When I was reading the posts from the massacre at Virginia Tech, alot of strong opinions were voiced, especially how we Americans are viewed throughout the world. It really got me thinking. I truly believe that the average american is no different from the average person around the world. I think the average family in america is the same as the average family in Iraq, England, Africa, Germany, Russia and so on and so forth. I think we all have common goals and common desires. We go to school or work, we want to be healthy, we want to have food on the table, come home every night and see our house is still there and our family is well. I know there are people in the world who do not have food and do not have houses or jobs, but I think the desire for work and being able to support oneself is universal. If you took politics out of the picture, how do you think the world would view us americans? I feel that the average american is a good hearted person who does not wish ill anyone else. At least that is the general feel I get from all my family, friends and patients. I don't want this thread to become hostile, but I would like to know your opinions and why you feel the way you do. Thanks
You're correct. Unfortunately, the average person is often too busy to voice their opinions loud enough for others to hear. The loudmouths that get all the media time seem to be the extremists from one side of the bar or the other.
My opinion: Americans + Current American Politics = Bad Americans - American Politics = Good But to be honest with you, quite a few Americans I have met have been a bit ignorant and gullible, but I've also met some very intelligent and interesting ones. You get all kinds of people all over the world, so I would say without politics people are just people, good, bad smart, dumb, etc..
Oh yeah, and we should use politicians as fuel for a big bonfire where we can roast marshmallows and bratwurst.
I'd probably have to say a country's media is just as bad as politics. Although the two are intertwined the media is our link to what is happening in our own country and the world. Any slight bias can completely change the opinions of the average person.
Of course the average American family is normal but that's not exactly worthy of front page news, because the population of the USA is pretty huge theres obviously gonna be more nutters than anywhere else i.e. if one in a million people is a nutter UK would have 60 and you lot would have 301
I feel that most people would agree with me, the vocal few really makes it tought for the rest of us. If people would respect each other, I think alot of the problems in the world would be gone. You don't have to like the other person, but at least respect their opinion.
I would say that the more Americans you get in the same place, the more ignorant and gullible we become. Americans tend toward deferral of responsibility to authority figures (be they the media or politicians), and this is a big part of our problems.
There's one very interesting thing I discovered on my visit to Texas. There is a stereotype of Americans as gun happy lunatics. The reason for this doesn't really lie in Americans feelings about his or her guns, but more in the absence of guns in other parts of the world. In America, the 'hobby' of owning a few guns is much more accepted as something the normal, non-mental case population can do. Over here, for example, a person with a collection of 20 firearms is actually much more likely to be some kind of closet lunatic only 3 packets of Doritos away from going on a killing spree. So I guess I'm saying that in parts of the world where guns are uncommon, we make an association of guns with unstable people because it's a little bit weird to own guns here. This in turn colours our perception of a place which a lot of people haven't experienced first hand, thinking that because a LOT of people in the US have guns, they must all be gun nuts.