BF2S Forums How Do Americans Perceive Themselves on the World Stage?

Blind obedience in a Democracy is no better than forced obedience under a totalitarian regime. The only way we can get governments to tell us the truth is questioning their every action. Even if you agree with it. If they're lying, eventually they'll trip themselves up.

As citizens of democracies, our governments are set up to represent, and enact our wishes. They largely do – the electoral cycle is too short for them ever to not have to worry too much about public opinion. Sure they spin and twist and lie to make what they want to do look more like what we want them to do, but largely they’re conforming to the majority opinion – or at least the opinions of those who put them in power (in the cases where this isn’t necessarily as simple as the majority).

It therefore follows that it is our duty and responsibility to have an informed opinion on pretty much everything. We as a collective, by proxy, make the policy decisions of our nations, and it’s therefore up to us to understand fully the issues at hand. If we do, then there is far less room for the people in power to do stupid things, to lie to us, and generally screw things us.

These things aren’t hard – after all, the idiots we have as politicians can understand them – they just like us to think they’re complex. “Ah, but you’ve got to look at the bigger picture”, “there were other considerations” and similar phrases without any further explanation are simply devises to try teach us we’re incapable of understanding the workings of national and international decision making. Not so!

Take an interest in the world around you, think about it, and keep your government honest!

Those damn "hibbies"!

IMHO America is just like any other country on this small Earth. It has it's Tyrants, the corrupt, the evil, the ignorant, and the oppressive...and at the same time it has artists, it's great thinkers, humanitarians, people who are open and honest, people who will say 'hi' to a stranger, people who will give up what they have to help someone with nothing.

It just seems that the people in the first group are the ones they have in power. Thankfully the people in the second group are it's citizens.

Hope I haven't caused any offense there.

Last edited by BladeRunner (2005-11-05 06:49:04)

Yes, 1 big family, plagued by feuds.

mikeshw wrote:

I am curious about this. How do you folks see yourselves and your country as on the worldstage? I m interested in the responses from the Americans on this section of the forums. I will post my comment after reading a few, if there's any who care to respond.

edit: this post is sensitive, so its not intended to be negative in any manner. just so that you all know, i have a lot of American friends.

edit no2: this is NOT about the Iraq War, and whether it is justified.

As people linked to their past, with the recognized foundation of our liberties given to us by our creator. Americans have cleaved to this knowledge. With moral integrity we have strove to keep in our homes and communities, to have those that represent us to imbue these same qualities. When we reach these high standards as we often do, we promote the estate of ourselves and the world. As Americans who continue after our traditions of the duty to do what is in the best interest of another even at our own personnel legitimate expense, we cant help but be a continued  drink of cool water for a dry land.

Not having the facts of a matter before the WTO I can't comment. Your correct we are not the sole sovereign of the world that is why almost 40 other nations went with us into Iraq, along with a majority of support in the U.N. With after 12yrs of negative results for the disclosure of WMD that Saddam's Iraq acknowledged it had. With the light now shed on a few UN council members in regard to the Oil for Food Program it seems they had  disingenuous ulterior motives for negative support of Iraq disarmament. The U.N. is in need of reform for its failure to keep scandal and abuse out of its organization. Its typical that those who disagree with our Presidents leadership denigrate to base attacks on him personally for lack of a cogent argument to demonstrate legitimate disagreement. Canada has been our friend and ally, and if serious threat was toward either nation I believe each would be prepared to defend one another.

im not sure about other countries but here in aus there is a definant feeling that americans dont really know or care much about whats going on outside there country...i have an american working for me and he is not like that at all and im sure most people on here are not either, its just when we see shows like the tonight show and the j-walking segment when he interveiws people on the street.......scary really to think that people can have such little knowlage of whats going on outside there country.


ill just add that i think half the reason for this is the news.....
we seem to get our local half hr news followed by international news wich is basically usa dominated, but i imagin the usa networks have so much going on there that they spend little time dribbling about the rest of the world..

Last edited by the_heart_attack (2005-11-05 15:53:56)

hi im live in NZ. (lord of the rings) and i have to say i think that a hell of alot of american population turn a blind eye to anything that dosent really concern them. another thing that really changed my mind mind about the americans is why the hell would u reilect george bush. he is a munt. why the hell are u guys still in iraq. wats his new excuse. the whole WEAPONS OF MASS DISTRUCTION thing was pretty crap. not meaning to insult any1. only 50% voted for bush. sorry bout the whole rant but i  just thought u might like to no wat somone from another country felt like about america

BTW kids, 6 believe everything the press tells ya or take it with a grain of salt. News/TV stations are ran by motive and political preference.

chickenmuncher wrote:

Many of you are probably thinking I'm this "young little boy that should just not get in the way."

No way, dude. If more 14 year olds in the world actually took an interest in politics like you do, we probably would have far less corrupt tyrants and their secret little gangs rulling countries and taking liberties with our liberties.

A survey in England last year showed a SHOCKINGLY high percentage of 16 year olds can't name the Prime Minister. Nice.

Supermatt wrote:

My POV from living here: most Americans nowadays (mostly the teenage/20'sish crowd) have lost just about all values and morals that were standard and common a few decades ago and before then. Everybody tries to live for the moment, doing whatever they need to be 'happy' for the time-being. Nobody really appreciates the little simple things anymore it seems, like having dinner with your family every day at the table, saying grace before eating, etc. That's the way it looks to me, and I'm only 21. It makes me appreciate other nations a lot more and makes me curious about if this problem only persists here, or if it's a world-wide thing, or maybe the US *used* to be in it's prime, or what's all going on.

Agreed, im 22 and in college right now.  Of the hundereds of people I know, there is exactly 1 other one that takes an interest in politics.  It's really sad, the problem is apathy, not ideology.

BladeRunner wrote:

In England... Northern [us] Southern [them]

Everyone always forgets the Midlanders! In my book it's :

In England... Midlands [us] everyone else [them]

Last edited by Scorpion0x17 (2005-11-06 15:17:27)

Wow these posts are great. LOL  I actually couldn't stop laughing reading all of these.  American blah blah blah blah this and American blah blah blah that.  Those long 1 and 2 page posts could have been summed up in a paragraph.

My Perspective: a young citizen that has served in the military, educated (education is in the eye of the beholder), and loves listening to long winded foreigners (just because I am one myself).


America is like any other country in the world.  We have our fair share of problems just like the guy next door or the guy across the world.  We have corrupt politicians, bad agendas, poor decision-making, etc. but so does your country and every other country out there.  Just as we all have our good aspects as well.

Most of these "How I see America" posts are no different then how we see your countries.  I truly think your basis for argument on your personal "Insight" into America & Americans is pathetic.  So you mean to tell me that other countries don't have large corporations dictating various aspects of life through media, agendas, laws, lobbying, blah blah blah.  It’s the same around the world no matter where you go yet the Americans are the root of all evil.

Do you think we like playing world police with our military?  Do you think we like always being the "Leader" in all world matters?  We can't help it because it’s the role we play in the world right now.  Its frustrating to hear all of these negative comments about American this and America that, look at your own countries for a change and see the faults you have right their at home.  No one in this thread can say anything otherwise about America, I know my country is screwed up but yours are just as bad.  America gets tired of playing “Leader” all the time but until some other country steps up and takes on the current role we have, I don’t see it changing anytime soon.

My military mindset talking:

We will always be invincible and will always feel invincible.  No matter how hard you beat us down, slap us around, torture us, blow up our buildings, kill our families, we will never give up our way of life. 

Robin Williams said it the best:

Robin Williams on Making Sense!

I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of one plan for peace. " Books, not Bombs" won't work. The head mullahs won't let anyone read them. If they do, they poke their eyes out.
Here's the plan:

1) The US will apologize to the world for our "interference" in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini and the rest of them 'good old boys'. We will never "interfere" again.

2) We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany, South Korea and the Philippines. They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No more sneaking through holes in the fence.

3) All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave. We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of who or where they are. France would welcome them.

4) All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit. No one from a terrorist nation would be allowed in. If you don't like it there, change it yourself, don't hide here. Asylum would not ever be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers.

5) No "students" over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a "D" and it's back home baby.

6) The US will make a strong effort to become self sufficient energy wise. This will include developing non polluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while.

7) Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go someplace else.

8) If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not "interfere". They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides' most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if any anyway.

9) Ship the UN Headquarters to an island some place. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, it would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.

9b) Use the buildings as replacement for the twin towers.

10) All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us "Ugly Americans" any longer.

Now, ain't that a winner of a plan.

"The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying 'Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling, 'You want a piece of me?'" - Robin Williams.