Do people REALLY hate Americans?

[Faint]

From another thread, someone mentioned that he doesn't like being American because our nationality is a sort of "social taboo" in other countries.

Obviously, there are a lot of people out for American blood right now, but what I'm wondering is do you think that the majority of the world hates us? Do they only hate our idiot president and his administration? Do you expect to be spit on when you land in another country? How do you think most locals would react when they hear your accent?

I haven't travelled abroad in a while, so I'm wondering what kinds of experiences other Americans on the forum have had in traveling to other countries lately? For instance, a friend of mine just got back from Japan and says the women ADORE American men. A girl I know in France feels the same. And PLENTY of people still want to immigrate here (legally or not). Clearly not everyone hates us, but what's the general consensus?

I'd especially be interested to here from you lot over the pond...you know who you are

 

[evearael]

It been a decade since I've been overseas. I didn't encounter any anti-American sentiments when I visited China and Japan. Maybe it helped I could speak their languages... My husband visited Europe a long time ago and said that the Europeans didn't mind Americans so much if they at least tried to speak a few phrases, rather than just expecting English.

 

[jeffrey]

I know my wife did. What she saw on tv was the New York City type of people. What she met were the rich Americans what thought they were the cat's meow. But when she moved here, she met a completely different type of people. It changed her attitude about America.

 

[Mike182]

i think Bob Geldof made a point when he did the "live 8" when he said only a small percentage of americans have passports, and only a small precentage of those have actually left america - i don't know the statistics involve, or there accuracy.


all the americans ive met in England have either had an annoying accent, or have been genuinley stupid - i know this is not representative of america, many of you are decent and intelligent people (with non annoying accents..... i hope) but if thats all people see, its all people know.

 

[Faint]

all the americans ive met in England have either had an annoying accent, or have been genuinley stupid - i know this is not representative of america...

Actually, that's often been my experience just living here.

 

[standing_alone]

I was in Germany and Austria in June of 2003 and everyone was nice to me. I think most people in other countries are good at seperating the people living in a country from the people running that country. No one was rude to me because I was an American, however some aquaintances of mine were in France, and some of the French were rude to them - like one teacher wouldn't let one of them attend her class.

 

[Squirt]

I know my wife did. What she saw on tv was the New York City type of people. What she met were the rich Americans what thought they were the cat's meow. But when she moved here, she met a completely different type of people. It changed her attitude about America.

You know what? I think New Yorkers get a bad rap. Every time I've ever been there, people went out of their way to be helpful. Anyway, I'm glad she has changed her mind about us Americans.

 

[nutshell]

Maybe we should just "shut" America down for a day and see how the rest of the world gets along.

 

[Matt88]

Well, as Toby Keith says, "Well put a boot in your a**, cos it's the American Way!". Foreigners hate the administration, i don't think its the people that they have a problem with, but i could be wrong.

 

[standing_alone]

Well, as Toby Keith says, "Well put a boot in your a**, cos it's the American Way!".

That's certainly a great attitude to have.

 

[Sunstone]

Well, as Toby Keith says, "Well put a boot in your a**, cos it's the American Way!".

No matter how charming Toby Keith is, he can't sweet talk me into believing he knows jack about what is or isn't the American Way. Of course, I grew up in America long before it became popular to put jackboots on while discussing international relations. I figure Rush Limbaugh, the druggie, was the first to popularize that attitude in recent years.

Foreigners hate the administration, i don't think its the people that they have a problem with, but i could be wrong.

I think anyone outside of America could justifiably have a problem with Americans who urge America to "put a boot in their a** cos it's the American Way." At the very least, they might think it's a wee tad bit on the insufferable side of blatant stupidity. But I could be wrong, Matt: After all, the world might find drooling political imbeciles cuddly. You just never know how those foreigners might feel about things like that, you know. Some of them even eat snails, I hear.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Snails?! The heathens! *hisses angrily*

While I'm pretty sure some would consider Toby Keith a wonderful international spokesperson for America, I'm more to siding with the 'foreigners' that dislike the administration. At least they respect me enough to think that I'm not blindly loyal to those who think I should be.

 

[Opethian]

I have a lot of problems with America, and the majority of Americans. That doesn't mean that there's a lot of decent americans out there too, but the majority seems like a bunch of idiots to me.

I don't like the arrogant cowboy attitude.

 

[jeffrey]

What's funny is the tourists I've met from other countries have that same arrogant attitude that some claim we have. My wife, while in England thought the French were even worse then us.

 

[Sunstone]

I have a lot of problems with America, and the majority of Americans. That doesn't mean that there's a lot of decent americans out there too, but the majority seems like a bunch of idiots to me.

I don't like the arrogant cowboy attitude.

I'm sorry you believe the majority of Americans are a bunch of idiots. I have to disagree with you, because my experience is that the majority of ordinary people I meet and know here prove to be neither exceptionally idiotic nor exceptionally intelligent. The majority of ordinary people I meet are also neither great sinners nor great saints, but more or less decent people who love their families, cherish their friends, and often do some increditably nice things for others, whether they know them or not. But, if by "the majority of Americans" you are actually referring to our politicians and political pundits, then I won't argue with you.

 

[Opethian]

I'm sorry you believe the majority of Americans are a bunch of idiots. I have to disagree with you, because my experience is that the majority of ordinary people I meet and know here prove to be neither exceptionally idiotic nor exceptionally intelligent.

Well obviously I may be wrong, and it's kind of foolish to make definite statements before I've even been in America once (I haven't). It's just the decisions made by your politicians are often so incredibly stupid, that it has become my belief that the majority of the American population must also be idiots, since they support this government and their decisions. Also the many polls about Americans attitude towards gay people, atheists, etc... don't help my view of them. And of course the many Americans I have argued with on Christian Forums, who often show signs of near-moronic intelligence. A real contrast with this forum .

The majority of ordinary people I meet are also neither great sinners nor great saints, but more or less decent people who love their families, cherish their friends, and often do some increditably nice things for others, whether they know them or not. But, if by "the majority of Americans" you are actually referring to our politicians and political pundits, then I won't argue with you.

Yes.

 

[michel]

I don't hate anyone; to hate a nation of people seems absurd to me. People must have very tightly shut little minds.

 

[Krie]

yes, i am american, and i hate america. well not america itself... but the government im not too fond of.

 

[mr.guy]

Maybe we should just "shut" America down for a day and see how the rest of the world gets along.

I love this one: "They'll miss us when we're gone" and so forth. I might suggest that much of the perceived american "attitude" comes across as bratty teenaged pie-eyed nationalism.

To be fair, few americans seem aware (or concerned) of how much of their internal national dialogues seep throughout the rest of the world; some take this as a indication of how little they know or care that there is a "rest of the world".

 

[Krie]

i agree mr.guy...