Anti-Americanism in Ireland

supermonkey

My name is URL wrote: »

I lived in SF for 2 years though and found the people to be really nice and welcoming.

What a great city. If you're mentally ill you can be well looked after on the street. And it is just a coincidence that 80% of homeless are black when they are 10% of the SF population. And the weather is crap and the wine's too dear,

mike65

Osu wrote: »

but any topic regarding any any-British content seems to be a taboo subject for you guys.

You don't spend enough time on After Hours if you really think that.

bank

Hi Ozu

It's very unlikely most Irish people hate Americans or English. A Lot of either nationality are a mixture of two or all. Your obviously connecting with ignorant Irish people who are narrowminded, dull and well probably pretty stupid unfortunately. You need to change your social circle and speak to more travelled, educated people.

bonerm

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE

I don't mind them knowing absolutely nothing about the world but you'd have to worry when an American doesn't even know who the first man on the moon is or if they were in the Vietnam War or not. Plus the one about the people not knowing how many sides on a triangle made me suspicious. Accuse me of giving the US education system too much credit but was this clip staged/unfairly-edited by any chance?

bank

bank wrote: »

Hi Ozu

It's very unlikely most Irish people hate Americans or English. A Lot of either nationality are a mixture of two or all. Your obviously connecting with ignorant Irish people who are narrowminded, dull and well probably pretty stupid unfortunately. You need to change your social circle and speak to more travelled, educated people.

Bit of a lofty statement.

bonerm

Oh btw the reasons we don't like the US

1) you pick on smaller weaker countries. After 9/11 the whole world (well almost) was on your side. Your reaction to it turned the whole world against you.

2) we obtained a level of wealth in the last 10-20 years that made us rather uppity, giving us feelings such as "ah shure we don't need those yanks any more". I remember as kid growing up in the 80's it was the UK that we directed all this ill-feeling at and the US was seen as this amazing country who we had great relations with, who had never invaded us and who sent all the jobs our way.

falan

Watch first 2 mins of this Andrew Maxwell comedian...AMERICANS:D:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z5blu-EFII

christina_x

i have no problem with Americans most of the times. Any i have met have always been friendly, but the ones i see on tv wreck my head. I was watching wife swap USA and one family on it were irish and so thought it necessary to wear nothing up green, irish dance every evening, have shamrocks cut out on green paper be stuck up on every available space on the wall, and of course had a sign saying "failte" - only they said "this is gaelic for welcome - its pronounced felt".
I was waiting for a little man in a geen top hat to pop out of the garden shed. All in all, rediculous. If you have an irish background - fine. But dont go on like a bloody nutcase about it. The way some american people go on about being irish probably has negatively influenced the irish peoples view on americans imo

mike65

I enjoyed the video but hey its been proven that when someone sticks a mic under your nose ones brian fials.

DOCDL

Athlone_Bhoy wrote: »

Seriously Bush was president so how stupid do Americans have to be? You can always make a reason for the first time been elected but the second?

There's a old saying in.... Oh never mind

and we have been smart enough to keep FF in goverment for how long now. Ahern was worse than Bush at messing up a country.

Personally love everything about the states and hope to be moving their very soon.

Herb Powell

Herb Powell wrote: »

have you been to America though? There is seriously no comparison

I have many times. They are fatter without question.

We are catching up though.

cleremy jarkson

I don't hate America O.P..neither do any of my friends. I get the feeling a lot of people pretend they don't like America because it's seen as 'cool'...a bit like te fact that every comedian in the last 10 years seems to have made a living by espousing the notion that George Bush is stupid; they think that's what everybody wants to hear them say. Common sense tells me that anybody who ends up president of the United States, regardless of the fact his father previously held the position, is not stupid.

I've been to America and while the people have, in general, a very different outlook and mentality than we do, an outlook that can often make us cringe, they're nice people.

It would be a dull world without ye.

Augmerson

Not that I'm speaking on behalf of all Irish people, but generally speaking OP, we don't hate Americans but we do not like your government to be honest (but then we can hardly talk, we've been voting FF into office for well over a decade now). I've been over in the States a few times, met a fair share of muppets but also met some genuinely lovely people who were so nice, friendly, opened their homes to me and treated me as family.

super_furry

DOCDL wrote: »

Ahern was worse than Bush at messing up a country.

Tell that to the people of Afghanistan.

moonpurple

we are not anti american
we are anti sarah palin type americans
:pac:

pcardin

I'm not Irish and I don't hate Americans. Just their stupidity is incredible. I hate Russians though and I think Russians are the most hated nation in the world for a reasons.

CreepingDeath

I think most people roll their eyes at the "we are the best country in the world" attitude of America.

I was on a walking tour of Rome last Tuesday, and it had a fair amount of Americans on it.
One American lady was asked where she came from, and she gave whatever answer but then proceeded to take out photos of her home state in the snow.
There were 20 of us on a tour of Rome, but she wants to show off America. She showed off the photo as if it were a proud picture of her family.
It nearly seemed like they were touring around the world to show off America, rather than touring around the world to see other cultures.
Oh yeah, they only had dollars with them too, no Euros :rolleyes:

When I was driving around the States I saw a bumper sticker saying "America bless God".

But these people are a minority.
I lived in Washington DC/North Virginia for 3 months, so I know the vast majority of Americans are quiet, going about their own lives etc.
But the loud American tourist types do give a bad impression.

Much as I'm sure the drunken Irish skangers in Spanish resorts give the rest of us a bad name.

rossie1977

i don't really see anti-americanism here in ireland in everyday life, i never hear it discussed amongst my friends, maybe the odd dig at old george w but thats about it

i frequent an american forum but what is considered anti-american on that e.g. michael moore seems a bit harsh to me

super_furry

Either way, I don't think there is any serious anti-Americanism in Ireland at all. I mean no-one's going to get a hiding for being American.

We just don't think they're as great as they do.

simplistic2

I really dont think that people hate Americans as a group ...but I personally despise the blood thirsty American government responsible for the genocide of millions worldwide.

170 foreign military bases worldwide, slaughter of innocents for oil and propaganda that makes you gag.

Long live democracy!

Wompa1

Osu wrote: »

Being Irish-American born in the US to Irish parents this is my point of view on the avid anti-American stance in Ireland.

I find it quite funny and hilariously sad the severe Anti-American stance in Ireland. Some people I meet in Ireland have some sort of hatred towards the States. For what reason, I can't comprehend. It makes no sense at all the fact that a lot of Irish people seem to think it's okay to hate America.

It makes no sense at all. Any Anti-American topic on here seems to go down well, but any topic regarding any any-British content seems to be a taboo subject for you guys.

I can't get my head around this fact that you hate us more than you hate the British. We have been the most accepting country of Irish immigrants, we are the country who love the Irish, yet we're hated.

We have never tried to colonize your country, obviously, yet the Anti-American bias holds stronger than the anti-British bias over here. That point is merely a comparison between ourselves and the British.

Can somebody shed some light on this for me? Why are Americans hated over here?

Any great reasons?

I am Irish American. I was born in America, my mother is American. I have lived in Ireland for all but a year and 2 months of my life. Most don't pick up that I am part American. My view of the whole thing is that the Irish have some sort complex with America and Americans because the personalitys are polar opposites.

Americans are very outgoing, can be loud, majority tend to be overly friendly...all without drink! which scares people here!

Americans don't begrudge people for their success, they admire their acheivements and try to hard themselves to duplicate their success. They are very very career driven people. Alot of Irish are very bitter towards other peoples success and have a sense of entitlement in their jobs. The employers are never good enough, it's a sh!t job because they don't pay me enough or expect too much of me etc.

I work in a job in which I deal with loads of nationalities for an American multi-national company. There are constantly snide remarks about Americans by people working with me. It's bull, personally above any other nationality I like to deal with them the most, I know if the job isn't done right they can get really pissy but if and what should be the case, the job is done right they are very gracious and thankful.

The whole intelligence thing...this is a pretty sweeping statement but I would feel the smartest Americans would be much more capable than the smartest Irish as their universities are much, much better. Perhaps not so many Americans can afford higher education and this might explain their perceived lack of intelligence. Personally I haven't met any more dumb Americans than I have dumb Irish. An Irish girl asked me before was each of the states its own country in America..and she is a PHD student here! Also when watching the USA match last night in a pub I over heard an old Irish guy talking to an American family, they told him they were from Idaho and he asked is that where Cleveland is?

I read on this that an American thought we used out houses. Well I'd consider myself Irish and I thought Los Angeles would be a beautiful posh place...when I got there I felt like a fool for believing what I saw on TV because it's a complete sh!t hole!!

DOCDL

Wompa1 wrote: »

I am Irish American. I was born in America, my mother is American. I have lived in Ireland for all but a year and 2 months of my life. Most don't pick up that I am part American. My view of the whole thing is that the Irish have some sort complex with America and Americans because the personalitys are polar opposites.

Americans are very outgoing, can be loud, majority tend to be overly friendly...all without drink! which scares people here!

Americans don't begrudge people for their success, they admire their acheivements and try to hard themselves to duplicate their success. They are very very career driven people. Alot of Irish are very bitter towards other peoples success and have a sense of entitlement in their jobs. The employers are never good enough, it's a sh!t job because they don't pay me enough or expect too much of me etc.

I work in a job in which I deal with loads of nationalities for an American multi-national company. There are constantly snide remarks about Americans by people working with me. It's bull, personally above any other nationality I like to deal with them the most, I know if the job isn't done right they can get really pissy but if and what should be the case, the job is done right they are very gracious and thankful.

The whole intelligence thing...this is a pretty sweeping statement but I would feel the smartest Americans would be much more capable than the smartest Irish as their universities are much, much better. Perhaps not so many Americans can afford higher education and this might explain their perceived lack of intelligence. Personally I haven't met any more dumb Americans than I have dumb Irish. An Irish girl asked me before was each of the states its own country in America..and she is a PHD student here! Also when watching the USA match last night in a pub I over heard an old Irish guy talking to an American family, they told him they were from Idaho and he asked is that where Cleveland is?

I read on this that an American thought we used out houses. Well I'd consider myself Irish and I thought Los Angeles would be a beautiful posh place...when I got there I felt like a fool for believing what I saw on TV because it's a complete sh!t hole!!

Good post and agree 100% about the work ethos and the begrudging. Wish we had the same ethos to work and not just that it is about turning up for work each morning but also it is been about productive in your work

whatdoicare

I love America - all the best food, clothes and telly are from America!







Also, Aldi is having America week this week for 4th of July celebrations! Yay!

wes

Nothing against American culture or the American people, but the Government are a bunch of petty war mongers it seems for the most part. Now having said that, the US government aren't all bad either, but there actions of the past few years have been pretty horrible.

Ads by Google.

America supports Israel:mad:

TouchMe

I think alot of people get mixed up between stupidity and ignorance. Alot of the average Americans are ignorant to the world around them imo. But who can blame them? Most TV shows they would watch would be set in America. There's so much going on in the country that the media doesn't really need to look abroad to fill pages, so they simply don't learn much about other countrys.

Add to that the fact that nearly any type of holiday they could want to go on, they are pretty much sorted in their own country. Need a city break? Go to New York. Skiing? Hit Colorado or New Hampshire. A tropical getaway, go to Hawaii. Want to chillax on a beach while some of your mates want to surf, go to Southern California. Stag night, go to Vegas. No need for long expensive flights or changing money or struggling to communicate with the locals because of language barriers. Sure that's why alot of Americans I worked with while I was there dont even have passports, they dont need them. If us Irish had all that in our own country I doubt we'd be as well travelled as we are, sure our alternatives to those places I named above are what? Dublin, Kilternan, Wexford, Bundoran, Kilkenny. Nice places in their own right but lets be fair, there's no comparison!

Guy:Incognito

Osu wrote: »

We have never tried to colonize your country, obviously, yet the Anti-American bias holds stronger than the anti-British bias over here.

That's because you were already colonised. You would have if you could.

We've kept a close eye on you since.

Erica<3

For me it's when I say to an american, oh i'm irish and i get the *I'm Irish too* response, and it turns out it's your granny's mother's sister's husband or something.

If you have Irish parents or whatever, fine, you're half Irish, but don't say *you're Irish*, if you can't vote in Ireland, or if you don't hold an Irish passport, THEN YOU'RE NOT IRISH.

Ads by Google.

whatdoicare wrote: »

Also, Aldi is having America week this week for 4th of July celebrations! Yay!

Yay!!! lets all get fat together!!!:)

Ads by Google.

Nuff said.

BraziliaNZ

Their geography is hilarious sometimes. I had to explain to so many people where Ireland was and how it was not part of Britain and they just couldn't get their heads around it.
Canadians weren't much better, one guy asked me "so is Ireland in the US or Canada or what?". And also they couldn't get their heads around the fact that it wasn't part of Britain. Jesus Christ like, do they ever look at maps?

CreepingDeath

whatdoicare wrote: »

I love America - all the best food, clothes and telly are from America!

Best clothes and food ?
How many countries have you visited in the world ?
I'm guessing very few.

ejmaztec

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

... as a graduate from Trinity college you probably wouldn't still be up to the mark as those Americans who graduated from Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, etc.. Remember Americans probably have some of the best third level educational faculties in the world and the fruits of these are very visible in American's contribution to the arts, sciences and engineering.

Any many thousands of smart people are lured to the US from all around the world, simply because the Americans throw a lot of money into advancement in these areas.

The US gets all of the credit, even though the ones delivering the goods may not be American.

Take the Ipod, invented by an English guy, Kane Kramer. It apparently took 30 years for Apple to own up to this, and most people had assumed that Steve Jobs invented it.

inforfun

I always have to laugh a bit about Irish giving out on America(ns).
So many times i have seen and heared things in this country that made me wonder if i wasnt in America after all.

You are more alike than you want to know.

Pittens

Take the Ipod, invented by an English guy, Kane Kramer. It apparently took 30 years for Apple to own up to this, and most people had assumed that Steve Jobs invented it.

lol

bleg

I love the Americans, American society and the American way of life. Sometimes I disagree with the way they do things but nothing is perfect.

I completely and utterly disagree with the hypocrites that protest the Americans.

Mike 1972

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Their geography is hilarious sometimes. I had to explain to so many people where Ireland was and how it was not part of Britain and they just couldn't get their heads around it.
Canadians weren't much better, one guy asked me "so is Ireland in the US or Canada or what?". And also they couldn't get their heads around the fact that it wasn't part of Britain. Jesus Christ like, do they ever look at maps?

To be fair could you locate all US states (and Canadian provinces) on a map and name their capitals ?

Pittens

Not that I'm speaking on behalf of all Irish people, but generally speaking OP, we don't hate Americans but we do not like your government to be honest

Man, the anti-Obama rhetoric on this thread is amazing. Racism.

Either that or people in ireland - despite whining about American ignorance - dont seem to have realised that the administration changed. Say it aint so, shoeless Joe.

Pittens

I have a solution to Anti-Americanism though. Everybody who is anti-American can sign a form and consume no technology, movies, software, or music which originates in the US.

Pittens

Pittens wrote: »

Man, the anti-Obama rhetoric on this thread is amazing. Racism.

No. He's just a shit president.

moonpurple

amercia has the best leader on the planet
barack obama

he has led to an increase in expectation from the irish voters when they look at the plump inbred family dynasties in the dail who have their heels in our necks and our dying democracy by the throat

sin an sceal go leir a chairde gael,

:pac:

Pittens

No. He's just a **** president.

Well I was joking on the R word. What exactly do anti-Americans want? Obama was never going to come to power and remove the army from Afghanistan and Iraq. The blood letting would be atrocious.

moonboy52

From my point of view, I really like Americans.

Some of my family have emigrated there and have done really well.

What i do have issues with is America's current foreign policy.

I think it is misguided and lets face it a war that can't be won.

While the west fights these crazy wars, the balance of power is slowly shifting east.

When China becomes the biggest superpower, America will not have any moral authority left and no-one will stand up to potenial Chinese aggression in the future.

Pittens

Pittens wrote: »

Well I was joking on the R word. What exactly do anti-Americans want? Obama was never going to come to power and remove the army from Afghanistan and Iraq. The blood letting would be atrocious.

Not increasing the war budget would have been a good start to correcting their wrongs though.

Pittens

Not increasing the war budget would have been a good start to correcting their wrongs though.

So you want them to pull out or not? They shouldn't have gone in ( well not to Iraq) but the war needs a win for the coalition so that some kind of Iraq army can take over.

Anyway a lot of irish sniping is back seat driving - we never have to make decisions so we are neutral towards democracy vs Stalinism, Nazziism or Talebanism.

moonpurple

Pittens wrote: »

So you want them to pull out or not? They shouldn't have gone in ( well not to Iraq) but the war needs a win for the coalition so that some kind of Iraq army can take over.

Anyway a lot of irish sniping is back seat driving - we never have to make decisions so we are neutral towards democracy vs Stalinism, Nazziism or Talebanism.

if we were neutral towards the taliban every american soldier going over to the arab world would not be getting a sandhich and a fizzy pop and a leg stretch at shannon airport as part of their battle readiness so that we might not be impaled by shards of exploded london bus on our next shopping trip to london..:pac:

and some of the circuitry that guides things that make loud bangs in the swat valley would not be part designed and produced at intel
sin an sceal go leir mo chairde gael

ScumLord

Half my family are American so I don't hate Americans. We where all sold the American dream here in Ireland too so I guess allot of people end up disillusioned when they find out America isn't the home of the free and is just as much of an empire builder as any other powerful empire was in the past. Their corporations are taking advantage of poorer countries even going as far as to start internal wars to destabilize governments to make them easy pickings for American companies.

Herb Powell

rarnes1 wrote: »

I have many times. They are fatter without question.

We are catching up though.

very slowly imo......

Wompa1 wrote: »

I am Irish American. I was born in America, my mother is American. I have lived in Ireland for all but a year and 2 months of my life. Most don't pick up that I am part American. My view of the whole thing is that the Irish have some sort complex with America and Americans because the personalitys are polar opposites.

Americans are very outgoing, can be loud, majority tend to be overly friendly...all without drink! which scares people here!

Americans don't begrudge people for their success, they admire their acheivements and try to hard themselves to duplicate their success. They are very very career driven people. Alot of Irish are very bitter towards other peoples success and have a sense of entitlement in their jobs. The employers are never good enough, it's a sh!t job because they don't pay me enough or expect too much of me etc.

I work in a job in which I deal with loads of nationalities for an American multi-national company. There are constantly snide remarks about Americans by people working with me. It's bull, personally above any other nationality I like to deal with them the most, I know if the job isn't done right they can get really pissy but if and what should be the case, the job is done right they are very gracious and thankful.

The whole intelligence thing...this is a pretty sweeping statement but I would feel the smartest Americans would be much more capable than the smartest Irish as their universities are much, much better. Perhaps not so many Americans can afford higher education and this might explain their perceived lack of intelligence. Personally I haven't met any more dumb Americans than I have dumb Irish. An Irish girl asked me before was each of the states its own country in America..and she is a PHD student here! Also when watching the USA match last night in a pub I over heard an old Irish guy talking to an American family, they told him they were from Idaho and he asked is that where Cleveland is?

I read on this that an American thought we used out houses. Well I'd consider myself Irish and I thought Los Angeles would be a beautiful posh place...when I got there I felt like a fool for believing what I saw on TV because it's a complete sh!t hole!!

lol I can understand that one though, he got mixed up between Ohio and Idaho, they sound somewhat alike

Mike 1972 wrote: »

To be fair could you locate all US states (and Canadian provinces) on a map and name their capitals ?

I could do 75% of that. I think:D
I enjoy maps

brianthebard

Pittens wrote: »

So you want them to pull out or not? They shouldn't have gone in ( well not to Iraq) but the war needs a win for the coalition so that some kind of Iraq army can take over.

Could have shut down guantanamo like he said he would.

expectationlost

Osu wrote: »

Being Irish-American born in the US to Irish parents this is my point of view on the avid anti-American stance in Ireland.

I find it quite funny and hilariously sad the severe Anti-American stance in Ireland. Some people I meet in Ireland have some sort of hatred towards the States. For what reason, I can't comprehend. It makes no sense at all the fact that a lot of Irish people seem to think it's okay to hate America.

It makes no sense at all. Any Anti-American topic on here seems to go down well, but any topic regarding any any-British content seems to be a taboo subject for you guys.

I can't get my head around this fact that you hate us more than you hate the British. We have been the most accepting country of Irish immigrants, we are the country who love the Irish, yet we're hated.

We have never tried to colonize your country, obviously, yet the Anti-American bias holds stronger than the anti-British bias over here. That point is merely a comparison between ourselves and the British.

Can somebody shed some light on this for me? Why are Americans hated over here?

Any great reasons?

we hate you becuase you fail to give any example of anti-americanism, always as if perpetuating that misnomer about anti-americanism is your goal rather then recounting any overly generalized criticisms of your country you receieved