Many Views Abound

[Sukerkin]

Last night we were having a few threads that touched upon how America was viewed by other peoples around the world.

By coincidence, I found these couple of blog/threads/articles on the BBC which might make interesting reading:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/talkingamerica/2008/10/fast_food_nation.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/2008/09/080904_talking_america_debate.shtml

There are some quite surprising points of view in the comments and posts, particularly from Pakistan and Iran. I consider myself reasonably well appraised of world affairs and international relations and there were some things said that really surprised me.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Interesting responses to read through.

 

[Twin Fist]

yeah, and lets look at how stupid some of these so called opinions are:

"Tell me who were the first to put obstacles denying entry into their country?"

so that person wants the person who makes it easier for another uneducated foriegner to get into this country to win.

It's the same demagoguery which keeps Latin America in ruins.

yeah,the united states does that, not generations of crappy local governments

Also, conflicts like Georgia-Russia would not happen, as they are mainly provoked by the US

yeah we caused that..........

The Americans are antiquated, imperialistic and need wars in order to survive. Their history speaks for itself.

this is so idiotic i am not sure where to start..........

I hope that America can have a black president. If this happens, it will show that Americans are truly democratic, civilized and lovable.

this sounds like something an 8 year old would say. A racist 8 year old

So I won't change my view of America, which I see as greedy, aggressive and hypocritical.

I hope and pray that Obama will win. His victory will be good for Pakistan and for the world.

whats good for the islamic world is probably NOT good for america

American policy is based on bullying weaker nations to best serve their own interests.

Obama would be better for India, it looks like that he is a real democrat who would talk to other countries and the UN before any big action.

again, they seem to want someone to put thier interests before the interest of America, the great boogey-man!!

Since the United States is a world leader, it would only be fair if we have a say in choosing the next world president.

uh, no, you cant have some say in who we elect. Deal with it



tell me again, why should the typical american give a crap what they say? thier interests lay in seeing us torn down, that would clearly be BAD for us, so giving in to what THEY want would be pretty stupid, right?

common sense is you dont try to make your enemies HAPPY.

Sorry Suk, i think i get what you are trying to say, but I dont care. I just dont care what else people around the world think, as long as thier first tought is "dont mess with them, cuz they will put you in the ground"

I have given up on the rest of the world actually being gratefull for the things America does.

oh, and my last thought, if america is so bad then by all means QUIT COMMING HERE, we wont miss ya.

 

[celtic_crippler]

Who the hell puts relish on a hamburger?


BTW....how many European countries have a black as their figure head? How many have a black even in the running....ever? I'm genuinely interested if someone can tell me.

 

[Ray]

Sure, America causes all of todays problems and Europe caused the dark ages.

 

[CoryKS]

Look, all you Mickey D. haters try making a burger from lean ground beef. Just try it. You can't. It's crumbly and dry, you can't make a decent patty, and even if you could you'd have to drown the thing in ketchup to get it down your neck.

Fatty meat is delicious, you just don't eat it every freakin' day. I go to McD's like once every three months, and it is goooood.


All the other views were pretty interesting. A lot more even-handed than I would have expected.

 

[Sukerkin]

All the other views were pretty interesting. A lot more even-handed than I would have expected.

That was what I was really trying to highlight i.e. that there were more than a few individuals out and about the world, even in places I wouldn't have expected, who did not demonise the USA.

Which is why I titled this thread as I did. To quote Pat Travers "People are people wherever you go".

 

[Sukerkin]

Sorry Suk, i think i get what you are trying to say, but I dont care. I just dont care what else people around the world think, as long as thier first tought is "dont mess with them, cuz they will put you in the ground"

Not to worry, TF, I think one of the good things to have come out of the past year or so of our exchanges of ideas here at MT is that we know we can disagree with each other without giving offense :tup:.

I have given up on the rest of the world actually being gratefull for the things America does.

I think sometimes this arises from awareness of the ulteriour motives overriding the good things that do get done.

oh, and my last thought, if america is so bad then by all means QUIT COMMING HERE, we wont miss ya.

Now that is a very fair point.

 

[Twin Fist]

Not to worry, TF, I think one of the good things to have come out of the past year or so of our exchanges of ideas here at MT is that we know we can disagree with each other without giving offense :tup:.

absolutely, You are one of my favorite posters, tho in reality, we dont agree on much. You are a gentleman, and a credit to your parents.

I think sometimes this arises from awareness of the ulteriour motives overriding the good things that do get done.

change that to "an imaginary ulterior motive they pretend we have or they have been told we have, but they dont bother to find out the truth" and i might agree

Now that is a very fair point.

thanks partner

 

[Tez3]

I think there's no problem with Americans not caring about what the world thinks of them, there's no reason why they should but it cuts both ways. Americans shouldn't then comment on the rest of the world or try to influence what other countries do should they?
TF, if you really didn't care what those people were saying why quote them and try to refute their opinions lol! You'd just shrug and say 'whatever'!

 

[theletch1]

I think there's no problem with Americans not caring about what the world thinks of them, there's no reason why they should but it cuts both ways. Americans shouldn't then comment on the rest of the world or try to influence what other countries do should they?
TF, if you really didn't care what those people were saying why quote them and try to refute their opinions lol! You'd just shrug and say 'whatever'!

Whatever. :rofl:

 

[Twin Fist]

I think there's no problem with Americans not caring about what the world thinks of them, there's no reason why they should but it cuts both ways. Americans shouldn't then comment on the rest of the world or try to influence what other countries do should they?
TF, if you really didn't care what those people were saying why quote them and try to refute their opinions lol! You'd just shrug and say 'whatever'!

eh, whatever........

 

[Archangel M]

Now..now.. Ive seen a couple subjects of the Crown get a mite upset when their nation is the subject of negativity. And rightly so. It just seems like some people "over there" (the people in those links..not anybody here) believe we should just beat our breasts out of guilt and "take it". We are as proud a people as "ya'll". And for all the "you cant take criticism" accusations, I dont see many good examples of open mindedness over there either.

 

[Archangel M]

absolutely, You are one of my favorite posters, tho in reality, we dont agree on much. You are a gentleman, and a credit to your parents.

I agree. If we could all disagree in this manner, the world would be a better place. We will never have universal agreement.

 

[Tez3]

To see why people think these things you have to look at history. In the Middle East after the First World War, America and Great Britain basically carved up the region making borders which divided tribes and people, putting local chieftains on thrones and causing problems for us in the present. The peoples of these regions are going to have their views coloured by their history and also by what they are told by their rulers. If their rulers say America is evil they have very little way of finding out for themselves what's true and what's not. When my daughter was working in Dubai she couldn't even log onto a British Cagefighting website as it was censored. There's little hope that a censored Internet will allow political discussion if it won't even allow a sports site just in case there were things on it the rulers didn't like discussed.

In the Far East again things are coloured by history, we, the West, have long been seen as the despoilers and looters. Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos and American involvement hasn't helped there. Again people see what their history has taught them. As with Iraq what one person sees as help in liberating a country another will see as the invasion and bombing of their country. In Pakistan the aligning of it's government with America has caused huge unrest with many being killed in bombings. It's not surprising they want an American president who will be sympathic towards them. America is a country that you want with you not against you.

Whether it's citizens like it or not the American election is looked at by the other countries of the world in trepidation. When it's President talks of making war on Iran and Syria we worry, America has taken actions in the past involving itself in other countries business that cause us to worry where the line will be drawn and wonder who's country is next. Like it or not the American presidental elections and the subsequent election of the next president sends a ripple around the world. Actions taken by the American President and the American Government affect all of us so you can't be surprised at the views and interest taken in what's going on.

You don't have to take criticism at all, take them to task by all means, you should defend your country but to say you don't give a damn what's said then go into a diatribe about ungrateful natives hating America is just hilarious!

 

[Archangel M]

Good points. Altho somehow our Congress seems to get a pass when it comes to blame. They are more than willing to let the president take all the heat, when they are as much a part of the process of decision making and "checks and balances".

 

[Tez3]

Good points. Altho somehow our Congress seems to get a pass when it comes to blame. They are more than willing to let the president take all the heat, when they are as much a part of the process of decision making and "checks and balances".

I think though that the President whoever it may be, is all most of us know about American politics and to many it seems as if the President controls everything. It's such a high profile position and this belief that he is totally in charge is reinforced by the current affairs media as well as fiction such as books and films. Very few people other than those who study the politics of other countries actually know how America is run. I expect thats true of most countries too, I know that most non British people don't know how we run things here. With the spotlight on Sarah Palin for example it says she's a governor but few of us outside America actually know what she does as governor or what part she plays in America's government at the moment. The same with Obama we don't actually know what a senator does so naturally the main subject of interest as well of blame or praise is the President. We know what he does as we've watched 'Independance Day' rofl! A joke of course but you can see where people get the idea the President is in charge!

 

[Cryozombie]

I know that most non British people don't know how we run things here.

The Queen runs things from her throne in the palace protected by those funny guards with the Black Marching Band Hats, right? ;P

 

[Tez3]

The Queen runs things from her throne in the palace protected by those funny guards with the Black Marching Band Hats, right? ;P

Yep that's just how it is! Btw the guys with the funny marching band hats ( the Brigade of Guards..Scots, Welsh, Coldstream, Irish and Grenadier guards along with the Household Calvary...funny dressed guys on horses) have been fighting in Afghanistan recently, lost a few too. Scots Guards have moved up to Catterick, one of their officers wants us to teach them street self defence......mmm drunk Scottish soldiers who can then fight even better than they do now, good thinking Batman!

 

[theletch1]

You bring up a good point, Tez, regarding what others know of US politics. Cryo was making a joke about the Queen but it hits rather close to the mark as to what most Americans know of politics across the pond. The problem, in my personal opinion, isn't that folks in other parts of the world place all the blame on the shoulders of the president (regardless of who that is). That can be chalked up to simple ignorance of the facts. My problem is folks here in this country who should understand, at least moderately, how the government works. Checks and balances are still (supposed to be) in effect in this country. If something gets screwed up the blame should be spread around as should the glory for fixing something... the gov't fixing something, now that's rich.