What does the World think of The American People?

The title says it all. I've heard the stereotypes, but does anyone really believe them? Have you met any Americans in real life? If so, what did you think of them? Keep in mind the vocal minority concept.

edited 20th Nov '10 10:29:35 PM by Thorinair

Why? I don't know.

I suppose we could have a discussion about stereotypes and what goes into them.

edited 20th Nov '10 10:42:51 PM by Deboss

I just realized I wrote why instead of what. You cannot fathom how stupid I feel right now.

Do you want to PM the mods or shall I?

As a Californian, I can attest, no, not all of us surf.

I think Americans are kinda cool. I like the anti-government attitude many of them have. "Fuck you! We're free."

I'm afraid the opinion of most of the world isn't so positive right now.

edited 21st Nov '10 4:25:30 AM by DasAuto

Well, I'm from "the World" (Serbian) and I can say that, even though I have nothing against the common people of America, I hate its government and foreign policy with a burning passion. What else could I think about a country which is proud of its role as "the policeman of the world" , sends its armies on the other side of the globe like it's their own backyard, and is generally destroying the lives of "Third World people" with Xanatos Gambits, or even openly imperialist policies followed by Blatant Lies?

The general opinion of the rest of the world can generally be simplified to:

American people = good

American government and foreign policy = bad

For myself, I've been to the USA several times, and everyone I've encountered has been a pleasure to meet.

Being from Canada, I don't really count as "The World" according to my American friends, but myself and most of my own friends agree Americans are pretty nice people as a whole. Do we find some things about American culture a little bizarre? Sure, because despite popular belief Canada =/= America but will less people, but do we really care? No. No we do not. We don't like your governments usually, but then we don't live in America, so who cares?

I think Repbulicans are stupid, Democrats have good intentions but poor execuetion, and the avergae American justa vicitm of the system. I thin if they didn't act as world police then someone would get angry at them.

Met plenty of Americans in the net, consider most of them to be decent people, and some - good friends.

So, my attitude towards Americans is neutral-to-positive.

Towards American culture - fascinated, curious, see quite a lot to admire, and quite a lot to be utterly puzzled about.

An attitude towards America's governments and foreign policy, though, is completely another matter. It is...wary, at best. At worst - I'd rather not discuss it on these forums. Let's just say that ignoring international conventions, acting as self-appointed "world police" unasked, unbidden and without regards to anyone, bullying attitude towards other nations and blatant hypocrisy are not nice

edited 21st Nov '10 8:18:43 AM by Beholderess

Americans in general: No problems here. they'd just be people, ya know? For every D-bag americunt, there will be plenty of decent, good-natured people.

As for it's government: I do not trust anyone who has been elected thanks to millions in donations from private companies, and the USA especially seems a case of capitalism gone horribly wrong/right.

I was expecting to see a bunch of "screw what the rest of the world thinks, we Americans decide our own fate" stuff from some US users much like I see on a lot of other webforums. Like I said in the thread about TV Tropes having a lot of gay / lesbian / bisexual users (damn it where IS that thread?) I guess it suggests the nature of this site deters the more closed-minded users, such that they tend to end up on other sites instead.

But still, I feel that perspective needs a bit more mention. It seems a bit unfair that the US plays the sovereignty card with respect to the rest of the world's opinions of them even though their foreign policy tends not to respect the sovereignty of OTHER nations...

the average Canadian has a very meh attitude to the American government but generally finds the people to be alright, if a bit looney. I used to be in a corp on eve with a bunch of swedes, they hated Americans, no idea why though.

Towards American culture - fascinated, curious, see quite a lot to admire, and quite a lot to be utterly puzzled about.

Do we find some things about American culture a little bizarre? Sure

I've always wondered about this, and it fascinates me.

What about our culture is bizarre to you?

What about our culture is bizarre to you?

Jersey Shore.

I think an answer would depend on where the person being asked is from. I can try to give you my own in PM, if you wish, but it wouldn't be an universal answer in any way (bows)

Please do, ma'am.

I went to Saratoga Springs a couple weeks ago. It was nice. Very large portions. I don't mingle much, so I wouldn't know much about the people. They seemed nice, though.

Well, the fervent patriotism is weird to me, there were flags on almost EVERY house for heaven's sake and it wasn't even July let alone the fourth. And the attitude towards military is also strange. Obviously those two things don't encompass all of American culture, nor is the culture of the US a homogeneous all encompassing identity, but in the areas I've been (New England area) those are the things that stood out as just a little weird.

edited 21st Nov '10 10:39:59 AM by AwayLaughing

What was it that Ford Prefect said? "If I had an antarean dollar for every time I've seen one part of the universe point at another part of the universe and say 'that's terrible' I wouldn't be stuck without gin."?

I really don't want to get into a gun politics debate, but the truth is that a lot of people outside the US find the fixation on guns - and the defensiveness encountered when the topic is broached - rather odd.

I find "deep south" American culture extremely fascinating, probably for the same reasons why many people are interested in Japanese culture - it is wildly different from my own, but at the same time it is depicted in media often enough to make me curious about how would it feel in Real Life...

edited 21st Nov '10 12:53:51 PM by Carciofus

'Deep South' culture isn't actually exclusive to that area, I live in Pennsylvania, which is in the North, and we get those people.

As an American citizen, I would like to say that I don't endorse my government's foreign policy, or their policy on most things for that matter.

flags on almost EVERY house

New England area

That's... odd to me.

And the attitude towards military is also strange

That being?