It's not an easy answer.

I hate us because of our policy of invading other coutries and the mentality that we'll do what ever we want across the globe because we're the biggest and baddest country in the world. That bully crap alone is enough for me to despise the country we've become. No longer are we a beacon of hope and justice throughout the world. No longer are we turned to in other's times of need. But, we're looked at as a corrupt police force to be avoided at all costs.

Another reason for my distaste for America is the civilian symbol that we've become. To lump us all together, we're a nation of fast food eating, overwieght, over spending, credit happy, self-absorbed, celebrity following, couch potato consumers. We could care less about what is going on in the rest of the world. The only reason we care about Iraq is because our families are being killed there. Now, all of a sudden everyone wants out of Iraq. Also, MOST of the population no longer reads the newspaper, let alone a book. We get our news from the television (if we even watch the news rather than Extra or Entertainment Tonight), which has been taken over by private entities that control what we see as news. It's this type of media control that lead to the rise of Nazi Germany. The United States is about to elect another leader that will continue with it's foreign policy of dictating to the world, which will only lead to it's continued hatred through out the rest of the world. Might I also remind everyone that the Blitzkreig that started Nazi Germany's conquest was also a "Pre-emptive" strike in retaliation for a "terrorsit" act. Does this look familiar to ANYONE else?

That's why I don't like what America has become or is becoming.

[edit on 29-10-2007 by tyranny22]

Originally posted by mortalengine
FlyersFan


After this dudes post, do you really still need to know why you are hated ?

well lets just base all opinion of a place off one person, sure that makes sense.

The world DOESNT want you help, your help is for your own benefits. Your faith brings death

so you are a religious expert as well as being a expert on the American people? You wanna talk about religious deaths lets talk about jihad shall we.

and you all follow each other blindly around like the worlds police.

I was gonna go line for line taring your post apart and showing it for what it truly is. On further thought I will cut it short it would be more productive to shout at a wall then try to educate those who don't want to be educated. You make assumptions about America based on what? what makes you an expert on all Americans? is it Flyerfans post? how dare you judge all Americans by his post.

Guess what your opinions are wrong in every way. you are the arrogant one you puff up your chest and say all Americans are arrogant. read your post. talk about arrogence.

of course most Americans stay home. as do most people in other countries. when you have what you need to live computably at home why go looking else ware?

Sure we want cheap products who doesn't. Yes there are sweat shops it is a shameful thing but certainly not just our fault. They are few and far between these days.

Why would that be why would there be a decline in sweat shops. Oh weighte I know because well meaning arrogant Americans travel to ware the sweat shops are with there video cameras record it and bring the news home. there is such a stink made and poof the Untraveled Arrogant American takes care of a shameful situation the only way we know how. Financially. we quite buying from the company responsible till they take care of the situation.

What of the company's who run these sweat shops. Most are owned by company's from other country's, but do you blame them? no you blame the hard working average American who just wants nice things, much like every citizen of every country in the world.

Get it threw your heads people. America is not the evil empire. We have done some shameful things, much like every other country. Sure some of our people are Arrogant, much like people in every other country. Before your own arrogance starts pointing fingers at us you better make sure of your own back yard. For goodness sakes get your facts right before you spout off your mouth. For all those who this does not apply to I am sorry you had to be subjected to it but the air needs to be cleared and the fact of the matter is we as Americans know our flaws we don't hide from them we point them out. We are not any different then any other county. our people want nice things we want to be allowed to live and love and travel much like other nations. We are just people. The good and the bad, we are no different.

Originally posted by scorps
There are many reasons why Americans are hated. As a Canadian i see the effects of living beside a World Power everyday. For example as of 2008 Canadians will need passports to go into the USA, but the Americans wont need them to come into Canada...
Now thats a pretty sad example but im curious who hell thought they were so special to not need Passports?

Well, obviously, the Canadian government felt United States citizens did not need them-you follow the rules that are dictated by the country you find yourself travelling to. Maybe you should direct your distaste in this regard towards them.

Nice topic, good conversation so far. I'll weigh in, but it's definitely a difficult topic without a clear right answer. I think most of the people who have posted have touched on truths about our diminished status in the world, but here's what I consider the main issue: the combination of who we perceive ourselves to be, what are actions actually are, and what we project onto the rest of the world as a result of both. Foreign policy is a huge chunk of it. Another thing is that we now project this real sort of hypocrisy. The image that the rest of the world gets of us is a sort of democratic Christian-bent economic and military powerhouse who is actually greedy, wrathful, wasteful, and no longer able or willing to respond to the demands of the public. We're sort of a living contradiction between image and reality. That gets people riled up, and it should. We should say and do exactly what we mean, and it should be classier than the crap we're doing these days. Not because America should be the shining example of humanity in the world, but because all humans should be actively trying to do better than they are.

I want to stick with the notions of image and projection... Assume you live in Afghanistan and you work poppy fields all day to provide meager income for your family. You find a magazine, perhaps left behind by an American soldier (or maybe you're just watching a commercial beaming down from some American satellite), with a picture of a solid white cat eating its food from a crystal glass. Isn't that going to raise your blood pressure a bit? And that goes beyond jealousy and straight to sheer hatred. These people, who have enough to feed cats in crystal have nothing for you but bombs. Yeah, I'd say that would irk me. And yes, we do give a lot of foreign aid, but honestly there is never enough. As long as it looks like we have the money to throw away on sweaters for dogs and *someone* is hungry and aware of this image, he will be angry with us. That's just human nature -- you hate what won't share specifically with you in time of need.

Now most of us in America *don't* have that sort of money. We are trying to figure out how to pay for health care or education for our children, how to make sure our own families have food for the day, and so on. Here's the major difference that I see as far as the image displayed by America and received by the world since, say, WWII. Remember how much more loved we were then? The champion of American image around then was Joe Public so to speak, the regular normal American. He had a family, he worked hard at a blue collar job or a low-tier white collar job, made just enough cash to get a house and feed his own. Now the prevailing image of America is more, say, Paris Hilton.

Other countries take the things that we display in our own media, add whatever bias is inherent to them (and make no mistake about it, every last human being on this planet is biased in some way), and either resentment, hatred, or general dislike of our country is the result. It is, in a sense, the fault of both sender and receiver (the sender who projects and the receiver who reacts). This is why a lot of the criticism of our country seems contradictory to us -- the images we send are contradictory. How do you think people who have never been to America are getting their perceptions of what an American is like -- of what this country is really like? Through telepathy? No, they're getting them from the very things that we are sending out -- books, magazines, newspapers, television, movies...

Images and actions are our real and true ambassadors to the world. Until we clean up what we do and the pictures we show the world of us, we're going to continue to diminish in the eyes of everyone else.


/tn.

Originally posted by angryamerican

Originally posted by mortalengine
FlyersFan


After this dudes post, do you really still need to know why you are hated ?

well lets just base all opinion of a place off one person, sure that makes sense.

The world DOESNT want you help, your help is for your own benefits. Your faith brings death

so you are a religious expert as well as being a expert on the American people? You wanna talk about religious deaths lets talk about jihad shall we.

and you all follow each other blindly around like the worlds police.

I was gonna go line for line taring your post apart and showing it for what it truly is. On further thought I will cut it short it would be more productive to shout at a wall then try to educate those who don't want to be educated. You make assumptions about America based on what? what makes you an expert on all Americans? is it Flyerfans post? how dare you judge all Americans by his post.

Guess what your opinions are wrong in every way. you are the arrogant one you puff up your chest and say all Americans are arrogant. read your post. talk about arrogence.

of course most Americans stay home. as do most people in other countries. when you have what you need to live computably at home why go looking else ware?

Sure we want cheap products who doesn't. Yes there are sweat shops it is a shameful thing but certainly not just our fault. They are few and far between these days.

Why would that be why would there be a decline in sweat shops. Oh weighte I know because well meaning arrogant Americans travel to ware the sweat shops are with there video cameras record it and bring the news home. there is such a stink made and poof the Untraveled Arrogant American takes care of a shameful situation the only way we know how. Financially. we quite buying from the company responsible till they take care of the situation.

What of the company's who run these sweat shops. Most are owned by company's from other country's, but do you blame them? no you blame the hard working average American who just wants nice things, much like every citizen of every country in the world.

Get it threw your heads people. America is not the evil empire. We have done some shameful things, much like every other country. Sure some of our people are Arrogant, much like people in every other country. Before your own arrogance starts pointing fingers at us you better make sure of your own back yard. For goodness sakes get your facts right before you spout off your mouth. For all those who this does not apply to I am sorry you had to be subjected to it but the air needs to be cleared and the fact of the matter is we as Americans know our flaws we don't hide from them we point them out. We are not any different then any other county. our people want nice things we want to be allowed to live and love and travel much like other nations. We are just people. The good and the bad, we are no different.

Thanks for all that ranting... I wasnt Judging - I was answering a question that one of your fellow patriots asked, I was giving my opinion as to why Americans might be hated - its quite different to judging.

Secondly, aptly naming yourself "AngryAmerican" and thirdly, your location on your profile is "Invading your happy place."

I thought you were going to go talk to a wall ? - yet you bothered to talk anyway ? Why did you bother to say I wouldnt listen, but then go ahead ranting anyway ? sheesh make up your mind.

Secondly, dont talk about Jihad causing death, is it a mystery that they believe Jihad will rid them of their oppressors (USA) ? did not the Jews believe the messiah would do the same ? rid them of Roman oppression ? Nothing has changed here buddy. I am merely answering a question posed, not judging - learn your facts and go and invade your own happy place.

[edit on 29-10-2007 by mortalengine]

Hmmm. Where to start.

Heres one to start with, from a British perspective and observations of what I've seen typed on forums and message boards and chat rooms over the past ten years of being on the net. Its a farily simplistic point but its a start and what I can/do expect from the majority of US posters on the 'net.

The British fought in WW2
The Australians fought in WW2
The Canadians fought in WW2
The Russians (Soviets) fought in WW2
American saved Europe in WW2.

Can you see it?

Heres another one.

Britain has professional armed forces
Australia has professional armed forces
Russia has professional armed forces
America has the best damned armed forces in the world and can kick anybodies ass any time.

Getting it yet?

You can apply that same scenario across the whole spectrum of conversations, and you'll get similar answers.

Its an arrogance. It may not be intentional, but its there, and it grates.

Now I admit, not all Americans see things that way, but the worst excesses of it have been bought out and to the fore by the neocon way of thinking, and the "your with us or against us" mindset.

Then theres the notion of "installing democracy"

And the laughable hyprocrisy of the US declared "war on terror" (see my signature for my thoughts on that, and ask Turkey about it)

When Clinton was in power, would you have been asking the same question?

I will say that "hate" is a strong word. "Dislike" is more apt.

just my 2 cents

the thing is this : most of the people , no matter the country, don't approve with their leaders , their politicians, with the decisions they take, with the ones that have the power to decide their future, or the future of their childrens

and because USA is maybe the most powerfull country , some things, some decisions taken over there, affect directly or indirectly , many people from all over the globe.
they are powerless , the only thing they can do is to conform

non americans don't hate normal americans, those who lead a normal life, trying to make things better for them and their families, but they might be hating those americans that have the power to take major decisions .

with US being a major power in the world, it's virtually impossible for their leadears not to be hated
and maybe hate it's a strong word

thoughts coming from an eastern european

Do I hate Americans, no am I jealous of them no at all, being a member of what was the Worlds largest and fgreatest ever known empire gives on a good insight into the American mindset.

I think that Americans overall are a victim of circumstance that they are acting just as we Brits did still do in some cases. but whilst many Brits travel US citizens do not, the all enclosing bubble that many are happy to quote has cut them off from the outside world. fed a daily diatribe of lies and deceit many are unaware of what is being done in their name or without their consent.

Sometime after ww2 America and its people were highjacked to go on a global rampage that benefits the few and not the many. The countries foreign policy is an absolute shambles and as I type there is talk of using nukes on Iran with the possiblity of starting a war that many feel will drag the world into another episode of mass slaughter.

So although Americans are seen as the the villains of the plot they are in reality just mere pawns in the global game. What does the average American want well the same as every oher human being on this Planet well nearly all of us, that is to live in peace, to live without fear or want.

But there are those who have different plans, they seek a higher goal of greed and absolute power and will use anyone, any country to achieve that end right now that country is America and its citizens. Right now these very same pepole have America tettering on the brink as I have posted before they are a parasite that attaches itself to the host nation and its peole bleeding it dry,dumbing down its populace with a cocktail of drugs, fast food, poor health, failing education standards and the aforementioned lies and deceit.

Fot those citizens who back this regime they are delluded fools who do not realise they are being played like an old worn violin but the time will come when even those people realise what is really going on. So America and its people are just the latest victim in this global game, they will soon fade into obscurity as have all the others because the next victim and its people are being lined up like lambs for the slaughter.

If I have any advice that I could offer to Americans it is this, that life as know it is just a charade where we the willing/unwilling accomplices are used to further the ambitions of the few, were we have to sacrifice all to them even our lives. So when you say your a patriot or you are proud of your country just stop and think what that really means to you as an individual. All the wars being fought or planned in your name will not make you stronger, richer or wiser, what it really means is that you will have to go without your hard ern't money is being used to kill, maime and torture for the benefit of the few.

The lunatics are trully in charge of the asylum and you the American people have very little time left before you are beyond the point of no return, history has a habit of repeating itself and we do not appear to learn from past mistakes, its either act now or be plunged into the abyss.

Originally posted by AugustusMasonicus
If a United States corporation-or any foriegn corporation-comes to your nation and opens venue or televises their programming or markets their wares does not mean you have to line up and purchases the McChicken, wear the Tommy Hilfiger or watch American Idol. I sure as heck don't.

I think on this point we are actually speaking the same language. Notice how I said that this materialism is nurtured mostly by the people, i.e. MacDonalds and Tommy Hilfiger can make themselves present anywhere in the world, but materialism requires that the people voluntarily welcome those brands and symbols of capitalism.

Originally posted by AugustusMasonicus
That is a true shame. I know many, many people who are kind, generous and that give of themselves without asking for anything but thanks in return-Americans, Brits and others among them.

My response to this is simply that you and I may have different standards as to what is truly "righteous". I do not mean to offend or belittle your friends, who you clearly value, and I'm sure are wonderful people. There are some wonderful humans on this planet, but unfortunately, they are in the vast minority.

We didn't think we were worshiping money, then we realized we had put it before our humanity. It was too late. The world hated us. We had such potential. We had Hollywood and democracy. Now we have Guantanamo and a dictatorship.

Originally posted by jbondo
Lots of propaganda but the truth is that the USA has a much more favorable rating than liberals or American haters would hope.

According to who when even the corporate owned American media have had to start including the obvious reality of global skepticism about US actions in their reporting?

The US is in fact very well liked by many, many countries.

They people may sometimes be but the policy of the nation is most certainly not liked by many or any peoples or nations i can at the moment thing of.

If I have time in the next couple of days I will gladly look up the rating statistics. I can tell you however that I have seen them (didn't bookmark though) and America was quite popular.

The LIFESTYLE were popular for that part of the world population that can at least afford Tv's and watching cinema with not much else going for them. Why presume that the obvious envy of the lifestyle and wealth to be revealing of what people think of Americans or their governments policies?

Like I've said in the past, the USA is like the parent and much of the worlds countries are like the children.

Actually the USA is one of the youngest countries/nations on the face of the planet so your in my opinion standing reality on it's head! American policy makers might like to pretend that they are the adults but that's mostly because of the devastating toys they have managed to accumulate.

Now, how many children want to rebel against their parents? And just like children they make bad decisions and do bad things.

As patronizing as it gets.

Stellar

Originally posted by StellarX
Actually the USA is one of the youngest countries/nations on the face of the planet so your in my opinion standing reality on it's head! American policy makers might like to pretend that they are the adults but that's mostly because of the devastating toys they have managed to accumulate.

This is as valid a point as anyone on this thread is likely to make

In terms of its existence, the US is the teenager of the world, not the parent. And like all teenagers it thinks it knows better, can do things better, and has very little patience to listen to anyone else.

The more I read about non-American's dislike for us, the more I like being a "lazy", "self-absorbed", "war-mongering" American.

Anyone who read my previous post know where I stand on the issue, but this just goes to show what displays of hatred stand to gain.

[edit on 29-10-2007 by tyranny22]

Originally posted by angryamerican
Well first I must applaud you. Ive always said its a free country and you are free to leave. you did more then talk you did it. On a personal level I think you made a mistake but that is a personal opinion.

And personal opinions are allowed around here.

I feel I must correct you on one point tho. Not every war the US has gotten into is a conspiracy. some times things really are the way they are told.

Since i just love setting myself up for doing days of research ( as if i had the time) i would like you to name one instance where the official reason for a intervention and or military action were in fact for the stated reason. As far as my research indicates it HAS always been conspiratorial affairs that had nothing to do with the stated reasons.

you make it sound as if we are the war mongering pigs that others talk of.

Well you may not be but your leaders sure are and it's not that they 'like war' , thought some clearly do, but that they refuse to give up control and are ready and largely able to do what they believe will resolve the situations in their favour.

Guess what it really isn't true we really are not. when I say we I am talking about average American Joe and Jane not the US government. We are America the government is not America.

The Germans were not the German government either but more than ten million died, starved or were very seriously injured, for not having been able to prevent their government from involving them in a world war. Do not for a moment believe that those who do the work of empire ( Those who start the wars needs other to fight them) will not at some point suffer at least some kind of serious consequence that in a nuclear age might not be easy to recover from.

That I guess is something you never got that I believe is why you moved away from your birth home. you viewed us as them. So I applaud you as being very brave and at the same time feel it is opinions like yours that is the problem.
And to all I say again. Not every thing is a conspiracy. if you keep looking for the dark you become blind to the light.

Not everything is a conspiracy but on the other hand not understanding or being aware of the very real conspiracies that involves your labour ( taxes) does not mean they do not involve you; just because your not paranoid does not mean they are not out to 'get' you! Since you are American you can ask your mother and father, or their parents, if economic conditions were better tin the late 50's and 60's than they are now. I think you will be surprised by their answers and how many hours they worked as compared with what has now become the norm.

Stellar

If I could turn the tables, how would Americans feel if their country was invaded and occupide and watched on a daily basis as there loved ones were murdered, tortured, raped, looted and pillaged. I think most would not be welcoming a occupying power with open arms, you reap what you sow and America has for along time now been sticking its nose in where not required so one can expect a backlash to its own actions can it not.