Why do Americans (at least the govt) fail to see things from other people's point of view?

Question

That at the very least is the impression we get here in Europe. The US govt seems quite unwilling to negotiate with people and more in favour of giving ultimatums and having double standards for themselves (guantanamo bay, trade and farming subsidies, etc)

Answer 1

Because no European government give ultimatums, right? No country other then the US is deemed as inflexible? No other country in the whole wide world is viewed negatively by other countries? No other government fails to see other peoples points? Please, all governments are as inflexible and stubborn as the US. People don't see it that way because they are on the other side of the fence. I agree that if I was in your shoes, i would see it the same. The way I see it, all governments rely on double standards. Name one that doesn't. Honestly. Just one. I don't believe you can do it....

Answer 2

Well, let us talk about the double standards you site, starting with the subsidies. I take it that you are talking about the negotiations at the G-8 summit.

The USA subsidies are in response to the even heavier subsidies of the Europeans. What Europe wants is to subsidize its agribusiness, and prevent anyone else from doing so. Europe imposes unbalanced tariffs on food imports, massive labeling restrictions, and also massively subsidizes their own agriculture. Considering that the USA produces 1/3 the worlds food supply, I would consider our low tariffs on imports quite kind. In regards to the agribusiness negotiations, Europe is behaving like a whinny little brat. Besides, why should we negotiate from a position of weakness when we are the strongest player in the food production market? When you negotiate to buy something, you do not make sure you overpay for it so that the merchant can make more money....you pay the best price for your economic advantage. If Europe stops all of its subsidies and massive tariffs and regulations, then there will be no more USA subsidies. However, USA subsidies are in response to the trade practices of Europe.

In regards to gitmo, I take it you are responding to the jail, and not the military presence. If it is the military presence, think Faulkland Islands, except our holdings are actuall strategically significant. If you mean the jail, I consider the fact that open-window observation of the jail itself is excellent. I consider gitmo to be one of the best run military prisions in the history of the world. If you want a history lesson, look at the histories of European, WW2, WW1, American Civil War, and Asian Wars to see the awesomeness that is gitmo, when you consider history.

Considering that America does not see the other perspective, please, do not let your bigotry overwhelm your intellect. Just because we choose callousness to the consequences of our actions does not mean we do not understand where others come from. We understand that Europe has a strong tradition of accomodating tyrants and allowing for genocide. We understand that Europe has a strong history of killing jews simply because they are jews. We understand that European leaders who stand up for right in a world of wrong are the exception, and not the rule. We understand that Europe would rather live on its knees as a slave than die free. We understand that negociation, to be sccesful, must come from a position of strength, and we unstand that Europe will never learn that the philosophy of appeasment is a philosophy of failure and defeatism.

Answer 3

Probably because your view of democracy doesn't mean independence as much as it does to us. We feel very independent. Since we sit on this side of the pond with just Mexico and Canada, we've done it "our way" for so long it's hard to accommodate others.

With NAFTA that is slowing starting to change.

With terrorism, that will never change.

As far as the G-8, America sees “business as business” We do that in our own country. America is very capitalistic.

As far as friends and doing what is right in the end, I remember you guys and the Falklands War. It was pretty complicated due to all the treaties that we had with everyone including you guys.

However, from the American peoples perspective it was like this:

Look UK, don’t come over here… just negotiate this out.

But you guys were stubborn.

US - “Well if you come over here (Falklands) we’re not going to help you.

Then it was “Damn… they are really going to do this!”

Then we said, “Really… we really, really mean it… we’re not going to help!”

About the time your navy was half way over here the attitude was, “We’re going to have to help them if they have problems. Damn, why are they so stubborn.”

It was never a doubt in American’s mind that although we had agreements with Argentina, if we had to, we’d break those agreements and do what we needed for a friend. It was not stated by the government but I know that was the general consensus by the people here and that would be one thing our government would have to do.

It didn’t have to come down to that and a lot of things were done in secret for you guys that neither of us knew about what our two governments did (spy satellite, some type of special missile, and an airfield). All of this was reported as a US position of "non-interference."

So what I am saying sometimes America takes a hard line but in the background it is all together different. In the Falklands instance it was of course about Argentina but more important was about Russia watching our capabilities during a time of the Cold War.

So we didn’t want you to come to the Falklands and probably appeared real arrogant, and when you almost got here, we appeared to have the same attitude. I know that the attitude was that we would devote full troops and all military might at our disposal if required, once it was clear you guys were not going to stop.

I think it is like two siblings. We both have our own personality but we will both do the right thing… as long as we are not just picking on each other for the hell of it.

Answer 4

Yes you are right ! The US does not see things from other people's point of view. I mean just look at the Country of IRAQ. Those people wanted to be trampled on and took advantage of. They wanted to have no say what so ever in their Government. Same with Afghanistan. The female population there wanted to be kept ignorant, to not have jobs, to be subservient to man. Yep I see your point. We "Americans" are the last true Super Power left on this planet. There is no need for us to negotiate anything with anyone. Sorry dont like that answer well tough !! It is the truth. Without Americans most of Europe would be speaking German and taking orders from a little man with a bad mustache calling him the Fuhrer. I bet you are glad that the evil USSR is no longer in place ready to come through the Fulda Gap and seize all of Western Europe now. Oh yea that was because of Americans !!!!
Please though dont forget that it was the Americans who funded Europe to being rebuilt. Please do remember that whenever there is a World tragedy anywhere in the world that Americans are one of the first to donate money and supplies. Who in Europe donated what to Hurricane Katrina victims ???

Answer 5

Because the U.S. government is a big bully and they tend to have an attitude of, "it's our way or no way." Far too often America sticks its nose where it shouldn't be and as a result of that the rest of the world looks at us with a strange eye. We have just as many problems in the U.S. as we do in any other part of the world and yet we fail to focus on that.

We have more and more people ending up homeless, we have a serious mental health crisis which has lead to mentally ill people roaming the streets unattended without access to any decent mental health care. We have the highest rate of uninsured people of any industrialized country and yet we do not see these issues as problems.

We have people losing jobs everyday, we have high gas prices, the cost of living in this country has skyrocketed and only the top 2 0r 3 percent of the american public can actually live comfortable as opposed to those who live paycheck to paycheck. We also have an enormouse drop out rate among high school aged kids not to mention we have an alarming teen pregnancy problem. We also have a society that's depended on illegal drugs either through selling or using and yet we do nothing to attack these issues.

Answer 6

It's humane nature. That flaw is not just Americans or the American government, it's spread though out peoples of the world. That goes double for groups of people. I know it's a shame, and I wish it were otherwise, but that's the way it is except for some very open minded and gifted people. Good question that spurs me to try to be more open minded.

Tom

Answer 7

There are a lot of Americans..a lot of people in the government..you are taking a whole group of people and setting one opinion on them all. There are all different types of Americans...with all different beliefs and thoughts. I for one am the little people...as of most I know...we aren't like that. The government is the government..we can't tell them what to do on a day to day basis...protest all you want..it doesn't matter.

Answer 8

Why does Europe think we have agree with everything they say?
We don't "negotiate" with those who's minds are set on terror, if that's what you mean. Why should we? Why do you?
As far as the impression that Europe has of us, I, for one, couldn't care less. We don't have to make you happy.

Answer 9

Because from early on we are indocuturnated in to believing that our country is always right, when we are the biggest bullies on this planet. Its hard to deprogram people who are raised to believe that we are better than other countries or that we are the land of the free, we are not free!

Answer 10

Because they are more blind than Oedipus!