The anti American moods and ignorance in Europe are becoming unwearable
 

Here's a problem I face very often, a thread on another board inspired me, when someone speaks about "Europeans accusing Americans of something"...

I'm always feeling a bit weird when I hear someone talking about "Europeans".

There never was and never will be any "European nation".

Europe is a mess, where there's no unity and one nation practically only wants to always fuck another nation over, although the more economical part is "united" now on paper.

The mere number of idiots and ignorant people in Europe is statistically just about the same as in US, and both sides are mainly afraid of the dark when dealing with the other side, the problem I see, is that this is now becoming worse than ever, why?

If both cultures rather took the effort to learn and understand the other culture, the history, the sociopolitical climate, at least a little bit, a little, the world would be much, much better place.

The mere amount of prejudices against Americans here is extreme and the ignorance is unwearable.

It is pissing me off so much, that I'm avoiding these topics, otherwise I usually end up in a rough argument with someone who:

a) never dealt with US

b) doesn't know anything about US

c) never was in US

BUT thinks he's more qualified to pass a judgment than me, who

1) spends in average 30 days a year in US

2) deals with US daily for the past 5 years

3) studied US political / legal system and history

Those people are so lazy, that they're happy with their dogmas and idiotic bullshit - just to avoid thinking, or effort to understand something a little bit complex, and something a little bit different.

Why is there so much tension if practically only VERY FEW pct. of each side have ANY reasonable first hand experience with the other side, or is this exactly the reason?

Combined with the unrestricted access to bullshit and tabloid type of news in these days Global Village?

I see the EEC very united and as one i see them very influent.
Sarkozy and Brown arent the best of friends, but they never get to back stab each other, like unfortunatlly happens way to often in the US congress between Democrats and Republicans.
I see that the Euro didn't fail like US economists said it would have, it has taken over many monetary markets in the middle east and asia and most probably will take over the dollar as the world wide currency in a few decades.

I respect what you have to say, but i don't see all that hate for Americans or their policy in the EEC. Obama is very popular and respected among the people and their political representatives. My father remembers still when the Americans liberated Italy from the Nazi's in 45 and has great respect for the American people, like millions of others.

I dont say the Europeans hate the americans, but they did hate George W. Bush, but hes gone :P

Well, let's talk about the other countries - extreme disorder and chaos, clutching the straws to play on the national populist note, there are far too many examples to mention.

About the backstabbing - believe me I guess the amount of back stabbing and lobbying is more or less the same.

For example the EU country where I reside at the moment - I would say 95 pct. of government investitions over say 100k USD are manipulated.

They don't even try to hide it much, it's a buzz in media for a month, then it's moved to the court, where the case will be for another 5 or 8 years (most un effective legal system I know), before they close it down for "not enough evidence", and here we go again.

There's always a lot of bluffing and lot of speculation in what economists say, and lot of that is intentional.

If they would publish real analyses publically, the stock market would crash.

It's mainly just a game, like a billion dollar poker, and you have to compare all kinds of sources to get somewhat an idea I would say.


Barack Obama is most likely the most popular American president in Europe since John F. Kennedy, so if nothing, at least he's extremely representative.

His speech in Prague was great, I was fascinated.

Unfortunately, he and his administration did probably more harm to US abroad then anyone else in history.

FIRST day he got elected I remember 8 page articles about his "lower level" education and they practically made a complete idiot out of him, unfortunately, it was not even that hard.

That's of course not good, and every idiot with a hay in his mouth then feels superior and it throws a bad shade on US in general.

probably because 80% of the population base their beliefs on what they heard in the media - and we all know now that media are complete bullshit and are just here to divide people rather than unite them :2 cents:

I would also say that's the main reason.

But how can you rely on information from TV?

When was the last time there was ANYTHING more complex than "who is fucking who" or "who killed how many people" on TV?

It seems that we've simplified the access to information to the point, where most are probably only inhaling bullshit, and they voluntarily ignore and they voluntarily lost their very basic human right,

the right to think about things and to educate themselves.

i thought Obama made everyone love us again.

fuck. :(

Pics from Prague:

http://img.aktualne.centrum.cz/213/1...-vysehrade.jpg

http://img.aktualne.centrum.cz/213/1...em-namesti.jpg

http://img.aktualne.centrum.cz/213/1...em-namesti.jpg

These are exactly the people I'm talking about, of course they don't know why did they came to demonstrate, they don't know shit about US, but they HAVE to be there, because it's in vogue to be retarded!

there is a reason that protesters are almost always under 30 and living below the poverty line. they are ignorant about the world, how it works and the realities that must be confronted and dealt with... and rather than educating themselves and getting involved in a meaningful way, they choose to be idiots and try to disrupt the processes that they choose not to be a part of. i personally enjoyed watching the police kick the shit out of those idiots in Seattle during the WTO meeting.

You forgot one thing - they're all smarter than anyone else and most importantly, they feel an inevitable urge to find ME and argue with ME!

Maybe if I would wear fake dreadlocks and a fake spliff on the street, and maybe if I stopped cleaning my shoes and changing my clothes, they would let me live.

Anytime I don't avoid the social contact enough, I pretty much ALWAYS end up listening to something "interesting" again...

The big issues with American over the past few years is that they have become nothing short of bullies in terms of politics. I also think American people are not understood very well by people in Europe, with much of this being down the an atittude of the US being untochable.

As an outsider looking in I think America has so many issues in house to deal with, my TV stations are littered with programmes about the gangs, bail bonds, prision, crime, guns, murder etc etc. I have NEVER seen a US wild life programme for example.

Also somethign thats sticks in my mind is the suffering of people in the US after the massive floods and how they were just forgotten, while their own citizans suffered due to lack of resource plane were flying around the middle east dropping $100,000 bombs.

The sad thing is that most of the yanks I have met have been prettuy solid people and very respectful and the same can be said for non UK europeans I have met.

The UK is far from perfect right now we have prime minister that NO ONE voted for, this is the second time the UK has done this in my life time and it is nothing short of wrong.

A passer by died after being pushed over in London by a police man, the police are there to serve not terrorise. We pay their wages as tax payers afterall

yep, i have family whos house was nothing but slab when they came home, entire house gone. hot tub was in the tree down the street. I kid you not. More than one person in my family lost their entire home and everything in it.

we are still rebuilding down here. I moved from california to new orleans to help my family for a few years after hurricane katrina and the effects of that storm will be here for another 100 years...

Too bad, there most likely were better targets in order to lighten up the tax burden of the average working citizen.

:)

To those protesters:

No one asked those people to interfere with the public order, and they are legitimate citizens living under a legitimate legal system.

So they also should expect for every action a reaction (not saying that killing them is a solution).

:winkwink:

I love North American women ...

Again those pics huh? Looks like this Prague event got you really hooked that you keep using them.

Maybe it's this very attitude that makes people dislike Americans? Maybe it's the worldwide 'I'm-the-boss-here-and-you-losers-shut-it-and-do-as-I-say' position? And excuse me, you may call Europeans ignorant, and I'm sure many of them deserve it, but at least they are basically aware about USA. Ask your average American about European countries, or countries from any other region. With so many people there living like the rest of the world simply does not exist, is it really that surprising they are not always getting the warmest welcome? This thing is reciprocal, I'm sure.

Who annoyed you so much you are ready to label so many people as prejudiced, ignorant, whatever? I always felt that in a cultured, educated environment these things barely exist, and I never met anyone 'prejudiced' against Americans, or any other nation whatsoever. Where do you find these guys anyway? :)

Mm, I seriously doubt they would not share a beer or a spliff with an American. People are people, governments are governments. Being nice to someone does not necessarily imply helping this someone build his military system in your backyard, no?

Give it a few more decades, and we'll be living in the United States of Europe :2 cents:

I really have to get me a Czech hippie chick.

You know what is funny? The myth about the US arrogance. I actually find Americans to be some of the easiest people to talk with (of course not on a street in LA at 3 AM).

Try to live here for a week!

But I guess it's also connected with the general loser / victim of the system attitude here.

If someone is enthusiastic about the way he tries to live his life, the way he handles his work, he has clear goals of what to do and how to behave, and most importantly, is not afraid to manifest it in public -

- many people here just can't digest it, and they will label you as "arrogant".

The constant post socialistic attitude is to be mediocre, to moan, to envy, and to hate.

so what? if he committed a crime prosecute him.

what do you expect from police? you pay them to keep order... yet when people get together to cause choas, you don't want them to get involved? you think that when the streets fill up with that many people that shit isn't going to go bad for some of them? really? do you honestly believe thats not possible?

maybe protestors should stop to think for one second about what it means to 1000 police officers to have to be staring down 30,000 protesters.. a % of which are there ONLY to start shit, break things and hopefully cause a riot.

Those pics are very much relevant to the general attitude here, you're getting emotional before even putting one point on the table.

:winkwink:

I bet 95 pct. of Europeans don't know who is Cheney or Rumsfeld, that just about explains their overall competence to judge something such as "national security interests"

Not saying that this wasn't one of the biggest mess ups in the foreign policy of United States in history, but what does the average Joe (or call him Werner or I don't know how) know.

It's media that paint everything black or even more black.

How many Euro guys will be able to name the states of USA? this is the same.

If course I can laugh at guys who mess Budapest with Bucurest, but why should I?

I would surely not be able to say capitals or local history of certain US states, unless I would need to know them as I would want to visit those places.

Well, the best if you would ever have a chance to come round here, that will explain more than me.

Or all it takes is to open some of the local media, there's nothing relevant, only bullshit, and everyone eats it up.

Fucking hippies!!

Why not, if they don't even have to earn money to get their beer or a spliff, they're always glad to share.

What for qualities are you advocating?

As we tried to discuss before, being ignorant never helped to keep the world peace yet.

I think that if you asked the average American about Europe, they would know just as much as your average countryman would know about central Africa.

Why is it that Europeans can't seem to wrap their mind around the fact that the average American life is not tied to European culture and countries?

There is a MASSIVE imbalance of information that you do not see. you have tons of news about the US. you watch US movies, read about US celebs, you listen to US music, you hear all day long about US politics etc and of course about Europe, and your neighbors.

You are exposed to far more info everyday about the US... why do you think the US would be bombarded with info about Romania or CZ or NL or any other place? They are countries on another continent and our culture has no connection to them and we have to borders with them and we don't have a massive hardon for Romanian celebs or the Romanian President

You know about the USA because you are constantly exposed to this information in a way that Americans aren't exposed to similar info about Europe. You don't know about the USA because you grew up in a vacuum and then made the tough choice to go out and educate yourself about another nation.

I agree with the points above.

Please NOTE I'm talking about post communistic countries here, there are much more cultured countries.

Mind me I would also add - it's not plain envy for someone who probably makes more, probably not.

It's envy to someone who can live on his own, envy for the responsibility for someones own well being, envy to not having to depend on SOMEONE feeding you (being it welfare, the government as your employer, your corporate employer with all those social benefits) etc.

Minding your own business - that's actually another constant thing here.

Everyone is smart as hell and will dispute with you drinking beer about anything for hours, but if you will ask him why doesn't he move his ass and make more money not having to whine about everything - you're immediately labeled that you "bragging" and "fascist" and I don't know what.

Overly smart about everything, but usually absolutely not capable of self reflection, and not used to deal on their own, rather wait that someone will take care of you, even if you were loser, there's welfare taking care of you.

My point is that you are making everything too personal. A European may not dislike Americans as a nation and treat every US citizen he meets in a friendly way and not be prejudiced and travel to US etc, but that does not mean he is happy when the US government messes with his country's affairs.

And back to the bloody radar, I don't really get why these people get you so angry. Yes, they are young and their lifestyle may be questionable, but it's their own country. Do you think they deserve being disliked and labeled by you just because they refuse to assist the States in doing serious military stuff clearly for the States' benefit? Yes, politicians and PR people are getting better and better at disguising all kinds of military operations as 'good for all of us in the long run,' but people involved have a right to not believe that. And that does not make them stupid, worthless etc. They have a right to disagree, why a different opinion causes so much hatred towards them?

No, I'm talking about mass media dumbing the masses, and the general encouraging of the anti American mood among those, who never even received a chance to make their own opinion.

And they eat it all up, thinking that US is a mixture between Miami Vice, Jerry Springer, fat dorks with a hamburger on their head and a couple clinically crazy gunmen.

Once again, it's not THEIR country, they don't contribute anything to THEIR country, hopefully they will someday, then it will be their country, and it will be in their interest, to care who is a better party to be with - if US or Iran.

They're free to choose. If they want Iran, that's their choice, let them state it clearly and I will respect it, but there's nothing in between.

I can pretty much understand that, but anyway who's more ignorant in this case? I am sure world is not as Europe-centered for the average European than it's US-centered for the average American. It's the awareness about other countries, cultures, religions, political systems that makes you more capable of embracing different things and getting a broader perspective of everything which is going on.

I don't believe in this,

You can't match the interests of one country that employs more people in agriculture than during the stone age, another country that always has been on the top of industry development, and another country, where people are not used to work and you have to use a leash on most of them if you want performance.

Don't forget the STRONG role of trade unions / left wing forces, that is mirrored in the work legislative / massive problems with problematic, non quality immigration from the third world countries / all kinds of limitations and issues that pretty much block anything, such as a clear political line and unity, that is necessary for proper execution.

i like everyone that likes me - no matter where they are from or how they look like :glugglug

I blame this guy.

http://www.uterwincenter.com/applaus...ages/larry.jpg

ahahah that was funny, typical !

"The anti American moods and ignorance in Europe are becoming unwearable"

Unwearable? I'm not surprised - moods are not usually wearable.

I agree with you. But as i was saying "why" ... the average American isn't exposed to a daily bombardment of news, movies, entertainment about Europe. the implication is that Americans are somehow ignorant (as it relates to intelligence) than others. Canadians say this same thing... yet the simple fact is that a significant portion of their news etc all is from the US. they talk about US states as if they're part of Canada and so on. We don't get bombarded by news about a Canadian Octomom.. but Canada makes the same pathetic crap that's headline news in the US, headline news in Canada.... so again, there is a massive imbalance of exposure to others. I don't think that absorbing information through news like that i cited makes one less ignorant of others.... in fact, i think Europeans show a massive amount of ignorance in their stereotypes of Americans. American is mostly immigrants anyway and Europeans have this idea that its a nation of cowboys and hillbillies.... not a nation of europeans, chinese, indians, mexicans, pakistanis etc.

Americans came to America to escape where they were coming from.

from the pics you posted above i see that they are not anti-american, but they just don't want american rocket shield in Czech... :)

as someone recently said... when you're a comedian and you need a catch phrase or props... its because you're not a funny person.

Sorry man, but you sound a bit retarded (no offense please!). These guys at your pics know VERY WELL what they want and why. The USA is going to use your country as a remote defense structure to protect the Americans. This is a good idea. But only for the Americans, and not for your country, since Russia will consider this system as a direct threat, so your country will became a target for Russian missiles. This is not because Russians hate you, or something like that. This is just because Russia is also going to protect itself in a same way as the USA do.

So in case of any serious conflict, the US military objects in your country will be destroyed by so-called first strike (usually nuclear of course). And only after that, there will be a war between the real sides of the conflict. So you are just a human shield for the USA. I never understood the people who are ready to give away their country and their lives for the interests of some other nation. The people at your pics know this very well.

Exactly! They just don't want to be a live shield for a 3rd country. The are not anti-American, the are pro-Czech :2 cents:

douche douche douche douche

So why don't they start a referendum?

Why it's a couple stoned kids wasting their Sunday?

Why don't they bitch about the jobs this will bring?

Why don't they bitch about the fact that they are a part of NATO?

Why don't they emmigrate to Russia if they don't like it?

It's just plain cowardness mixed with ignorance, there are collective interests that doesn't have to be always fair for everyone, and they never were in history, but there are collective interests that you HAVE to respect.

No, those people on those pics know nothing about history and they know nothing about presence.

They just are.

As I mentioned, if they really don't want it, let them move their ass, they have the right, they can start a refferendum, they can even leave NATO if they want, why don't they do it?

Why it's a bunch of stoned kids that you couldn't really ask anything, because they most likely couldn't give you any real answer?

I'm glad for any sensible contribution, thanks.

Ask your own government. Do you know the exact meaning of 70% on their broadsheets?

Because they don't want to die under Russian nukes while they are kissing some oversea asses.

Once again. I don't think there is a reason to die even for a good job :)

Because they were too small those days and were not able to change anything. Now they can.

Why should they immigrate to any other country if they love their own one? Can I also ask you a question? Why don't you immigrate to the USA if you love it so much and if you don't give a shit about Czechs who will be used as a cannon meat in the name of the USA?

I believe the same they can say about you, and they will be right on that :2 cents:

There are retards in every nation, but not all nations choose retards for the presidency. Bush and Václav Klaus are some of them..

Yes, it was a standard public poll (approx between 1200 - 1800 people), where most of them were absolutely not qualified to answer.

The same poll that can result in that people believe Mickey Mouse was a real person.

These people will kiss any ass in the world, the only difference is that since they were with Russia they couldn't bark in public, so they were barking in private, but they never bite.

There will never be any action and all of this is just a manifest of overall cowardness and zero influence of public on politics.

Yes, they thought this in Munich in 1938 too, that's a politics that's proven to save the peace on earth!

Now they get fucked in the ass more than ever, the whole industry was practically destroyed, very poorly restructured after 1989 and now it's rather another another outsourcing center in Europe, full of cheap labor that doesn't produce any real assets.

Of course they can change things, there are plenty democratic gadgets to change things whether you are on a level of national politics or at a level of public, where are those 70 pct. of people that "disagree"?

They're hiding.

If they would love thier country they would support it and not waste its resources, government money on whining and unproductive non sense - an overall crisis of a transitional country that finds it hard to examine its character.

That's something I'm seriously considering, the crisis of common sense and the overall post communistic "mediocre loser" attitude here is hard to bear with.

Many people already emmigrated to have a little bit more fun and less hassle in their day to day life.

Thankfully I don't wear american moods. Then again, I'm not very fashion-conscious :1orglaugh

This is a right action if you are going to use some unknown and depersonalized country/nation as a condom for your own safety. You have to agree that it could be a bit more difficult for the Americans to accept what their government is going to do with Czechs if they'd know more about that country and people who live there. Right now Americans think of Czechia Republic (I even not sure if many of them know what Czechia is an independent republic, but not Czechoslovakia anymore) as some piece of Europe far far away populated by some unknown (perhaps barbarian) people.

2CarlosTheGaucho: There were too many words in your previous message and I don't want to comment them all. As far as I understand, you think it's a good idea to use your country as a condom to protect the USA, and you are ready to die in the name of America.

Hmm ok, I got your point. But at least I know there is no need to explain you anything after that. Some people born to rule the world, others born to be used. This is how our Civilization lives for many millenniums.

My best wishes and have a nice day! :pimp

And for some reason you think you are qualified to plant a military object in someone else's country calling all those who disagree retards. Why don't you just face it, the US military are pursuing their own goal, trying to postpone a moment when Mr.Medvedev's rockets land in Pentagon, and if anyone disagrees to help out by being used in blunt armed conflict, could it be hippies, plant workers, accountants, grandmothers, gardeners or adult webmasters, you find a reason to call them whatever and find another proof they are not 'qualified.' They are qualified enough not to be the first one to die when SecDef starts teasing Putin's favorite dog.

Jesus, I only hope all this recession will make the States pull their shit together at home and re-focus on the internal instead of raising hell all over the globe - or how they put it, 'across the pond?'

Not,

You're using a prime example of anti American demagogy,

You're using the name "America" as if that wouldn't be the only country capable of serious armed action after the world war II.

What is OSN without America? Who finances 95 pct. of the budget of OSN?

What did OSN ever achieve, to watch genocide in Yugoslavia? Great!

I am not picking sides with pro US or anti US, world is not and never will be black and white, I'm picking sides with common sense here.

HALF of the power of NATO is US, half of the budget of NATO is US.

So who do you want to be with?

You think you can fight on your own? DO IT!