Why are people so pre-occupied with America

Sonics2k

tonycascarino wrote: »

I like America, but unlike many here I am able to distinguish that Ireland and the USA are not the same country. I cannot understand why anyone here would have any reason to dislike Trump for instance as he as done nothing to us or why anyone here would get carried away by this BLM rubbish all because an African American criminal got killed by a cop. Nothing to do with us.

I didn't grow up in North Korea but I still know Kim Jong is a dick and I dislike him.

Lets go back to doing Peig for the leaving, get rid of revisionist history, bring back the fantasy of the pure Celtic past, ban everything except the GAA, go back to viewing any foreign influences as suspicious.

_Whimsical_

Our preoccupation with the US, particularly in recent years, is fed by our media.

Rte have ran Donald Trump stories as the main headline on numerous occasions here with little obvious justification other than distracting from what's actually going on in our own country and within the EU where our vote and voice might make a slight difference.

We rally in hysteria around Black Lives Matter over isolated US incidents while we pack hundreds and thousands of women and child refugees into dangerous squalid camps around Europe without a single hashtag or bended knee.
We are lathered up over Donald Trump mispronouncing something or his silly hairdo while our own people are homeless, dying in A&E waiting rooms, while we are planning for programs of mass immigration when we can't provide a life for those who are already here.

Our fascination with the US is an engineered phenomenon to ensure we never open our eyes to the issues on our own front door that we could control that cause just as much suffering as any of Trumps antics.

USA is definitely not my most favourite country to visit. Tax added to everything at the till, horrendous tipping quagmire, I just tend to feel slightly irritated there. Also a lack of the automatic doors we take for granted here. If you don’t go through pre-clearance it’s like entering a Russia in the time of the Soviet Union. Doesn’t stop me making the odd visit, eg to Hawai’i last year, which definitely has its own individual culture.

theguzman

Deleted User wrote: »

USA is definitely not my most favourite country to visit. Tax added to everything at the till, horrendous tipping quagmire, I just tend to feel slightly irritated there. Also a lack of the automatic doors we take for granted here. If you don’t go through pre-clearance it’s like entering a Russia in the time of the Soviet Union. Doesn’t stop me making the odd visit, eg to Hawai’i last year, which definitely has its own individual culture.

America is Manifest Destiny, proper freedom, lower taxes and less government regulations, freedom to buy as many guns as you like, freedom to defend yourself and your property by lethal force if required. Cars are part of the freedom loving culture, no high fuel taxes like here. A police system that actually has a hand on crime and will fight back and kill criminals, a legal and judicial system that will execute criminals. Trump emboldens the American capitalist spirirt of manifest destiny. The best health service in the world, you can choose what you want without socialist policies here, if you want a hip operation or some surgery you can have it done in a week, in Ireland you might get called 4 years later off a waiting list by such time you'd be well dead.

Kermit.de.frog

In answer to the OP

It's because they are the world's only superpower able to project their culture and interests on a truly global scale and what they say about any issue matters more than any other country by a huge distance.

This is why.

rossie1977

theguzman wrote: »

America is Manifest Destiny, proper freedom, lower taxes and less government regulations, freedom to buy as many guns as you like, freedom to defend yourself and your property by lethal force if required.

If gun ownership shows proper freedom then I guess Yemen is the freest country on earth..

Cars are part of the freedom loving culture, no high fuel taxes like here.

Few years ago petrol in Venezuela was cheaper than water, again not a sign of freedom.

A police system that actually has a hand on crime and will fight back and kill criminals, a legal and judicial system that will execute criminals.

Hand on crime. Crime in the US far exceeds every other western nation or Japan/South Korea/Australia/New Zealand.

More Americans are in prison per capita than anywhere else on earth yet mass shootings continue to rise.

Trump emboldens the American capitalist spirirt of manifest destiny.

GIving billions in government money to prop up farmers due to his failed trade wars isn't capitalism. Neither massive increase in military spending or wanting billions for a white elephant wall.

The best health service in the world, you can choose what you want without socialist policies here, if you want a hip operation or some surgery you can have it done in a week, in Ireland you might get called 4 years later off a waiting list by such time you'd be well dead.

Sure if you are rich or have top class health coverage. Many Americans don't fall into this category unfortunately.

cj maxx

[Deleted User] wrote: »

USA is definitely not my most favourite country to visit. Tax added to everything at the till, horrendous tipping quagmire, I just tend to feel slightly irritated there. Also a lack of the automatic doors we take for granted here. If you don’t go through pre-clearance it’s like entering a Russia in the time of the Soviet Union. Doesn’t stop me making the odd visit, eg to Hawai’i last year, which definitely has its own individual culture.

So you prefer to just lump the tax into the price like here ?
Lots of things here are price + Vat ( a tax) And like vat you can claim the tax back on leaving the country.
The tipping culture is also why dining out is so cheap compared to here where wages and overheads are again written into the exorbitant price. If you're happy left a decent tip if you have a problem with the service don't..
As for automatic doors they're pretty standard in most modern buildings and I never had much problem with immigration and the 3/4 times I went through them , no pre clearance, and I was an actual illegal immigrant.
Pretty petty reasons to dislike a country imo

theguzman

cj maxx wrote: »

So you prefer to just lump the tax into the price like here ?
Lots of things here are price + Vat ( a tax) And like vat you can claim the tax back on leaving the country.
The tipping culture is also why dining out is so cheap compared to here where wages and overheads are again written into the exorbitant price. If you're happy left a decent tip if you have a problem with the service don't..
As for automatic doors they're pretty standard in most modern buildings and I never had much problem with immigration and the 3/4 times I went through them , no pre clearance, and I was an actual illegal immigrant.
Pretty petty reasons to dislike a country imo

Eating out in New York is not cheap anymore.

Gentleman Off The Pitch

The disdain that most under 30s in Ireland have for all things Irish, Irish culture and traditions is probably a factor, an obsession with the US fills the void

Edgware

I know that the U.S. is a fantastic country and I understand the Irish fascination with it probably from a historical viewpoint and television influence. But Europe is such a fascinating territory from Northern Sweden to the Turkish Syrian border and from the Atlantic to Russia. So many cultures, languages, climates, foods, drinks, landscapes.

Overheal

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Social media outrage culture.

Your man Zuckerberg should be blasted into space.

This has gone on wayyyy longer than Facebook or MySpace

On Liveline Callback Joe always says as part of the intro that Liveline is based ENTIRELY from calls from the public.

Does RTE not think this is a little embarrassing considering how far it strays from being a caller driver show.

cj maxx

theguzman wrote: »

Eating out in New York is not cheap anymore.

Like anywhere it depends where you go and what you're having. But I haven't been there in nearly 10 years but relative to income I found eating out in Manhattan was cheaper than Dublin
And Queens and the Bronx cheaper still

whisky_galore

Gentleman Off The Pitch wrote: »

The disdain that most under 30s in Ireland have for all things Irish, Irish culture and traditions is probably a factor, an obsession with the US fills the void

It's a shame people don't want to live in mud walled thatched hovels, go to Mass and eat spuds every day anymore.

Gentleman Off The Pitch

whisky_galore wrote: »

It's a shame people don't want to live in mud walled thatched hovels, go to Mass and eat spuds every day anymore.

The ignorance of your response is just reinforcing my point

Pkiernan

The same people that hate the US also hate all the poor people in Africa and Asia.

They never protest African or Chinese Embassies for example.
They dont care about pollution in Iraq or Saudi Arabia.

They're happy to buy clothes made by child slaves today, but need to tear down 200 year old statues.

They protest Global Warming, but consume more power than any previous generation.

They whine on about Extinction but change their phones every year and discard more plastic then ever before.

Hard to fathom really. I imagine its attention seeking.

Pkiernan

Pkiernan wrote: »

They dont care about pollution in Iraq or Saudi Arabia.

There are much bigger issues in Saudi Arabia than pollution.

odyssey06

Deleted User wrote: »

There are much bigger issues in Saudi Arabia than pollution.

And they don't care about them either cos it's not trending on social media

whisky_galore

Gentleman Off The Pitch wrote: »

The ignorance of your response is just reinforcing my point

Enlighten us so.

Gentleman Off The Pitch

whisky_galore wrote: »

Enlighten us so.

You need to be enlightened with some statement that being proud of Irish traditions etc. doesn't mean that you want to live in mud walled thatched hovels, go to Mass and eat spuds every day?
Your statement is just another example of the trendy attitude to regard everything seen to be inherently Irish as being inferior

odyssey06

whisky_galore wrote: »

It's a shame people don't want to live in mud walled thatched hovels, go to Mass and eat spuds every day anymore.

The new tolerance is quite intolerant really.

Earthhorse

America is the anchor state of Western civilisation. So what happens there is politically important to us.

the purple tin

Earthhorse wrote: »

America is the anchor state of Western civilisation. So what happens there is politically important to us.

Anchor is right, and it's dragging us all down.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Overheal wrote: »

This has gone on wayyyy longer than Facebook or MySpace

Obviously, but the bitter old men need to get their daily rant in somehow.

Gentleman Off The Pitch wrote: »

The disdain that most under 30s in Ireland have for all things Irish, Irish culture and traditions is probably a factor, an obsession with the US fills the void

Do they?

whisky_galore

Gentleman Off The Pitch wrote: »

You need to be enlightened with some statement that being proud of Irish traditions etc. doesn't mean that you want to live in mud walled thatched hovels, go to Mass and eat spuds every day?
Your statement is just another example of the trendy attitude to regard everything seen to be inherently Irish as being inferior

What is it that you do in your free time that's so worthy?

Gentleman Off The Pitch

whisky_galore wrote: »

What is it that you do in your free time that's so worthy?

Philanthropy

Edgware

Gentleman Off The Pitch wrote: »

The disdain that most under 30s in Ireland have for all things Irish, Irish culture and traditions is probably a factor, an obsession with the US fills the void

I see thousands of young Irish people actively involved in Gaelic Games, Irish music, Gaelscoil and community involement all over the country, and North and South of the Border.
That does not stop them also having an interest in what happens in biggest English speaking country in the world that has a predominant control of media and music.
Of course some peoples definition of Irish culture and tradition is listening to the Wolfe Tones and shouting "Up the Ra" when Rangers are on T.V.

Zebra3

theguzman wrote: »

America is Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny.

America's lebensraum.

Both cover names for genocide and ethnic cleansing.

ronivek

Maybe you enjoy the constant sniping between political parties who are effectively exactly the same (FF/FG) or the serial oppositionists who seem to have no genuine desire to govern but simply snipe from the sidelines where they have no actual responsibility. That's pretty much what the vast majority of news and commentary on said news ends up being in Ireland.

At least in the USA you have a reality TV "star" for a president and the multitude of cracks appearing in "the greatest country on earth" which they somehow managed to effectively hide for so long.

Take note of their amazing two-party system of "right" versus "left" and rejoice that in your lifetime you may have precisely the same thing happening here!

hotmail.com

Earthhorse wrote: »

America is the anchor state of Western civilisation. So what happens there is politically important to us.

Myth.

What goes on in Brussels, Berlin and Paris is the most important to us.

Just because you have an interest in the American political drama, doesn't make it important or relevant to us.

Earthhorse

No, it’s not a myth.

Nor did I say anything about its importance to us relative to Europe.

whisky_galore

Gentleman Off The Pitch wrote: »

Philanthropy

Which intrinsically Irish how?

ShatterAlan

thomil wrote: »

In addition to the points made above, you’d better keep up to speed on a country that can basically park an air base of your coast and bomb your country into the stone age, or simply air drop an entire division onto your heads at minimum notice. While China is certainly gearing up to replace the US in that regard, they’re nowhere near that capability yet, and also have nowhere near the cultural or social impact on the western world that the US have.

We hear this gibberish all the time how America has so much firepower and can do this, that, blah blah. They can't. Didn't they drop several division onto Iraqi and Afghan heads and got their asses handed to them. 20 years bogged down in Afghanistan, trillions wasted down the crapper.


But hey, the shareholders of Northrop-Grumman, Raytheon, AM General (makers of the Humvee) etc. are laughing all the way to the bank while the US taxpayer foots the bill.

ShatterAlan

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

Primaries have grown in importance over recent decades. Candidates used to be picked in a much quieter fashion closer to the convention.

I've heard Americans make the same complaint about now being bombarded with election news over the course of years. It's not a change unique to Ireland.

American politics is just a charade. It's packaged entertainment, essentially a soap opera, a Punch and Judy Show. There's no substance to it. It's like WWF wrestling.


Can you point to a piece of legislation that has been passed in the last 30 years in the US that has substantially benefitted the public? I can't think of anything. There are two parties to give the masses the illusion of having a choice. So while Dem and Rep politicians hang out together at the same country club wining and dining and networking and doing political and financial favours for each other, the unwashed masses are at each other's throats over whose party is better, the "wingnuts" or the "libtards".

ShatterAlan

quokula wrote: »

It's the world's largest economy, the home to the largest number of Irish diaspora by far, they speak the same language as us so therefore we are much more likely to consume movies / tv shows / media from there than from other similarly large countries like China or Japan who produce content in a language very few of us understand. Our economy is hugely influenced by their's thanks to the amount of American multinationals based here.

And they are generally the most influential country in the world in so many ways that affect our lives, politically, economically and culturally. Just in terms of posting on this thread, with the exception of a very small number of people, everyone accessing this website will be doing so through operating systems and web browsers developed by Google, Microsoft, Mozilla or Apple, all of whom are American.

China is the world's largest economy.

ShatterAlan

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

Guess who gave the world the pandemic?

That question still hasn't been fully answered.

ShatterAlan

mr_fegelien wrote: »

It's funny that many Irish people consume American media (Netflix, American TV Shows) yet so few watch CNN International. Technically it's actually the UK version but still American based.

Am I the few people who watch CNN International? I'm technically not Irish as I was born in East Africa and lived in the States for some time.

CNN is propaganda crap.

faceman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRqbel7E30A

py2006

What about the poor mothers and fathers who watched their young sons and daughters getting onto ships to American knowing they will never see them again just hoping they would find a better life than what they could provide.

Those very children (if they didn't die on the ship on the way over) went to a strange land with a MASSIVE culture shock and a lot of animosity. Their descendants today have huge love of this country which maintains the strong relationship between both countries.

ShatterAlan

mr_fegelien wrote: »

The GOP's tend to be religious conservatives who have a track record of climate skepticism.

The GOP are in the pocket of the fossil fuel industry. It has nothing to do with religion. Koch Industries and all the other oil corporations pay massive bribes (euphemistically called "campaign contributions") to politicians of all stripes, but predominantly GOP members to resist any measures such as emissions standards and environmental protections that might possibly eat into their profits.

ShatterAlan

rossie1977 wrote: »

We get the Americanised version of the PlayStation not the Japanese one.

How many French musical acts do we listen to or when was the last French movie we went to cinema en masse to watch. What French TV programs do we consume. What French sport do people watch in Ireland.

Well I'd say more people watch France in the 6 nations in Ireland than would watch the Superbowl.

ShatterAlan

rossie1977 wrote: »

Again we get the American versions of these products not the Japanese ones.



We are close to the UK but their culture is not in our face like the US culture is. You picked a few things out but far far more American products/services etc influence our lives than British ones.

Our version of Santa Claus is based off Coca Colas ad. Irish kids could identify Ronald McDonald or John Cena before they could Boris Johnson.

Well that's hardly surprising. Kids are more interested in clowns and fast food than they are in politics. Yes I know BoJo is also a clown.

ShatterAlan

cj maxx wrote: »

It has everything you'd want for a holiday.
Gambling, go to Vegas.
Sun/ sea Florida California or for more exotic Hawaii.
Mountain climbing,hikes, sling Rockies or Alaska plus desert and vast plains. The US has everything given its huge size

You could say that about dozens of countries.


There's many things that US lacks that are de rigeur in other countries.


If I wanted to take a luxury high speed rail journey there's no way I could in the US. Decrepit, rickety Amtrak is all they have to offer.

Can't see the Northern Lights there or penguins or giant turtles in their natural habitat.
American airports are the worst I've ever experienced. The airport in Tangiers, Morocco is better.

Sure, the US has a bit of everything but that bit of everything that it does have is by no means the best.

ShatterAlan

theguzman wrote: »

America is Manifest Destiny, proper freedom, lower taxes and less government regulations, freedom to buy as many guns as you like, freedom to defend yourself and your property by lethal force if required. Cars are part of the freedom loving culture, no high fuel taxes like here. A police system that actually has a hand on crime and will fight back and kill criminals, a legal and judicial system that will execute criminals. Trump emboldens the American capitalist spirirt of manifest destiny. The best health service in the world, you can choose what you want without socialist policies here, if you want a hip operation or some surgery you can have it done in a week, in Ireland you might get called 4 years later off a waiting list by such time you'd be well dead.

:pac:


Comedy gold.

ShatterAlan

cj maxx wrote: »

So you prefer to just lump the tax into the price like here ?
Lots of things here are price + Vat ( a tax) And like vat you can claim the tax back on leaving the country.
The tipping culture is also why dining out is so cheap compared to here where wages and overheads are again written into the exorbitant price. If you're happy left a decent tip if you have a problem with the service don't..
As for automatic doors they're pretty standard in most modern buildings and I never had much problem with immigration and the 3/4 times I went through them , no pre clearance, and I was an actual illegal immigrant.
Pretty petty reasons to dislike a country imo

The tipping culture is NOT why dining out is so cheap, which it isn't. I was in Kansas City and New Orleans last October and I used to live in New York. A greasy spoon cafe in London is a hell of a lot cheaper than your equivalent diner in the US. And dinking in a pub is about the same or more expensive.
The tipping culture is a scam to shift the burden of paying a waitress from the restaurant onto the punters.

faceman

I love the US and many of the people there. Some are among my closest friends. I visit regularly and get to be off the beaten path too.

As much as I love my friends the US is incredibly flawed country. Aside from the obvious with politics, I have friends who are proud gun owners. There’s no talking to them.

Some cities have been down right neglected by the government, Detroit being an example. It’s like something from a dystopian movies in certain parts and has been like that for decades. Very easy to see how Trump won the state.

Their healthcare system is shocking. Without insurance forget it. The equivalent of a €60 GP here costs hundreds of dollars there. Health insurance policies costs thousands and even 5 figures in some cases. The cost of maternity cover is insane.

Some insurance policies are only good for your home state. You’re not covered if you’re somewhere else.

It’s pricey over there too. The exchange is goosed now so it’s dollar for euro almost. A pint is $9+ dollars and tip in some places.

Tipping is an excuse for bars and restaurants not to have to pay staff minimum wage.

Satisfactory public transport is non existent in most places.

While the whole planet is racist America and it’s relationship with violence and police brutality is shocking. A black friend got locked out of his house one day. Told me he could sit on his porch and wait for his missus as it could be assumed he was burglar and the cops would turn up. This is in California, one of the more progressive states.

Social welfare is a beauracratic process with minimal supports. Employment rights are non existent.

The lack of censorship means people are more or less free to do as they wish. Look at the KKK and those Westboro Baptist church lunatics.

California does have some good stuff that Ireland could learn from. People take petitions and voting very seriously. Propositions are an easier way for new bills to be considered for law. People vote on them rather than politicians.

But aside from that we love American pop culture. Movies. Music. Art. Some of the natural beauty in the US is breath taking. I’d take Yosemite or the Pacific Coast any day over the Cliffs of Moher or Connemara.

People are friendly and our Irish accents travel well. There’s a lovely openness with many people there that our Irish cynical nature doesn’t do so well.

I would diss Irish influence though. What we achieve internationally with Paddy’a Day is something no other country can boast of. Even America doesn’t achieve that with their national holiday. Our politicians’ jollies abroad for Paddy’s week show how we can exercise influence at times if we want to.

I’ve rambled so much I’ve forgotten the purpose of my post

Electric Sheep

Kylta wrote: »

I personally have no interest in America, but an awful of irish people seem to have an interest in America and I curious to as why?

Grow up

goose2005

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Our preoccupation with the US, particularly in recent years, is fed by our media.

Rte have ran Donald Trump stories as the main headline on numerous occasions here with little obvious justification other than distracting from what's actually going on in our own country and within the EU where our vote and voice might make a slight difference.

We rally in hysteria around Black Lives Matter over isolated US incidents while we pack hundreds and thousands of women and child refugees into dangerous squalid camps around Europe without a single hashtag or bended knee.
We are lathered up over Donald Trump mispronouncing something or his silly hairdo while our own people are homeless, dying in A&E waiting rooms, while we are planning for programs of mass immigration when we can't provide a life for those who are already here.

Our fascination with the US is an engineered phenomenon to ensure we never open our eyes to the issues on our own front door that we could control that cause just as much suffering as any of Trumps antics.

RTE have a full-time washington correspondent so they have to justify that expense by running american news constantly

odyssey06

goose2005 wrote: »

RTE have a full-time washington correspondent so they have to justify that expense by running american news constantly

True but they also have Tony Connelly in Brussels but if it hadn't been for Brexit you'd hardly know it (on which he has been first rate).
And the decisions in Brussels have probably more impact on our everyday lives.