Only Intelligent Answers Please!?

Question

Why is North American culture so arrogant? I cannot understand why one of the newest cultures in the world so convinced that they are the best? Asian, Nordic, and East Indian cultures have been around for so much longer...

I asked for only intelligent answers because I knew I would get a bunch of stupid responses by dorky jerks.

Thank you to those people who have a decent response based on their opinion, whether they agree with me or not - I appreceiate it!

And to clarify - I said North American CULTURE, not people... nor did I say just U.S, I mean the commercialism culture

But, you can take offense... if you really want.

Answer 1

I think it's so arrogant because capitalism is the way of life here, which means it's all about money and power. If you don't have it you're worthless. Asian and E. Indian cultures are based on faith and basic neccessities of life. Here it's all about the pursuit of the 'American Dream'. We have the best cars, the best houses; basically it's more about the material aspect of life that is important. Other cultures are based on family and love and respect. We're too caught up in trying to make a buck, that anyone that thinks differently isn't worth the time and space.

Answer 2

I will disagree with you because I can, the 10 points be damned.

We can all agree that the newest computers are better than the old, right? We can agree that new inventions build upon the best parts of the old while trimming away the unwanted, I hope. If you'd much rather play old-school Nintendo than Xbox, you'd be doing so for the irony, because you can't afford anything better, or out of nostalgia, but you can't seriously believe that the Nintendo was the best system of all time and will remain so for eternity. Thereby, we can establish that old things always eventually become obsolete.

Government and culture is like these inventions. They went through revisions throughout history, sometimes splitting into parallel tracks, sometimes joining under one government/culture. However, inevitably, some things sucked while others were good. It was deemed that feeing people to lions sucked, so Roman culture was abandoned (excuse the over-simplification). Eating stuff with chopsticks remained cool, though, so Asian culture is still around (again, excuse the over-simplification). However, new cultures that formed tended to take the best parts of old. US culture decided that the English tradition of parlimentary democracy was a great idea, and kept it when they split off from the British empire to found their own culture. At the same time, they decided that a monarch was a waste of time and energy, and today they don't say "god bless the king/queen".

Because they're new, and because new is almost always an improvement, it makes sense that Americans are arrogant. In fact, it makes no sense that an old culture would have any pride at all; they're still playing Atari and saying they love it when everyone else has Ebayed their Nintendo 64s or Sega Saturns. They're behind the times, but they've resisted reform and improvement (or the Gameboy Revolution) on purpose, so they're not even worth pity, just scorn.

Again, I disagreed without because I could. I could also have agreed with you if I wanted to, using different analogies and arguments, and it might have sounded just as good as the above. My point is that there is no reason to favor any modern culture over another, since they all still exist today and haven't yet been completely overrun by others. Yet.

Answer 3

I assume that you are referring to American pride, or arrogance. Being of Chinese ancestry, I can easily agree that China should be the most respected country. It is the oldest, continuing civilization in the world. All other cultures and countries have had broken histories (forced migration or have disappeared). There's never been any religious persecution, but only political issues. (Human rights is difficult when govt has to manage 1/5 of the world's growing population).

Still, the best reason for American pride is the fact that the world's most intelligent people have always immigrated to the U.S. Our immigration laws were designed to accommodate for this. They call it the "brain drain". This meritocracy rewards these intellects better than the old countries that they chose to leave behind.

Effectively, the U.S. is an amalgamation of all old-world cultures. However, we should not be arrogant since it's not a complete melting pot. Still, when we succeed, are inventive, creative and can help other countries...it's American pride all the way. The wrongful wars will make us humble. And we live in hope here with the best and the brightest.

Answer 4

First of all, longer doesn't necessarily mean better or more advanced. Cultures, all cultures evolve. Most ancient cultures gave no rights to women at all. They were property and unfortunately, in some parts of the world, they still are.

As far as North American culture goes, we are talking about a vast area populated by people of many cultural backgrounds. People in Wisconsin, for example do not have the same attitudes, politics or religion even than say, someone in NYC or Los Angeles. In general, North Americans are proud of their culture because it stresses equality and opportunity as ideals to strive for and have taken the best parts of many cultures to form our own conglomerated culture. Don't confuse pride with arrogance. I find people from other cultures to have their own form of arrogance in thinking they've been around longer. Fact is, we've all been around only since we were born and regardless of how far back we can trace our ancestors, we all have them. While our location may be new, our heritage and culture comes from other places.

Answer 5

Arrogant American speaking here--- I am not aware that United States citizens are any more arrogant than the citizens of any other nation... but we may be a bit more proud of it. You really answered your own question in your details. We are the youngest decided culture and because we have been formed by a combination of many different well established cultures we have a bit of an identity crisis. My grandmother was born and raised as well as her ancestors in France. My grandfather born and raised along with his ancestors in Scotland. They met in South America and my father was born in Brazil. He came to North America after he was a school aged child and then met my mother and so on and so on. Does that make me french, Scottish, Brazilian, American...what exactly does that make my personal culture? To some extent or another this is true of all Americans....right? I hope that helped you to see the other side of the coin.... Best wishes

Answer 6

That's a generalization. Not all of them think they are the best. It's not just a North American thing. Look at the British and all of the other Western worlds. It's mainly just the whole western world that's convinced they are the best. It's something that comes from the fact that the western world is one of the most advanced and such. I wouldn't call it arrogance either, it's pride. Don't mistake pride for arrogance.

HOWEVER, the countries of the United States and Canada aren't that new for being inhabited. Before the Europeans came over, North America was already inhabited by the Native Americans (American Indians, Indigenous North Americans... whatever you want to call them). They came over here over the Bering Strait over 20,000 years ago. They already had names for their land, the people, languages, etc. Theeennn Columbus came over and turned it into a new White nation.

Answer 7

The cultures of North America--or at least those prominant and thriving today, have the arrogance of youth and the ignorance of history. Now has always seemed the best time ever in spite of the occasionally morbid references to 'the good ole days' (those days, no doubt, are also comparatively modern).

It more has to do with influence and a hold on natural resources and economy. When England and France divided the world, no doubt their arrogance was keen and when China imagined themselves the only empire on earth, that no doubt did something to the Asiatic perception most recently on display in Japan prior to and during WWII.

It is unfair, ultimately, to target cultural arrogance to a limited geographic scope. It has more to do with the times and the eras. People in civilizations and arrogance criss-crosses and will ultimately transcend the globe.

Answer 8

Is the North American culture arrogant or is that just your opinion?
We have to remember how we all move with the times and maybe arrogance is more global than just North America, maybe we are living in a generation of arrogance, but then maybe that's just opinion too

We all have our own opinions and they all differ, that's the problem at the end of the day. We are all trying too hard to be individuals maybe, instead of trying to move forward together-in the same directions yet as individuals
But then that is just MY opinion ;)

Answer 9

I don't know if what I say is going to be any different than what every other person said already, but that seems kind of stereotypical. The idea probably came after WWII, when less focus was on Europe, and America took more of a role than in WWI. Nazi Germany wrecked most of Europe, the USSR wrecked most of Germany, and how much damage did we get? None, except for one harbor. So when the other countries got in debt due to reconstruction, who do you think helped out? US. And overnight, we began to swell with patriotism and a "We Can Do It" attitude. And after the USSR fell, we became the biggest superpower ever. This could lead to arrogance, or the stereotype that the US is too big for it's briches, but that's just a matter of opinion...

Answer 10

Why only North American? What about the rest of it?
I believe it's the culture. What other countries do you know of that base worth on looks and money?
For the guy above me: there is a difference between being proud and arrogant. And sorry to break it to you a lot of Americans are cocky and believe that they're the best. But, when you actually compare and think about it, what is there to be so cocky about?
Some of the answers here are proving your exact point aren't they?!

Answer 11

Just because certain cultures have been around longer, doesn't mean they are the best. As a matter of fact, it can be a disadvantage to them, because they are not willing to change their ways, and progress. They are not willing to move ahead with the times, only stick to what they know. The US is arrogant because they tackle change, and challenges, and succeed at it. This also doesn't mean they are the best, and I don't think every US person thinks that way. That's only a misconception you have.

P.S. I agree with the other people. Your question is not intelligent.