Are all Americans hated?

[CarolynSD]

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[loveridge]

I've liked all the Americans I've met so far, but to say all Americans are hated is a bit harsh. Can't judge everybody based on one group, even if they are the majority.

[Prophet Tenebrae]

CarolynSD pointed out to me that really Americans are a very diverse group of people and that they can be totally different from one another, to the point where they find it hard to relate - so just as you couldn't say all Brits were the same, that is at least as true, if not moreso of Americans.

Hence some of them are annoying, loud and tiresome whereas others are interesting, cool and generally a pleasure to know.

[rhodesia84]

I think in my previous post I neglected to mention that Southerners are indeed by and large a quite respectable group of people (I apologise for that omission).

'Unregistered user me' I'd love to have a chat... you can email me at rhodesia84@aol.com. Anyone else can email me if they wish.

Miss Delilah wishes that I abandon my use of stereotypes. With all do respect, Miss Delilah, I shall not. I went to an private prep school which has a very healthy hatred of all things politically-correct. No it is not an all-white boys Protestant school. It is a coeducational, non-denominational, and has people of nearly every colour and creed.

Despite being multicultural, we do not bow down before the almighty Idol of Diversity like all too many educational institutions in the U.S. (NY especially). We always found the strongest way of cementing our bonds as brothers and sisters in the human race was not being hyper-sensitive and having to think three or four times before making a statement. We always joked about our differences, about our races, our cultures, while being proud of our differences. It may sound offensive at first, but having lived through it, it most certainly changes your perspective.

Coming out of this education, I am very proud to be a white european male New Yorker, as I realise the massive contribution my culture has made to the history of mankind (though a checkered contribution it was).

I firmly believe that Christianity is the truth and without Jesus there is no salvation, and I will respect a hindu or muslim or pagan ten times more if he tells me I'm wrong then if he says "Oh, well your truth is as good as mine" because if that's true, then in fact there is no truth.

I've gone on a bit too long, but let mes just say: everyone go out, have fun, and be true to yourself and to your friends.

God bless!

[Miss Maryland]

it's still fun to make fun of california.

[Delilah]

I am actually a bit dissapointed in you for not abandoning these overused, over-cliched sterotypes and generalizations. You seem like a very well-educated and well-traveled person. But I still don't understand why you still hold the "all-west-costers-stupid" sterotype? Did you meet one Valley Girl or airhead and make your assumption that all are the same?

Just because you are a very weel taught person from New York does not mean that every person from New York is well taught, right?

I don't mean to spell it out, because I figure you already know, but it just baffles me that you stand beside cheesy sterotypes like that.

Delilah

[Firefly]

[s]Unregisted User rhodesia84 wrote on 23:30, 12th Nov 2002:

Most of the Americans here do seem to be pretty affluent. The thing that really sucks though is that there are so many West Coast people. As any proper New Yorker/New Englander will tell you: West Coast people are pretty much all trash, no matter what their economic status.


And as any coherently thinking person will tell you: bigots are pretty much all ignorant, close-minded morons, no matter what their intellectual capacity.

[The Kaiser]

Bigots are not necessarily ignorant.

[Firefly]

[s]Unregisted User rhodesia84 wrote on 23:30, 12th Nov 2002:

Most of the Americans here do seem to be pretty affluent. The thing that really sucks though is that there are so many West Coast people. As any proper New Yorker/New Englander will tell you: West Coast people are pretty much all trash, no matter what their economic status.


And bigots who are fond of blanket generalisations and grossly inaccurate stereotypes are pretty much all ignorant, close-minded morons, no matter what their intellectual status.

[Firefly]

[s]The Kaiser wrote on 12:52, 15th Nov 2002:
Bigots are not necessarily ignorant.


Hence the qualification "pretty much". Thank you, Captain Obvious.

Apologies for the double post.

[Yeats]

Most of the west coasters that I have met are actually pretty much trash (and this is from a European perspective) normally stereotypes are pretty much accurate. For example most Irish are in fact alcoholics ,and I should know, so people loosen off a little bit and don't take yourself so seriously. I for one certainly don't.

[Frau Pinkbelt]

[s]Unregisted User JZ wrote on 00:00, 0th Jan 0000:
I'm an American who is coming to study at St. Andrew's next year. I'd hate to think everyone will be suspicious of my intentions and have all sorts of false assumptions about my values.
I realize a lot of Americans there are probably well-off and probably very annoying, but am I going to fight an uphill battle because of things I can not control? Should I pretend to be Canadian?


Canadians, Americans - where would St Andrews be without all you New Worlders?
- Two of my Craziest friends are from Chicago and Ontario, and I dont think my first year experience would have been the same without them (sob, sob, I love you guys!) I have only met a couple of really annoying Americans, and I can hardly talk considering my nationality, about national prejudices - most Americans I have met here have been jolly funny chaps, so If your good fun then your more than welcome, and bring some good looking male friends too...(!)

[Joy]

As I read this message, I’ve come to the conclusion that not many of you have traveled to California. If you have, you would know that it is extremely diverse, and because of its diversity, there are huge differences in the population. First off, a huge population is immigrants (California is the only state in the US where whites are not in a majority). Because of these immigrants there are a lot of cultural differences that blend together. This allows for the exchange of ideas between people. This may seem irrelevant, but I assure you it is not. It is extremely relevant because these immigrants bring an understanding of the world through their own cultural ideas. This creates several viewpoints which can create more critical thought on many subjects, particularly world issues.

Then there is the matter that many of these immigrants either are poor, or have been raised in a culture where roots are important. This is important because you must realize that many do no travel to other countries, causing other countries (like the UK) to be exposed to only the WASP, and not the extended population of Californians. This concludes why so many view Californians with the stereotype of “valley girl”. You are only exposed to a particular part of the population.

Also, you have to question how you can call Californians ignorant when the state hosts two Universities that are considered some of the best in the US, not to mention the world. For those of you who don’t know, I am talking about UC Berkeley and Stanford University. Both of which have produced top scholars, politicians, scientists….and the list goes on and on.

I know want to make the point the ignorance is not only California thing, nor a US thing, but a world wide thing. This is only natural for the human species. Why is it natural? Because peoples are more concerned with issues that either affect them personally, or could somehow come to affect them in the future. In Russia for example, everyone knows about the issues concerning Chechen, but how many in Brazil do you thing are paying attention to the problems that have arisen in the region. And how many in China are concerned with the civil war in Columbia. Do you think the people of Kuwait or Jordon are concerned with the rebels in Ivory Coast….I highly doubt it. People pay attention to the things that effect them. It is the same in California. Many don’t know much about the issues world wide, but they take interest in the issues that affect them, like earthquake safety, ocean environmental issues for the Pacific coast, and the one and only Energy crisis. These are not the same issues that many of the world struggle with, but they effect there population, and therefore are issues for them. Tell me, how many of you know why a Canadian company is suing California for nearly 1 billion dollars? Well, does any of you know, and if not, does that make you ignorant just because the issue does not concern you. It should, after all, the lawsuit was brought because California passed a law banning a chemical from use in gasoline that has polluted millions of gallons of water and is killing wildlife. But, most undoubtedly, all of the concerned environmentalists no little to nothing on the issue.

I apologize for this being so long….
Joy

[Miss Maryland]

I have to apologize for not reading over rhodesia84's first post about californians thoroughly. I may like to make fun of California, but I do not think that Californians are "trash". i don't make fun of California for the valley-girl stereotype. To me, California is a false utopia, a marketing tool used by the media. come to think of it, I make fun of the state and not the people.

[CarolynSD]

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[rhodesia84]

The mindset of the writer is one of fun, joviality, and a complete lack or seriousness. If only the readers could raise themselves to my level!

[Elizabeth]

Oh get off it. I highly doubt you value the life of various serial killers, rapists, murderers, etc. And trash doesn't have to mean something that is thrown away. It can mean something highly smelly that isn't pleasant to be around.

[CarolynSD]

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[Pilmour Boy]

CSD- Great response.
I know that I personally value all human life, and I think that as soon as we concede that we have the right to take somebody else's life except in situations of necessity, we are going down a very slippery slope, and one which I am proud that this country hasn't started to go down.

[hr]There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarrly inexplicable

[CarolynSD]

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