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| Has living in Korea made you more 'pro-American'? |
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| Total Votes : 66 |
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freethought
Joined: 13 Mar 2005
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 Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:03 pm Post subject: Has living in Korea made you more 'pro-American'? |
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In recent weeks there have been a number of incidents and stories in the media highlighting the fight against racism in Korea. Between legitimate cultural differences and the now discussed racism issue, there are no shortage of frustrated or even angry English teachers in Korea.
My frustrations with Korea have manifestly changed my view of the United States. I was never 'anti'-American, though I was/am anti-Bush. But seeing how a people who literally owe their freedom to American military spending/policy can be so blindly anti-American and xenophobic has dramatically altered my stance on a great many things vis-a-vis the United States.
Just curious if I'm alone in this.... |
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benji
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Not so much. But living in korea and observing Koreans has taught me that nationalism in all its forms is ridiculous and bad. |
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freethought
Joined: 13 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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| I should point out that my new found pro-american views started while Bush was in office and are not a symptom of Obama fever, B1O1. |
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Morning_Star
Joined: 21 Jan 2009
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| Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:31 pm Post subject: ... |
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Wow great argument OP. That's the equivalent of me saying why is it that old racist, white Americans hate Barack Obama when they owed everything to black slaves?
Anyways, if you've been keeping up with current events in the US at all, you'll know that the US is having it's own share of problems.
All nationalists disgusts me. |
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freethought
Joined: 13 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:34 pm Post subject: Re: ... |
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| Morning_Star wrote: |
Wow great argument OP. That's the equivalent of me saying why is it that old racist, white Americans hate Barack Obama when they owed everything to black slaves?
Anyways, if you've been keeping up with current events in the US at all, you'll know that the US is having it's own share of problems. |
No it's not. I am not drawing any parallels at all. I am asking, simply, if the frustrations of others have manifested themselves in a certain way. Without judgment. Without prejudice.
By criticizing a policy I am not attacking a people or a nation, and by asking this question I am not drawing any parallels with anything. If I wanted to, I would have. |
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DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP
Joined: 28 May 2009
Location: Electron cloud
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| Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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| It hasn't touched my views on a political level, but I've met many cool people from the States and made good friends from there since having arrived in Korea and I've learned that the people do not represent the (previous) government. |
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xingyiman
Joined: 12 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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Hmmmm define "pro-American". Basically, i've been pretty well treated with regards to the employment situation here. The last three places I applied for jobs have hired me sight unseen and rolled out the red carpet so to speak.
The last three places in America put me through a battery of tests and interviews, including questions about how well of a game of golf I played and then gave me the "We'll be in touch" line. Screw em. I'll take Korea. |
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cherrycoke
Joined: 13 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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Doesn't pro-American mean going back home and taking a crappy job and paying taxes to the country you love so much?
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krd
Joined: 17 Sep 2009
Location: Daegu
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| Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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| It has made me more pro-Western but it has also put me too close to too many dumb Americans. Not that all Americans are dumb or anything, but that there are many dumb ones here and they're really loud. I couldn't here them across the Atlantic but now they're in the same country as me it's many me less enthusiastic about America. |
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SW
Joined: 08 Sep 2009
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:24 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| But seeing how a people who literally owe their freedom to American military spending/policy can be so blindly anti-American and xenophobic has dramatically altered my stance on a great many things vis-a-vis the United States. |
This point of view is widely held, even among many non-Americans, but I think it's fair to say that it's a fallacious one. American military spending/policy did not give the South Koreans their freedom; it only prevented them from being defeated by the North Koreans. Many people assume a priori that the two are the same thing, but they're not. Read up on the regimes that ruled South Korea between the end of the war and the early 90's to find out why. |
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freethought
Joined: 13 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:31 am Post subject: |
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| SW wrote: |
| Quote: |
| But seeing how a people who literally owe their freedom to American military spending/policy can be so blindly anti-American and xenophobic has dramatically altered my stance on a great many things vis-a-vis the United States. |
This point of view is widely held, even among many non-Americans, but I think it's fair to say that it's a fallacious one. American military spending/policy did not give the South Koreans their freedom; it only prevented them from being defeated by the North Koreans. Many people assume a priori that the two are the same thing, but they're not. Read up on the regimes that ruled South Korea between the end of the war and the early 90's to find out why. |
I know all about the post-war governments. My comment was more along the lines without American/UN intervention in the war, and then without the subsequent military presence and arms sales etc, 'the south' wouldn't exist, and instead of learning English from all of us wonderful people, they'd be starving and praising dear leader.
It was a bad phrasing on my part, so you're right on that. To put it another way, without America the conditions for the current day success would not have been present, and quite likely South Korea as a nation would not exist. |
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steroidmaximus
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Location: GangWon-Do
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:11 am Post subject: |
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| Not so much. But living in korea and observing Koreans has taught me that nationalism in all its forms is ridiculous and bad. |
+1
But then I already had a nice hate on towards the French Canadian forms of nationalism in Canada, having grown up in a bilingual home in Quebec and New Brunswick. I dealt with my fair share of idiots who thought I wasn't enough of one and too much of the other.
Nice high school memory: we have try outs for the debate team and I score second highest; the teacher (a die hard French nationalist) said I didn't make the team since most of my knowledge and argumentative skills came from reading so many books. Of course, my English mother didn't factor into the decision at all. The other team members were stunned by her response.
Vive la difference |
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DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP
Joined: 28 May 2009
Location: Electron cloud
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 2:31 am Post subject: |
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| steroidmaximus wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Not so much. But living in korea and observing Koreans has taught me that nationalism in all its forms is ridiculous and bad. |
+1
But then I already had a nice hate on towards the French Canadian forms of nationalism in Canada, having grown up in a bilingual home in Quebec and New Brunswick. I dealt with my fair share of idiots who thought I wasn't enough of one and too much of the other.
Nice high school memory: we have try outs for the debate team and I score second highest; the teacher (a die hard French nationalist) said I didn't make the team since most of my knowledge and argumentative skills came from reading so many books. Of course, my English mother didn't factor into the decision at all. The other team members were stunned by her response.
Vive la difference |
I'm trying to figure out how this is in anyway a valid response. It's not working, I don't have enough stupid brain cells to do it...
Help me out?
Or just pure descrimination?
Am I being dumb here, or could she not have made an argument that somehwat made a bit of sense...? |
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asams
Joined: 17 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:34 am Post subject: |
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| I've started listening to Toby Keith, buying shirts with Old Glory emblazoned on the front and drinking only Coke or Pepsi and Miller or Miller Lite. So, heck yeah, I'm as American as they come |
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Draz
Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Location: Land of Morning Clam
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| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:46 am Post subject: |
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I have made too many American friends in Korea to not have gained a more positive view of the place.
Not sure if that is actually the question though. |
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