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Post by eJm on Sept 26, 2007 17:54:51 GMT -5
I was listening to Bill Bailey's stand up called 'Part Troll' today with a friend. Bill is basically one of the best British comedians out there today IMO and it was a great show.
One thing that caught my attention, and this has annoyed me alot lately, was the amount of America bashing and Bush bashing which was on alot of the show. It was the typical 'Bush/Americans are dumb', 'They're scared and arrogant and rely on celebrities' etc. The thing was, he got almost a minutes worth of standing ovations for each joke he did.
And then there was this girl in my history class about a year ago. We were doing about when Europeans first stepped foot in America and every lesson...EVERY SINGLE SMURFING LESSON...she'd go into 15 minute rants about America and just using the same old tired cliches and excuses that we all heard before. And every time, I wanted to just tell her to shut up, but I didn't and was inches away from just walking out of the class as a whole. The teacher didn't even stop her because he basically thought the same thing.
I'm not trying to defend Bush at all or anything (cause, personally, every Bush is dumb joke has been completely milked basically because...we already freaking know!) but, as an American Citizen and someone with relatives who've lived in America, I can't help but feel like they're insulting them every time they call someone dumb, fat or whatever. I know, it seems silly, but it's also because from here, I've known a lot of people who aren't at all stupid. Of course, there are stupid people in the US, but there are stupid people everywhere, but America just seems like a running gag to people.
So, Americans, do you care about what people think about you? Do you agree? Or is there times when you want to just speak out against something like I should have done?
NOTE: If this is too political, you're free to close it, Mods.
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Post by heffer111 on Sept 26, 2007 17:56:15 GMT -5
i couldnt care at all
YOU CAN HAVE YOUR NO POWER FAKE MONARCHY, have your weird ass prime minister can make elections for himself whenever he wants, house of commowned.
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Post by Jimichiro Likes Erick Rowan on Sept 26, 2007 17:57:03 GMT -5
Sometimes, I don't blame the rest of the world for thinking the way they do about America.
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Post by henryrollins on Sept 26, 2007 17:58:41 GMT -5
Some people do, some people do not.
I do...I mean; IMO if we do something that effects people in other countries they certainly have the right to have an opinion.
Some have this America Uber Alles outlook though..we do what we want to whom we want and no one is big enough to stop us.
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Post by eJm on Sept 26, 2007 17:59:01 GMT -5
i couldnt care at all YOU CAN HAVE YOUR NO POWER FAKE MONARCHY, have your weird ass prime minister can make elections for himself whenever he wants, house of commowned. Of course you realise, this means WAR! *puts on war helmet, grabs rifle and charges into America*
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2007 17:59:06 GMT -5
No. No I don't care.
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Post by Vice honcho room temperature on Sept 26, 2007 17:59:36 GMT -5
I care. We give a lot of money to world tragedies, make many technological advances that benefit the world, and don't riot as often in sporting events like soccer fans do. Yet we get stuck with the uncaring, stupid, and violent Americans stereotype. Just makes no sense to me.
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Post by tna on Sept 26, 2007 17:59:59 GMT -5
I think we can always use better foreign relations, but at the same time, we will never be the most popular kid on the block.
Anytime you are one of the biggies (in any medium) you are bound to attract criticism.
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Post by Original Gansta - Charisma on Sept 26, 2007 18:00:04 GMT -5
Americans have been processed to the point where their intellects haven't advanced beyond the point of the realization that there's more than just themselves out there. The ones intelligent enough to understand what's going on domestically and abroad are apathetic due to how smurfed everything has become and the ones who aren't intelligent enough are the ones the stereotype is based off.
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Post by Mister Pigwell on Sept 26, 2007 18:00:26 GMT -5
So, Americans, do you care about what people think about you? Nope. Just like any other opinion that could relate to me, I don't usually care for other's outlook too much. (Mostly when dealing with the negative obviously, I like a good ass kissing) Well that depends on the issue at hand. Or is there times when you want to just speak out against something like I should have done? I don't really see what you saying anything would have accomplished. It's a not a big deal. Don't sweat the small potatoes.
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Post by henryrollins on Sept 26, 2007 18:00:37 GMT -5
I care. We give a lot of money to world tragedies, make many technological advances that benefit the world, and don't riot as often in sporting events like soccer fans do. Yet we get stuck with the uncaring, stupid, and violent Americans stereotype. Just makes no sense to me. it's probably because we bomb and kill people.
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Post by Vice honcho room temperature on Sept 26, 2007 18:01:30 GMT -5
I care. We give a lot of money to world tragedies, make many technological advances that benefit the world, and don't riot as often in sporting events like soccer fans do. Yet we get stuck with the uncaring, stupid, and violent Americans stereotype. Just makes no sense to me. it's probably because we bomb and kill people. ![>:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/angry.png)
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Post by eJm on Sept 26, 2007 18:03:15 GMT -5
So, Americans, do you care about what people think about you? Nope. Just like any other opinion that could relate to me, I don't usually care for other's outlook too much. (Mostly when dealing with the negative obviously, I like a good ass kissing) Well that depends on the issue at hand. Or is there times when you want to just speak out against something like I should have done? I don't really see what you saying anything would have accomplished. It's a not a big deal. Don't sweat the small potatoes. I'm not really trying accomplish anything, I'm just curious. I was more thinking about how that, if I felt like this over here, how do people feel over there?
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Mozenrath
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Post by Mozenrath on Sept 26, 2007 18:03:19 GMT -5
I think a lot of the complaints are to be expected, considering our influence and power. I think we could do more to make ourselves known to others, since they only seem to of our bad points.
Besides, pinning Bush on us is like pinning Tony Blair on the UK. Not a fair representation.
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Ace Diamond
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Post by Ace Diamond on Sept 26, 2007 18:03:41 GMT -5
I don't care, until they start blaming ME personally for the problems. I mean come on, in 2004 I couldn't even smurfing vote, leave me alone.
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Post by Original Gansta - Charisma on Sept 26, 2007 18:05:13 GMT -5
I was more thinking about how that, if I felt like this over here, how do people feel over there? Most Americans are scared or angry.
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Boku AKA Da Green Guy
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Post by Boku AKA Da Green Guy on Sept 26, 2007 18:05:24 GMT -5
Some stereotypes of America are warranted and some are not.
Do I fault people for buying into them? Nah, because everyone does that for places that they do not know much about.
As for being hated, I really don't care. If someone wants to feel that way about me because the people in Washington are doing a poor job, I think it tells something more about them than me.
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Post by henryrollins on Sept 26, 2007 18:07:44 GMT -5
Some stereotypes of America are warranted and some are not. Do I fault people for buying into them? Nah, because everyone does that for places that they do not know much about. As for being hated, I really don't care. If someone wants to feel that way about me because the people in Washington are doing a poor job, I think it tells something more about them than me. I guess they figure in a country that elects the people who tell them what to do we have some control and are therefore liable. It's more complicated than that, of course..but I guess I can see how the train of thought could form.
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Post by Dr. Marzvon Zombie M.D. on Sept 26, 2007 18:11:00 GMT -5
As the country that is the most powerful, we also get the most dumped on. I think it's crappy to do and other countries need to look in the mirror and see what they are doing to themselves.
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Post by henryrollins on Sept 26, 2007 18:12:49 GMT -5
As the country that is the most powerful, we also get the most dumped on. I think it's crappy to do and other countries need to look in the mirror and see what they are doing to themselves. Every country needs to look in their own house first..I do agree with that. But the fact is..the fact that we do have a huge influence means other people have a right to have a say in whats going on and the decisions that are made.
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