Why are Americans so different from the rest of us Westerners

[Sava]

I don't think this is a troll any more than any other persons' posts. AH poses a good question. Ming, you seem to dismiss this too quickly without even bothering to think about it. Probably because you are defensive about the issue, but hey, I'm no shrink ...

IMO, white, conservative America is the way it is because of the Protestant work ethic. Save, keep money in the family, etc. Throw a mix of religious fanaticism, combined with a little self-righteous libertarianism, a little greedy capitalism; shake, and you get your average American conservative. I just hope that all foreigners don't think that this represents the average American... especially the younger generation. Modern American conservatism and its immoral stances on a variety of issues throughout history, like slavery, civil rights, workers' rights, feminism, and segregation, will soon find itself extinct as the younger, better educated, and more tolerant generation comes of age.

[Nubclear]

America is actually the "little brother" except this time the little brother has the power. Americans generally are very ignorant of world issues because quite frankly they dont NEED to know. They percieve it as what they dont know cant hurt them and to "let the politicians decide".
Generally Americans are a quite friendly (contrary to popular belief) people though they dont get quite as close to each other as Europeans tend to (generally speaking). September11th seemed to divide Americans into 2 groups: The ones who suddenly became very open people and actively persuing knowledge about the outside world, and those that, well, didnt. Generally speaking the ones in the former group tend to live on the west coast or in New England and had at least a college education.
I've also observed that the typical American is very stressed out about something whether it be their job or their children or something or another.

Just my observations.

[TCO]

Originally posted by Frogger


Possibly. But not since the sixties. France and UK had enough a nuclear arsenal to stop the Russians by then, and you know it.

1. I beleive that other countries relied on our higher defense spending to allow them to spend less.

2. I don't mean that we defended the Canadians in the sixties or otherwise. (the ocean is good enough.) The battle was joined in the rest of the world. And that was still hot and heavy until late 70's. You can't remember, but there was an incredible mood change from late CArter to early rEagan. People felt like Soviets were on the rise in the late 70's. VietNam, Laos, Cambodia, Angola, Nicaragua.

3. Just as we have an incentive to overvalue our protection of others and our leadership. Others have an incentive to minimze it. It's human nature.

[Sava]

Originally posted by Ned
Alexander's Horse, this reads like a liberal/leftist wish list. The question really should be is why the rest of the West shifted so strongly to the left after WWII while the US did not.

Because the US never saw the horrors of war. It never grew up. It never saw the carnage. And you wonder why so many veterans are against going to war? Sheesh... Americans are ignorant, that's why.

[Inverse Icarus]

americans r0x0r!!!!1!! omg phear!

[TCO]

Originally posted by Frogger
Depends what you're talking about. Brits are bigger hawks than we are, less socialist, etc.

Only culture is closer. And I'm serious when I say that US attitude is causing a backlash here...

So? You piss us off too. Only reason you don't piss us off more is...you're kind of tiny and we're kind of big.

[TCO]

Originally posted by Sava
I don't think this is a troll any more than any other persons' posts. AH poses a good question. Ming, you seem to dismiss this too quickly without even bothering to think about it. Probably because you are defensive about the issue, but hey, I'm no shrink ...

IMO, white, conservative America is the way it is because of the Protestant work ethic. Save, keep money in the family, etc. Throw a mix of religious fanaticism, combined with a little self-righteous libertarianism, a little greedy capitalism; shake, and you get your average American conservative. I just hope that all foreigners don't think that this represents the average American... especially the younger generation. Modern American conservatism and its immoral stances on a variety of issues throughout history, like slavery, civil rights, workers' rights, feminism, and segregation, will soon find itself extinct as the younger, better educated, and more tolerant generation comes of age.

Veterans tend to be more politically conservative and hawkish than the norm. Just go look at some political polling data.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by GP


1. I beleive that other countries relied on our higher defense spending to allow them to spend less.

2. I don't mean that we defended the Canadians in the sixties or otherwise. (the ocean is good enough.) The battle was joined in the rest of the world. And that was still hot and heavy until late 70's. You can't remember, but there was an incredible mood change from late CArter to early rEagan. People felt like Soviets were on the rise in the late 70's. VietNam, Laos, Cambodia, Angola, Nicaragua.

3. Just as we have an incentive to overvalue our protection of others and our leadership. Others have an incentive to minimze it. It's human nature.

The Sovs were going to collapse anyways. Defense spending or no. They were a different situation than the Chinese. Wanted to be the West, not fight them by the 70s. Perceived rise of Communism was nothing more than paranoia caused by social changes tearing through the US and rest of West. It was their last gasp. They were done, and the rational among them knew it.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by GP


So? You piss us off too. Only reason you don't piss us off more is...you're kind of tiny and we're kind of big.

We try to be nice to you, though. You literally don't bother. And people are starting to get to the point of wondering if we do need you or not...

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by DinoDoc

War on Terrorism - does anyone else believe in it outside the US? ... The European reaction to the frequent terrorist incidents there.

I think that you forget the Brits.

We're just humouring you.

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by Sava

Because the US never saw the horrors of war. It never grew up. It never saw the carnage. And you wonder why so many veterans are against going to war? Sheesh... Americans are ignorant, that's why.

Jbeezus, are you mad? We never saw the carnage, when we lost, what was it, nearly 300 thousand men?

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by GP


So? You piss us off too. Only reason you don't piss us off more is...you're kind of tiny and we're kind of big.

Actually, most Americans really don't know much more about Canada than the maple leaf....And thats probably a good thing

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Frogger
And I'm serious when I say that US attitude is causing a backlash here...

So?

[Ned]

Originally posted by Sava

Because the US never saw the horrors of war. It never grew up. It never saw the carnage. And you wonder why so many veterans are against going to war? Sheesh... Americans are ignorant, that's why.

Perhaps. But we had our Vietnam and Korea. Both were nasty and failed to achieve victory.

[TCO]

Originally posted by Frogger


The Sovs were going to collapse anyways. Defense spending or no. They were a different situation than the Chinese. Wanted to be the West, not fight them by the 70s. Perceived rise of Communism was nothing more than paranoia caused by social changes tearing through the US and rest of West. It was their last gasp. They were done, and the rational among them knew it.

Very much hindsight. Sure, the right may have exaggerated the threat. But the left did not predict the fall. Very, very 20/20 hindsight. Read some stuff from the 70's. Heck even look at the 70's red liberation movements in Europe, etc. Different mood back than.