americans, how do you feel about being an american?

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good points, JBM

Sort of true, we did come here for independence of the rugged variety and many came here to establish their wealth as opportunity was available in the new world.
I don't think that Americans feel that detached considering how many of them really think that America is something special, and considering that Americans tend to like optimism. Really, we have the greatest attachment to our nation. http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/lif_v ... ationality and we aren't the least trusting http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/lif_t ... ust-people. Now that you feel that you have nothing in common with the people around you is not surprising, aspies tend to not feel that way. However, most Americans do feel united by their patriotism and the fact that they are American. People here don't care about income gaps and welfare due to the rugged independence factor, they have a strongly individualistic feeling on these matters and a distrust of government authority, based upon the basic American culture. I think that the average American does not care about historical grievances though, more out of a feeling that such things are in the distant past and partially because the average American never really had a hand in such things. You will have to define education rankings though, as America, has a relatively high number that pursue tertiary education and although our literacy rankings are not the best we also are not the worst in literacy. I think that a large issue is not that there is no concern for education, but rather that we have not designed a good education system, I will agree that the average American is not incredibly educated though.

Slavery was common in past societies, we may have stolen America but Europe stole the world and did bad things to the people there as well so I don't think that you can extend this whole Native American episode as some evil unseen in other groups. America does not stand alone in terms of evils done and I'd say that American evils are not as bad as that of some contemporaries in our earlier years.

Americans may love their country, but lets face it most people here don't follow the news enough to what is good or bad about here. Most Americans have no clue what countries the 9-11 bombers where from, or that Iraq was directly involved in the attack. Most Americans also could care less what American based corporations do over seas, even though this is a MUCH bigger problem for our perception than Iraq. I seriously doubt people in Nigeria whose family member were incinerated by Shell's oil pipelines are going to be singing 'God Bless America'

I still think the 'love of America' is more of the macro variety then on a personal level, if not then why do we sue each others butts off more than any other nation? We have murder and crime rates which would make some 3rd World countries blush, and a life expectancy that is less than Bosnia or Greece (48th among 270 nations), despite being one of the wealthiest nations according to per capita GDP.

The US has among the best human rights and free speech laws at the national level, but then again its taken 200+ years for everyone to be given their rights.

Last edited by JBM on 30 Jan 2007, 7:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

"Not my planet, monkeyboy!"


pretty well sums it up for me

American news mostly covers America anyway, I'd say that a lot of Americans do know that we have economic strength and military power. I would also say that although some corporations do act in a bad manner, on average most corporations provide good structures, which can be seen from the effects of foreign investment. Really though, I'd say that the idea that something bad happens in Nigeria is no big surprise given the large scale corruption in that country, Nigeria is one of the scam capitals of the world.
Legal structures are a part of it. Not only that but once again, if we all hate each other then why is our trust level higher than other 1st world nations? I won't say that it is the highest but still, that is not a sign of people who dislike each other. Not only that but we have the 2nd highest charity membership out of the nations, which once again shows more liking of other people than you mention http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/lif_m ... ns-charity, and we also are notably have one of the higher church attendances for a 1st world nation as well, and churches are notably a community structure that even you have recognized the US as having. http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/rel_c ... attendance Now I won't deny that we have crime. According to my statistics we are above Bosnia, and below Greece, and a lot of this is lifestyle as Americans love fast food and because of our cheaply available land we are spread out as opposed to Europe where most things are in walking distance. http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_l ... population
And other countries are necessarily better? You have to remember that it was just 60-70 years ago that Germans were killing Jews and gypsies and America, having more minorities, was not necessarily going to avoid these types of problems either. At the time of conception America was freer than just about all other nations, and even today Americans still feel free.

but for 100 of those years it was the British that allowed slavery, and white Americans fought and died to end slavery and promote civil rights.

You have what we call the "black armband" view of history.

My list of the best places to live in the world:
New Zealand
USA
Canada=Australia tie for 3rd.

I'm proud to be an american. At least I'm living in China or North Korea where one doesn't have freedom.

I thought the point of democracy was that you overthrow the government every few years, but in a peaceful way

I'm not American, but if I were I'd be happy with some things and critical of others. Mostly happy though - I think America is a great country and I hope they get a government more deserving of guardianship of such a place.

I never thought about it that way! It is true! Amazing...we are all revolutionaries. I must go tell my Marxist friend!

1) You're wrong about 'everybody wanting to come live in america...'. I cerrtainly don't and I don't even want to go visit. There are lots of dimm-witted people wanting to go live there, but intelligent people will generally stay the hell away. The immigrants are mainly poor sods who's picture of America is from BS hollywood propaganda.

2) Your 'land of opportunity...' thing sounds like right out of BS hollywood propaganda...., In reality if you've got cash you can make it in the US as it will buy you the right to screw over and f*** everybody up the a**. That is, unless you get sued the shi* out of you by the army of lawyers waiting to suck you dry... You talk of 'exessive' healthcare?? But you are forgetting that it is in EVERYBODYS best interrest as a society of its population is healthy.. its typical of someone of your opinions to think with your reptile-brain and therefore only in terms of ME ME ME. The smarter person will think of US and WE as in the whole society because then everybody have a much better time. You think that some poor sod who is sick shouldn't be helped so that his only option is to go out and steal your car so he can pay his medical bills...well don't complain when he does then. And then you answer to that would probably be 'More police!' ...yeah great... well done.. Remember that the 'drug addicts' you talk about are a direct consequence of your governments policies....... (i.e. people with attitudes like you own)

3) You think you are free and have 'so many freedoms'? hahahahahahahaha. It's funny that people like you have to keep convincing yourself of that by mentioning this non-fact over and over.... Please explain exactly what freedoms it is that you think you have...? Your government is utterly corrupt and as it being a two-party system is hardly a democracy. You cant do or say anything without getting sued. You are not allowed to say shi* and fu** on TV or OMG (the worst) show a nipple!! ! You have police everywhere. You have FBI, CIA, NSA etc spying on you and tapping your phones. Your media is controlled by the governement or a very few number of people sympathetic to the government (because they OWN the government)...You can't even get a naked suntan on a beach.... You can get picked up off the street and thrown into guantanamo or worse for no reason whatsoever and without anybody knowing...then you will be tortured.. and years later maybe if you're lucky they will let you go with frustratingly no charge whatsoever......Where is this 'freedom' exactly...????? Yes, you are free to go buy a gun, assault rifle, hand grenade..! and this fantastically enlightened rule will allow you to loose it on the freeway and shoot and kill someone for cutting you off.... fabulous! After that your government will murder you by frying your brains till flames shoot out your eyes and your as*....

4) There is one reason and only one reason for the US wanting to police the world and cause just about every significant war since WWII: POWER and MONEY and GREED.

Its good you are proud. The world needs proud people. But please....take a good look at your society and what it has become.

I feel neither proud nor ashamed. It's just the way it is.

If Jack Bauer was deployed in the "War on Terror," the "enemy" would have given up long ago.


I'm not ashamed to be a citizen of the U.S.. Many people get this weird idea that if you are a citizen of this country, you automatically support 100% of the actions it takes. I'm glad that I'm a U.S. citizen, because in some parts of the world, not supporting the government 100% can get you in trouble, or it could get you dead for that matter. Am I all that happy with the current state of affairs? No. I do take comfort in knowing that the potential for change exists.

Ashamed... because we have people like Hillary Clinton.

I voted in the poll but the full extent of my views being expressed would lead to a virtual lynching of yours truly.
I'll just say I feel America is slipping to tyranny.
Everything from the fact that the US is way to controlled by evangelical religion and corporations to the idiot media...well I could go on..but like I said I won't....I am not just ashamed to American it makes me ill.

Ashamed because we have people like Jerry Falwell...and his ilk.

I myself would define it as more like being embarrassed. Not by the American people because many of us are unable to see through the murky abyss (brain programming), but by our double standard politicians (carte blanche) and lobbyists (cartel) who suck our good intentions into something beneficial for themselves. Money, power, greed.
In conclusion, our population "appears" to be supportive and represent the actions of the government but there are many, many amoung us that are outraged. YES, "I see all good people turn there heads each day so satisfied I'm on my way..."

All in all, history repeats itself with new script writers, actors...
(anyone seen Dr. Who lately???)