Why is the rest of the world so incredibly jealous of the USA?

Question

Because we are truly a nation by the people, for the people, that in less than 200 years developed the technology to put a man on the moon, while other nations destroyed themselves with petty, internal squabbles and wars with their neighbors. We also live incredibly well here because of our own ingenuity, which is why the USA is the only country that people die (literally) to get into. Yet today the USA is called a terrorist nation by ignorant citizens of other countries that live partly at the expense of the US taxpayer, as we fight a completely just war against Arab Islamic fundementalism. If it were up to me, I would withdraw every dime of foreign aid to the rest of the ungrateful world and let them sink or swim.

Answer 1

I think the USA sort of looks to the world like Paris Hilton -- Americans hit the lottery by luck of birth; they aren't especially educated or deep; and they often don't have a lot of obvious redeeming value compared with other people. And on top of all that, the US (unlike Paris Hilton) lectures and threatens the world.

I'm not saying all that is bad or wrong, just that that is how it is seen.

Answer 2

I think you answered your own question. Foreign aid really is a joke. Many people from these countries have pointed out that their governments have kept the monies for their own personal needs. None of the millions of dollars we have sent is used appropriately to help the needy. The problem with fighting Arab Islamic fundamentalists is that the world is filled with unjust leaders.What next? The war on terrorism can never be won. The war is not justified.America cannot MacDonaldize the world. Our way of life may not necessarily be the only way of life.Have a great day and thank you for posting your comments.

Answer 3

Why wouldn't they be?

As for withdrawing all aid, I'm not fully with you there. Sometimes we do a lousy job of buying friends, but when we have the means, and while there are people living in incredibly destitute situations, often beyond anything within their resources or ability to help, I cannot begrudge helping. If we get stingy, we might deserve some of the grief we are given in the world's popular opinion. Still, despite the UN proportional share statistics, we privately manage to give more than many whole nations lumped together.

Answer 4

If you think we're jealous you're even more deluded than I thought.

The truth is that we hate you for the following reasons:

America is mostly a country of the unbelievably stupid, naive and ignorant.

However, it has become rich and powerful because of a land rich in natural resources (taken with much bloodshed from the natives) and because of a small minority of brilliant scientists and intellectuals who are held in contempt by the majority who take advantage of their achievements.
America has been so provably wrong on so many issues it is absurd and they are too stupid to see it.

1. They now talk about solving the problems of the Middle East after voting in a president who initially said the rest of the world didn't matter to Americans (and wanted to pull out of the Palestinian/Israeli peace process- the Palestinian situation being a prime recruiting sergeant for terrorists)

2. They ignored the rest of the world who warned that they should take stock and plan before invading Iraq (and many of these supported eventual military action.

3. They said they don't believe in Global Warming (the fact that they would ignore their own Academy of Science shows how anti-intellectual they are).

Of course many want to become American-its like the kid at school who toadies to the school bully hoping for protection

Answer 5

What makes you think so? You must be living in a fantasy land to believe that people in other countries are eager to get into USA. On the contrary, in the present set up, there is more hatred towards USA than before. And, each American today owes at least US$30,000 in debt to other countries, thanks to the folly fiscal policy of the present administration for allowing that figure to grow every day! There are many more unfavourable factors against America and the list can go on but for brevity sake, this is concluded here!

Answer 6

It's not jealousy.
*The foreign aid is not free -- they come in the form of loans, which many countries cannot pay off; as a result they must sell (rather than use) their own natural resources, or worse, get sanctioned
*As a percentage of their GDP, USA is a stingy nation -- aid comes in less than 1%
*American tourists are among the most misbehaved and disrespectful people in the world
*Their general parochial, conservative, small-town mentality
*Among the developed nations, the U.S. has the largest gap between rich and poor -- and it appears to be widening, with Republican economic policies favoring rich Americans
*The pulling out of the Kyoto Treaty
*the fact that the general U.S. population gives more credibility to Michael Crichton and Penn & Teller rather than scientists on envrionmental issues
*The fact that education and healthcare are lucrative businesses
*The influence by fundamentalist christians on scientific progress (i.e. Stem Cell Research)
*The hypocritical puritanical attitude (bare boobs are disgusting, guts & decapitation no problem!)

Answer 7

I hate to burst your bubble, but all of the rest of the world is not jealous of America. And that includes the free world. If every country in the world to whom we currently owe money, called in their loan, would we ever be in trouble. Have you researched to what countries we currently owe billions? Take a look at what we borrowed from China and still owe. We function on interdependency. And If we stopped aid to many countries, it would be our doom. Just as no man is island, no country is either. The world has always functioned on mututal cooperation. If too many other countries sink, so do we. And polls in many European countries indicate, that Americans are not exactly seen as ideal. The National Telegraph very recently published a poll indicating that Brits see Americans as arrogant and ignorant. If you have ever traveled abroad, I'm sure you found people who disagree with us here in the US. And all the world is not ungrateful for the aid that we have given them. But that doesn't mean that they don't at times disagree with us. There are two sides to every story in history. Understanding other people and cultures is intrinsic to lifeblood of our nation. Diplomacy has always worked far better than war, pulling aid, and ignoring the tremendous diversity in the world. Allies are integral to the longevity of our nation. And like everything and everyone, it is ephemeral. And turn on the television. Many different nations are surpassing us in many technological fields. Whether it be stem cell research or automobiles, we are not exactly in the forefront. We are surpassed in education and health care by many countires in the world. Not everybody is wishing to be American by any means. We are very far from invincible, and the world is not ungrateful for what we have historically accomplished. Every civilization has risen and fallen. I think that it is best for a country not to get carried away with blowing its own horn including us. Sooner or later, it's crumpled and broken. And in the grand scope of history, two hundred years is nothing.

Answer 8

I think you posting Mr. Morris merely fulled of self-contained, shallow and biasness. Just because you pay tax doesnt mean you have the right to ask people to respect you!

What are you trying to prove? Should USA withdraw every foreign aid? Hey, USA has a lot of debts in the UN- billions in fact, okay! Why not 'pay' back to the World afterall UN is for the universe. Not for USA alone, not for just tsunami victims and not for the people who lives in Texas!

If you want to revoke foreign aid, I am sure Saudis/arabs would be happy to sell their oil to another nations instead of US if you were a President. It is bilateral process...get it?

Truly nation? Democratic? Leader of a Free World? (sigh) What about racism, same-sex marriage, poverty inside USA, violation of UN/Geneva Convention by attacking other country and go to War? Why about thousands of Mexicans who are ill-treated by big USA companies without social benefits? Hello!

Tecnology yeah, USA is very good at it. On the other hand, USA is also good in abusing its own technology. What about Internet sex porn,nuke power, pollution, emmision of CO2 etc. In terms of society, why women in USA did breast enlargement 320, 000 oeprations last year alone? Inferiority, insecure or beauty? Go figure! Why many marriage failed chances 50- 50 divorce in every marriage? Lack of motivation or stress?

What about education system? Why many youngsters do not know and ignorant about world culture and history? Why many people have no clue about global warming and world social issues?

Economy..why Canadian dollar is higher than USA dollar? Why many businesses want China as main market instead? Why unemployment is high nowdays? Crime too! Do I need to go on and on...

I dont envious USA but in contrast I find few Americans are very friendly, open-minded and kind-hearted but to be honest never I feel jealous. For the above reasons, I rest my case and rather live in Switzerland, Australia, UK or Canada which I found very pleasant and 'civilized' for the quality of life and political correctness!

Answer 9

I don't think that they are as jealous of us as they are mad at us for interfering with their governments. Since Bush has been in office he has set records at pissing not only foreign governments off but the people in these country's. I will be so glad when he is gone. We need to concentrate on fixing what has gone wrong with this country in the last 6 years.

Answer 10

They are jealous of our prosperity but their hatred is based on many of the heinous things our country does to other countries. How would you feel if your family was killed by a bomb dropped by the people who are supposedly there to "liberate" you? I still think this is the best country in the world but I disagree very strongly with many of our governments decisions concerning diplomacy, environmental issues, and military aggression.