Why do some of the US citizens on Y! Answers.....?

Question

....not realise that Y!A is not solely used by people in the U.S. and that there is a world outside their own country???

I'm not one for ranting but it's time I got on my soap box for a few minutes to vent my frustrations. A couple of examples from the past few days;

Someone asked, "Who will be watching C4 at 10pm", obviously referring to the Tourette's programme with Keith Allan. Someone from the US answers, "Don't you get that Channel 4 is different in every place. Where I live now it is PBS, when I lived in Utah it was the ABC Affiliate."!!!!
Another asked about where can they could buy an exercise bike in the Motherwell areas, someone from the US answers "Sears"!! Yeah, like we have Sears stores in the UK let alone Motherwell!!

Dont think I am bashing all Americans here. I'm not. It's a minority but a minority in US terms, considering the size of your country, is a lot of people. Is it because we Brits live in a small island by comparison that we are more educated in...

other countries. I mean, a large percentage of US citizens don't even own a passport or have travelled outside their own state. We are certainly not as insular as that.

It is also apparent from spelling, grammar, even the type of question that most of us UK 'answerers' can tell when a question has come from the US? Some of you in the US aren't able to make that distinction.

Is it just me that feels this way. Thoughts anyone?

I apologise my Irish friends! I missed you out. You also use this site.

Munch, munch, chomp (me eating large portions of humble pie....)

Mark you miss my point. I only cited these as examples. There are a lot more I could use but space is limited. A Motherwell in the US, ok but I guarantee that if there is then;

1) It's not big enought to have a Sears store
2) Some of the US couldnt even point to it on a map

My point is that this insular thinking, albeit a minority when compared to the rest of the US, must still be thousands. And my worry is that it is these people that are voting for people to run the most powerful country in the world. Doesn't that concern you slightly? OK there are still some 'dumbasses' in the UK, but come on, its not comparable.

DesignSTE - In fairness, I'm not tarring all US citizens with the same brush. And this similarity you refer to, that's my point, we're not very similar by comparison on this issue. Well done for understanding the time difference though! Some of your fellow citizens don't quite realise we're on the other side of the world here.

And, I'm not antisemetic, so dont point the finger at me for that one...

DesignSTE - that sweeping statement could be construed as a hateful slur to all inhabitants of Islamic countries. Are you making an assumption everyone feels like that? If so, you're adding weight to my argument. That's a very insular train of thought. My mate is a muslim and he doesn't hate jews.

dhwilson58 & sean e - a lot of good points raised. You're right. Perception of each others cultures on both sides of the Atlantic is key to this debate. Thanks for your input.

sean e - interesting point re. your perception of TV. My view is that it is your news channels who put a 'spin' on what is going on with the world. Whilst, I don't agree with all of Michael Moore's arguments (I'm not that liberal), he does say that one of the most balanced news stations is the BBC. Sky, Fox news etc. will always have that Rupert Murdoch spin on things in my opinion. It's all goes down to this 'perception of others' thing again

Answer 1

You're not the only one that's noticed. They are a very egocentrical society and some have trouble thinking outsided the golden arches, let alone the box. To them, USA is their world. Don't blame them, blame their government for spending all the money on war rather than teachers salary and text books. My country has more internet connections per capita than any other, yet Americans still ask me why I live in an igloo or when are we getting paved roads here - LMAO.

Answer 2

Actually, this issue has crossed my mind a time or two or even more. It seems to me that I can almost always know when someone from the UK is answering a question because the First thing they say is something sarcastic about grammar right off the bat. Not considering that a lot of people are talking into Mic's, some people can't type well due to exposure (I'm one of them) and so on. I am a red, white and blue American and I have been all over the world, I have a passport and I have 4 friends that are Brits and a brother in law that's an Englishman. My impression of them is... a bunch of drunken lazy people that are so insecure that they have to compare themselves with others.People from the UK does go on holiday a lot and travel which is nice and educating but I'm sure that I'm not alone when I say spelling every word is not my main goal when answering a question on Yahoo.com....Question, does it really matter? you UK people are very concerned about everyone grammar, I can pick you folks out almost every time. here's what I think, If everyone was a little bit more compassionate and less critical of others, everyone would be in a better world. Please don't take this as bashing you or anyone in the UK or any where else for that matter, I think all people are great and I enjoy everyone and don't judge untill that person gives a reason to. I'm glad you asked this question because I've noticed this as well. I thank you and have a great day. :)

Answer 3

You need to get down off your high horse mate.

Don't you think that there is a Motherwell in the US? Or that in the US there is such a thing as Channel 4. If the person asking the question doesn't make it clear that they are talking about the UK then you can't blame someone for suggesting Sears as a place to buy an exercise bike.

I would agree that a lot of Yanks do think the USA is all that matters in the world - but that's no different from people in the South East of England not having a clue about anything west of Reading or north of Luton.

Answer 4

America demographically is much younger than Europe. Read Bill Bryson's book A History of the English Language. We do not have all the same spellings as the English because we tried to fix up the language 100 years ago but than the fad passed so we stopped. I am 29 years old and very well travailed and I find that all though the Europeans and Canadians tend to appear more educated they generally have more in the way of facts (True and False ones.) than Americans but Americans tend to have a better understanding of human nature. No offense but Europeans have a lot of Utopian notions that most Americans by 25 or 30 years old have rejected as being out of line with the true nature of mankind.
There are also a lot of Americans in our latest generation that were just spoiled by their rich parents and are so dumbed down on Nintendo and drugs that they are frankly an embarrassment.
Note: the T.V. you watch in Europe strikes Americans as state-controlled, and it misrepresents most of what it shows.
I think the biggest problem between Europeans and Americans is that their world views are very different. We are much more religious than you (and you see that as a sign of stupidity). You are much more liberal socially and naive. (And we view this as a sign of your corruption.)

Answer 5

That really annoys me too. I'm not saying that I don't like the Americans, but thats what Yahoo Answers USA is for! It sometimes doesn't matter but when you're wanting to know of a good place to go in the UK or discussing english TV, some times their answers are completely irrelevant. They need to GO BACK TO WHERE THEY CAME FROM!!! The idiots.

I hope some yanks answer this question, because I'm gonna watch it.

Answer 6

It's the economy.

American corporations became so rich and powerful that they are now seen all over the world.

Eventually, nations of the world will lose their identity to this new craze of brandishing logos everywhere.

Great Britain has some unique qualities that I hope don't get lost in the shuffle as U.S. based corporations take over the world and find tax gimmicks that make them avoid paying taxes due to America.

Answer 7

Why do hateful threads about Americans begin like clockwork around 9:00AM UK time?

"Jews are Greedy."
"Americans don't know anything about the world around them."

What a lovely culture to share a similarity with.

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You missed my point completely, oh ye of superior intelligence. The simiarlity would be with Islamic countries.

Answer 8

i do agree with you that they are self important,but you have to remember that they are told from an early age that the good old usa is the only thing that matters and everyone else are smaller and less worthy.
In the uk we have the view that it is rude to shout out what you really think,and find americans too much like hard work.
But if you go to london you will find a world very similar to the usa,most of london think it is only villages and savages past the m25,i have lived there and loved it but i missed the real world.

Answer 9

Only 5% of americans have passports and the country is so large why would they leave? plus the press encourages them to think like americans rather than citizens of the world to perpetuate their control of world economics through environmentally suspect capitalism.

Answer 10

The thing is that most of the people that are here are very young, and it's my believe that they think only the people from their state can see their questions... But that is just how I feel....So I totally understand ya there.... So how is the weather up there?..