What are Americans?

[Riverwolf]

I have a certain amount of experience with Americans. I also have family in California and Miami. In general the Americans I got to hang out with were regular, intelligent and sociable people.
For example I traveled with two Americans from Paris to Normandy and we did a tour of one of D-Day beaches and visited the allies cemetery together. I also traveled Edinburgh with some very cute American girls.
People like to say that Americans are ignorant, especially ignorant of the outside world. While unfortunately that is true to a certain extent, I also found other supposedly people from cultured places guilty of the same. The average Americans I hanged around with were smart and pretty easy going.
The bottom line is that each of us needs be a judge of character and decide on who is worth spending our time with, so spend time with cool people and avoid jerks no matter the nationality or culture.

In short, I've served with a few Americans in the army, excavated with American students and volunteers, traveled with Americans, etc. And they come in all shapes and sizes. Some are clueless as to environments outside their safe zone, others are curious and receptive, some are spoiled and self centered, others are experienced. To say that I find a certain underline mentality or spirit to all Americans I've encountered through the years would not be simple. Some became my best friends, some got on my nerves. While I find that I share many values with them, there are also cultural differences, but I don't think there is any factor or taboo that sets Americans apart for ridicule.

I find that when it comes to common people, at least in developed countries, most people are more or less the same.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

It's amusing how according to most of these posts, most Americans are not American

 

[ignition]

Punish the people for the sins of the government, huh?

People =/= government. I couldn't care less about the Japanese government (I don't even really know exactly what kind of government it is, except that it's some kind of constitutional monarchy). I love the Japanese people, and those people will remain as they are, as they've always been, once the current evil people in the government are dead and gone. For the moment, the biggest problem I've noticed among the Japanese people is their attitude towards women, which is less than admirable to put it nicely, but having faults doesn't mean they should be outright demonized. After all, the Chinese people (in other words, the people who live in the bootleg/piracy center of the world) aren't much better in that department as I understand, but I've got no other problems with them, and Japan is definitely nowhere near as bad as a lot of other countries in the sexism department.

No, I said punish the govt. First you say you don't care about the govt, and then you're worried about sexism. Kind of contradictory especially when govt officials make openly sexist remarks. The people are generally racist. I'm not sure they're sexist though might just be a cultural thing.

 

[Riverwolf]

No, I said punish the govt. First you say you don't care about the govt, and then you're worried about sexism. Kind of contradictory especially when govt officials make openly sexist remarks.

I'm worried about the peoples' sexism. The government can't change its own, far more extreme, sexist views until the people change.

The people are generally racist. I'm not sure they're sexist though might just be a cultural thing.

Quite a betrayal on your level of knowledge of Japanese culture and people. Have you ever been there? If so, where?

 

[ignition]

I'm worried about the peoples' sexism. The government can't change its own, far more extreme, sexist views until the people change.

Quite a betrayal on your level of knowledge of Japanese culture and people. Have you ever been there? If so, where?

Excuse me? You don't care about top-down sexism?

No, and I never will. It's a racist country.

 

[Mister_T]

Sure didn't take long for the America bashers to start waving their well-informed stereotypes around.

Not sure what it says about Americans, but that sure says a lot about some people living outside of this country.

 

[Wu Wei]

Sure didn't take long for the America bashers to start waving their well-informed stereotypes around.

Not sure what it says about Americans, but that sure says a lot about some people living outside of this country.

no no no, don't correct anyone...were big, nasty, mean, rude, and scary and I'm ok with everyone believing that :yes:

 

[Riverwolf]

Excuse me? You don't care about top-down sexism?

Only insofar as I care about sexism in general, but trying to get a foreign government to change its ways is less profitable than punching a brick wall.

At least the people are approachable.

No, and I never will. It's a racist country.

Funny. Nobody called me a baka gaijin. We weren't treated badly; in fact we were kind of like rock stars.

How can you truly know how a country's people are without going? I mean, are you Brits truly the snobbish wankers as your reputation holds?

 

[Mister_T]

I forgot to say fat slobs as well. Can't believe I missed that one.

Well, you've more than shown you exhibit at least four of those things on your list, I'd bet you exhibit the other two as well.

 

[Mister_T]

no no no, don't correct anyone...were big, nasty, mean, rude, and scary and I'm ok with everyone believing that :yes:

Maybe they just want some "freedom."

 

[Caladan]

I find that when it comes to common people, at least in developed countries, most people are more or less the same.

True. Reading some of the posts by other non-American members I can't help but think how much in denial they are about the shortcoming of their own cultures. I definitely see plenty of immaturity and lack of self esteem behind these posts.

I mean to truly think that Brits or Canadians are in any way more informed, well behaved, intelligent or cultured than Americans is material for some good stand-up comedy.

 

[Flankerl]

Yes. Japan is a racist country and countries that are highly homogeneous also tend to be more racist as a people though not all the time.

So what?
China is racist.
The Koreas are racist.
And Japan is also racist.


Whats the big deal if everyone in the region is racist?
So what if they dont want mass immigration? Its their country...

 

[Riverwolf]

So what?
China is racist.
The Koreas are racist.
And Japan is also racist.


Whats the big deal if everyone in the region is racist?
So what if they dont want mass immigration? Its their country...

Racism is hard to avoid when it's likely you'll never interact face-to-face with a person of an ethnicity other than your own for several years at a time.

Japan and Korea are very small countries. Mass immigration to either of them would likely ruin them.

 

[ignition]

So what?
China is racist.
The Koreas are racist.
And Japan is also racist.


Whats the big deal if everyone in the region is racist?
So what if they dont want mass immigration? Its their country...

They don't want ANY immigration, and they don't like other people. That makes them racists. But if white countries like the US or Britain decide they don't non-Brits coming in, then we are labelled as racists and condemned everywhere in the world is that not true? Why the double standards? Either condemn Japan for their disgusting views or shut your mouth when other countries want to do the same thing.

 

[Flankerl]

They don't want ANY immigration, and they don't like other people. That makes them racists. But if white countries like the US or Britain decide they don't non-Brits coming in, then we are labelled as racists and condemned everywhere in the world is that not true? Why the double standards? Either condemn Japan for their disgusting views or shut your mouth when other countries want to do the same thing.

But the UK and US encouraged immigration. The UK colonised a quarter of the world and now gets colonised. Its probably Karma at work.

Japan, China and Korea never went down that road. They were always honest about being left alone.


And the US and UK are white? Tehehe thats funny.
Like i said: Karma.

 

[Mister_T]

Truth hurts doesn't it? There is a reason why you guys have the highest number of people in prison in the world, it's because americans are out of control freaks. Even your govt is twisted and sadistic. What kind of people hatch plans to spy one every single person in the world? Oh yeah, americans.

Only it's not the truth. It's mental excrement from someone who can't see past their own nose.

 

[ignition]

But the UK and US encouraged immigration. The UK colonised a quarter of the world and now gets colonised. Its probably Karma at work.

Japan, China and Korea never went down that road. They were always honest about being left alone.


And the US and UK are white? Tehehe thats funny.
Like i said: Karma.

You mean they were always racist? And there's no such thing as karma. Yep, we did colonise nearly half the world, the empire where the sun never set.

 

[Father Heathen]

So what?
China is racist.
The Koreas are racist.
And Japan is also racist.


Whats the big deal if everyone in the region is racist?
So what if they dont want mass immigration? Its their country...

It's the fact that if it were a western nation that held such sentiments, they would be accused of beimg radical and racist.

 

[ignition]

It's the fact that if it were a western nation that held such sentiments, they would be accused of beimg radical and racist.

Exactly! Thank you. One rule for one people and another rule for other people.

 

[Riverwolf]

They don't want ANY immigration, and they don't like other people.

They love Americans, actually.

They certainly loved us.