Do Most British Dislike the Americans?

Hi,

I recently read a thread on do most Americans dislike the British.

I wanted to pose the opposite question here, because although certainly we don't see many here that dislike each other (probably down to the ATS stringent Ts&Cs) I often hear many comments from my fellow British subjects that paint Americans in a less than positive light.

I personally have had many experiences with the American people as I have travelled extensively around the states and found that on the whole the American people have been pleasant.

However I have found that there does seem to be a few aspects of American culture that are misunderstood and Britain is not precluded from this.

A lot of British people have said things like... Americans are too brash, or they always have to overdo everything, or that they are vulgar in their life styles.

I must admit in my travels the American people do revel in doing everything 150% but surely that is something we should all aspire to rather than look down upon??

So my question is for all the non-Americans not just British to give their view on Americanisms and lets hopefully put straight the misconceptions.

Korg.

reply to post by Korg Trinity


I can only address the question from a personal point of view and unfortunately I have never even been to the United States so I couldn't comment in that respect.

However, thanks to ATS, I've had the oppurtunity to speak to several Americans and I can happily report that from the people I've spoken too I do not hate Americans in the slightest.

I don't think you can stereotype about any particular race or nationality, better to judge people on an individual basis.

Pretty sure there's American's I'd like and also characters I wouldn't get along with but just as every Brit doesn't have the Queen's telephone number on their mobile phone speed dial, every American isn't a gun loving, aggressive fast food junkie.

I hope

Originally posted by Korg Trinity
A lot of British people have said things like... Americans are too brash, or they always have to overdo everything, or that they are vulgar in their life styles.

The first thing that comes to mind is the following WW2-era comment:

A popular British saying during that time about American GIs was "The trouble with the Yanks is they're overpaid, oversexed and over here." Sometimes the British added "overfed" and "overbearing." It was popularized by Tommy Trinder (1909-1989), a well-known and well-liked English comedian. His version of the line which, although he gave it wide circulation was probably coined by someone else, was "overpaid, overfed, oversexed and over here". There was a good humoured banter between the GIs that were stationed in Britain prior to and during WWII and the British citizenry. The GIs had a come-back - calling the Brits, "underpaid, undersexed and under Eisenhower". www.jcs-group.com...

Personally, I like visiting the States, and I like Americans. At home, as a rule they are friendly and generous. I visited 3 times this past year. Visiting Canada, they are good guests. Overseas...I couldn't say.

I don't dislike the Americans. They are portrayed as ignorant and brash in our media from time to time, but this is normally in a tongue in cheek way - think Top Gear in the deep south, being chased out of town by some Alabama hicks

It's normally after events like last weekend though when it gets a little serious, with the likes of Sky News showing footage of gun toting politicians firing guns in their campaign videos, and to be honest they made you look like a country full of maniacs... Not that I believe Sky News

Originally posted by rufusthestuntbum
I don't dislike the Americans. They are portrayed as ignorant and brash in our media from time to time, but this is normally in a tongue in cheek way - think Top Gear in the deep south, being chased out of town by some Alabama hicks

I agree to a point but don't forget that the British are usually portrayed as speaking the Queen's English and being best mates with Prince Charles

I have to admit that I hate the Americans as much as I hate the Welsh, Scots, Irish and the Cornish.
That is, not at all. I have nothing to hate them for.

Actually a lot of Americans have European mix in their ancestors. As for me, Irish, Welsh, German, French, Scot, etc. We're kind of like mixed breed dogs. You know the one you find and cant quite figure out what it is, but its so cute you decide to take it home anyways So I guess in the end, we're all kind of like one big family. We just don't live close to each other.

I dont hate americans well.. the media portrays you to be big OTT freaks.. but hey!

But... come on you took our language, gave it a weird accent and liked like 5 words and renamed it your own :O cheeky sods

xx much love from the Beautiful British Isles

We get a large number of tourists from the US here in the Atlantic provinces during the summer months as well as from all across Canada.

There are good and bad yes, but overall the Americans are far better guests then most Canadians are.

At least with the Americans my region doesn't have to combat the stereotype that this area is a welfare region (which almost seems to be taught in Ontario schools these days). The American's who visit tend to come back over and over and have an appreciation for what they see and experience here.

Case in point...there is a huge car show that takes over the my city for a weekend each summer. There is a Texan that I've spoken to several times over the years who first drove up here years ago and has not only returned every year, but has formed a caravan with other classic/custom car owners from across the US to make almost a pilgrimage each year.

Meanwhile we get people from other parts of Canada who come down and all they can do is complain about how this region isn't just like thier home.

Not all of course, but it is funny that the 'brash, crude, overbearing Americans' have more respect then people from my own country.

The simplest thing to say is that there are alot of people who define themselves by how they are superior to someone else. Jealousy in some cases over the American way of life leads them to tear Americans down in order to feel good about themselves.

It is a trend that applies to anyone from anywhere and is directed at whomever they feel a need to be better than at that particular time.

It's not unique to the US or the Brits.

Originally posted by TheLoneArcher
I have to admit that I hate the Americans as much as I hate the Welsh, Scots, Irish and the Cornish.
That is, not at all. I have nothing to hate them for.

Without us Americans, you might be speaking German right now.

Keep that in mind. But.... I want to personally thank you for the French contribution to food, wine, and cheese in the world... so you guys aren't totally useless. (just teasing...calm down frenchy)

Dislike Americans?

Well we still have the America Ground here in England

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/81af41f67c80.jpg[/atsimg]

The Citizens of Hastings ran up the Stars and Stripes in 1822 declaring themselves the 24th State of the Union (took the Crown inquisition 7 years of legal wrangling etc to recapture the land)

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f75b317431ec.jpg[/atsimg]
Current mural on the spot.

So not sure, should I also dislike the citizens of Hastings

Hastings Local Government Website - The America Ground

ETA.. seriously, my feelings are when I see the flag on the America Ground, a combination of both our standards.. I do think of how close out two nations are and that flag sums up my overwhelming feelings towards America, tho atm it does seem a wedge is being driven into the relationship..

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6b08861f7774.gif[/atsimg]
Copy of Mural

As a Scot who spent many, many years in the U.S. I must admit I was glad to see the back of it when I returned to the U.K. While there are good people, there is also an overwhelming air of arrogance and self importance.

I found that on the whole Americans come across as thinking they are better than everyone else and that due largly to their role in the second World War, we owe them something. I have often heard the rather insulting phrase "if it wasn't for us you'd all be speaking German" as if they single handedly brought the war to end and the ultimate display of ignorance in respect of them supplying the fuel than enabled the Luftwaffe to attack and bomb the U.K. in the first place.

I think hate is perhaps a little strong. America is more like that mouthy little chav to whom you want to give a good slap in order to knock them down a peg or two.

I wonder if the idea of American over doing everything came from the fact that we British have grown up having to make do and receiving less and while aspiring for more very rarely attain a fraction of what the average Americans have the good fortune of having.

Not all of course, there are deprived areas of the states but I have to say that of the not so affluent areas I have visited in the states the average person there has a lifestyle that a hardworking British person finds hard to maintain in England.

So maybe it's a seed of envy that creates the negativity??

I feel this may be exasperated by the obvious lack of understanding most American people I have met have about how life is like in England. Most that I have had long conversations with were totally surprised to understand what the average person in Britain has to put up with.

This is of course not the American people's fault, how could they know unless they visited here (not the tourist places but lived among us), but from the outside looking in it looks like non appreciation for what the American people have, as the person above me suggests arrogance.

America has its problems I can tell you, and you will probably agree, but I go to tell you that out of all the places I’ve visited America is still the best place to live.

Korg.

Well I'm a happy scot that has been brought up in a society imbued and conditioned by American culture. I grew up loving everything American. However now that I'm grown, I see things a little differently and if I'm honest I don't like anything America stands for. It is a hypocritical nation that waxes lyrical about freedom and democracy yet is responsible for so much thats wrong with the world and is anything but free and democratic. Don't get me wrong the UK is no better. In my opinion people are people, some good some bad, it doesn't really matter where you come from. At this moment in time I can't think of a single thing that is coming out of America that is positive or good.

bah!

Wrong thread. Delete this.

I love the UK, I love the music, the fashion, everything. In college while Grunge was happening here I was sooo into Britpop.

I think that it's just the redneck version of UKers that hate on us. At least I hope so

You can see from my profile that I live in the UK. However, that is only recently. I have lived most of my life in the deep south ( Mississippi and Florida). I was raised there and I'm a southern girl at heart.

When I first came to the UK I had many misconceptions. Firstly, I had no idea that The "UK" was actually a collection of countries!

The first job I had was in a pub. I couldn't understand a word anyone said The only English accent I had ever heard was Hugh Grant, on TV. Needless to say, the pub job didn't last.

The one thing I did learn was that a lot of the conceptions of Americans are true. They are loud, brash, good tippers, opinionated, sometimes ignorant of other places ect; I learned this, because I identified a lot of these characteristics in my self. Seriously, I thought led Zeppelin were American. I mean they had to be right?

It's been close to five years I have lived here now and I have come to appreciate the English, the Welsh, the Scotts, as unique and wonderful people.Also, I can identify someone from Liverpool, and some one from Bristol.

In October of 2011 I will be starting the process of becoming a citizen, I couldn't be more proud.

I'm still loud, brash and over confident and am prone to shouting USA USA USA..on Guy Fawkes night...( there are fireworks) but I love England and and I love the British people. I do try hard to make a good impression of the American people but..I am who I am and the thing about the British is that they are very good at accepting people whom are different into their midst.

I couldn't see myself anywhere else.

What makes you think that the average Brit would even 'think' of the average American?

They may hate our forign policies but then 'I' hate our forign policies.

Originally posted by bian101
I dont hate americans

well.. the media portrays you to be big OTT freaks.. but hey!

But... come on you took our language, gave it a weird accent and liked like 5 words and renamed it your own :O cheeky sods

xx much love from the Beautiful British Isles

Haha! Why am I surprised that I never knew or realized that?? WE'RE the ones with the accent! That's nuts. I really never saw it that way. I thought YOU folks had the accent.

My head just exploded.

reply to post by Merigold


What an amazingly positive post, makes a change (in comparision to the majority of posts in general)

Star from me.