My foreign friends always used to take shots at Americans, but used to always confide, in the end, that they really admired us. Over the last couple of years the admiration has waned though. Any similar experiences? I feel allot less proud when I travel too. I get confronted allot more about the things we are doing around the world. It's easy to be the typical flag waving myopic American simpleton and just think the whole rest of the world is always wrong and we are right all the time. But it's getting harder to hold your head up proudly overseas these days if you are an American once you start talking to people and hearing what they have to say.
2006-11-25 15:54:37 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
We'll, I'm Australian. Personally I think the US stands for many great things but over recent times this has really been overshadowed by negatives that many US people do not seem to understand. Many seem to have a US centric world view and don't care what the rest of the world thinks, this is very negative. The US must engage and become more active in positive issues and not just hand out aid money. I think most Aussies still like Americans but try to think more global. I.E sign the Kyoto agreement and be more even handed to those that need assistance.
2006-11-25 16:12:24 · answer #1 · answered by KC0803 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, depends on where the friends are from. European and Asian friends are iffy on the US. Europeans in particular seem to make a great deal of fun of the US, and also seem to have quite a bit of contempt for us.
Asian's are more respectful, but I think they're a bit embarrassed by the US and trying to cover it up. At least the Japanese I know... we're friends, allies, business partners - but the US is sort of the black sheep of the family, the drunken out of control brother you really wish wasn't at the wedding.
The few people I know in Africa all want to emigrate to the US...
Just from my experiences.
-dh
2006-11-25 16:00:32 · answer #2 · answered by delicateharmony 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was told a story about a teacher that studied a semester in Europe and his new friends there and he would go play basketball outside at 9 O'clockish (btw my teacher was from NYC, like me) and they all though that if you go out at night in NYC you would be shot to death
2006-11-25 15:57:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have had the IDENTICAL experience/discussions with my European friends, especially.
2006-11-25 16:13:05 · answer #4 · answered by retorik75 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋