Why do Americans think this country is the only civilized one in the world?

Question

I asked a question on here about how neurotic people in America are, and many posters responded that it's because people have life so great and in other countries, people are dirt-poor and scrounge for food...LOL.

Fact is, people overseas don't lead lives that are much different from ours. I hate it when people here go on religious rescue missions overseas and act like THAT'S the world. Why don't these same people go on missions in their own cities and find the people that are living just as badly?

Anyway, I find Americans are really spoiled and immature. This probably started with the last few generations after World War II. There are people here that agree that the mentality of people here is driving this place downhill, but they are the few remaining smart ones. Where I came from was really strict and disciplinarian, and America is what I think is the result of a society that thinks order has become unnecessary.

Answer 1

I think for the most part you are right, however the biggest changes started with the termination of the draft, and the past 3 Generations who are "Me,Me,Me! They think they are owed, and they forget how many helped them on the way up, to include paying for their 12 years or more of school and student loans!

It is a fact that in the US 1/2 of Taxpaying families make $25,000 or less a year, and that is poverty in this country. A 1 bedroom apartment in my hick town cost almost $12,000 a year!

Almost 1/2 of Americans who are homeless have full-time jobs!

Corporations have no loyalty to a country, and many now are owned by other than US companies, like Sony, who has the market on many things in America!

We have been going downhill for years and it is generally because the young in this country do not respect their elders, they do not want to take the responsibility for the fallout of "Supply and Demand" and they think they are owed! Well they aren't and most did not do it alone. This country was made great by blue collar workers, and white collar workers today have no conscience.

In America 673,000 people out of over 300 million own over 90% of the wealth!

In Germany and other European countries you do not see the poverty that you see in America. You also see better health care systems, with something like 26 countries have a higher life expectancy rate, and we are 2 above Cuba in Infant Mortality. In just today’s paper, more of our children die premature deaths than almost anyplace else.

We have a vestige "eye for an eye" mentality (for some) and we are one of the few nations that still put people to death! They claim for some reason that Jesus Christ gave that law, which is opposite of what he did say! This is what He actually said!

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' "But I say unto you that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away."

Anyway, we need to start taking back our power and our money for we are fast losing what this country was built on committed by a few, and followed by those who don't know any better or have minds as closed as steel traps!

We are the richest country on earth I suppose, but most of it isn’t in the hands of 99% of Americans, yet those on the right seem to think they are in that elite few when in reality they are about 2 paychecks from poverty!

Answer 2

The American population is far from civilized, the reason is the party slants Religious, Political, homophobic, and racist. There is a war going on right inside of America right now with our Country being divided. 9/11 further divided our Country with the current leadership prompting to go about the continuance of removing Americans Civil Rights. This has been the Republican agenda long before 9/11 ever was even thought about. America has wised up to the Bush Administrations snow job though, the Republicans are history come 08 and long time from now. When the real problem is gone from the Government level America will rise up and lick it's wounds.

Answer 3

America has the potential to be the best of the best. It's not because there is no single best. It all depends on what you're looking for. If it's a country more civilized, you will actually find numerous. I just spent 2.5 months working in Europe and let me tell you, we're not looked as well upon as some people like to think.

I do think that Ameicans should invest their time in American cities first, though there's nothing wrong with giving a hand to other counries if you served a fair amount of time here. If we cleaned up here at home, and thought about investing our consumer dollars with CLEAN American manufacturers, then yes we would be the greatest of all. Unfortunately everybody's focused on bombing countries to save other "misfortunate" poeple who aren't paying us tax dollars or resurecting fallen soldiers.

Americans come first!

Answer 4

A lot of it is because you're asking on Yahoo! Answers, where there's an unfortunately high percentage of immature and ignorant responders. I promise you that a lot of Americans *don't* think that we're the only civilized country in the world--I know I don't, and have travelled overseas often enough to confirm that knowledge.

However, why do the people who DO think that, think that? My guess is because of the physical and political isolation of the USA. Think about it--even England is only a short train or boat ride to all of Europe. Any European country is as close to other developed countries as states in the US are to other states. Those people can travel with relative ease and see the proof of other advanced countries, the proof that all humans are about the same.

In the US, we've got Mexico to our south, and Canada to our north, and that's it. Only people in border states have easy access to those other countries. Sadly, a lot of Americans see themselves as superior to Mexicans, and even Canadians (?!), but far more Americans simply haven't run *into* many of them!

What's the country with the largest land mass in Europe. France? The state of Texas, which I believe is the third largest state in the 50 US states, is about the size of all of France. So we just don't have the natural experience of people in other countries, and thus have to try harder to get it.

Unfortunately, not all of us do.

Answer 5

Sadly most of the rest of the world think America is probably one of the least civilised societies in the world.

America goes to war with countries for killing a few thousand of their people yet condones thousands of deaths from guns each year in their own country. Nothing civilised about that!!!

Dirt poor and scrounging for food? Looked at the unfortunate poor in New Orleans lately? And they are not the worst off by far!

Religious rescue missions - the States needs the religious rescue for God's sake - so many factions, sects and religious extremists!!!

But you are right about the mentality. The rest of the world is overtaking America which now has huge problems particularly with the economy, personal debt and political creditability and it can only get worse!

Russia, China, India and Pakistan have fast growing economies - America has an economy that has been sliding downwards for years. A lot of companies cited as US successes are actually now owned by companies from outside the US.

The US still tries to dictate rather than lead!

Bush said Iraq is not another Vietnam - he is absolutely right - it is going to be much worse and do far more damage to America!!!!

Answer 6

For example if you ask an american about the continent of africa, they will say things like war, genocide and poverty yet they have never been to africa, I've also never tried to saw my leg off with a rusty fork. Is it your contention that I must do so prior to expressing my disinterest in doing so? You must just be the pride and joy of your encounter group. Normally 1 would have to goto a car wash to find such scintillating intellect.

Answer 7

I guarantee, some redneck yankee evangelical moronic imbecile will advise the following:

"If you don't like it Mr. get the feck back to were you came from"

This is a standard reply to anyone who questions the morality or ethics of those who reside in the home of the free and the land of the brave... or whatever imaginary place they wish to call it.

Personally, I thank my father for realising exactly what kind of society the US had to offer. He took his family and scarpered as fast as his legs could carry him. He is one of six siblings who did not remain in the USA.
He is now worth more than the combined wealth of all his siblings who chased that other delusion; namely, the great american dream.

How i would hate to think others would see me as a moronic redneck evangelical yankee.

Sky & Oracle; I applaud you for proving that not all yankees have been brainwashed into the grand delusion. You and your fellow likeminded Americans are the true patriots. Only a true patriot would condemn his country with such candid honestly.

I would wager the rest of the world would wish that Americans like you would make up the majority of the population. It's only people like you who can obtain from the rest of us the respect your country SHOULD have.

Answer 8

I can't imagine any American with an IQ higher than a mouth mover thinking that we are the only civilized country in the world. We are unique in the world, however. America, like Australia, was formed by people who were tired of the limitations placed upon them in their old countries which still harbored rigid class societies that encouraged, or demanded, conformity. Free to soar to the heights of their potential, Americans formed the greatest country in the world. Sadly, too many people in the current America are striving to push this great country backwards in order to pattern it after those very countries that our forfathers sought to escape over 200 years ago.

Answer 9

First off I never heard anyone say that Americans are more civilized than other countries. If they do then they are ignorant because the fact is is that America itself is not civilized at all. There are far too many different cultures living on one land and the case where every culture are allowed to express there culture then that's when trouble begins. And the fact of Spoiled and immature without discipline... Blame the Liberals!

Answer 10

You are generalizing when you say "I find Americans are really spoiled and immature." Not all are like that. The freaking billionaires and celebrities make a bad name for America, but not all Americans are like them, praise the Lord.

I agree with the fact that we should minister to the people of our own country before missioning to people of other countries. We have a right to take care of our own country before "saving the world."