what it is like to be an American ?

Question

Theme: constitution and/or Bill of rights.

Answer 1

I like being an American and I like being and Earthling.. =-D

It is stressful though at times because you know so many people choose to judge or hate you because you are American and really we should not be made to be ashamed of something we take pride in. It's not arrogance to take pride in it either.. it's just being comfortable in your own skin.

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.





http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Country=United_States/Vacation_Weeks/by_State

Answer 3

Part of what being an American means is that we have enjoyed the luxury of being the most powerful nation in the world. This is a good and bad thing. Having power creates much resentment in some areas, yet many people strive to be more like us culturally and, of course, they want the same kind of power.

Answer 4

The constitution and the bill of rights are kind of a sideshow in America, those are merely protections from the goverment. They lay the groundwork but you don't really operate in that sphere of influence as an American.

Being an American is all about capitalism. Everyone makes a big hooey about the bill of rights, yes it is important, but what does it really mean to us now? You will see that in our corporate culture you do not have a voice. That expressing your freedom of speech to its fullest can get you fired from you job. So while the government may not jail you, or have you hung, you will be dealt with by those who pull the purse strings... So that alone is deterrent enough such that most will keep their mouth shut and just do what they're told..

As Americans the economy drives us in every way. We are driven to produce, to create, to work constantly, to be at the top of our game at all times, to be less than that is to be ridiculed, to be expendable. If you are not rich you cannot rest, that is if you intend on making better for yourself.

To be an American is to face constant economic challenges. To find ways to overcome those challenges, deal with them and hopefully make a better life for ourselves is our dream.

Of course I am talking about working class Americans, for the rich it is different. For the rich in America, of which there are millions, life is something different. Life is whatever their checkbooks can afford. Happiness can be bought, anything can be bought, love even. And you might think love can't be bought because you are an idealist, but in America we buy love. We buy it because there are those who would sell it.

That is the ultimate definition of an American, we are not defined by the constitution, or the bill of rights, those are just protections from the government. There is a far greater force in this country, the force of our economy, the force of trillions of dollars being up for grabs. That is the real force, not the bill of rights, not the constitution, that define who we are and what we do in our lives.

So the first thing you have to ask about being in American is how rich is that American. That is the key. If you imagine a man stealing millions from a bank, he could be imprisoned for life... But if a man steals millions from shareholders he might go to jail for 5-10 years. That is the stark reality of America, when you are a member of the economic upper class you are given a free pass to do as you please, the rest of us play by different rules.

Of course many will be upset by that opinion. But it is the truth. There are different rules for criminals of one class than of another. The idea that stealing is stealing doesn't apply so equitably to CEO's and that guy robbing a convenience store. Even though the CEO's actions affect far more people far more severely.

And that my friends is America in a nutshell, if you're rich you have it all, including about as many free passes as your money will buy for you. If you're not rich, you just better not screw up, because not being rich is the biggest sin you can commit in America, you are automatically labeled a certain way, and that label means you don't get the free passes, it means you get F*cked in the as* when you screw up.

Answer 5

Kinda being scared going to some parts of the world. Also, Americans are the only people who can pronounce "One double cheese burger, please.." with the correct pronounciation (It's beacuse McD is an American company".

Answer 6

Our government sucks, our peple are fat, and our poor people are becoming poorer, becuase the rich are taking everythign they have, *+*Cough*+* President Bush *+*Cough*+*

Answer 7

the government is taking our rights, but we're too lazy to do anything about it.......

Answer 8

Personally, I wouldn't want to be anything else.