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Mon 16 Feb, 2004 01:32 am
Why is the United States, in your opinion the paragon by which all things bad are compared to and found guilty of committing?
For as long as I can remember, I read or watched the news fairly consistently. Frequently, pictures of burning flags, placards or quotes from around the world were/are featured, each with the same message. American tourists and journalists are kidnapped or tortured as a message, Anti-US propaganda is delivered in speeches or found on newsstands and each country seems to despise the states for it's own independent reasons. I realize in Chechnya and other places, the US isn't top priority, but at some point in every country, at one time or another, the US will be bashed. For the most part, the world's knives are aimed at the US.
I'm not trying to over simplify the issue, but I was listening to an opinion piece the other night, I started thinking how his anti-usa rhetoric was ludicrous, and typically canadian. Another program (a couple of years ago), 60 Minutes did a segment in Pakistan, where students chanted anti-american slogans as answers to questions, the show could have been from anywhere at anytime. I remember reading about the pilot of a 911 plane, how he lived amoung us. And yet he hated us, so much. Because of what he saw on T.V. and witnessed around him. The apparent loose morals...
And on another show, a few weeks ago, Americans were asked, why the world hated them? I was astounded by some of the answers.
What is it about the United States that draws such sentiment? Many western countries share the same principles and ideologies. Our mongrel (that is to say, we are mixed in colour and creed) populations and development are on par and our governments are usually in agreement, in accord. We have similar lifestyles, education, employment, religions, justice systems and leisure. And yet the US is normally the target.
Why?
Is it the military might, the foreign policy, Bush, Clinton, and/or ReaganÂ…. Hollywood, the strength of the US dollar, the drug or terrorist policies, all of these, none of it.
As a side note, Why aren't some americans more aware of these feelings?
Plenty of the answers on the program were based on the idea that the world is jealous. That would never have occured to me.
Although I don't agree with the outright hatred, I can see why those outside of the United States may have a dislike of Americans. I suspect the hatred is really more to do with the American government than the actual people of the United States.
You've heard the phrase "ugly American"? I think it describes those Americans who, outside their own country, conduct themselves in a manner that would suggest they feel entitled to continue behaving as though they were still in the U.S.A. Their belief that just because they are American, they should be treated differently (better) is part of it. And then there is the arrogance that accompanies citizens who feel their country is the best in the world and flaunt that feeling abroad. No one outside the U.S.A. wants to hear that because it is a put down of their own nation.
With that said, I don't believe there are many Americans today who conduct themselves in this manner and I don't believe that even during the time that phrase was coined that every American behaved that way. But the image remains.
With a history of military intervention in so many parts of the world, there is another image of Americans as being "bullies". I don't think the latest war is doing much for that image.
Oh, I forgot one other segment of America. Aside from government and people, there is corporate America. Think Union Carbide and what happened in Bhopal, India and you have another reason for resentment towards Americans.
Ceili, you also touched on the aspect of "loose morals". Given the global village our world is becoming, many other countries are able to access American pop culture, certainly more so than ever before. Many citizens of those nations who see their youth adopting western attitudes are more than unhappy about this change. I would imagine the feeling is if Americans weren't so morally corrupt, their influence wouldn't be so negative.
That's how I see part of it anyhow.
I would tend to say that people generally hate the country with the most power. Not that they are jealous, it just seems to be the default.
I like one of caprice's answers better, though. When the two mass immigrations occurred in the US, parents would see their children reject old traditions in favor of Americanized ones, and they hated the country for that. This happens today, but it causes a lot more grief because Americanization is invading other countries.
Quote:Last month, a survey was conducted by the U.N Worldwide--The only question asked was:
"Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world?"
The survey was a HUGE failure.
In Africa they didn't know what "food" meant.
In Eastern Europe they didn't know what "honest" meant.
In Western Europe they didn't know what "shortage" meant.
In China they didn't know what "opinion" meant.
In the Middle East they didn't know what "solution" meant.
In South America they didn't know what "please" meant.
And in the USA they didn't know what "the rest of the world" meant.
I think the isolationism that this refers to is a part of the source of it in the western world.
What's this "China" place you talk of? That isn't on my map of America!
Big, rich, powerful - that's three - any country with all those is gonna be hated, c'mon!
Hypocrisy would be another - all countries are hypocritical, of course - but the States really spouts goodness (and does a lot) but does lots of open and secret badness - then says: "Who? ME???!...bats eyelashes. AND is patronizing, often, with it. Lots of countries and economies have been affected by this. Many people have good reason to hate the States. Many don't.
And - we all like to whinge and moan, rather than look at the positives - especially with a big target. I suspect - to get all psychological - that the US has a good mummy/bad mummy role in the psyches of many parts of the world. The milk and approval are wanted - the power and control and bad behaviour aren't - and, I think a lot of some people's internal emotional angst is projected onto the US - as is the blame for bad lives.
And the ubiquity and 'orridness and power of many aspects of US exported mass culture. It is easy to see that, and not the wonderful aspects of American culture.
Some's fair, some sucks. Like criticism of any country.
I guess, too, the closer, the more threatening; and the bigger the nose hairs and black heads look, too - and the worse the morning breath...
Canada is CLOSE.....
Quick answer...more later. Good responses, above.
I think it is the perceived lack of understanding in the USA that other cultures and systems of government, commerce and religions are equally valid alternatives, each with their pros and cons.
...and the use of power to prevent developments that commercial interests, which fund politics, find too hard to handle, e.g. the Kyoto agreement on climate change.
KP
Yeah - and the big target thing comes in there. Oz hasn't signed either - AND has tried to negotiate "developing nation" wiggle room - we deserve to be kicked in the bum on this as much as the USA - if any bum kicking is to be done - but, except for people who go digging, who notices what Oz does?
Oh, and we invaded Iraq, too - but even the US thinks we were Austria...
dlowan wrote: who notices what Oz does?
You got that right. There were three leaders most responsible for the invasion. George Bush, Tony Blair, and John Howard. But Howard never get's mentioned, even though he's just as big a criminal as the other two.
Well, depends, assuming they are all criminals, on whether you measure the size of the criminal on the basis of intent, or the size of the military force...
We speak loudly - (albeit, into the wrong of the megaphone) - and carry a small stick.....
I never knew so many people hated us until just the last few years after the Iraq and the UN thing. After 9/11 it was painfully obvious that the extremist in the Muslim faith resented us, but I thought it was pretty much limited to them.
I think it is our arrogance in wanting to turn the whole world into "democratic states" whether they like it or not. Also, not to bring up sensitive issues, but it is our obvious partiality to Israel over Palestine that shows not only in our policies but in just the talk on TV from the news pundits and from ordinary people who either call in or email in their opinions or in some kind of forum like this where those from other countries can hear or read what they are communicating too.
Also since we are so big (we should remember that Rome was once too)if another country or the UN disagrees with us we just pooh pooh that country as irrelevant.
It's the American government I've always had a problem with. I don't like the arrogance and the bullying that goes on, along with the super power attitude. They feed the rich and forget about the poor, so I had lost respect for the government a long time ago. They want to control everyone and they don't care who they hurt as long as they get their way. It's all about money and power with them and the hell with the people, unless they're rich people of course! I hate greed!
Power & wealth both beget envy, fear, hatred between individuals & nations.
America is a proud, powerfull nation & has a lot of influence in promoting its ideology. The American Way is the way to go, it is said, in the USA.
There are those who believe America wants to force its ideology on them.
But not all nations/cultures/individuals subscribe to that view. They may make that known thru violence, distain or simple rejection.
America should respect the fact that many countries are happy being Muslims, Hindus, Africans, Arabs.
They may drink Coke or smoke Lucky Strike, drive a Chevy but they don't want America telling them how to live or imposing upon them an alien culture.
Actually, so long as we gain an economic advantage, I don't think we are at all concerned with spreading any sort of ideology. Notice all of the dictatorships/plutocracies we have and do prop up and/or tolerate. If we're taking their stuff, no need for them to take our ideology. If we want to sell them stuff, though, that's another story. There's a lot of purchasing power in China, for instance...
I wouldn't have said this a year ago, but looking at us from the outside (or trying to), I think fear is a big factor.
We are armed to the teeth. I don't think there has been any such unmatched power, who hasn't set about colonizing and enslaving. I know the terms almost sound silly in 2004, but who likes having some incredibly rich, militarily superior country controlling the world economy, entertainment, trade and politics... I used to have a visual of a global neighborhood-- Countries personified by houses and families, living on a street, interacting with one another. Needless to say, we have the biggest house, the newest technology, the most enviable lifestyle. You can get pretty unpopular in this scenario, even if you have no faults or foibles. If you do, it is so much easier to justify hating you.
I watch BBC News. The US almost invariably leads the first three 'world' headlines. I would be sick of us if I weren't us.
The rest of the world seems to have some sick fascination with the US. Hate us--but for God's sake, don't miss any detail of what is going on here....
This matter, and the fact that we have done possibly more than we should have of geopolitical dabbling... (which adds to fear) and adds justified resentment.
I don't believe we have to force Capitalism, let alone the concept of a democratic republic on the rest of the world. The more we bellow, infiltrate and start wars based on false pretenses the more we will be hated.
During the cold war, many Americans were terrified of the Russians and the same was true of the Russian fear of Americans. No one seemed to realize that the governments of both countries were responsible for the valid fear of nuclear holocaust.
I think the hugeness of the US is what brings on such hatred and rightly so, because our power is overwhelming to almost every other nation on earth. Our corporations are only concerned with profit, even if it means that we support governments that are terribly oppressive. Do you think most corporations of the world don't do the same thing? Problem is, the US can cause damage and destruction on a massive scale.
Hitler was and is considered the most heinous monster of the 20th century. Who remembers Pol Pot and so many other evil leaders? Size is what makes Hitler so reviled, but he really wasn't any worse than any of the other monsters.
Then there is our entertainment industry. Good grief!! How can we be so puritanical while producing such sleaze? At least Europe is open about nudity and sexuality.
Here is a link with an excerpt from an article by Richard Reeves I found on Yahoo about the flap over Janet Jackson's boob popping at the Super Bowl.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=123&e=2&u=/uclicktext/20040207/cm_ucrr/boobpoppingaspublicdiplomacy
Quote:Does it matter at all? Well, it seems to concern some conservatives in the streets of Washington. Michael Powell -- the powerful Powell, the one who is chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites) -- says he is outraged. His indignation confuses me as much as the halftime music, because he is one of the people so hot for deregulation of all sorts. Is it possible that there's some connection between the deregulation so dear to economic conservatives, the freeing of media corporations from restraints on ownership and content, and the down-and-dirty garbage so offensive to cultural conservatives?
Naw! The great flag-wearing poobahs of News Corp., Viacom, General Electric and other conglomerating media would never allow that. My God, the children might be watching! And certainly those upright citizens would never allow news to be debased, melded into a branch of entertainment.
Our entertainment is shown all over the world. Is anyone naive enough to think that represents everyday life in the US? Apparently many people actually believe what they see on TV or on the news.
Our size and power will continue to be hated and, quite often, for good reason. I just wish that the US could also be seen as a nation of people--individulas, who seldom have the power or voice to restrict the actions of our government, especially if those in power have no compunction about taking action that doesn't require the vote of the PEOPLE.
It's the ignorance of our current leadership. I betcha things will change big time after November 2004.
For example. The US has just said that Canada is the biggest risk for letting terrorists in and that our immigration is much to soft, meaning that we pose a threat to the US. In the mean time, illegal immigrants are pouring into the US daily and they are not coming from Canada. This is total bullshit. Canada didn't back the US in their war and the US government has been pointing fingers at us ever since.
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