As you can probably tell, that is a topic that bugs me quite a bit, especially since I really can't understand how you can rationally think both things at the same time.
As I said, my story was anecdotal. So are yours. Here's some data. Note the disparity between views of America and views of Americans. This was taken in 2006, when Iraq looked at its worst.
You're right that it's not that the American people are stupid for electing someone who is a warmonger and sucks, but that the guy is just convincing.
If the American people re-elect the sucking warmonger, though, you can see how that might be taken as national approval of that set of policies. I don't think it's the 2000 election that set people overseas off as much as the 2004 one.
Edit: I don't need to. If I used comments to threads on news sites as a judge of people's character, I'd assume every person in the world was a total asshole. Pretty much every article on U.S. websites has a bunch of ignorant comments to them.
"If Skippy the Retarded Goat won a majority of votes out of 130 million cast, you'd have a pretty good sign that a lot of the voters in that country are stupid. You couldn't call it the action of a small group of people."
and
"You're right that it's not that the American people are stupid for electing someone who is a warmonger and sucks, but that the guy is just convincing."Isn't that what we just did? So Obama's not a warmonger and that makes it an entirely different situation? He's a good talker. That's about it so far. Wait until he gets the security clearance of Commander in Chief. That's going to be an interesting transformation; it always is
( ... )
You express yourself really well. I can't say I wasn't ecstatic that Obama won last night, but you do make some good points. You've got me thinking, at least.
As for the bias against America, thank you. When I spent a year in Shanghai, I was going to an American-international school there. Everybody, even some supposed Americans, talked about how much they hated America, or how they hated Americans "as a whole" but liked "the individuals." These were all TCKs (Third Culture Kids), who by definition are supposed to be more open-minded. I had never felt so ashamed to be an American--after awhile, I stopped wanting to admit that I was.
I've changed since then, but I'll always remember feeling small, unwanted, and universally hated. I know that not all countries feel this way about us, but when kids from Europe, Asia, Australia, Russia, and Africa are simultaneously declaring their hate for your country, it's hard to remember that.
I am complete fine with people being happy that Obama won, and I do hope he can deliver on his promise of change, but I just think we are counting chickens before they hatch.
As for the bias, it's something everyone knows but aparently doesn't want to talk about for fear of being accused of exaggerating or whining, but I think it needs to be said because people often have to be called out on things to admit to them.
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Thank you for summing it up for me. I am on board with you for the entirety of the foreign relations and prejudices bit. Yes. Thank you.
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http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?PageID=825
You're right that it's not that the American people are stupid for electing someone who is a warmonger and sucks, but that the guy is just convincing.
If the American people re-elect the sucking warmonger, though, you can see how that might be taken as national approval of that set of policies. I don't think it's the 2000 election that set people overseas off as much as the 2004 one.
Edit: I don't need to. If I used comments to threads on news sites as a judge of people's character, I'd assume every person in the world was a total asshole. Pretty much every article on U.S. websites has a bunch of ignorant comments to them.
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You couldn't call it the action of a small group of people."
and
"You're right that it's not that the American people are stupid for electing someone who is a warmonger and sucks, but that the guy is just convincing."Isn't that what we just did? So Obama's not a warmonger and that makes it an entirely different situation? He's a good talker. That's about it so far. Wait until he gets the security clearance of Commander in Chief. That's going to be an interesting transformation; it always is ( ... )
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Nothing worse than a zealot.
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All I have to say.
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As for the bias against America, thank you. When I spent a year in Shanghai, I was going to an American-international school there. Everybody, even some supposed Americans, talked about how much they hated America, or how they hated Americans "as a whole" but liked "the individuals." These were all TCKs (Third Culture Kids), who by definition are supposed to be more open-minded. I had never felt so ashamed to be an American--after awhile, I stopped wanting to admit that I was.
I've changed since then, but I'll always remember feeling small, unwanted, and universally hated. I know that not all countries feel this way about us, but when kids from Europe, Asia, Australia, Russia, and Africa are simultaneously declaring their hate for your country, it's hard to remember that.
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As for the bias, it's something everyone knows but aparently doesn't want to talk about for fear of being accused of exaggerating or whining, but I think it needs to be said because people often have to be called out on things to admit to them.
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