Politics Anti-Americanism

[Sim]

Now I'm certainly no person who's not critical of many US government actions. In fact, I am deeply worried by the path the US governments have taken since 9/11, both Bush's and Obama's (although I still find the Democrats somewhat more sympathetic).

So I don't think being critical of the US government means being "anti-American" (d'oh, many Americans are too).

But what really annoys me is a kind of stupid anti-Americanism is meet here in Germany. It's common on the left, which hates capitalism and considers America the pinnacle of the capitalist system. But also on the far-right, there are anti-Americans: Extremely conservative people who feel the democratic-republican system we have since WW2 thanks to America is way too left-wing, and they detest consumerism and individualism that comes with it.

A couple of months ago, we had a party and there were two younger friends of my wife (in their early 20s or so), who'd suddenly say: "Americans are so stupid!" One would say: "Series like South Park are not exaggerated, they are really so dumb." Next thing: "One of my class was on exchange there, and they really believed Hitler is still in power in Germany!"

That really made me angry. Simply because none of them had really spoken with Americans, online or otherwise. They just kept repeating stupid prejudices. I told them: "Yeah, but see, the Americans made a series like South Park to mock themselves. Germany never made anything like that. What do you think does that say about Americans?"

I've been talking with Americans for more than a decade online. I've met a couple in person, and I spent 2 weeks in Oregon. It seems obvious to me that Americans are good people, some smart, some not, but usually they have their heart in the right place. And it's certainly stupid to judge Americans in general by their less smart individuals -- much like it wouldn't be fair judging Germany by that one girl, who herself is basically a rural hillbilly from a neo-Nazi infected backwards place in Germany.

Unfortunately, it seems to me that too many Germans go too far when they criticize America and lose perspective. Sure, what the secret services and the NSA are doing is not fine at all -- but after all, aren't basically all other states worse? How can so many Germans defend Russia in the recent crisis, although Russia is at least 10 times worse than America? Don't they even realize that most things they love about their lifes, from McDonalds to pop music and movies, is mostly American?

The majority of Germans really sucks, IMO. I know not few Americans feel the same about their people.

 

[Hilander]

You know Sim there are idiots everywhere in the world, no one country has a monopoly on them. The only thing you can do is try to tell them different, although I doubt people like that will listen to anything but their own rhetoric or you just ignore them. Which I find most often easier to do.

We have people here sometimes I wonder where they get their ideas from. Sometimes their ideas are born out of ignorance of the facts, they are just plain prejudice, sometimes they are this way out of jealousy. I think this is true for a lot of countries.

I'm a rural hillbilly by the way.lol But I don't have anything to do with Nazi's.

 

[Dr4gon]

Sim is German? Wie cool! He posts really good english and I thought he was American. Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch. My friend Rico said that not very many Germans speak english and he doesnt either. He lives in Berlin.

Ive been seeing a lot of anti-America and anti-Russia in the media but its probably mostly just all about politics. Imo Its really not cool to be anti any country and I havent had any issues when Im talking to my friends overseas in Germany, Russia, Ukraine, or Slovenia. But we dont talk very much about politics so maybe thats different.

What people forget when they discuss the NSA and Prism is that Russia has the FSB and Sorm and other countries probably have their own surveillance systems. But yeah I think that Prism and Sorm are probably the most epic.
Anyway theres so many other cool things to discuss like bands, movies, sports, and stuff so I really dont get why people wanna be all anti-American or anti- any country. Its not helpful.

 

[MenInTights]

I've known exchange students and a few other Europeans. By some standards, you gotta admit they are smarter. Most Americans can only speak one language for instance. However, many of the people I met were the best of Europe, so its hard to say. I've heard some of the same jealousy from them. If Europeans are truly smarter, why does America run so much of the West? This is not all inclusive and is just one thing I've noticed, but Americans seem to have a stronger work ethic than many of our counterparts. So a guy may not be the smartest bulb in the drawer, but if he works 60-80 hours a week getting something going he will be successful. Be it a business, education, job, music, etc. Not that the Europeans I've known weren't hard workers but to me there seemed to be a difference there.
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But forget all of that and come to America Sim! CO and I will put you up!

 

[Sim]

I've known exchange students and a few other Europeans. By some standards, you gotta admit they are smarter. Most Americans can only speak one language for instance. However, many of the people I met were the best of Europe, so its hard to say. I've heard some of the same jealousy from them. If Europeans are truly smarter, why does America run so much of the West? This is not all inclusive and is just one thing I've noticed, but Americans seem to have a stronger work ethic than many of our counterparts. So a guy may not be the smartest bulb in the drawer, but if he works 60-80 hours a week getting something going he will be successful. Be it a business, education, job, music, etc. Not that the Europeans I've known weren't hard workers but to me there seemed to be a difference there.
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But forget all of that and come to America Sim! CO and I will put you up!

Haha, MIT, thank you! =)

Not sure if I'd be better off in America... probably there, I'd rant against the fellow Americans I think are annoying ... lol.

I don't think Europeans are naturally smarter than Americans... at best, I'd think our education systems are just different. American education is more varied... you find the best schools and universities in the West in America, but the worst too. While in Germany, everything is mediocre. German universities and schools are not among the best, but hardly any is really bad either. We're less competetive, which means fewer students fall off the wagon, but on the other side, it curbs brilliance. At least that's my best guess.

And I guess you have a point about hard work. Certainly American workers/employees face tougher conditions than German employees. On the other side, Germany is among the world's top exporting nations, so probably our work morale is not *that* bad. Except for mine, of course, I'm totally lazy.