AntiAmericanism

[jessiecat]

What was quote about patriotism again? Something about "last refuge of a scoundrel" and "first option of a fool" or something like that.

 

[Arwon]

That is an absolute load of crap. I've done alot, my share at least, to help make this country as great as it is. I have every right to be proud of my and everyone else's accomplishments.

My votes, taxes paid, service in the military, employment, education and giving back to the community all help make this country what it is today and none of those things are accidents of birth. Before me, my father did the same and before him another.

Just because some people cannot pull their country out of the crapper is no reason to belittle or discredit those who succeed in building the greatest nation.

Your argument presumes that the people have nothing to do with the country. While that might hold true in totalitarian regimes, it is not the case in the US. The US is the result of each of our hard work and dedication to a prosperous future. Take your "the people have nothing to do with the country" crap somewhere else. A magic faery did not apear and start handing out wishes. We worked hard and sacrificed alot to get where we are. Respect it.

See the problem there is you're saying people randomly born in other bits of dirt don't work hard or sacrifice things, don't do worthwhile things, etcetera. AND more than that, that they're inherently inferior, because - what - the flag they were born under doesn't come with as many bombs and shiny buildings and dollar signs to give them big ol' hard ons about their patch of dirt?

 

[Ecofarm]

See the problem there is you're saying people randomly born in other bits of dirt don't work hard or sacrifice things, don't do worthwhile things, etcetera. AND more than that, that they're inherently inferior, because - what - the flag they were born under doesn't come with as many bombs and shiny buildings and dollar signs to give them big ol' hard ons about their patch of dirt?

That's not what I am saying at all.

I'm just saying that we worked hard to get where we are and you should not dismiss that because other's work has not paid as well (mostly due to corrupt regimes).

If you want to presume that other country's suck because their people suck, that's your business but don't put those words in my mouth. There are a million reasons that they have not risen to our height.

Again, that does not give you any premise to take credit away from us.

It doesn't give you any reason to presume that our country is built on faery dust and not the will of our people.

 

[Arwon]

Just giving y'all the same credit as everyone else gets. Really you're mostly just bigger.

 

[bathsheba666]

No I think a lot of people are lying about the reasons why they hate America. And these lies, you can't prove unless if you can read their minds. So I won't bother.

Well, you don't know they are lying without reading their minds.
So why did you bother....

 

[Ecofarm]

Just giving y'all the same credit as everyone else gets. Really you're mostly just bigger.

Wrong.

You are giving us the amount of credit that will dismiss other's of any responsibility regarding the status of their country. That is... none.

Look, if you want to tell the residents of hellholes that nothing is their fault and they are merely victims, that's your business. But you have no right to tell the people of the US that our success has nothing to do with our hard work.

As I mentioned before, I and my father before me worked hard and sacrificed to make this country what it is today. It didn't happen by accident.

 

[uppi]

It takes Americans to use a thread about Antiamericanism to reaffirm the prejudices held by Antiamericans.

 

[Grisu]

As I mentioned before, I and my father before me worked hard and sacrificed to make this country what it is today. It didn't happen by accident.

it didnt, yet none of this explains how exactly the US is 'the greatest' (not merely great), by what metric do you determine that?
Many countries have attributest that will make them seem the greatest for some people, but in the end, trying to determine the which one is the 'greatest' is like trying to determine what woman is the most beautiful...

 

[Shekwan]

It takes Americans to use a thread about Antiamericanism to reaffirm the prejudices held by Antiamericans.

Just what I was thinking... Oh well carry on.

 

[bathsheba666]

It takes Americans to use a thread about Antiamericanism to reaffirm the prejudices held by Antiamericans.

But if they have affirmatory evidence, the views are no longer prejudiced.

 

[UNpatriot]

Every country sucks in its own unique way.

 

[jessiecat]

it didnt, yet none of this explains how exactly the US is 'the greatest' (not merely great), by what metric do you determine that?
Many countries have attributest that will make them seem the greatest for some people, but in the end, trying to determine the which one is the 'greatest' is like trying to determine what woman is the most beautiful...

By "greatest" maybe they don't mean "best", just "biggest". Like having the biggest bullsh...ers for example.

 

[Bast]

Well, we Australians call Australia the greatest country in the world but no one else has a problem with it. When Americans do it, everyone has a problem with it. The reason being that there is some (or a lot of) truth in it and people are jealous.

The only reason why people have a problem is because there's truth in it.

If this is about any other country, this thread wouldn't even exist. No one would care.

That's all the evidence I need.

 

[Grisu]

well, I guess nobody minds that austalians do it because nobody can hear you down there

But seriously, you're the first Australian I've heard that from. So far I've not heard from anybody but americans that their country is 'the greatest' (well, maybe except the french...)

 

[Arwon]

Well, we Australians call Australia the greatest country in the world but no one else has a problem with it. When Americans do it, everyone has a problem with it. The reason being that there is some (or a lot of) truth in it and people are jealous.

The only reason why people have a problem is because there's truth in it.

If this is about any other country, this thread wouldn't even exist. No one would care.

That's all the evidence I need.

I certainly don't do that.

 

[jessiecat]

well, I guess nobody minds that austalians do it because nobody can hear you down there

 

[Shekwan]

Well, we Australians call Australia the greatest country in the world but no one else has a problem with it. When Americans do it, everyone has a problem with it. The reason being that there is some (or a lot of) truth in it and people are jealous.

The only reason why people have a problem is because there's truth in it.

If this is about any other country, this thread wouldn't even exist. No one would care.

That's all the evidence I need.

I actually have heard that line very often from the Australians I know, and I did have a problem with it and I did tell them. However I did meet many Australian who were a less overly patriotic so I don't generalise.

 

[Bast]

I actually have heard that line very often from the Australians I know, and I did have a problem with it and I did tell them. However I did meet many Australian who were a less overly patriotic so I don't generalise.

This has nothing to do with patriotism. I don't know why people keep thinking that.

There are factors that make these nations great but when those factors aren't there, they won't be great. I don't know why people can't accept that.

For example, I look back in awe at the achievements of civilizations like Egypt with regard to the Pyramids or the Greeks during the Athenian Golden Age and feel what I'm feeling now with America. So am I also an Ancient Egyptian and classical Greek patriot?

If I like something I will say I like it. I guess the difference is that I admire achievements and they inspire me in my own life whereas for others they feel jealousy and hatred towards the successful.

 

[Verbose]

People everywhere tend to be "proud" of their country in the sense that it's implicitly assumed that life is better here - our products are better (healthier or whatever) - or way of life is the only truly fit way for a human being to live etc.

The Chinese who recently found out they have been feeding their children crap through the milk by the tens of thousands are, appart from being scared and hopping man, apparently also surprised that the trust they put in this Chinese diary brand, which they put their trust in over foreign muck precisely because it was chinese, has let them down.

You get cases in Sweden when children in custody cases end up being sent to live with mum somwhere like, horrors of horror, Poland (specific case on my mind), and there is much sucking of teeth and shaking of head over the poor kids misfortune of not being offered the privilege of growing up Swedish. Thinking about it, no one will for an instance claim that life as Pole is somehow not a perfectly dignified human existence. And yet on a gut reaction level the implicit tendency is still there.

Every nation on earth engages in this. Some however, are more ostentatious about it, and the US in general is known for a certain in-your-face-brashness about it all.

 

[Masquerouge]

It takes Americans to use a thread about Antiamericanism to reaffirm the prejudices held by Antiamericans.

I'd say it take a certain kind of CFC OT American posters... but yeah, I agree, highly ironic

So far I've not heard from anybody but americans that their country is 'the greatest' (well, maybe except the french...)

It's sad because it's true