Feelings about anti-American drivel

[ambrosius]

Hi I am back Due to my work and time difference in Thailand I am not able to follow discussions very closely. The answer of WBU ALUM did not surprise me but was nevertheless a bit disappointing. But it is not a typical American answer it is just typical human. People just don't care and want to keep what they have now. So actual change on the ecological and economical plan will not happen very soon because people have to give up things they like and off course they will not pay more taxes. Well I fear something really bad has to happen before people attitudes and willingness to change will change.

One thing typical American tough is the ignorance of the average John Doe. Not what is happening with "Thumbelina" everybody knows that in the states but just plain information about what is happening in the world. Every time I travel in the USA I am shocked by the ignorance of big worldly events. Also when I look television I am shocked all this events are not mentioned or if they are it is so short and so badly put in context that I am not surprised that "the Americans' (F*#!^ I hate to generalize) are not interested in all the issues what people in Europe and other countries are worried about.

A joke received from the well-known ex-udonmap and ex-Udon Thani citizen Doc (Old Codger) illustrates this ignorance well:

"This is intended as a joke, but somehow I suspect that there is some truth to it as well...:
All of the Wal-Marts across Alabama sold out of ammunition as of yesterday. A reliable source said that one of the purchasers commented that while Russia may have invaded Georgia, they sure as hell ain't doin' it to Alabama."

By the way as you can see I am member of UdonMap since 2005 but I am not really a big poster. I find it difficult to discuss in a forum because first of all English is not my mother tongue and in real live conversations you can explain more quickly what you actually mean.

[WBU ALUM]

WBU if you are still with me
This site is excellent (produced by UK government). It compares UK with a number of other countries (including the USA) on a number of factors. It does require a lot of site opening though...So, for example to find out about "Sustainable consumption and production" you must click on those words.

Tons of comparison information....
Fun for the whole family....

http://www.sustainable-development.gov. ... /index.htm

This site was interesting. The US was middle of the pack overall ... ahead in some areas and far behind in others (like obesity), but there wasn't anything that really stood out or shocked me about America's standing in the world community.

I'll be reading the other links now.

[rick]

I have followed this thread with some interest; and would like to thank Bob for the wealth of links and info he has provided, I have not read much of them, but they have covered ground which I have dipped into myself from time to time. I know that it often seems that many of us appear rather hostile to the USA in our posts, but I think this is just we feel that that USA policies could be better. I am not saying that european policies ARE better, we can be as stupid, selfish and incompetent as anyone, but i think we would just like to see the USA lead the way in a more considered, factual manner, because there is no doubt that without them, it is hard to change many of todays big issues.

In Europe, policies tend to be more based on evidense; there may be disagreement on how to fix a problem, but most parties agree a problem exists. In the USA, policies tend to be based more on belief (moral, religious and others) than fact. Many of the big issues in the USA just are not issues here. If a candidate for high public office claimed to be a creationist and not believe in evolution in europe, they would be ridiculed by most. I think this triumph of dogma over logic frightens us.

As Ambrosius hinted at, many Americans lack knowledge of the world beyond there borders. The fact that many US senators and other politicians do not even own passports is pretty frightening - they make decisions that impact countries and continents they have never even seen (or know exists?).

So if we say, 'listen to us' that is because sometimes we have been down these paths before. The USA is no longer, and cannot be, an isolationist - it depends too much on the rest of the world. We all like friends, likewise, no-one likes a bully, but sometimes it is a fine line between both of them.

[BobHelm]

Thanks for that post Rick, I think it sums up my thinking as well...

[Guns482]

So if we say, 'listen to us' that is because sometimes we have been down these paths before. The USA is no longer, and cannot be, an isolationist - it depends too much on the rest of the world. We all like friends, likewise, no-one likes a bully, but sometimes it is a fine line between both of them.

I couldn't have said it better myself, i didn't cos I was stuck in a rut.
Well said my point exactly, listen and learn is the main thing here. =D> =D>

[banpaeng]

Thanks to some fine post here has made this debate quite informative. Isn't it nice that no one is attacking the people or institutions of America but presenting facts and opinions.

I have enjoyed this debate as it appears not all have an axe to grind.

[ambrosius]

Funny but scary at the same time...

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE[/youtube]

[ambrosius]

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE direct URL if YouTube movie doesn't load well

[Irish Alan]

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE direct URL if YouTube movie doesn't load well

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fJuNgBkloFE&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fJuNgBkloFE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

Unbelievable! And these people breed and vote... Very scary!

[farang]

LOL i posted that video a few years ago on the joke thread, and no one comented LOL

silence is golden LOL

[beer monkey]

Awwww come on The Man got the KFC question correct.......

[farang]

ok ok , 1 got it correct ,lol =D>

[beer monkey]

ok ok , 1 got it correct ,lol =D>

Actually the KFC one was a 2 part question so he only got half a point....


'Who won the vietnam war'..? 'We Did'...Errr wait where we in the vietnam war.??..



Currency of UK..."Err Probably American Money"....


"Ermm the fella with the Turban Thing.... I call Him Diaper-Head.."


Class....someone tell them there is a big wide world out there.

And just noticed that vid also pops up on pg 6.

[laphanphon]

that's scary

the one chickie got the 'who to invade next' right, saudi arabia. and hopefully the bush and cheney family will be vacationing there when we nuke it.

does the chickie who is thinking about attacking iran/austrailia know she has a communist star on her hat. GO CHAIRMAN MAO .

[PopsIcafe]

if you all noticed when they were putting pins into to country on the map, it was Australia......the idiots didn't know the map was (purposely) labeled wrong.

Pop's

[rick]

Maybe euthenasia is a good idea, after all. Just wonder how many of them should qualify. I think the average isaan rice farmer could do better.

[aznyron]

I think you all failed to see they took those test in the SOUTH in Bush country and especially in Texas
were the Bush family is LOVED now let be honest what does a red neck know other than his dog his pick up truck and his rifle and most important his BEER the only thing a red neck invented was a tooth brush
you see if it was invented in the north it would be called a TEETH brush since red necks have only one tooth like they say what do you get when you have 32 red necks in a room a full set of teeth

[WBU ALUM]

I think you all failed to see they took those test in the SOUTH in Bush country and especially in Texas
were the Bush family is LOVED now let be honest what does a red neck know other than his dog his pick up truck and his rifle and most important his BEER the only thing a red neck invented was a tooth brush
you see if it was invented in the north it would be called a TEETH brush since red necks have only one tooth like they say what do you get when you have 32 red necks in a room a full set of teeth

And you have the nerve to accuse others of prejudice, and you worry about injustice?

[aznyron]

[jepp]

Funny to watch, but, in defence of the US, it was probably taken in 'Dueling Banjo country' and also if you take a bunch of Yokels off the street anywhere, shove a TV camera in their face and have a foreigner mumbling in a foreign accent, ( and I'M an Aussie!) they probably couldn't think straight enuff to tell you their own names! Also IMHO USA produces some of the brightest, and some of the dumbest, in the world. USA will be a big beneficiary of gene shears.