Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bloopity Bloop]

I'm getting real sick of all the jabs and attacks on Americans on this forum. What the hell is the problem exactly? I haven't said anything until now because I've been waiting for an American to make a single thread or post provoking or making ridiculous claims about Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, etc. I still haven't come across one yet and I'd appreciate some valid responses to a question from those who can't seem to hold back the impulse to write spiteful things about us (as if we're one, uniform group of people ) even when discussing totally unrelated topics without bothering to back said things up: why?

Obviously, at 22, with only a few overseas vacations under my belt, having been born and raised in California, and only recently graduated from college, my experience with people from other English-speaking countries has been somewhat limited. However, that changed as soon as I landed in Seoul. I have to say that I am consistently surprised at the hostility/passive-aggressive comments/jabs I receive solely because of my nationality.

I've never been one to assert America's superiority over any other nation, nor do I believe in any sort of American superiority. I don't care about this kind of stuff, nor do any of my American friends or 99% of the Americans I have ever met in my life, believe it or not. What I do have a problem with is having this stigma immediately attached to me by members of other English-speaking countries for seemingly no valid reason.

I understand that we're often thought of as ignorant. You know, I'm sorry I don't know anything about your favorite soccer team. Oh god, did I say soccer? I was recently berated for calling football soccer. And last time I checked, yes... we still aren't using the metric system. I'll be sure to call the President and have him switch us over. A lot of Americans are fat. I am aware of that. That means they're stupid, right? I swear it's the same bulls**t over and over again.

So, any valid reasons?

I guess I'm more annoyed at how these statements are often blanket statements about all Americans.

[the_beaver]

[kinerry]

[Seoulio]

Many people do not hate your country because you are on top, many people hate your country because they are affected by the country's ( government's) selfishness and ignorance.

The fact that you seem to think you are hated because you are on top shows you to be completely ignorant of your country's foreign policies, supposed charity ( the payback stipulations often being worse for the country being helped that they would have been without it) or panache for trying to ram democracy down the throats of other countries, often violently and often killing the innocent.

Now I like Americans, on an individual basis, as I am intelligent enough to realize that Individual Americans are not hier government.

I wonder if America will ever become aware of the fact that Individual Muslims are not all terrorists and that Individuals from the countries Obama just blanketed with his blacklist for American Air Travel?

Generalizing works both ways after all.

[calicoe]

[Seoulio]

that and ( as an American News show reported) the list would do nothing to stop a Jamaican terrorist operating out of Britain that was captured last year.

[kinerry]

[calicoe]

Yeah, tbat and the fact that this current guy was on a warning list which was alerted by his own father, but not on a no-fly list. And the Muslim soldier and medical student who recently mowed down fellow soldiers in Ft. Hood, was derelict of his medical duties, after giving presentations on jihad and years of free education from the U.S. government.

As I said, we are definitely not perfect.

[kinerry]

[Goon-Yang]

[Sleepy in Seoul]

[djsmnc]

I didn't notice anyone was really bashing the US except sexually frustrated men, mannish women, and people who get a kick out of irritating recent graduates on the internet. OK, there may be a few wrinkly wine-sipping Europeans who deride what they perceive as culturally-inferior elements, but on the whole I've found no one really gives a damn.

AND

the things that reasonable critics get irked about usually ruffle my feathers about the US too.

Watch the movie "Canadian Bacon," OP, feel free to make jokes about other countries, and get over it. Hell, I've heard more people ridicule their own countries than focus on the US.

[hellakitty]

As a Canadian I take some ca ca on this board as well and I think the generalizations are ridiculous. I have been overseas many times in Asia, Europe and Australia, and every time someone mistakes me for an Amercian they apologize like they just ran over my dog. This was especcially prevalent in Australia in 2005 when bashing Americans seemed part of a national past time - what they failed to see was that their own prime minister at the time was nothing better and would have been just as ridiculous ... if Australia ever really mattered in world politics

I have American friends and family and I have definitely come to the defense of Americans many times when travelling. People need to stop being so freaking ignorant and judge people based on who they are and not where they come from; America is so diverse culturally, politically, and ethnically it is amazing to me that the world sees them all as right wing red necked retards. Many Americans I have met travelling have been extrememly nice, and I think anyone who takes the time to get out of their comfort zome and see a bit of the world is entitled to a fair chance at being taken seriously.

[Tjames426]

Americans tend to be the most fair and generous persons around.

Any American will treat the "privileged" city born the same as the peasant kid inside and outside of class. An American will not kiss up to the university son of a rich government official over the son of a rural farmer.

In all the places I have worked and taught, I have been very much respected as an American because I did not do the "discrimination" card defined as - where someone was born, how well the speak the national language, or how dark their skin. Americans don't care who your daddy was. Americans don't care where you were born. Americans care about how hard you work at the task or assignment you have. Respect is earned, not given cause Daddy owns blah blah blah.

I have had no problem being an American in Asia or the Middle East. I have been respected and honored in both places. In all my circumstances, I have never been physically threatened or hated due to my nationality.

I am always surprised at the "hate America" crowd. Personally, I don't think the "hate" America stuff comes from 95% of foreign nationals but is driven from North Americans who are either too pampered, too selfish, or too isolated in their talking points to know how the US is really perceived in the world.

It is interesting that the "hate' crowd only speaks about Iraq, but forgets that the US and Europe defended Balkan Muslims against Serbia, defended Saudi Arabia against an invasion during the first Gulf War, and has consistently defended Turkey against Russia. They tend to forget it is because of the US that Egypt and Israel have relations today. They tend to forget that the wife of the "Muslim" Jordanian leader is actually an American. That unlike certain European countries, US Muslims are mostly integrated, economically empowered, and peaceful in population.

Concerning hate, I never get this from the nationals of any country I have worked in, or with my international colleagues in education. In fact, knowing that I am an American, this helps them open up and talk about the positive experiences many of them had in the USA. Most of the internationals I have worked with find Americans approachable and willing to deal with practical real life issues. But then again, I am a professional. I act, look, and present myself as an American and a professional in my dealings with other nationals.

Perhaps, the "hate" America stuff comes from the actions of certain Americans who do not know how to live and work in a Foreign society while acting painfully unprofessional in their workplace and relationships.

Hate comes from the heart. Look in the mirror. You know where the hate comes from. It does not start from a country, ideology, or political position....It comes from you.

[Gialloerosso]

I think Seoulio brought up some good points. Many Americans are not really aware of what has been going on in their own country for the last couple hundred years. So they have no clue as to what it looks like from an outsiders point of view. They are too caught up in "supporting the troops" that they forget about their own history and economic/political policies especially towards other countries. Maybe it's time to take a good look in the mirror. I think if you go back and take closer look at history you'll understand why lots of people have negative views. There has been a pattern in place for quite a while and most of the world can see it. Why can't most Americans see it? It seems many Americans write everything off as hatred of freedom, jealousy, etc.. but they never seem to want to know the real reasons people around the world have negative feelings.

I think that by reviewing your history again, you'll have a much better understanding of why people generalize Americans. It is there for everyone to see but it seems most Americans don't want to know about it. Many others in the world don't forget and they have a genuine distrust for Americans...

Just a few quick examples off the top of my head

Hawaii 1893
Philippine-American war 1899-1902
The Platt Amendment Cuba 1901
Panamanian Independence 1903
Mosaddeq in Iran 1953
Arbenz in Guatemala 1954 United Fruit Company
Allende in Chile September 11, 1973



Thats just the tip of the iceberg

In addition, Look at all the dictators the U.S. has supported while simultaneously ramming democracy down the throats of others.

Also, the U.S. only has a two party system, and both parties are very similar. There are a few minor differences but both are pretty moderate and the policies don't really change that much between them. Sometimes it seems like one "big business" party. How often do the minor parties get any media attention or make an impact on the elections? It appears from the outside that the U.S. is just a country of sheep following leaders and not asking why the government continues down the same path. Sheep who shout slogans like "Support the troops" "God bless America" "We are number 1"

Finally, try to learn a lot more about the other enlgish speaking countries. If you can impress them with some knowledge about their own countries they might stop bashing you. They definitely won't think you are ignorant. If you make a good enough impression you might change their whole perception of Americans and maybe they'll stop bashing others as well.