Spain and Europe's Anti Americanism has made me be fair and respond in kind.

Spain and Europe's Anti Americanism.

I am writing this today to cover a subject that I can tolerate to a degree, but feel compelled to make more clear to those of us who might not understand how deep this sentiment goes in the world.

I am a dual Spanish/ American citizen. I am living in Spain. I have known Spanish culture intimately since I was 4, coming here for the summer every year up to the age of 14. Then on it was when I could afford to. Coming here was great and holds some of my fondest memories of child hood. I have been living here for 5 years.

That said, I have become increasingly disturbed by the normalization of anti Americanism here in recent years. They will not lynch you in the streets, and really being a country that lives off tourism, they will cater to you if you have the money.....and that is key to understanding this situation.

They only like rich Americans, and they don't exactly like them. They tolerate them. They want to charge us extra so our dollars don't come back on the airplane with us. They want to steal our ideas for business and innovations. They want to make themselves a prime location for American over priced, and mistreated tourism.

I love Spain, don't get me wrong. I am Spaniard. But first and foremost, I am an American. I have to be honest here. Spain has a huge issue with our culture, our way of life, and everything about us.
When they visit our country, which is a common theme for their TV shows, you always here a criticism about something purely American....then there are the shows that just do it all the time with breaks every now and again to breath in which a complement might emerge.

It is a funny hate, being that they are trying to employ our model for society. The TV has over 90% of our shows, and the movie theaters have almost all our movies listed. They have their own cinema, which they are very proud of, but they LOVE our stars, and set the standard to theirs as being in one of our movies to have "made it".

They eat our food, and while they have a rich gastronomy, they still like our junk food. Potato chips and coke are a world standard. Mc Donald's, and burger kings everywhere. They might resist, the older ones that is, but the youth is interchangeable with our own as far as what occupies their minds. Disney stars Disney shows, the mentality they push, ect. They are being more Americanized than any other country in Europe.

I want to add that although Spain does have a serious issue of anti Americanism, they are far behind other countries in USA hate then places like France and Germany to a degree. I would not recommend investing in Europe. They will ruin a good business if they see it working and bleed an OK one till death if they see oportunity. Spain´s businesses only survivie via opportunism and bad practices. Right now the only profitable big business are those with over seas investments.

Government corruption is WORSE than MEXICO...YEAH IT IS....
Big money are not just good players...they are criminals and all do petty cons for the thrill of it...they really are that lame.

Ask a spaniard...we dont deny any of this...we often refer to this country as this "puto" pais...This is all true.....so....

You might say you have been here and had a great time....so have I. Try LIVING here. It is different once they see you are staying and the tourist BS can take a side track. You might say that in a western and free society you could still be who you are....well you could, but they won't like it. In fact they might get very angry if your political ideals, philosophical points of view or whatever are not like the European one. They are also VERY racist. You can't look to the US where we generally accept everyone as they are. We have our own conditioning we put people through and our own problems, but really we mean it when we say we are the melting pot of the world. You can be weird to us and still be treated fairly. Here....not so much. If they think you strange then you are screwed.

There is also a darker nature to all this. The ultras here in Spain are raging psychopaths. Ex-legionaries, military police, or skin heads....they are very political and very much up in your business if they don't like you. They WILL like stab you....yeah. They had a faild coup de tat in the 80´s by military police ultras....

If you are just passing through, enjoy the weather, women, food and drink. If not, beware. You are a cash cow to them and a threat on a very petty and juvenile level.

If you move here and have a nicer car, house, or phone....you will have resentful morons at every turn. That is unless you like the shallow rich crowd every one grovels to here in hopes that they might be able to be the same one day. Another reason for the corruption. You dont rock the boat you are trying to get on.

They are also hiding the fact that there is a strong and growing anti immigration movement. Violent and reminiscint of Pre WW2 Germany. They also have one of the largest populations currently immigrating to other countries in Europe...go figure..well like their grandparents before them...off to do manual labor for the French or draw a sense of pity in south American countries in hopes of making it big like many before them.

It is to be expected though. They are very spiteful. Even amongst themselves. They will kill themselves and their whole town out of passionate spite if you happen to be doing Ok and they don't think you should be. They would spill the water in the desert before sharing it with their enemy....

Any ways....that is my assessment as one of them. I will not hide the fact I am and Spain has much to teach the world and offer....that said....it is not the paradise people make it out to be, and we are not god's gift to humanity the way we try to convince people.

It is a country with allot of karma to repay....so....be warned.

I want to thank you for taking the time to write all that. I don't make a habit of reading all the longer ones but I did this and I'm glad for it. I guess it's not a positive thing for those in Spain. However, it makes me feel better on one point. Whatever I feel I see for miserable conditions and however tempting it is, some days, to give in and have a little pity party for troubles in America, it's no better elsewhere and actually worse in most. Sounds like Spain and the U.S. aren't much different or better/worse, but have their good and bad in different areas.

What happened to the Basque separatists anyway? I know asking that must date me pretty bad by how long it's been since I've heard the name come across the news or reports...but they were obnoxious and loud folks for a long time there. Are they the others you talk of now in a different form?

hah...sounds a lot like another country I know...my own.

I think you are biased here a bit. There is a somewhat strong anti american sentiment in Europe, but it's oriented towards politics, not people.

yep, we have skins and a gay parade it nothing to wish for here. Yep we have a strong tourist background, but it boils down to what you have in your pocket. It's what tourism is all about. Not just in Spain, everywhere.

You can get robbed, killed or raped in my country...often tourists get in to trouble. But this is...as I believe everywhere in the world likewise.

Wow. You are generalizing the whole nation, deeming them all racist, envious, spiteful, thieving, corrupt people. . Completely absurd!

You do have some points in you're OP, but my you have not been clear on what you're actually saying. What is you're point?

.that is my assessment as one of them. I will not hide the fact I am and Spain has much to teach the world and offer....that said....it is not the paradise people make it out to be, and we are not god's gift to humanity the way we try to convince people.

I don't think many western or eastern countries are in any sort of way claimed to be a paradise. We all have dick heads amongst us.

you might want to re-think as to what point you was trying to get across.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


well the Basques decided to forgo the radical arms war, and engage in an economic...ha-ha we attract more international business than the central government war. They are one of the most profitable and stable areas in Spain. The whole country is dying inside.....lol.

they will BUY their independence.


good people. The radical ones are a bit nutty, but still, they are not like the rest of Spain. Spain is generally pricks to them from the word go. You say "look a Basque" they say..."where is the scum bag?"

Like I said spiteful....The Basque generally don't want anything to do with ETA now a days, they have been dismantled....the youth maybe, the older ones....they are REALLY smart and hard working. They will one day just use the corrupt government and untold millions to buy their freedom.

reply to post by MarioOnTheFly


no, they think we are all dumb, poorly dressed war mongers.....trust me. They think we all are going ape over here trying to get our presidents to wage wars for our blood lust.....

bias? like you don't....who doesn't?

reply to post by n00bUK


no they want to make Spain out as a paradise because they live off tourism. Have for the last 70 years.....

I am just showing our true colors....I am one of them.

We are so spiteful, that we spent space program money to get a team to rival Barcelona....just because we didn't want them to have the best soccer in Spain( because Cataluña is different...)....real Madrid should be named anti Barcelona-Madrid...

They can't even enjoy having two of the best teams in the world without dumb bar fights and endless comments and animosity over "different people" hate.

They think we all own machine guns and kill our prisoners mad max style....they call us barbaric and savage...dumb and crude....Europe does not even like the US...they might envy us for certain things...but resent the hell out of us.

Originally posted by BIHOTZ
reply to post by n00bUK

 

no they want to make Spain out as a paradise because they live off tourism. Have for the last 70 years.....

I am just showing our true colors....I am one of them.

We are so spiteful, that we spent space program money to get a team to rival Barcelona....just because we didn't want them to have the best soccer in Spain....real Madrid should be named anti Barcelona-Madrid...

They can't even enjoy having two of the best teams in the world without dumb bar fights and endless comments and animosity over "different people" hate.

They think we all own machine guns and kill our prisoners mad max style....they call us barbaric and savage...dumb and crude....Europe does not even like the US...they might envy us for certain things...but resent the hell out of us.

edit on 1-10-2012 by BIHOTZ because: (no reason given)

"
We are so spiteful, that we spent space program money to get a team to rival Barcelona....just because we didn't want them to have the best soccer in Spain( because Cataluña is different...)....real Madrid should be named anti Barcelona-Madrid... .

LOL, that was a good . I'v heard that been thrown around before but never knew they spent space program money on it. Jeez, talk about priorities.

Maybe you should of started by saying how Spain wants to be perceived as (X), but in reality it's (Y).

You are right on most of the points in you're OP. I have lived in Spain, in a tourist location and unfortunately have seen pretty much everything you stated. But the structure of you're OP just seemed a little bit too off key and to generalize the whole nation, which is always a wrong thing to do.

But yeah, I somewhat agree that there is a bigger problem in Spain than people are lead to believe. (But isnt that the case for most countries?)

reply to post by n00bUK


yeah it is the case....I just speak about what I know.

The OP was in rant form. I wrote across a span of 4 hours....a little bit here and there in between work, and getting inspiration from the people I saw and interacted with. It is proper rant form.....lol

it could have been formatted better, I know...but it felt better as it flowed.....

reply to post by BIHOTZ


Tourism for 70 years? More like since the 60's and 70's - not so far off but definitely not 70 years yet. Went in the 70's - it was awesome. No bugger there, gorgeous scenery and entirely nieve but yet lovely locals............tourist perfection!

Have to say, most tourist places are like that - hi, have a lovely time, have a look at our wonderful local delicacies - and all the time muttering "piss off, don't come back, why are you here? Using all my local amenities........"

Just one of those things. I love Spain, the Spanish and everything about the place. Spent at least 3 months a year in Spain for around 12 years (not been for a few years now).