2007-03-19 20:50:15 · 7 answers · asked by khenichi 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
To the Americans who answered thank you for your input, i am from Australia and two years ago we got colour tv and soon most of us will have running water out of a tap!!! and thats not all electricity in most towns, 1 in 10 people have a car, ATM yeah i've heard of them but yet to see one and lots other of new stuff coming here soon so dont call us third world.
2007-03-20 08:37:47 · update #1
As an American I found this question extremely interesting. I admit I love my country. But I am aware of how many Americans think they are "above" everyone else. This became very clear to me when my husband and I decided to adopt internationally and we got alot of "bad mouthing" because we weren't adopting "one of our own"....meaning we weren't adopting a child from the United States. As I type this post, my precious 3 year old son from Guatemala is watching me....I wouldn't have it any other way.
As a result of my son's adoption I decided to open the minds of at least my small area of the world. I am the a teacher of our church's KidsChurch and I write all of the lessons for each kids' service. I began assigning a different country for each month. Now, not only are the children learning about God and the Bible, but each month we are studying a different country, their culture, their people, their way of living, their language, their beliefs, their government, ect..... At the end of the month we have a special dinner where we ONLY eat food that is made in that particular country. The kids are LOVING it and I have to say the parents are learning almost as much as the kids.
It's not much...but I hope I make a dent in the ignorance that you guys have mentioned thus far. You are right in many ways. The kids in America seem to think that we are the only country that has Playstations and Nintendo DS's. They seem to think that everyone else needs our charity. I'm thankful that America is a charitable nation for those that need it. I wish we were even MORE charitable for countries like my son's...Guatemala. However, our kids need to learn that we have alot of catching up to do in comparison to education when it comes to many countries around the world.
Just wanted to let you know that not ALL Americans were conceited.
2007-03-20 05:57:45 · answer #1 · answered by guatemama 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not going to generalize... but "some" tend to be so ignorant, I often wonder if its done on purpose or if some are truly stupid...
In the South African category we tend to laugh about some of the questions we get asked by Americans... things like "do we have houses"..."do we have the big 5 as our pets"...etc, etc...
Some are just so wrapped up in their land of the free, they have no idea or couldnt be bothered with whats going on outside, but still open their mouths to ask jaw dropping questions.
Some of the things said arent only annoying, but insulting as well...thus we truly get pissed and because of a few stupid people in America, the rest get fried as well.
I really wonder if some know that the Discovery channel or National Geographics (which yes we do have, except we dont call ours Cable...its DSTV)... wouldn't on an ordinary day show the life of a Joburger in South Africa living in his/her R1 million house in Besonia or Houghton (rich surburbs)...going to Carlton hair to get a weave and manicure, then shopping at Sandton Mall maxing out their credit cards, then ending up at Baglio's or Della Salute for lunch... All most envision is a deep dark forest crawling with animals and a couple of Indiana Jones (the whites), teaching the blacks a bit of English under a tree...
Honestly...woa! That I suppose is what I find annoying about some of these Americans...
2007-03-20 04:05:54 · answer #2 · answered by Reb Da Rebel 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They think we are rude, arrogant, selfish and stupid. They believe this because they watched an episode of Married With Children and think this sums up our lives. We do the same as well. Whenever we see foreign countries on tv, they are generally third world type. So that is our impression. And many MANY of times, if you decide to visit somewhere like Egypt for example, you will find out that if you leave the very immediate metro area, you do not have the same amenities as you do in America. That is why we ponder sometime "Do you have ATM's in your country?" Many foreigners will find that question irritating and insulting but will not admit that if you drive an hour away, they probably don't have ATM's..or more importantly, hospitals with adequate care. Go a few more hours a way and it is questionable if you can even get food or water. So please, if you are in a country that happens to be in the middle of a third world country, please understand that it may be questioned just what type of amenties you do have.
2007-03-20 13:52:20 · answer #3 · answered by FreakyGeeky 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Excellent question. I opine that it may be the fact that they paradoxically defend the indefensible, in complete contrast to historical facts or veen how they are treated within their own nation or by their own corporations.
An interview with an American is something akin to locking oneself in a lunatic asylum- their disconnection with reality is so compelling.
And they are so unapologetic for it too.
I think the civilised world all consider them a most curious bizzare paradoxical species most suited for observation & experimentaton through provocation.
It's like poking a stick into an ants' nest. Comeplling, fun and torturing mindless nasty bitey creatures.
Bizarre.
2007-03-20 04:28:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Quite simply, their arrogance. They believe they have the right to intefere in other countries all the time, and then later wonder why those countries erupt into violence, or turn against them.
2007-03-20 03:54:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Free your hair and your mind will follow!
We Americans do this effortlessly.
2007-03-20 03:59:05 · answer #6 · answered by gigiemilu 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
they......talk.......so....slow.....and....think ....they ....know ...all...... ya ck yackyack yack yack yack
2007-03-20 05:28:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋