Why are so many Americans so insecure?

Question

The USA is by far the richest and most powerful country in the world, its military dominance is as yet unchallenged, it has more cultural and political prestige than anywhere else, so how come so many ordinary Americans can't stand even a breath of criticism from us non-Americans? Why are they so touchy? Why can't they just relax and enjoy how nobody can seriously challenge their right to beat us up for saying that maybe everything they do isn't totally cool?

Obviously I'm not talking about all Americans. Just the ones who get hysterical if you suggest that the American government doesn't always do the most wonderfully altruistic thing. If the USA is really as wonderful as they say it is, why should they care if someone like me suggests that it isn't?

Actually I'm half-Irish, half-English and my dad went to college in the USA and served in the US Army, all of which I'm proud of, but, you know, never mind...

Umm, also, not like I should have to explain, but I love loads of things about America - the music, the literature, the food, the clothes, the folk legends, the native peoples, the technology. It's the government I have a problem with, and its suck-ups...

Answer 1

im an american, and i agree that we should accept the criticisms thrown our way, but i have this theory that we've built an empire much like rome, and that we forget that the rest of the world is out there, i think our reign is coming to an end.

Did you know our county is 48 billion dollars in debt and that debt grows everyday through military spending by the million. If countries we owe money to, called in our debts we might have a third world war on our hands, cuz we don't have the money that non-americans think we do... just so u know.

Answer 2

You sound as if you've been beaten up or something...

Anyway, in a country that has so many diversities (as you've listed, and then some) and opportunities as a result of those, you should know that all of those positives sometimes come with negatives. We are criticized for the same reasons that people like you come here. We only react the same way (more or less) anyone else would, no matter the homeland; it just may be less pronounced. Besides, how would you feel if someone who's had a few incidents with some of your countrymen and made a generalization on their own personal experiences alone? Sure, you might not throw a punch, but you wouldn't exactly like it, either. America has its faults, but you can't dismiss its virtues. Why do you think people still come here? People don't like being criticized, direct or indirectly...and some of those people have strong politcal views. Don't get me wrong, I don't condone getting into a fight, but everyone might not exercise restraint regarding others' opinions...

Answer 3

because ordinary people don't no whats going on, only what they see on the t.v. they work at least 8 hours a day 40 hours a week at jobs they don't really like. and some even more 10 hours a day, and then they get a 2 week vacation at the end of the year. people are living pay check by pay check . we get taxed like crazy by are government. sometimes it feels like we help other countries more than we help are own people, the American people have a high rate of depressions, the key to your ? is ordinary Americans cant relax because we are to busy working are *** of and most will work them self's to death, Americans are survivor's that come from all around, the poor and the repressed, that could not survive in there own country. that's enough i am starting to lose it there is no relaxing in the u.s.a. do you thing we have time to relax, we are all ways out numbered when we have to fight. maybe insecure is the wrong word to use maybe you should replace it with just plain mean,and crazy.

Answer 4

I'm American and I totally agree with you. We need to shut up and back up off people.

But a reason to as why some of the other people here are like that...might be because they're worried that some day...we won't be the 'all powerful' country we are now.

I mean...everyone knows nothing can last forever, and America has been the leading world power for a long time.

America's like that rich guy that wasn't always rich and is worried someone is going to come along and he'll loose everything he's built up and have to be poor again.

Answer 5

Your question is intriguing. I have been anti-imperialist all my life and never liked the idea of one nation lording it over another. America, I felt, set itself up as the world's Policeman and I resented it.
Lately, tho', I've been forced to rethink my thinking. Someone has to police the world simply because of the way the world is. Same as we have to have police forces in our respective countries because of rogue citizens. There are rogue nations, too.
If I have to be policed, in the international sense, then I'm glad its by America and not someone else. The reason for this is that in America, there is every culture under the sun. So, if one group oversteps the line they will be pulled up by the others, sharpish. That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

Answer 6

The US military can fight well in many conditions but they can't handle guerrilla well. That was the crisis in Somalia and now in Iraq. The war would have been over a long time ago if it was straight military warfare with proper rules of engagement on both sides.

The US is a great country and many of its people are good. However, the current president ummm kinda dropped a bomb for nothing.

Answer 7

America is very insecure. It because they have no sense of society. There is the individual and the state and nothing else. In counties with a greater social fabric people don't feel the need to turn to the state for a sense of identity and reassurance. Russia and China are similar, having a strong sense of Nationalism because there is less social security.
European and Asian counties with strong social bonds develop allow people to feel more secure and this is reflected at at national level.

Answer 8

Christopher Reeve did not die broke. And at the same time as i'm pleased with my personal coverage, i imagine the completed market needs a serious shake down. at the same time as the businesses are growing wealthy, too many each body is being bled dry attempting to pay for coverage that refuses to pay at the same time as they ought to. Socialized drugs isn't the answer, opposite to what Hillary thinks. the authorities purely needs to commence cracking some heads and regulating the crooks who run the market.

Answer 9

I think that you are basing your judgement on people on the Fox news channel. I don't think that there is another example of introverted paranoid delusionals on any TV channel anywhere or at least as many, maybe it is a job requirement. It also begs the question are Americans really that stupid?

Answer 10

I think it is quite common no matter what country someone is from to take pride in their home and want to defend when they feel someone is coming against them.

So it's not just an issue of American's being insecure. One I am sure would find the same response anywhere someone calls home.

Perhaps you are sensitive to the response of people who don't like being put down?

It works both ways I believe.