem with discrimination (unequal housing and employment opportunities) because the Germans aren't too fond of their Turkish "invaders" (as they're often called). We get 12 million Mexicans entering our country illegally, and we actually debate giving them amnesty (which we just might wind up doing now that the Dems are in office). Do you see the Germans having any such debates? What happened last time a bunch of Germans decided to get a little racist? (OH SNAP!)

[PetriW]

Originally Posted by Dumpy Dooby

Urban Legends Reference Pages: The Reich Stuff?

I guess you can go back to drinking Coke products.

Nope, I don't drink sugary drinks anymore. :P

[PetriW]

Originally Posted by Dumpy Dooby

Dumpy Dooby>

Germany is another example. They're having a problem with discrimination (unequal housing and employment opportunities) because the Germans aren't too fond of their Turkish "invaders" (as they're often called). We get 12 million Mexicans entering our country illegally, and we actually debate giving them amnesty (which we just might wind up doing now that the Dems are in office). Do you see the Germans having any such debates? What happened last time a bunch of Germans decided to get a little racist? (OH SNAP!)

Spain recently gave a lot of illegal immigrants amnesty.

[Dumpy Dooby]

Originally Posted by PetriW

Nope, I don't drink sugary drinks anymore. :P

Diet Coke? Dasani?

[PetriW]

Originally Posted by Dumpy Dooby

Diet Coke? Dasani?

Many consider Diet Coke worse than the normal version, it still gives the same insulin response making you hungry faster with the nice addition of poisoning you. Dasani doesn't exist here, I drink water though (almost exclusively tap water, my tap water tastes just as good).

[kinggovernor]

Originally Posted by PetriW

Some would say that Swedes takes the grand championship in individualism... (in a way of a different kind) Why? We've outsourced all our need to care even for our closest family to the government.

Admit you're behind in the individualism department, you still care for your own parents!


Question, do americans use their first name or their last name when answering the phone / on the answering machine? Here in Sweden the last name is essentially never used anymore.

how is that individualism, if the government takes care of you

The units of government are self, family, community, town, county, state, nation. Taking care of ones family is much more individualist than having the nation do it.

People use their last names in America because so many first names are very popular. I like to use my last name because it is unique and it is something to be proud of.