Why Do People Hate America

uaobrien

Okay, don't every U.S. loving individual crap themselves, this is actually the title of the book I just bought.

Apparently (judging the book by its cover) the authors believe that people envy what America has, and would like equal opportunities/luxuries/liberties. However the reason that these people HATE America is that they do not wish to have these things at the expense of their indigenous cultures.

It argues that America is willing to export everything American if, and only if, the recipients renounce who they are as peoples and reinvent themselves as pseudo-Americans.

Now, I would have argued against this up until the Iraq War. But when you think about it, it's not far off the mark.

Anyway, I thought I would throw it open, why do people hate America? Its easy to say its all George Junior's fault but lots of people have had a big grudge against them for a long time.

Personally, I don't hate America, I just think they have too much power and too few brain cells to use that power responsibly.

Villain

To put it simply, there too big for the their boots and their real motive is greed, Oil being a good example. If they were really interested in helping the world, they could spend some the money they use on developing weapons to stop millions dying of Famine each year. Idiolistic I know but hey its onlly my opinion.

sionnach

because it's ruled by big corporations and its actions are motivated by the wishes of these corporations

uaobrien

Originally posted by irish1
To put it simply, there too big for the their boots and their real motive is greed, Oil being a good example. If they were really interested in helping the world, they could spend some the money they use on developing weapons to stop millions dying of Famine each year. Idiolistic I know but hey its onlly my opinion.

Our govt. could have used the millions we spent on a Y2K clock under the surface of the Liffey, or the Spike, or Bertie bowl, or LUAS, or the new govt. jet etc. on the same things, so America doesn't have a monopoly on greed. And you don't see protesters outside the Dail 7 days a week.

But I agree, greed no doubt is some of the reason.

Villain

Originally posted by irish1 they could spend some the money they use on developing weapons to stop millions dying of Famine each year

Originally posted by uaobrien
Y2K clock under the surface of the Liffey, or the Spike, or Bertie bowl, or LUAS, or the new govt. jet

Yea but there not used to Kill people are they, I was drawing the comparison to the amount of money spent to kill people compared to that spent on saving lives

uaobrien

Originally posted by irish1
Yea but there not used to Kill people are they, I was drawing the comparison to the amount of money spent to kill people compared to that spent on saving lives

Good point, you're right. But in either case both our examples also refer to money spent.

But the difference between us and them (and I hate to admit that I'm starting to see their point of view) is that we believe in doing everything for everyone, they believe in having a person do things for themselves and have dignity in that fact.

Hence their welfare system is one year long, in that time the recipient gets back on their feet. Ours is a lifetime thing, so you really don't have to do much if you don't want to, someone will be along soon with a hand out.

Likewise, they'll contibute so much to other countries, and then say "that's all".

mr_angry

They flout international law, and say they are working for the best interests of the world, when they are not. Simple as that, really. George Bush wants to "save us all from the terrorists", but he wont save us all from breathing in greenhouse gasses (mainly because they're being pumped out by all of his contributors).

Having said that, I don't hate the American people (well, the intelligent ones anyway) - just the government. I wish the American people would stand up and put a decent governent in its place. Of course, thats not easy to do when so many of them are swayed by simple Yee-ha-ism, and Fox News push propaganda down their throats every day.

Villain

Ya there good points, but I still think there Foreign Policies are seriously fecked up and are leaning towards greed.

uaobrien

Originally posted by mr_angry
They flout international law, and say they are working for the best interests of the world, when they are not.

Actually I just remembered one other point the book makes. They say that America decides how the world should be and act, yet no-one can influence the actions or decisions of America.

uaobrien

Originally posted by irish1
Ya there good points, but I still think there Foreign Policies are seriously fecked up and are leaning towards greed.

uhhhhh.... okay, no argument here

Its not really a matter of hatred. For myself, i'm suspicious of them. But then i'm likely to be suspicious of any nation that powerful, and willing to use that power. No, to be perfectly, honest, i fear them a wee bit. They have the largest arsenal of Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological weapons, and yet Bush managed to get into power. Who next? A convicted mass murderer in 5 years time?

Other people might hate the US, but i daresay that they're people from countries that have faced US troops or attacks (this is not a condemnation of US foreign policy.) in the past. i.e. Some Arab nations, South American Countries etc.

MarkR

You seem to be confusing bush's foriegn policy with the attitude of the general population. Bertie let george w's planes land in Iraq, so it looks like you may be pro war in Iraq.

me? pro-Iraqi war? no comment. I dont want to get back into these discussions that go nowhere. Actually wasn't refering to Iraq. I was refering to Arab opinion in general.

MarkR, If ur last post had nothing to do with mine, well, :rolleyes:

uaobrien

Originally posted by MarkR
You seem to be confusing bush's foriegn policy with the attitude of the general population. Bertie let george w's planes land in Iraq, so it looks like you may be pro war in Iraq.

Are you asking me or klaz?

Exit

One of the main things that most people hate them for is their foreign policy, but that's already been pointed out and discussed here.

For me, it's also their arrogance.

The fact that they claim every country wants to be like theirs. Yes, the US has some good qualities that some countries look up to and envy, but the way they act, it's as if everyone else lives in a hellhole and we don't have the same 'freedoms' as they do.

Speaking on the 'freedoms' that they're so proud of, they don't realise how trapped they actually are. Their government obviously lies to them, as does their media, and if not it's not lying, then it's just not telling the truth. Censorship is rife. Speak out about the government or the military and you're branded as unpatriotic despite it being part of the Constitution that they value so much that free speech is guaranteed.

When I was in Canada, I was watching TBS (a cable channel I think, rather than a mainstream one) late one night, and they were showing Basic Instinct. I watched the first half hour of it, and guess what, there was no evidence of any sex whatsoever. I've seen the film before and it opens with a sex scene, lots of nudity, and then Sharon Stone's character picks up an ice-pick and stabs the guy. On TBS, it showed close-ups of their faces, and then she reaches for the ice-pick and stabs the guy. It's alright to show violence, but no nudity is tolerated whatsoever. And this was sometime after midnight! And of course in the next half hour or so, all nudity was just edited out of the film. How free is a society when nudity isn't tolerated at any hour of the day? Meanwhile in Canada, on the movie channels (equivalent of Sky movies), movies featuring language, violence and nudity are on early in the morning) I'm not necessarily saying that's right, but it's obviously a more freer country than the US. (And please, no jokes about Basic Instinct, you've all seen it too) And if the country is so free, why are the drug laws and homosexual laws not as liberal as other countries? Isn't homosexuality still outlawed in some states? Don't homosexuals have freedom to do what they want in such a free country?
EDIT: Not to mention Ashcroft's covering up of statues that had, wait for it, breasts!!

The gung ho, mindless, patriotic bull**** that the majority of their citizens come out with is just plain ignorant and stupid. And if you don't agree with them, you're either French or a terrorist sympathiser. So pathetic. A lot of them can't even find France or Iraq on a map. Hell, I was watching the Jay Leno show once and he does this thing where he goes out on the streets and asks Americans questions. Now obviously I know they only show the funniest answers, but one person didn't know who the first president of the United States was, and another thought that the 4th of July was Thanksgiving. Why the **** do I know more about your country than you do? Now, obviously not every American doesn't know these things, but the fact that some of them don't is just downright stupid. Another one was asked if you didn't live in America, where would you live? "Alaska" Leno laughed obviously, but didn't let on and asked "Why Alaska?" "Because it's cold, I like cold weather" "You know Alaska is part of America?" "Oh is it? I thought it was in Canada. In that case, I'd go to Australia" A lecturer once told our class that he was setting up a new webcam on his computer and wanted to try it out, so he was talking to an oldish American couple he didn't know, and it happened to be the 4th of July. And the American asked "So are you celebrating Independance Day over there?" "Eh, no we don't celebrate it here" And the American shouts to his wife in the background "Hey honey, they don't celebrate Independance Day over there!" Why the **** would anybody in another country celebrate American Independance?? I hate stupid people.

I hate the way we import all of their shows over here, yet when they find a (usually) British show they like, they don't import it, they remake it. So the majority of its American viewers (if there are any) just presume that it's an American show.

I hate their dumb gun laws. They act like it's a god given right for them to have guns, and don't see that they cause more harm than good.

This one is more North America than the US, but the way almost everyone has an SUV which eats up more fuel than any other car. Especially, as it's usually only got one person in it. It'd be understandable if you had 6 kids or you regularly went offroading, but these things are used in downtown New York! :rolleyes:

That's all I can think of right now, though I'm sure there's lots more that annoys me about America. And, of course there are plenty of things that I like and admire about America, but this isn't a thread about that.

To any Americans reading this that I may have offended, I'll just say that in my limited amount of time in the US, anybody I met was generally an all round nice person, apart from the border guards. They were dicks!

sparkite

i dont hate americans but when i see americans around ireland in the summer in an aran sweater tourist shop it just irritates me.i dont know why, it doesnt make sense and im wrong to be angry but hey,im just being honest.i do have a few american friends in college and get on well with them.i dont know what it is.

sovtek

Originally posted by sparkite
i dont hate americans but when i see americans around ireland in the summer in an aran sweater tourist shop it just irritates me.i dont know why, it doesnt make sense and im wrong to be angry but hey,im just being honest.i do have a few american friends in college and get on well with them.i dont know what it is.

That's a tourist your talking about and you could apply that across the board.
Like when 10,000 Spanish descend upon the bus stop at one time and keep me from getting the bus I was waiting half an hour for.
Germans that don't know how to queue...
Italians that don't tip and ask for bread constantly...
Brits that drink themselves stupid and act like the Republic is still part of the empire.
etc etc...

sparkite

true, i was just pointing out that it is easy to hate someone for no reason!

Exit

Originally posted by Exit
How free is a society when nudity isn't tolerated at any hour of the day?

Just reading through my own post, and I realise that this sentence is just funny, so I'm pointing it out before anyone else can. You know what I meant.

bus77

I dont like the constant showing off. The man on mars thing is a new example, the only reason they went "international" on the space station was because the russians had one first, no glory in it. (and no other country can afford it)

Their economy is fake/hype aswell, they havn't had another econonic crash because they've learned how to print magic money.
Thats why they sacked that honest accountant O'Neill.

sk_irl

Why do people hate america?
Well for one i dont think that very many people actually hate america as much as they would have it seen. after all how many people are actually willing to change the commercial way of life that we in ireland and the rest of europe have enjoyed quite a lot, and change it for a non comercial way of life? i knoe that it may be difficult to do so but it is most certainly possible.
As for the reason behind the hatred that some people have for america. well this hate can really be divided into two groups. that hate that originates from some muslim countries who quite rightly feel that their society is being westernised, whether or not you agree with their culture you cannot say that in many of these countries the ways of the western world are becoming the norm. those people see america as one of the repersentatives of the western way of life. the second of the two groups are those who are opposed to the commercialism that is currently running our world. here again america is seen as one of the main repersentatives of this commercial world.
So in short i think that amnerica bears the brunt of this hate against the western world because they have made the western world into such a commercial place and gain so much from this commercial world.

Sparks

Well, personally I hate americans because of their giant hairy earlobes. Downright deviant, they are. Not to mention their big yellow glowing eyes and those tentacles. *shudder*
Nope, only good american is a dead and sautee'd american. Mmmm. That's good eating, that is...

Zaphod B

Yes well clearly we're all just jealous :rolleyes:

I have to admit it would be nice to live in a place where I never have to feel remotely guilty about my country's actions because...

1) School history classes would have ignored all genocide and imperialism we indulged in.
2) I'd know that people who hate us are either jealous, freedom-haters or of course that wonderful explain-everything-away-in-four-letters word, eeeeeevil...
3) I'd know that everything we do is unquestionably just and right, because God is on our side.

Do I hate America as an institution? Not particularly. Do I hate Americans? No, I don't hate any entire racial group. Do I disagree with a lot of American politics? Yes. Do I agree with a lot of Italian politics? Yes. Which affects me more directly? Go on, guess. So which am I going to be more vocal in criticising? That's right, the USA.

If I had to pick particular things I dislike about America, they would be...
: Religious fundamentalism.
: The sheer money-grabbing greed. I'm sorry but it is more evident than in other countries. I'll never forget the TV ad for the local lawyer I saw in Williamsburg, VA... "We use every method possible to squeeze every dollar possible from every person possible"... I sh!t you not.
: The insistence on reminding the people every day exactly how wonderful they are and what a great place they live in.
: Texas, need I say more?

Then again, there are plenty of things about America that I think are great, but that would be off-topic

BattleBoar

LOL, I think you'll find a lot of Americans that don't like Texas!

vorbis

zaphod b, our own history classes up to junior cert conveniently leave out most of the detail about he civil war of 1921. A lot of countries have selective memories. Also religious fundamentalism?? Isn't that a bit strong?

Honestly, I think most people like to hate America. As a previous poster said we can blame them for not curing the world's ills. There's some truth in it but we're just as guilty as well.

ll=llannah

a lot of people think that it is cool to hate america and blame all the worlds problems on every single person in america for being greedy, being from texas, liking george bush, going to yale cause daddy went there (which isn't true really anymore, even if you're parents went to ivy league and your grades stink, you WILL not get in, unless your daddy's rich and famous and the president in which case....meh)
America has done a lot of stupid and hideous and greedy, self-involved things. It's also done a lot of good.
Hating america won't solve anything. There's a lot of people in america who are trying to make it a better place. But you know, that's just cause their selfish greedy bastards who are letting their ten gallon hats droop over their eyes and obstruct their vision, right?
I don't like the same things others don't like in america, but that doesn't mean i hate the country in general. all the flags everywhere get annoying though.

uaobrien

Originally posted by twix_girl
a lot of people think that it is cool to hate america and blame all the worlds problems on every single person in america for being greedy, being from texas, liking george bush, going to yale cause daddy went there (which isn't true really anymore, even if you're parents went to ivy league and your grades stink, you WILL not get in, unless your daddy's rich and famous and the president in which case....meh)
America has done a lot of stupid and hideous and greedy, self-involved things. It's also done a lot of good.
Hating america won't solve anything. There's a lot of people in america who are trying to make it a better place. But you know, that's just cause their selfish greedy bastards who are letting their ten gallon hats droop over their eyes and obstruct their vision, right?
I don't like the same things others don't like in america, but that doesn't mean i hate the country in general. all the flags everywhere get annoying though.

Wow, just a hint of ranting and raving there... is that what living in Brooklyn does to a person?

uaobrien

Okay, a lot of interesting and way whacked out (Sparks) points being made. But as my wife (who is an American) says "hate" is a strong word.

As I stated earlier, I personally don't hate America/ns. I don't even dislike them. I think there are good ones (Powell springs to mind) and bad ones (can't get Bush out of that position in my mind).

But how many of us actually hate them or their institution? I can understand religious fundamentalists "convincing" their students and followers to hate America. But as "moderate" Europeans, does anyone really hate America or is it just a strong dislike?

I know, I'm dealing with semantics, but one involves the desire to see harm done (IMHO) and the other is just merely a disdain for all (stupid) things American.

uaobrien

Originally posted by Sparks
Well, personally I hate americans because of their giant hairy earlobes. Downright deviant, they are. Not to mention their big yellow glowing eyes and those tentacles. *shudder*
Nope, only good american is a dead and sautee'd american. Mmmm. That's good eating, that is...

As always Sparks, you managed to cut through the subterfuge and hidden pretext of an issue and get down to the heart of the matter. I applaud your candor and elder statesman-like observations.

Geromino

Originally posted by sk_irl
Why do people hate america?
Well for one i dont think that very many people actually hate america as much as they would have it seen. after all how many people are actually willing to change the commercial way of life that we in ireland and the rest of europe have enjoyed quite a lot, and change it for a non comercial way of life? i knoe that it may be difficult to do so but it is most certainly possible.
As for the reason behind the hatred that some people have for america. well this hate can really be divided into two groups. that hate that originates from some muslim countries who quite rightly feel that their society is being westernised, whether or not you agree with their culture you cannot say that in many of these countries the ways of the western world are becoming the norm. those people see america as one of the repersentatives of the western way of life. the second of the two groups are those who are opposed to the commercialism that is currently running our world. here again america is seen as one of the main repersentatives of this commercial world.
So in short i think that amnerica bears the brunt of this hate against the western world because they have made the western world into such a commercial place and gain so much from this commercial world.

Just want to say, that was an excellent remark. My hat goes off to you.

Geromino

Originally posted by bus77
I dont like the constant showing off. The man on mars thing is a new example, the only reason they went "international" on the space station was because the russians had one first, no glory in it. (and no other country can afford it)

Their economy is fake/hype aswell, they havn't had another econonic crash because they've learned how to print magic money.
Thats why they sacked that honest accountant O'Neill.

Correction there buddy. Our monetary system is based on a economic theory called Monetarism. It is through the expansion and subtraction of the money supply, via through the money demand, that controls the economy. Thus having a flexible monetary system that can quickly react to economic changes will lessen the effects of recession or inflation and restrict any expansive out of control economy. In other words, what you want are gentle waves with shallow troughs rather than sharp inclines and declines during a specific time period. If you have the later, you will have a more reluctant consumer group that will in time not adhere to any market increase and exaborrate any market declines. An expansion of the money supply does not necessarily equate to printing more money. It actually has to do with the expansion of credit (loans) and financial capital that improves/expands a nation's economy. It is far different from Keynsian economics where the central government is the authoritive in making economic decisions.

As far as the Mars and space exploration, it is not a question of showing off, but a question of improving scientific achievements that humans tend to expand. The advances in technology will be used by the general public in a very short time. If you ever wondered how microwave dinners that established or concentrated drinks, one only has to look at the Apollo missions for that simple answer.