What is your general view of the common American citizen?

Question

the person asking this question is, by birth, a northern california (US) native.


please, only answer if you are not an US citizen. also, if you would be so kind as to indicate your general whereabouts on the globe, it would be enlightening (personally speaking).

please feel free to add any strong, honest emotions that you are feeling (or have felt in the past). I'd love to hear anything real!

Answer 1

Coming from Canada, my view of American citizens is based on three things: my visits to the US; their visits to Canada; and trade relations between our countries. This isn't exactly flattering, and I apologize in advance.

American citizens are unique in their ability to claim superiority while not knowing anything about those they think they are superior to. Their society is insular and self-congratulatory, and while the vast majority has not contributed in any way to the greatness of their country, they are comfortable with taking credit for the accomplishments of their forefathers. The 'dumbing down' of the children over the last few decades has resulted in an incurious and undereducated generation of adults; poor basic literacy (poor spelling is by far the norm), and a lack of geography skills (even the northern states don't know anything about Canada: no, we don't live in igloos). They are an enormously gullible population, and even those with high IQ's don't show critical thinking. This is partly due to the lack of informative world news; instead, the population is inundated with celebrity-related stories and stories about themselves. Their level of patriotism, which is a good thing, actually borders on nationalism, which is not a good thing. Belief in one's country is important, but not to the exclusion of all else (why should I travel to Italy when I can go to 'Little Italy' in NYC?) While security has increased in all airports all over the world, it is an experience to go through American airports (while in the long, long, long lineup at the Las Vegas airport, fortunately one can watch an instructional video on how to 'walk' through security).

That said, the US is still a great country, and one I like to visit for its great tourist spots. The people are almost always nice. Ironically, while the public education is found lacking, the Universities are the best. The hospitals are world-renowned. Technology is always on the leading edge and no one can even come close in the motion picture department. The people are hard-working and fun-loving. They love team sports, and are good at it. They are competitive without losing humanity (the people, that is, not the Bush Administration). It is definitely a great country, but it isn't the best: I have travelled a lot, and that's my opinion.

Answer 2

This is a first American who wants to know foreigners points of view.A very good question from an intelligent American.You should run for President.I have many American friends on their own O.K. but as a group loud,rude.wanting to be the centre of attention all the time.Why do they have to shout all the time?I have visited the States many times.Americans there are so insular.Most have never left the States.U sually I can tell American contributers to Answers by the way they spell certain words i.e.center.Must be a big problem with the education system in the States cant spell and cant ask a concise question,very sad.I live in Bangkok and am often asked if I am American by Thais.I tell them English and then they smile.Sorry in the main Thais dont like Americans due to the war in Iraq.Canadiens who visit Thailand usually have a maple leaf emblem on their backpacks.Ask them if they are from the States and get a sharp answer.Most believe that America is the greatest nation in the World.They love to tell you this constantly.We foreigners think that Bush is a joke.The Second World War was won due to Americans this is what they believe.Pearl Harbour forced the Yanks to get involved.Best advert for America Winston Churchill half American.Most people believe it is now dangerous to visit the States so much violence.Guns available to everyone.You did ask for the truth,good man.

Answer 3

As a citizen of the US, who's great-grandparents have migrated from Western Samoa, over 40 years ago. America has a lot of opportunities to ascertain any goals that you may set for yourself in your life. If, pursued adamantly, and worked hard for, you can be successful in America versus most countries from where one may migrate from. As, far as the people in America, and especially in Hawaii, my great-grandparents and my family are grateful for all the opportunities that we were given. They were poor when they arrived here with only a few dollars and the clothes on their back. They now own their home and family business. I feel any person when coming to America should follow all applicable laws for the right to exist here legally. I really don't see why any ethnic group, thinks/feels that they have to break a law, just to partake in a great nation and society like the US of A. We have been in Hawaii, Boston, Alaska, Los Angeles, San Diego and many other States in the US of A. I think my grand-parents and family have travaled to mores States in the US, then its average citizens. Thats why I love America so much! My family were hard workers, educated themselves to fit into this society,and NEVER took any government handouts. We now have settled down in New York and Boston. Two more great States to live in.

If, anything was negative in the US, it was always takened cared by my family and myself really quick and easily. We had very few problems everywhere we have gone in the US.

Answer 4

I cannot stand the feeble-mindedness of the general public here. I could probably safely assume that the general public of the entire world is pretty stupid too, but I'm only going to talk about Americans because it's what I know.

Last night our President, George W. Bush, gave a State of the Union speech. I did not watch it. There's no point to watching any of those speeches because all that happens is the President says two sentences and then there is a standing ovation. Then he says three things, and another standing ovation. George W. Bush got something like 88 standing ovations last night. How retarded. Let the guy speak and applaud at the end. Parents attending a high school band concert know not to applaud in between movements of a song but instead to wait until the song's over. Why should a speech be any different?

Imagine if Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream" speech was interrupted every two seconds by standing ovations. It would have been rediculous.

One of the more trivial things our President talked about was that he wants every American to give 4000 hours (two years) of their lives to charity by volunteering.

That's a nice Utopian dream that will never happen. You know it and I know it, right? Well, our idiotic US citizens apparently can't think. I was watching CNN this morning and they conducted a poll and 80% of Americans said that they are going to volunteer in organizations.

Yeah, ******* right. If I was conducting that poll, I would say, "Are you going to volunteer like the President wants? You are? Great! How about tomorrow at 2? Next Wednesday? 2014?"

We are so full of **** as a nation. Full of it. In fact, when people get off the planes and boats and first set foot in this country, they complain that it smells like **** because of all this utter BS coming out of our collective mouths.

A further example of our BS is the whole POW controversy. We have detainees in Cuba and we're not calling them POWs, because if we do, then they don't have to talk to us and we have to be nice to them. Now, plenty of people have made the point that they're getting treated better in Cuba than they ever were when they were free in Afghanistan, but that's not the point.

Last night President Bush said that "our war against terror is only beginning". After Sept. 11, he said that those planes flying into those buildings were acts of war.

Insurance companies don't cover acts of war, but the Bush Administration has helped sort that one out. Our news outlets call it the "War on Terrorism" and not the "Campaign against Terrorism."

Yes, it's a different war from ones we have fought over the centuries, but it's still a ******* war. Vietnam was never declared either, but no one argues that it wasn't a war. How much money are we spending on this War on Terrorism?

This is a war, make no mistake. I guess it just is war when we feel it serves our purposes to be, and it's not when it serves are purposes for it to not be.

Osama bin Laden may have masterminded a plan that killed over 3,000 Americans, however he's also exposed us as hypocrites. Those detainees are POWs, and if they aren't, then why are we holding them in the first place?

Answer 5

What is "the common American citizen"?

I love America. I hate America. At different times, for different things. I love America(ns) for many many things for a long long time, but I have never wished to live in America.

The few Americans I've met in Europe said it was "unusual, refreshing" to hear this from an overseas Chinese. The Americans I worked with in Exxon S E Asia were as nice as people get... from engineers to supervisors and drillers. (my supervisor was an ex-US marine great guy)

I hated America during the Vietnam War (Korean war too but it was before my time). How can Americans allow their government to carpet bomb peaceable Vietnamese? Yet these are the same Americans who stopped the madness of Hitler. I love the good that America is.

I once said "America is like a beacon to the world" like the Liberty Statue; and I still continue to think so. Despite a world of "yankees-go-home" chorus in troubled regions, deep down I hope, pray that America will continue to act like a shining beacon. Because no other country is, or can be. And because America cares enough to act... for the good of all.

Ah! I know... the common American citizen is an uncommon person because he/she is different from the rest of the herd. Isn't that the basis for leadership?

Answer 6

Hi! My general view is that most common Americans are hardworking, kind, God fearing, honest people. It seems the media loves to build up fear and only sight the bad things. I know that almost everyone I know is quite good. I live in a small town, but my daughter is a missionary in the ghetto and even there I find that most are great people. I am proud to be an American and I think we really get a bad wrap. People are so prejudiced against Americans. My son lives in Italy and says others think that we are all rich and war hungry. So sad! See Ya!

Answer 7

Hard working, therefore isnt neccesarily up to date with facts of world just knows there is something more and believes in a creator or God, hoping that president will eventually turn out good in the end cause he's a believer too, generally good people, not the most informed or educated though, yet not their fault because the cost of living takes alot of workin to keep on goin on.

Answer 8

This is an open forum so anybody can answer, including an American, like me.

There is no such thing as the "common American citizen". There are 300,000,000 Americans from ethnic backgrounds and nationalities and religions from all over the world. The United States is probably the biggest "melting pot" on the planet and due its diversity is one of the greatest strengths this country has. It can also be a weakness, but I see it as more of a strength. There are different types of Americans - conservative, liberal, moderate, Christian, atheist, MUSLIM, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Democrat, Republican, Green (political party), black, white, asian, native american, musician, doctor, bricklayer, nurse, architect, truck driver, factory worker, computer programmer, nuclear engineer, janitor, teacher. American citizens there are plenty of. Common? Not on your life.

Answer 9

PRO-proud, dynamic, patriotic
CON-not humble, divided, can't see past their borders, socially and culturally selective.

I would also like to add they have trouble following simple instructions, as half the people who have posted so far are American. That is not what you asked for.

Female, Southern Ontario Canada

Answer 10

I feel the common America citizen is lucky to have what they have compared to other countries yet we are still lacking in health care and education and jobs.