Is it really that important what the rest of the world thinks of the United States? Should Americans

Even before the diplomatic " secrets " were exposed laying bare how some U.S. diplomats thought of certain world leaders and events, the U.S. government has always stressed that we as a nation should do this, or not do that, as the case may be in any given situation based on world opinion. IF WE ARE THE MOST POWERFUL NATION THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN, HAVE GIVEN BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FOREIGN AID, SHOULD WE GIVE A DAMN WHAT THE WORLD THINKS OF US?? There are those who say we don't care what the world thinks. They complain that the U.S. says one thing publicly, and does quite another when no one is looking. I have lived in Asia and heard the complaints and was treated like I was responsible for what they didn't like about the U.S. The question I really would like an answer to is this; Do we as Americans owe the world anything, or do we have the right to tell the rest of the planet to go to hell, and keep their opinions to themselves?

The same media moguls that own our news corporations, own the same foreign news corporations that spread negative propaganda about us.

It's a conspiracy man, I'm tellin' ya.

It really doesn't matter what anyone thinks about anyone else. It's their perception and their's alone. "Americans" has many different meanings. I'm an American but I have different views than another American. I think maybe the government should aplogize. "Those who hold public office apologize for being completely corrupt and making life a living hell for the average American and other people around the world..."

Well, it's simple - do you want to get on with the rest of the world? Do you want your country people to be welcome when they travel abroad?
Do you want to be hated and feared, or do you want to be welcomed?
Vicky

reply to post by FarFromEden


This post feels like it's an attempt to insight hatred towards China.

I think we have to strike a balance and obey a fine line. On the one hand, we do need allies in the world; on the other, the U.S. is a sovereign country. Take it on a case by case basis is my vote, I guess.

reply to post by drkylefletcher
This post is about a basic question....no hidden agenda.

If the US had a policy that did not interfere with foreign governments and their policies then the rest of the world would not care.
But the fact is that the US regard themselves as the police of Planet Earth. If you are a policeman, then your integrity must be above question. Right now, the US government is as trustworthy as a salesman selling snakeoil. Because the citizens voted this government into power, most Americans are viewed with the same suspicion.

America is no longer a self-sufficient power - they hardly produce any goods at all - if they care about maintaining their lifestly via trade then they better start caring about what other countries think.

reply to post by Vicky32
If Americans who travel are willing to take what comes their way, would it be wrong for the U.S. government to issue a statement as follows.... TO ALL CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES; ONCE YOU LEAVE THE CONFINES OF U.S. SOIL, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. WE AS YOUR GOVERNMENT HAVE PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF COUNTRIES WHO TREAT OUR CITIZENS POORLY AND YOU SHOULD THINK TWICE ABOUT SPENDING YOUR MONEY THERE. ALL COUNTRIES MARKED IN RED HAVE HAD THEIR U.S. FOREIGN AID CUT OFF FOR VARIOUS REASONS AND ARE NOT VERY PLEASED ABOUT THAT. COUNTRIES MARKED IN ORANGE HAVE HAD THEIR TRADE STATUS DOWN-GRADED BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE IT. HAPPY TRAVELS.

reply to post by deltaalphanovemberBut we have the largest economy on Earth...we have the most high-tech military ever concieved by humanity. What if we used our economic / military power to close off your country like we are starving out North Korea? We have the power to take what ever we want, why should we not use it? What do Americans, who have been FAR more generous than any other nation in general foreign aid, on top of disaster aid, owe to the rest of you people?

reply to post by gnosticquasar
OK, but my question is WHY SHOULD WE CARE WHAT THE WORLD THINKS OF US? The U.S. was an isolated nation before world war one when we were a far less powerful nation. Why not go back to that?

reply to post by JayTee
I'm talking about the American people as a nation and I ask this question; do the American people owe the world, or does the world owe the American people?? Should we care what the world thinks of us, or not??

reply to post by FarFromEden


The US is incapable of "going it alone." Every nation is incapable of that; those that try (or have it imposed on them) turn into North Korea, Iraq, or Somalia. Yes, it does matter.

reply to post by FarFromEden


See...? This is the problem with most Americans. They like to see themselves as a "superior" race. They gloat over their "greatness" and what does "you people" mean anyway? My point exactly.

You keep bashing on about foreign aid. Do you not think that if there was some other motive, or hidden agenda, America would be interested at all? There are many other countries that also support foreign aid, not just America. Its stupidity like this that isolates America from the rest of the world, and its a big world out there, America is but a small portion my friend.

reply to post by FarFromEden


Dear FarFromEden,

Interesting post and question. I'll start by saying i'm not American, so perhaps i'm not the right person or in the right to comment, I don't know.

Your questions are very existential. You cross the boundary between individualism and the perception of America as a Nation, ie what the government says and does.

As a person I truly think we should all feel responsible for our own actions and the consequences of those. As a Nation, I don't think an individual should feel responsible since you (the proverbial you) have very little control over that. Sadly the two seem to get mixed up and I sympathise with the problems you had in Asia. You should not be targetted or held responsible for what your government does, some people don't get that.

As a Nation the US does have a lot to answer for, be accountable for and in my honest opinion should be held up to criticism and justice if it is required. Similarly for any other Nation, country, state etc.. The actions of our governments reflect on the individuals within it.

The major problem with the US, from an outsiders point of view, is not the people within it, it is the actions of the government. The borish, bully type attitude is one, the belief in superiority and that the "American" way is and should be pushed, forced and backed up by military action on others is the one I personally am strongly against. That does not mean that democracy is a bad thing, or that some countries truly need to be educated about the possibilities of democracy, but there are ways and means to do so and of course there are the political agendas which come in to it far too much for my taste.

I hope you will take my comments at face value. I am not an American hater at all. I don't like what the UK government is doing either but I chose to not blame any individuals for the actions of the powers that be for lack of a better target.

Edit - Just to add one thing, you state above in your thread that the US has the largest economy on earth. I don't think that is true anymore and the dollar is failing miserably. I would say China has overtaken the US now.

Regards,
T

Originally posted by FarFromEden
reply to post by gnosticquasar

 

OK, but my question is WHY SHOULD WE CARE WHAT THE WORLD THINKS OF US? The U.S. was an isolated nation before world war one when we were a far less powerful nation. Why not go back to that?

Where you really isolated?? did you not trade with other nations before WW1?

and the whole question "WHY SHOULD WE CARE WHAT THE WORLD THINKS OF US?"

Do you not think that question alone is a slap in the face of nations who are your friends? and as friends does it not give us both an equal right to moan about each other? it is a 2 way street, isn't it? but that is only a small part of the overall friendship and it seems sad to focus on the negatives.. but I can understand why.

And I am sorry to say this, but however powerful you are now as a nation, gunboat friendship and diplomacy is no longer working for you now in the same way it stopped working for Britain in the prelude to WW1..

reply to post by torqpoc
I enjoyed your post very much. All are welcome to post a view on this subject. I am trying not to show my opinion until after there have been a good number of views posted. What my comments are to other posts may or may not be my personal opinion.

Originally posted by FarFromEden
reply to post by Vicky32

 

If Americans who travel are willing to take what comes their way, would it be wrong for the U.S. government to issue a statement as follows.... TO ALL CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES; ONCE YOU LEAVE THE CONFINES OF U.S. SOIL, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. WE AS YOUR GOVERNMENT HAVE PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF COUNTRIES WHO TREAT OUR CITIZENS POORLY AND YOU SHOULD THINK TWICE ABOUT SPENDING YOUR MONEY THERE. ALL COUNTRIES MARKED IN RED HAVE HAD THEIR U.S. FOREIGN AID CUT OFF FOR VARIOUS REASONS AND ARE NOT VERY PLEASED ABOUT THAT. COUNTRIES MARKED IN ORANGE HAVE HAD THEIR TRADE STATUS DOWN-GRADED BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE IT. HAPPY TRAVELS.

Travel advisories for the world? Seems a tad paranoid to me...
The American foreign policy, with its tendency to start wars, and make everyone fairly unhappy means that might well be wise!
Vicky

reply to post by FarFromEden


There is nothing stopping the American government from doing this, just remember that while you have the largest economy in the world, You also have the largest debt. Bear in mind that Americans are mostly consumers, not producers.

US External Debt as of June 2009 (debt being paid to foreigners):
United States 13,450,000,000,000 trillion dollars whch is 94% of US GDP.
Link

Your mighty army is costing you mighty big dollars (dollars borrowed from China or printed from thin air). The old USSR discovered this to her own cost and lead to a collapse of her economy because it is not a sustainable long-term model.

If you doubt me, read about the Decline of the Roman Empire - what caused such an advanced civilisation with the most most advanced army to be defeated by a horde of barbarians?

The Roman empire in the end was overrun by millions of barbarians from the north and east of Europe. It is believed to have happened two or three times in history that huge migrations took place across Europe, where peoples moved to settle in new territories. The great migration proved too much for the Romans to stem. Their armies were designed to defeat other armies, not entire folks and peoples flooding toward them. The collapse was completed when Rome itself was conquered by the Visigoth Odoacer and his men in the year AD 476.

Link

reply to post by Vicky32
My question remains.... After all the decades of foreign aid paid out, and after all of the unpopular things the U.S. is blamed for, what is the final accounting?? DOES THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OWE THE WORLD, OR DOES THE WORLD OWE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?? And why should the American people, the most powerful nation EVER KNOWN in world history to date, care what the world thinks??