Just curious, what do people really think of Americans?

Question

Are they everything everyone says about them,and worse?Are they cool?What becoming of the country?Be honest?Feel free even if you are American too answer.

Answer 1

American and their country are cool, nicest people in the world... No i'm not American im Irish

Answer 2

From a UK point of view, it's not the American people we have a problem with or a dislike of, it's their government in the shape of Geo.W.Bush.

This man is bad news for Americas image abroad in the world.

During my life [now 66] I have met many Americans, including American [US Army] soldiers while I was serving with the British Army in Germany and elsewhere [1957-1965].

I also worked for the American Broadcasting Company at their London Bureau as a telegrapher for 23 years.

I have a much better than average knowledge of Americans than is the case with most Brits. Therefore my opinion[s] of Americans is not based upon hearsay, but first hand experience of friendships and work colleagues.

There is one puzzling thing about Americans though and that is that they seem to know very little about life beyond the USA. I found this quite disturbing working for abc News. There were correspondents working out of Beirut who could not speak Arabic or French, the two main languages of the region. Oh well, it's history now.

About the Americans as people. I have yet to meet what might be described as a 'bad American'. They are a naturally outgoing and friendly people. I imagine coming to London where I live must be a serious culture shock. The people here are so different.

I read in the Times a couple of years ago that US Air Force personnel stationed at US [RAF] bases in UK do not go out and mix with the Brits.

I can understand in a way why they don't, especially in Norfolk or any part of East Anglia. Miles of open flat country with small scattered villages.

Don't want to over state the case about East Anglia, but see a movie starring Burt Reynolds called 'Deliverance' and you'll get my meaning.

Answer 3

To be objective, there are always the negative side and positive side of a country. But unfortunately “bad news is good news”. So negative things are always a dominant news.

I’m not American. In my country, the image and opinion about Americans are mostly what “whiteowlo1” said above. Worsening by the attitude of the current American government, Americans are likely seen ignorant, arrogant, over reactionist, hypocrite, etc. Being the “police of the world” is not something that they should be proud of. Being a super power has proven is not likely they could always feel that they on top of the other nations.

I wish to see a more humble America and Americans…
First thing to make America’s image better is to change the leadership.
Please realize, he’s the one who makes all Americans look even worse…

Answer 4

At the end of the day they're just people.

But I have to say they are sooooooooo predictable. I'm from Ireland and every fecking yank I meet has to tell me about their Grandmother from Galway/ Cousins from Connemara/ Daddy from Dublin/ neighbours from Dingle, and give me the name, assuming that I might actually know these people ... this happens everywhere I go.

Also, I have never met a race of people more hung up about their pedigree. Geneologists have made a killing out of Americans over the years, because they want to know where the long-lost family are from in Ireland, and do they have any cousins left. I only know the past 4 generations on either side of my family, and a few family legends from both my parents' families, but very few Irish have any interest in finding out more. It's not really so important ... we are what we are TODAY.

I think the greatest mistake ye made as a nation was letting that idiot George Bush have a second run as President. Then you let the Bush administration feed you misinformation, causing widespread fear and intimidation - over here we thought you all were a bunch of gullible eejits, but now I'm discovering from talking to Americans that Europeans and Americans were given different information.

Ye WERE cool, but ye let yourselves be frightened, bullied, made fools of by your government. This I find very sad - so many good things have come out of America, and it has contributed so much to 20th century culture and daily life in general, there are so many talented people living there, so much potential ... yet two years after Katrina New Orleans is still a mess and will be completely destroyed when the next hurricane comes.

So simple and so huge - that's the US, I think. Maybe it's too big? I don't know.

Answer 5

"Wired".

I reckon this is what most of other races think of Americans. The reasons are as follows: -

Most of the non-Americans encounter the Americans through the media (e.g. films & news) which would show the extreme aspects of them.

Americans are comparatively rich and so they have spared money and resources to do things that people in other countries would view as abnormal or "weird".

Finally, Americans' history is very short comparing with that of most other countries. Americans are less restricted by social and ethical rules and values and hence are more tended to do "weird" things.

However, Americans' "weirdness" lead them to become the strongest country in the world.

Answer 6

I am an American, and I love our country but I think possessions, materials things, and money have taken over. More than half the country has lost sight of the importance of many things, like simply being nice to be nice, not to get anything out of it. But I know many others countries don't like us, many hate us, I think it's cause a lot of them are jealous, but I wouldn't like us either if I was an underdeveloped country. Not because of jealousy but look at us, celebrities make more money than hard working people, and they have so much money that they can spend ridiculous amounts of it on stupid crud like designers clothes, fancy cars, insanely huge houses, while they barely have money to live.

But we do help many outside countries who are suffering because we have so much, there's ups and downs to our country, and our people as well. I think you could find the nicest person in the world here, but I also think you'll find the most corruptive.

Answer 7

Well most americans are said 2b fat!
Some americans are nice and some can be rather nasty.
I'm not sure if they are cool but some are. The last week of school 6 americans came over to my school i essex and taught out some basketball and american football skills. These americans were cool.

Answer 8

I think its movies that are making people think Americans are stupid, but everyone characterizes the Americans as they are all the same because they are not. But i think there is one thing that everyone can agree upon and that is that your current president is stupid and giving your country a bad reputation in the world because what the world thinks that they don't mind there own business because they are getting into all these fights.

Answer 9

I'm from the States. I travel a lot and have met a lot of people form other parts of the world.

Most of them find our cities a little scary.

They think most Americans are nice, but a little over bearing. We' re loud, we tend to think our way is the only way. (Personally, I will never understand how a "Z" is "Zed". We don't say "Zedbra" we say "Zebra", we don't say "Zedoo" we say "Zoo".) But we don't mean anything by it.

Most of my friends also understand that we have as much control of our politicals learders as they do. Almost all of them disagree with the war, but I've never had anyone give me a hard time about it.

That's what I've been told.

Answer 10

America and American's are the most diverse people and way of life that i know off, they live there lives as fully as they can. They have some of the most varied landscapes all on the one continent and are not afraid to explore them all, they have a great atittude when it comes to learning new things. All in all i guess you could say no matter if you love or loath america and american's you just can't deny that they and their country are very interesting. As for my view's on american's well i love'em and can't wait to visit America.

Answer 11

I'm from England and I have to say that Americans are so friendly compared to British people. I still remeber this one time when i was getting into my rented car and the person in the slot next to me just said it was a beautiful day to me. I couldn't actually believe he as talking to me! So I ignored hm at first until I noticed I was the only other person and I said very cautiously "Yeah, the sun never shines like this in England" and he smiled very sweetly back at me. That kinda thing may sound very normal to American's, but in England, you're lucky if you even talk to your neighbours other than to say that their car has to be moved because its blocking the drive.