Strangely, on this occasion, I agree with Chookie. Honest analysis seems to be taken as anti-American. I suppose not too surprising in the current climate where the US is so unpopular, but sometimes it appears almost fanatical...
I lived and was educated in part in the US, so I was aware of the concept of political isolationism and so on. I understand that anti-communism was rife in the post-war era, but it seems to be still. Whenever anyone shows support of communism or socialism it seems to cause consternation.
Haven't heard too much bragging going on. That is a bit of a stereotype, but only one or two posters have displayed this.
And finally, the US posters on the whole are very well-mannered and polite, with the usual percentage of wackos. The biggest problem I have is they don't get our humour. Had the same problem when we lived there, the humour is different. I found Canadians had a sharper wit, or perhaps just more similar to ours.

I don't think I will ever truly adapt. I am used to being direct and the first thing I noticed in the US is people will smile at you and hug you hello, and won't hesitate to stab you in the back at the first opportunity.

Sorry I don't mean to hurt feelings but that has been my experience.
I am also often told that directness, even when phrased politely, equals rudeness.
Interestingly in my world, indirectness is considered rude, so go figure.

This has caused me to become pretty much a loner, at least when I'm on US soil. I prefer communicating online because of that.

I paint a very grim picture but it's not all bad:

-Americans are very casual in their dress and demeanor, I like that a lot.
-In NY or LA, there's everything to be found or imagined... TWICE!
-Pharmacies are the coolest things: In France, a pharmacy is for medicine and personal care products, that's it. In the US, pharmacies have everything from batteries to gummybears. Amazing!!!
-If someone wants to buy it, someone else will sell it.
-With all their flaws, Americans can at times show truly exceptional team spirit. But they have to really, REALLY want to. Once they do, they are like glue and nothing can tear them apart. That is why England lost the colonies, the stiff upper lip was no match for the glue.
-Americans are about convenience, and at times, that is priceless.

On debating with Americans: It's not much different than debating with people from other nationalities, sometimes it's really cool, enriching and fun, then other times this big asshole with an attitude problem will get in my face and I deal with those accordingly.
The nationality has nothing to do with the pleasantness or unpleasantness of the discussion. Jerks come in every language and culture.

I could talk for hours about the differences, the pros and cons I've encountered over my years of living in the US.
But I don't think the server could handle my yakking away.

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L'Enfer, c'est les autres.

My view looking in from the outside is that Capitalism controls every aspect of US life. It is a country where wage slavery and oppression masquerades as freedom. Where the vested interests of the ruling class through the media control politics. This has resulted in the greatest one party state in the world, because people are fooled into believing the democratic myth put forward by the media.

Then there's the issue of interference. As the US is under the control of a corperate dictatorship this leads to interference in other peoples countries so as to exploit their wealth. Of course Iraq is the modern example of this but we can look back throughout history to the US role in Guatemala, Vietnam, Chile and Cuba to name a few. These examples show the variety of methods by which US companies lead puppet governments to interfere.


On the plus side i love so many American bands, far too many to list and your fast food exports are second to none (as a scot i know a thing or two about junk food). Oh and the people either tend to be extremely ignorant and arrogant or extremely intilligent and friendly there appears to be no middle ground.

I love Americans. I love your tv shows and your movies. My oldest memories are of being taken to the drive-in as a child to see John Wayne and wonderful Hollywood musicals. My experience of Americans I've met has only been when travelling and those I found to be a bit brash, like once on a boat out to a island in a lake in England, there were two American couples on the boat who didn't know each other, by the time we left they were firm friends. I find you mostly friendly and keen to talk about your country. I don't like the current politics but luckily the field changes every four years (even when the president stays in office) so there's no long term annoyance when I don't like the guy but I must admit the current one keeps me amused so that helps. I think you are still the land of opportunity. I think you would still welcome new citizens but the world's economy is pretty tight right now so everybody wants to be sure that jobs are not taken by foreigners. So, yes, overall my opinion of America and Americans is positive.

The human race is becoming a herd of golden calves. It worships itself. Ok so I'm generalizing but I'll bet: Like all the other organisms in the Biosphere it has a function to perform. It has become distracted with its genitals and other pleasures available to it so much so that it is failing in its obligation to life / nature / God. Life can and will be Heavenly but first the scion needs an ass whipping. I know, I repeat myself. It has become a Mantra. I repeat it for my own benefit. The amount of nonsense, suffering ignorance and savagery in print is depressing.

Vlad, I bet that if I ever sat down and just listened to you talk I'd either learn a whole lot or my brain would melt.

I mean this as a compliment.

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Neither am I the means to any end others may wish to accomplish. I am not a tool for their use. I am not a servant of their needs. I am not a bandage for their wounds. I am not a sacrifice on their altars. ... I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask no one to live for me, nor do I live for others. I covet no mans soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet.

Ayn Rand, Anthem.

I think that the U.S. tends to interfere too much in the affairs of other countries and comes across as the self appointed world police but I also believe that sometimes, just sometimes, it is well intentioned.
The people of my country should never forget that when the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth soldiers stood alone in 1940 that it was the United States of America that interfered and provided the materials and the provisions that we needed to survive and for that so many were, and still are, eternally grateful. The USA provided what we needed no questions asked and although we had to pay it back when we could afford to do so it was only right that we should. Many Americans along with other nations voluntarily joined our armed forces long before the US entered the war and our country certainly needed every single able bodied man we could muster. And the alliance between the US and the UK was cemented even further on that day in the aftermath of 9/11 when the Queen broke with hundreds of years of tradition and ordered the Bandsmen at Buckingham palace to play the American National Anthem instead of God Save the Queen. Can you remember the emotion that provoked? Maybe I'm a bit of a sucker for all that stuff but the Americans show their nationalism big time and I respect that.
As far as the American people are concerned it is true that many of them are loud and over the top but generally I find them to be the most polite people I have ever met. When you eat in a restaurant or use a service in a hotel for example they really take care of you and are always checking to see that you have everything you need. I don't care if a few of them do it for a bigger tip the fact that they take the time do it is good enough for me. As far as I can see they take a great deal of pride in doing a good job and I wish it was like that here.
Having said all that I still wouldn't like to live there as It seems to lack our High Street type environment, slower pace and community spirit...well what's left of it.

Come on Vlad you know very well that is what sells newspapers. Imagine what a dull world it would be if the news headlines were:
Britney gives up her career to take care of her children.
Or GWB admits he needs education, goes back to high school
Or Children all behave themselves and respect their parents.

We would die of boredom with nothing to shake our heads about or no bad news to argue about. We all enjoy schadefreude - vicarious pleasure from others' misfortune. When we see a car accident, we all stretch our necks to see what happened, just look at the fuss for 10 years about Princess Di's death. It's human nature.
We are the greatest generation the world has ever know, we are better educated, have more money, better toys, a lot more friends and definitely much better entertainment. This is a great time to be alive and you people in America are living in a golden land, you just don't appreciate how lucky you are.

I’m an American so let me see, here is what we’re like, (and if you’re a poet, don’t mind my layman skills.)

Some of us are sly
Some of us are high
Are minds’ are dirty
But our hands are clean
Some of us have our own washing-machine

Some are brave in the face of danger
Some are cowards in the bosom of safety
But all go about their lives a bit too hasty.

We’re over the top
And we pay under the table
We’re pro-choice
And pro-life
We’re for the death penalty
Against insensibility
And all too quick to boast our military’s facility

Nope, I spoke mind on topic connecting my personality - how else!? If you see "nonsense" it's rpoblem of your "connectivity", not my "sexual complex" (ain't any).

Or is it chauvinist discrimination (excuse misprint if any)?

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Hi-Fi/music Guru by Supreme Consciousness