Tired of the Misuse of the Term Americans.

a reply to: CranialSponge

Well after Superman got stolen I figured the line had to be drawn somewhere.

a reply to: enament

Bah.

Who needs Superman when we've got Winnie The Pooh, snowmobiles, and poutine eh ?!

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: enament

Meh.

Since I'm a citizen of the country named "Canada", I'll continue to refer to myself as a "Canadian"... for clarity's sake.

Life is far less stressful and complicated when one keeps things simple and straightforward.

But if you want to call yourself "American" or "North American", then by all means that's your prerogative. It is, afterall, technically correct.

However... out of polite consideration for other peoples' sense of clarity and understanding, I imagine this will be the type of conversation you're going to have to have on a daily basis:

Sally Sue: "Oh hi, nice to meet you. Where are you from ?"

You: "Well, I'm an American."

Sally Sue: "Oh, how nice. Where in the United States do you live ?"

You: "Oh no no. I don't live in the United States. I live in Canada. But I call myself an American because I live in North America. Because, you know, Canada is in North America."

Sally Sue: "Ah, I see. So you're actually Canadian then ?"

You: "Well yes, I guess, sort of. But technically speaking I'm actually Canadian American because I live in North America AND Canada. But I just shorten it and say 'American'. It just makes it easier that way."

Sally Sue: "Oh... um... yeah... okay."

Ahahahaha! Good one!

I have never known anyone from anywhere in the USA who hasn't called themselves an American. I'm not a United States of American, I'm an American. Short and sweet.

Well, I really don't want to be called a "United Statesman", or in this PC world a "United Statesperson"

originally posted by: xuenchen
The name was hijacked when the U.S. claimed the "United States of America" trademark.

I think the U.S. is the only country in the Americas with the name "America".

This right there

Nothing to be angry about I say.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: beezzer

I'm not sure what he's on about, as northern hemisphere is definitely a "thing."

I guess if we want to be super specific we're northwestern quadrasphereians.

Hey wasnt that a rock opera from The Who?

Thats why I call them usaer's.

a reply to: Night Star

Agreed, and that 'conversation' made me chuckle as well.
I'm not a United Kingdom Briton, I'm just British.
'American' means someone from the USA to me, whereas 'North American' could include Canadians etc.
Same as 'European' can include Brits, but I don't know anyone who identifies as European, it is the continent, and a political region only seeking country status...but that is another story of course.

originally posted by: boymonkey74
Thats why I call them usaer's.

If you just refered to Americans as "Americans Sometimes Seem Holier Onto Legal Entities Sometimes"

And just shorten it to the caps, then that should be okay as well.

a reply to: Predatorcrackling

Its the United States OF America, Of America not thee America.

As a Canadian, I personally refer to those who reside in the U.S. of A as "Americans". I'm just as guilty in doing what you state in the OP.

Geographically speaking, you are correct in your assertion but, I wouldn't claim that title based on personal experiences travelling abroad. In fact, I have seen how some people in parts of Europe treat Americans poorly and unfairly just because of their own personal bigotry. I have seen the poor treatment of Americans more in hotels (choice of rooms and table seating, etc.). It's difficult to explain in words what goes on but I have witnessed a change of tone and behaviour when the clerk goes from assuming I was American to knowing I'm CDN when I place my passport on the front desk at check in. It's amusing to observe this in silence.

It's not fair and it's not right to treat people a certain way based on their countries foreign policies, especially our American cousins.

Sorry in advance to those who are offended by me clarifying that.

I was offended, but it is OK my fellow Canuck....

a reply to: Involutionist

It only sounds normal with years of conditioning to think that way. In actuality doesn't it make it easy for the US to lay claim on the continent as a whole, since they have declared themselves as a Continent.

a reply to: enament

In actuality doesn't it make it easy for the US to lay claim on the continent as a whole, since they have declared themselves as a Continent.

Well, that explains the open policy at the Mexico border.

It only sounds normal with years of conditioning to think that way.

True. This is why 99% of Canadian population would do a "WTF?!" upon reading the OP.

"There are no nations! There is only humanity. And if we don't come to understand that right soon, there will be no nations, because there will be no humanity." --Isaac Asimov

...but people do not realize from space there are no borders and/or nations. The reason why they forget this is due to years of social conditioning (en-cultured programming).

Who owns Antarctica?

a reply to: Involutionist

I agree with you, but my statements are about current cultural situations and not about the dreams of what we truly wish society would become.

I often look at animals and think no one tells them what to do, wild animals have a freedom I wish I could have, with the exception of when man unkind exploits them.

99% would do a WTF I highly doubt that though. Obviously there are people who do agree with me. I just think its annoying that the rest of the continent isn't accepted as also American. Could a Mexican declare himself as American? I feel discriminated against can I join the club?

a reply to: enament

I agree with you, but my statements are about current cultural situations and not about the dreams of what we truly wish society would become.

Our current cultural situation is nothing more than semantics. We are discussing an ideology here and nothing concrete. Just a concept and concepts can be moulded and sculpted anyway we choose.

I often look at animals and think no one tells them what to do, wild animals have a freedom I wish I could have, with the exception of when man unkind exploits them.

The only thing stopping you from living just as freely as the rest of the animal kingdom is your attachment to an ideology. You continue to participate in a capitalistic society due to your refusal to bow out of that lifestyle and therefore unjustly limit your views of experiencing freedom to simply *wishful thinking*. You can truly live freely if you are willing to forgo all your attachments to your already existing life path.

There are still natural laws that all living creatures must adhere to. I spent two months in the Amazon with Amerindians (please note the "Amer" in the spelling) and although they lived their lives abiding by these natural laws, they too had social laws to follow as well. Primates and other species exhibit these traits of social conditioning (enculturation) as well.

99% would do a WTF I highly doubt that though.

There is only one way to find out: test it out....in many ways.

1) Next time you travel: declare "American" as your status of residence instead of CDN; sit back and watch immigration and customs personal's reaction.

2) Start identifying yourself as "American" based on "geographical reasoning" instead of "national reasoning" towards your peers and watch how you will have to "explain" what you meant by that...

Could a Mexican declare himself as American? I feel discriminated against can I join the club?

A Mexican national citizen can declare themselves as a Mexican who resides on the continent of North America. A Peruvian can declare themselves a resident of Peru which is located in South America. A Honduran national can declare themselves a resident of Central America.

A Canadian can declare themselves a resident of North America.

...but, due to social conditioning, the term "America" has become reserved for the citizens of the United States of America which is also located in North America.

Have you ever been to Alaska?

It is thee most beautiful state of America as far as natural landscape is concerned. IMO.

I agree with you that the term "American" is reserved for those who reside south of a certain latitude from Canada and north from Mexico despite the fact it is conceptually skewed to do so. However, I disagree with the idea you find it "annoying". You have every right to feel annoyed; that is your freewill. I, personally, never gave it any thought until coming across this thread.

*You can identify with being American all you want based on semantics and geographical reasons. Nothing is stopping you. Just put aside the notion others do not recognize it as being annoying and you too will begin to live as freely or posses the freedom as those animals "you wish you could be like".

Have a great weekend.