What does it mean to be American?

Question

Is it more than just a bumper sticker or a t-shirt? What makes Americans proud of who they are and where they live?

Answer 1

Basically, what makes them proud is ignorance. Americans in general know very little about what it is like to live in other countries. They cannot even consider the idea that there are other countries where the people are freer than in America. They do not consider the real facts about their government, which spends the lion's share of the people's tax money not on the people but on the military. Countries like Japan, for instance, spend it on construction projects. Americans are bombarded with biased reporting, from the American viewpoint, and consider it to be just factual reporting. Living in America, they cannot see the difference.

And blah blah blah.

Answer 2

I am US borne, I lived in Miami-Florida for seven years, before that, I lived in south America and recently move out of Florida for good to the UK, and now I look back to these past 7 years and even though I did my professional career there, I felt it was the 7 worst years of my live (social wise), because of this capitalistic systems I did not have many friends, everybody was busy, did not have a real girlfriend cause I did not have money to show and people saw me like I was a rat because I was poor “the more you have, the more you are” . And in the US, you can not pursued a university degree unless you come from a very wealthy family or live in debt for the rest of your life and if you become sick, you either have to have an insurance (very expensive if not paid by employer) or lived in debt for the rest of your live.



I think in the US, there is a culture to work but not culture to socialise with others, for example Drs see you as a number $ more than as a patient, i don’t want to generalise but i think the US system changes people into machines and blocks their mind form what is outside, most of the people I meet there, think that the US is the best country in every single way, without even visiting other countries, well I don’t blame then , with the little time off we had in Florida as listed on linked below, there is not time to visit any other countries,



Well, something else I realize when I was travelling Europe and south America, I noticed that most of Americans did not make any effort to a least speak the most common or used word in other languages and expect everybody to speak english as once a girl from Chicago told me “we are leaving the a globalisation world so everybody need to speak English”



In the other hand I think that economically wise US is great , my parents are doing financially very well so is my brother and most of the people I know, but unfortunately all the money they make and have, cant not even be enjoyed. I truly respect you opinion but I think that WE as “Americans” should see the world equally, change our minds, not because we are richest and have the economical power we have the right to abuse others and impose our system, ethics, morals as every country has their own and we should respect that.

Answer 3

It is not a bumper sticker or a t-shirt. Being an American is being proud of its people, yourself, and your freedom to do or be anything that you set your mind to. It is a beautiful country with a lot to offer. Being an American is being thankful that you have the rights and opportunities that the country has to offer, and that you can think for yourself and speak your mind.

Being an American does not make you any better than anyone else. It is natural to be proud of your home and your friends and loved ones. There are plenty of things about the U.S. that I am not proud of, but I do my best to make it a better place in what small ways I can.

For all of the people who respond to this question negatively and assume all Americans are blind imbeciles that have no interest in foreign affairs and an unfounded self righteousness, you are mistaken.

Certainly there are "ugly Americans" that give the whole country a bad reputation, but can you say that you don't know anyone of your nationality that poorly represents your country?

Give everyone a chance, stereotypes are like cliches, they are the crutches of the weak minded.

Answer 4

When you ad the total killed by the United States of the Vietnam and the Iraq Wars, it is approaching 2 million people or more. I am a proud American, but I am not proud of this record.
America has all the means and the ability to be a great and wonderful force in the World, but we Americans have allowed that potential to starve on the vine while we have tented to the "military industrial complex."
It is very late America, but it is not finished yet because we can be The Great Country that is our potential, but we need a lot more heart, loving courage, than we need armor and militancy.

Answer 5

Of what country? Americans are all people from the tip of Argentina (South America) to the tip of Canada (North America)..

If you speak of the good ole USA then I am one who is proud of being a USA citizen. The US is so diverse in landscape from ocean to ocean, border to border, that one can literally choose where they live. That's one of the points of "Home Of the Free!"

I have lived and worked abroad in many of the American countries. And that ole saying "Home Of the Free" is no doubt one reason every immigrant has made their way here, from 1492 to present day.

I love the U.S.A.!!!!!!! It is definitely much more than a bumper sticker or t-shirt!!! For those of you that find fault in it or it's people, then leave. I won't miss you. That is another freedom you have. Freedom of speech is another freedom we abuse so hastily. Try that in another country! Speak out about the government in another country and see what happens.

OK I'll get off my soapbox. But you don't realize what you have till you loose it!!!!

Answer 6

To be an American is more than just a claim of citizenship, it's more than a bumpersticker, more than a T-shirt--it's a way of life. To be an American is to be free to choose who you want to be, to be able to say what you want to say, to write what you want to write. To be an American is to love the freedoms others have died protecting and realiving that this freedom we have didn't come by sitting around watching football and drinking beer, or eating hot dogs or pumpkin pie.

What does it mean to be an American? It means we can hold our heads up high and muddle through trouble. America means freedom.

Answer 7

For me: It means living under a Constitution that guarantees me freedom of speech, freedom from illegal searches, freedom from religious fanatics, a free press, and the rule of law. Right now, unfortunately, it also means living under a moronic president who has squandered the good will of the world. It also means, thanks to our Constitution, he will be out of office soon. Being American means I get to do a job I like, and I can do anything else I want to, provided it's legal. I can read, watch, or listen to anything I care to, and I can ignore that which I dislike (something our religious "moralists" need to learn about). I could think of a lot of other things, but you get the idea.

Answer 8

being american means:

expecting everyone to converse with you in English, even when you're in a non-english speaking country.

Mocking the french because they, "eat cheese" or "smelly funny" or "didn't save our ***, after we've saved theirs twice"

Having little to no knowledge of international affairs, yet proclaiming your opinions as facts.

Fawning over paris hilton and her ilk, as though they are making the world a better place trough whorish-ness.

believing that celebrities are never wrong in criminal cases, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Asking yourself, What does "contrary" mean?"

Laughing in the face of scientific evidence.

Driving a Ford Excursion that gets 10 miles to the gallon with a sticker that says, "Earth First" on the bumper....

making marijuana illegal, when far more addictive and dangerous substances are legalised.

prohibiting same sex couples to marry, but allowing people who believe that dinosaur and man roamed the earth together to marry and reproduce.

Claiming to "love freedom", while limiting freedoms.


simply put....

being disillusioned is what it means to be american.

Answer 9

It's not just pride, it's arrogance too. We defeated the Indians who lived here and took their land. We are all foreigners to this country in some way (Except Indians). People forget that in their arrogance and *********.

Being American means to me:

Chance to make some money. Chance at education. Chance at having a great doctor should the need become apparent. Chance at better technology. Chance to reach goals and realize dreams. Chance to live in peace, whereas other countries are constantly suppressing their peoples. Chance to experience all that life has to offer.

Being American to me means having a chance to have one iota of happiness is this dreadful world. I am thankful my great-grandparents came here and offered this land to me as a citizen. I am thankful that I am here and not some backward country without even basics like toilets. It's good.

Answer 10

Pride comes because of who We are, Our history and all that have given their lives to make Us Americans.When you look back on the dedicated forefathers of this Country, you will know that We have paid a lot for the one thing that We stand for--FREEDOM.Many have died for it, and God forbid, many will in the future.Please know that in my eyes they have not died in vain.No it's not seen- Pride is something felt and should be honored by Us all.......