First off i would like to state i have no solid proof of any sort.

Now lately when i watch any american tv show, or some sort of american news program the people just seem so dull. Empty souls that are just full of ignorance. The majority of americans seem to have a really primitive patriotic view about there country, that it is souly the best and "only" country in the world. I rarely see any international news (excluding tsunami) on american news, and even there was ALOT more coverage on 9-11 than there was on the tsunami, yet MUCH more poeple lost their lives.
Also i recently heard (no facts) on that americans are not leaving the country much anymore, international travel has really cut down. Then finaly i know every american will disagree with me, but americans are getting pumped full of propaganda. Not to say im not getting pumped over in australia with the same sort of propagande, i dont think it is to the amount of america. People seem to forget in WW2 the propaganda of the nazis and the allies was a important tool to the war effort. That was over 50 years ago, they have improved their technicqes, and im sure they learnt a thing or two of the nazis after the war aswell. Also from the tone of some americans in this forum, i get the feeling that "america is the only right way, democracy is the only right way" feeling in what they say. So with all these factors it makes me wonder is the majority of the american population simply brainwashed full of what the government only want them to know? To any americans reading this i know u think im just anti-american, im not. I dont believe anyone with a brain can be anti-american, i have grown sympathy for the american public because they are so arogant, yet so ignorant. (Note i am not saying this about all americans, just about the majority of average joes in your neigbourhood, not the scholars and philisophers at the local university)
If any logicaly minded, non-biased and not fanaticaly patriotic american reads this, please give me your opinion on my thoughts. Thank you.

Aren't there similar trends elsewhere too?

Nationalism and blind patriotism, like The Matrix and Keanu Reeves, are crud.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie. Oi! Oi! Oi!

Originally posted by wang
If any logicaly minded, non-biased and not fanaticaly patriotic american reads this, please give me your opinion on my thoughts. Thank you.

Not American, though it would take me all of 3 minutes to walk there, if I cut through the park. No, I don't think Americans are brainwashed, though I would agree with you on the nature of the news reporting. Yes, the news is biased and uniformative, and relates to world event only about how it affects the US. But most Americans that I know (those are the only ones I can speak of, haven't met every American on the planet yet) are interested in the world around them, they just don't understand why people are so down on them, and that puts them on the defensive. And once you have put them on the defensive, watch out!!!

I'm not sure why they don't cover more stories in the news, I can only guess it's because the country is so huge, with so many diverse people. With all the news that happens in the US in one day, as opposed to Austrailia and Canada, it only makes sense that it would take up all the reporting time allotted. The goal of the media is to appeal to the broadest section of the population possible, and that covers a lot of range in a country like America.

What is 'Canada', or 'Mexico', or the EU? American media is strangely silent about anything or any place that could offer an alternative way of thinking about things like national health care, trade unionism, or regional unification. Are Americans fed filtered news? You bet.

Originally posted by wang
If any logicaly minded, non-biased and not fanaticaly patriotic american reads this, please give me your opinion on my thoughts. Thank you.

Sounds to me like you only want to hear from people who agree with you. If they don't agree or want to defend themselves, you have to resort to all that name calling?

Originally posted by Chakotay
American media is strangely silent about anything or any place that could offer an alternative way of thinking about things like national health care, trade unionism, or regional unification.

Trust me, those ideas are abundant in America, and seeping their way in. Many of us fight them, because we are not socialist and we are sovereign. There are many reasons we are against the things you listed, but why do you think we are wrong for not following the same path your nations have? Isn't that the same thing Americans are being accused of? Hypocrites.

Hi I am American although I live in one of the most left wing parts of the country Oakland/Berkeley CA so that alone would make me unamerican from the nationalist stand point- This is a big country to live in and it has tons of different cultures and as many different viewpoints.

I would agree with some of your statements regarding the media here and sometimes the public. I have traveled a lot here, and in Eastern Europe, and Asia since 9/11. There is a lot of nationalism going on in this country more so than any other I have seen. Even if it is only seen daily on a small scale judging by propaganda stickers on the cars. You will see all sorts of stickers that have flags with slogans that read "Freedom is not free" etc... Simply watching the BBC news reports will clue you in to a ton of things we just do not hear too much about in America on TV. I was with a bunch of Americans in Hungary recently and did not state my mind on this and they all commented on the news and why they did not get view points like what they heard on the TV there.

The best things in America IMHO are the different type’s food, different cultures, although plenty of Americans hate immigrants it is what makes this place cool, pop media like films, video games, and music. The rest seems like one big ever expanding shopping mall to me. I have seen your country and it’s beautiful I would worry less about American propaganda and more about there fast food chains and horrible city and land management style invading your country. Uniformity and connivance is there means of profit and it spreads like wild fire producing over weight people and far too much concrete than is needed to sustain life. If your country can hold that back and maintain your open spaces then you can defeat American propaganda anyways and besides you can just sit back watch the Americans on TV living in high-rises and breathing in smog to know what you are missing!

I'm going to agree with wang on this one, but keep in mind a brainwashed public is made more condusive by the lack of education and the dilution of irrelevant media. Our educational system does not promote critical thinking, the why question is always answered for them(at least in my experience. I started learning after I left school ironically enough). The popular culture is watered down with reality shows that provoke social duress for ratings, a dumbed down expression of current events with subtle language use to instill bias(I have made it an excercise to listen to someone and find the amount of fact conveyed as opposed to a soundly constructed opinion using connotative words; dismal indeed), and an astonishing amount of energy devoted to celebrity news. Granted I'll look on a celebrity out of curiosity and envy, but I also understand that no meaningful information pertaining to my life and my goals are being represented; ultimately a waste of brain space.

BTW, I am "American", A country that for the most part is better than the alternative but for me represents hypocrisy and lies with a smidgen of kindness and goodwill towards mankind....
Too much irrelevant information, when you factor in the time it takes to learn, record, transmit, be discussed, be repeated, and finally dropped for another "it"story(Ben and JLO....come now) translates into nothing of substance. My opinion and potentially flawed but that's how I see it.

[edit on 12-1-2005 by MemoryShock]

Originally posted by wang
First off i would like to state i have no solid proof of any sort.

So, therefore this is just your assumption and opinion? Of which you are entitled to of course.

I dont believe anyone with a brain can be anti-american, i have grown sympathy for the american public because they are so arogant, yet so ignorant. (Note i am not saying this about all americans, just about the majority of average joes in your neigbourhood, not the scholars and philisophers at the local university)

Not to argue, but by you making this statment makes you just as arrogant as me "the arrogant American". Your assumption that the average Joe's in my neighborhood are these type of people? How nice of you to make yet another broad generalization of my fellow countrymen. Ah, but we shall be saved by our scholars and philosophers?

If any logicaly minded, non-biased and not fanaticaly patriotic american reads this, please give me your opinion on my thoughts. Thank you.

So a fanatic can not think logically? Further more, by who's logic yours? Why are you only wanting responses from those types of people? When in fact you are none of these either. I think the problem is that people outside the the U.S. fail to realize most Americans do know that what they see on the T.V. and read in the papers or hear on the radios is in fact crap...so please quit making assumptions about my country. Or, you could always come over for a barb-q and we could discuss it over some beer and a few steaks?



B

Originally posted by cavscout

Originally posted by Chakotay
American media is strangely silent about anything or any place that could offer an alternative way of thinking about things like national health care, trade unionism, or regional unification.

Trust me, those ideas are abundant in America, and seeping their way in. Many of us fight them, because we are not socialist and we are sovereign.

Dude, I look out my office window. I kid you not. An old Veteran, just like you and me, digs through the garbage can for food. He drifts off on an old bicycle, back to his cave by the dump. Yes we are sovereign. And yes, he is probably a registered Republican. And very, very homeless. There is a different way, and it will not be televised.

Everybody is totally brainwashed, not just americans!

Here in Montreal, like a whole lot of people got the FLu shot because they told so on the news....
It's not hard to brainwash somebody, you scare them and find a solution...

What they say on the media have a lot of influence in our everyday life

Ameliaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wang: What you say is sad but true. And What's saddest of all, is that our president would test-out as less than average on any IQ test available.

Originally posted by kazi
Wang: What you say is sad but true. And What's saddest of all, is that our president would test-out as less than average on any IQ test available.

By no means am I a Bush supporter, but this remark kind of hits home;Being of only mediocre intelligence myself. So, according to your statement, you need above average I.Q to be someone in a governing position? When in fact it would make for good arguement that common sense might in fact be a better prerequisite to a President or anyone else in a similar position? I know a ton of intelligent people and they are stupid...Meaning, sure they are smart, but smarts does not always get you through life...

B

[edit on 1/12/2005 by bobafett1972]

What is it ? 60% of Americans think the government respose to 911 is a cover-up.
50% of New Yorkers think the government took an active role in 911, 66% think they had prior knowledge and let it happen
No - America isn't brainwashed and many are awakened to the truth
It's the prevalent media that makes people think they are alone with their thoughts and powerless

Originally posted by dh
What is it ? 60% of Americans think the government respose to 911 is a cover-up.
50% of New Yorkers think the government took an active role in 911, 66% think they had prior knowledge and let it happen
No - America isn't brainwashed and many are awakened to the truth
It's the prevalent media that makes people think they are alone with their thoughts and powerless

For that many people to have an opinion like that and to not only do very little about it but also to re-elect Bush......sounds like some kind of brianwashing is going on and it may be more overt than we think.

I agree with your assessment of the medias effect on the individual...

[edit on 12-1-2005 by MemoryShock]

Originally posted by dh
What is it ? 60% of Americans think the government respose to 911 is a cover-up.
50% of New Yorkers think the government took an active role in 911, 66% think they had prior knowledge and let it happen
No - America isn't brainwashed and many are awakened to the truth
It's the prevalent media that makes people think they are alone with their thoughts and powerless

Where do you get those numbers? Do you have a link? I think the true number is less than one percent of Americans have these bizarre (and obviously incorrect) views.

Released November 10th, 2004


The CNN Poll is even more shocking in what it reveals...


Amazing this many people believe in a cover up and we merely go on with our lives accepting a government that blatantly lies.....

Yeah,, and we see the rest of the pseudo-civilized world mindlessly staggering into the NWO, like zombies following the commands of their master; the Europeans dropping the borders, their nationalism and identity, believing in nothing, dead, souless, empty creatures.

Wanna trade insults, pall? You'll find I'm not souless or ignorant. You might be surprised at your own ignorance. On second thought, no you wouldn't. You'd never see it to be surprised.

Come on, Cletus! You might walk over here but you're gonna limp back!