Why do the British dislike Americans so much?

Question

We as a group of American citizens can not control what our crazy government does. Therefore, please don't be so mean to us because that hurts our feelings.

Answer 1

We don't dislike Americans in general. Most of the Yanks I know are nice people and I have a lot of respect for them.

(I have to say though that many of us are hurt and angry at the way some Americans spent many years donating money to the IRA for them to murder civillians in Northern Ireland and Britain however, and then screamed "War on Terror" and blew up half the middle east when *their* civillians were killed by people with a grudge against their Government on 9/11/01. Seems a bit hypocritical. . .)

I think part of the reaso we don't always see eye to eye is that we are much more socialist than you are - a British "Conservative" is roughly equivalent to an American Democrat so we find your culture very materialistic, and also we can't get our heads round all the "We are the greatest country on God's Earth" stuff some Americans come out with. It seems like boasting. You get the stereotype of the loud, arrogant, bombastic Yank which a lot of British people find really offensive, even if its not accurate.

Answer 2

As a Scot... no. I don't dislike anyone There are many American visitors to Edinburgh Some have infamously made some amazing questions or Statements What Time is the One o'clock Gun? Yes people really ask that question... In Edinburgh a Blank Charge is fired from a canon at Edinburgh Castle Every day except Sunday. at One o'clock, it was a traditional way for locals to know the time. At the same moment a ball drops from the top of a tower on Calton Hill which was the same Time Signal for shipping. One Female American Visitor, once was over heard saying, "Aint it Great how they built the Castle so close to the Train Station" A true Face Palm moment. Another American visitor to The City of Aberdeen asked the person on the Tourist information desk "What time do they Turn on the Northern Lights" This visitor might have heard the song "The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen" Which is of course a reference to the Aurora Borealis Which often have been seen from Aberdeen. The Scots welcome Americans, the same as we do visitors from all over the world. We are patient of weird questions, even those who want a licence to go Haggis Hunting. Many Americans Live in Scotland, and Many Americans Claim Scottish roots or Ancestors.

Answer 3

The British people do not hate the American people.

What we have is a nation, the USA, whose people elect a president, who then automatically thinks he is head of the free world or western world.

It is this which so much annoys people who have no say or vote on this. Europe is slowly moving towards what Winston Churchill once described as "The United States of Eruope".

The Brits do not want a United States of Europe, indeed a very heavy percentage of folk in UK are not all that keen on our membership of the EU anyway.

Americans seem not to understand the God almighty power that exists within Europe. Once organised there will be no stopping the European power moguls and Americans should take this matter very seriously.

The Chinese and everyone else will talk to a united Europe. Why? Because Europe is perceived as ancient and cultured where as America has only given the world a lot of dazzle and no substance.

Even if the above is entirely wrong, and I suspect it might be, it is how many people perceive the Americans to be - lacking in any real culture.

Americans must change their image. You have a president who cannot speak the language of Shakespeare - it makes America look crap in the world.

I'm not anti-American but I am a serious critic of the Bush Administration which has dragged us into an illegal war for which Tony Blair is also to blame.

This is no way to fight a war, believe me. A major political figure here in UK, Paddy Ashdown, a former member of the SBS [Special Boat Squadron] equal to the SAS of the Royal Marines, has already told us that the war in Afghanistan is un-winnable. He could be right.

What might win the war in Afghanistan is dividing the terrorists into their three separate groups of sections. This cannot be achieved by the American method but it can be achived by the British method.

How? You use stealth to play off one group against another and hey, soon they're killing each other on your behalf.

In respect of Afghanistan, you must understand that the Red Army, which was held in the very highest esteem by the British, was defeated in Afghanistan. This mythical army, the destroyers of Nazi Germany, cannot be allowed to go un-revenged.

The British fought two wars in Afghanistan during the 19th century. The British were defeated twice. We must learn from this and not go in there shooting from the lip, as has been the case.

We've got to get it right, not just for ourselves, but for our very futures.

Answer 4

A little book by Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies called why do people hate America! may give you a clue, but then it is not restricted to the UK much of the world hates them these days.

I like America and Americans but as you asked the question I felt it appropriate to give you a chance to examine the question in depth.

Answer 5

I believe you'll find the dislike is Worldwide towards Americans - probably even stronger in other countries than UK. I believe Bush has a lot to answer for, unfortunately he's your President - please vote him out ... PLEASE - he scares me - not because he's a frightening man - but because he has other countries future in his incapable hands.

Also to understand why a country is disliked - you must know the history involved. Sometimes - facts that are not 'relevant' or considered positive are not revealed. This also applies to UK - do you really believe UK is loved everywhere? Once again history can show why.

Not nice to dislike a whole nation because of history and individuals - but it happens.

Answer 6

The yanks I've met so far seem no different from me.Same problems and same hopes.Normal working blokes just trying to make a living and stay out of trouble.I suppose your politicians are driven by the same urge to control and meddle as ours are,and we don't have any influence on there crazy antics either.Its not that we don't like Americans its more like we don't understand or trust the man in charge.

Answer 7

We, as a group of do as your told Brits,are of same position.a lot of Yanks, paid the ultimate price,along with many other Countries, to defend all our rights. These issues are not elected by us, we only have to obey them. I find no malice towards the USA or citizens, Merry Xmas.

Answer 8

Many are liberal, thus have no comprehension of the world whatsoever. I find that many British people who claim to be conservative are disturbingly socialist. Along with this liberal belief comes an illusion of class and sophistication. Many of the Anti-American British people that I have met have a complete and total lack of class, etiquette, and basic speaking skills. Quite similar to liberal Americans.

The true conservatives in all countries, however, are the polar opposite.

Answer 9

Ketkonen Ho come on I've lived in Bankok for 3 years You and I know Bangkok is filled with your expats You are the the trouble makers There are very few yanks in Bangkok I use to hang out at O'reilly on silom I stopped after i got into a fight with 3 of you loud mouth Brits and as an aside y'all fight like little girls I only hope you were one of them Did you used to be a english treacher before they kick your butts out? It was because of you brit and your 30 day 'visa run' the Thai gov. made the new laws y'all were not wanted there

Answer 10

Bigotry. Why try to get rationality from ignorance? It doesn't 'hurt my feelings' a bit, but it does concern me when people try to encourage hatred for a whole nation of people (especially when they're 'assimilating' immigrants). And some Americans are blind to the fact that our allies are doing this to us.