[Windrunner]

Oh, the irony...

that just cracks me up

[Flipside]

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I've seen heard lots of misrepresentations and mis-quotes about the US on European Media, just as I've seen lots of mis-quotes etc about the EU and UN on American Media.

The thing is, I try to take away the sensationalism and see what value there is in the criticism. As has been mentioned before, the US does have a habit of trying to push it's own internal agendas on other countries, it's not alone in that habit, but it's noticeable because it's big. That said, the UN has a lot of problems with power-playing getting in the way of actual decisive action. Once again, it's the larger powers that sent the UN to 'Camp Veto', where nothing productive ever gets done, and that's not just the US, Russia and the UK both do it too.

I suppose in most cases, the best way to look at it is to try and ignore the sensationalism and ask yourself, 'is there any validity in this outside view?', if there isn't, don't worry about it, you don't have to care what the neighbours think, but it's also worth thinking 'Is there a nugget of truth in this mountain of bull?'

[captain-custard]

'Is there a nugget of truth in this mountain of bull?'

chicken or golden?

[Flipside]

After pulling it out of a mountain of bull, I wouldn't bite it to find out

[captain-custard]

'Is there a nugget of truth in this mountain of bull?

chicken or golden?

After pulling it out of a mountain of bull, I wouldn't bite it to find out

shhhh thats one of the special secret sauces with a world wide patent

[Unknown Target]

McDonalds?

[Scuddie]

I'd rather not talk about that...  I'm never touching an energy drink again .

As for projecting what a person sees as the best way to live, it's fine by me.  That is, if they acknowledge it as an idea and not as if it were so.  But then again, who am I to force people to present their ideas as opinion and not fact?  That right is reserved only for people in power .

[achtung]

This is an awesome troll topic.

 I'M AM KOREAN

SON OF A ***** AMERICAN

AMERICAN IS PIG

DO YOU WANT A HAMBURGER?

DO YOU WANT A PIZZA?

AMERICAN IS PIG DISGUSTING

GEORGE WALKER BUSH IS A MURDERER

****ING U.S.A

[WeatherOp]

Just to quote one of our dumb cartoons, that is actually quite a truthfully saying..

Dumb people are blissfully unaware of how dumb they really are.

 

[Flipside]

@Swantz

Stop Trolling.

[captain-custard]

Stop Trolling.

Do you want fries with that sir?

[Scuddie]

And the inverse is equally true.  The smartest of people don't recognize their full potential.  That's probably why we have a lot of idiots in power.  I mean hell, I might make a better president than Bush, but I just don't see that as being plausible, even though it could very much be true.  And that's not even taking my lack of experience and education into account.

EDIT:  Could someone please trim this thread?  It's REALLY starting to get out of hand.

[TrashMan]

Hey, GB, what' has this got to do with a stereotypical idoit?

He's using himself as an example to prove that the stereotype isn't true.

That doesn't answer my question.  I asked what does THIS ("I'm an atheist, a transhumanist, and a science fiction writer") have to do with not being an american idiot?

Fine, Croatia wins the prize for second dumbest country on Earth. Congratulations on a well run campaign. It's taken me years but I finally figured out what you were up to.

That means you can stop now.

Actually, my goal is so spread the hate for idiots in power...

The smartest of people don't recognize their full potential.

Smart people don't want to be in politics...smart people are humble..that's why you generally don't hear much of them.

[Bri_Dog]

I dont care what any of you think about my country!

We still have more nukes than you 

[Kosh]

Anyway. I'm on a Yankbashing spree now on account of that another alien aircraft crashed on Earth. And once again it specifically targeted US of A. Lots of people got killed, yes. But I'm still annoyed because they all go in to the states and then get killed by teenagers who often seem to be socially inept, fashionable and beautiful.

When did that happen?

I know everyone wants to be hip and all and bash them, and you obviously admit your own ignorance on the subject by admitting that your cross-section of the American population that you've come in contact with is very little - never mind the fact that America is still one of the top if not the top sources of R+D,

In most hi-tech R&D centers, most of the engineers doing the R&D are either from India or China. Same goes for PHD research programs. Very few americans actually do any kind of of R&D because "science isn't cool", instead it's cool to be "stupid".

Now, see, there's the difference - you're taking a shot at the American government and society as a whole,

Then again the government is made "by the people and for the people", so by extension you're still bashing americans.

2. While America may not be a land full of idiots I know of no other culture which celebrates idiocy to such a large degree. And that is largely what causes America to be viewed as a land of idiots. Cause many presume that only a land of idiots would be proud of their idiocy.

Seconded. As I mentioned earlier, a large portion of the scientists and engineers doing research and so forth aren't actually americans. Sooner or later we will pay a heavy price for this, since that number of immigrant engineers is going down because their home countries are becoming much richer and because of the obscene visa policies.

So basically, if your perception of America is only from the media, and you've never been here, and you STILL hate us on 'general principle,'

I am an american and spent most of my life there, yet I still have the same perception as karajorma. I found the idiot culture to be somewhat.....suffocating. 



EDIT:

As an addendum I think it's worth pointing out that the media has quite a lot to do with this

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080102-whats-wrong-with-the-news-today-a-former-dateliner-talks.html

The institution that is the media is totally rotten in america which, considering the enormous influence it has on american society, makes this detrimental at best, some what dangerous at worst.   

[Polpolion]

Now, see, there's the difference - you're taking a shot at the American government and society as a whole,

Then again the government is made "by the people and for the people", so by extension you're still bashing americans.

So I'm technically not a person because I can't vote yet?


I love doing that... yes I know it's a fallacious statement, yes it was a joke.

[achtung]

I've seen lots of references to America's "Idiotic Society."

Anyone want to explain this in some detail?

[Hellstryker]

Actually im an American and i happen to agree  but please, watch the stereotypical crap

[NGTM-1R]

The smartest of people don't recognize their full potential.

Wisdom is knowing that one is not wise, or for the Eastern bent, admitting you do not understand is the first step to enlightenment.

BUT ANYWAYS.


I'm going to take the horrible stance that telling someone how to do something is not inherently wrong. We refer to it as "advice" on the person-to-person level, and while not always useful or good, it is almost always well-intentioned. We bristle when it was not solicited, usually, out of injured pride. So it is with nations.

So whenever I see someone spouting off about "not telling us how to run our (or their) country" I view it as the product of hubris. Because, after all, that's what it is; it's not being done to screw people up, after all. A more rational reaction would be to evalutate it logically and then apply or ignore the advice, but pride in one's system dies hard, much harder than pride in one's country.

[Polpolion]

I actually don't see as much "telling the US what to do" as I see plain bashing.