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