What other countries actually *like* the USA?

Factual Questions
41

“American cultural imperialism?” Oh, please.

Whenever an Italian complains that McDonald’s is driving out quality cuisine, or that trashy American movies are driving out quality cinema, I have to ask, “WHOSE FAULT IS THAT???”

I have the same reaction when small-town Christians try to close down a topless bar or porno shop, saying “We’re God-fearing people, and we don’t WANT this kind of smut here.”. I have to wonder, “IF that’s really true, what are you worried about? IF you people really don’t want smut in your town, those enterprises will lose a fortune and go out of business in no time.”

No, what they fear is that there really IS a huge demand for those “products.”

Same thing in Europe. IF Italians really prefer traditional Italian cuisine to Big Macs, McDonald’s will go out of business there. Has it happened? Uh, no. IF Frenchmen really prefer Godard and Truffaut to Spielberg, “Jurassic Park” should have flopped there. It didn’t.

Bottom line is: those non-Americans who claim they don’t want our culture are LYING!!! Ignore what they say, and watch where they spend their money.

Face it: Michael Eisner isn’t rounding up Europeans at gunpoint and herding them into the theaters to watch Disney movies. Nobody kidnaps Australian kids, and takes them to Burger King. If you REALLY don’t like mass American culture (and there’s plenty about it I don’t like either), PROVE that by shunning it. But if your countrymen are eagerly shelling out cash to see Stallone movies and to wolf down Quarter Pounders, don’t blame American companies for gladly taking their money.

Don’t blame Americans for trying to sell you things you CLAIM you don’t like. Blame yourSELVES for buying it.

42

I think there are a lot of countries out there that politically tolerate the United States. To the list I would add the Scandinavian nations, India, Ireland, much of South America, Thailand, and the mid-Pacific island nations. Relations are “friendly,” but not 100% coincidental. And why should we be? The best we Americans can come up with ourselves is 49%.

Culturally, Americans have a big problem. We are incredibly ignorant of, and therefore accidentally rude to, people from other, friendly nations. Some examples:

  • Two of my Kiwi friends were earnestly asked in a Southern American diner, “do they speak English in New Zealand?”

  • I once walked into a bar in Macuto, Venezuela, ordered a Polar, and the guy next to me said, without prompting, “you’re from America, eh? That means you don’t know shit about Venezuela.” He was right.

  • After sitting down at a bar in Willemstad, Curacao, my sister asked the bartender, “do you have that stuff called ‘blue coo-rock-o’?”

Asked the annoyed bartender, “where are you?”

Now, when I travel, I try very hard to learn at least the basics about the countries I’m traveling to. Because Americans are so universally thought to be completely ignorant of the places they travel, a little bit of common knowledge goes a long, long way, and opens up all sorts of doors.

43

As much as I hear in the news about the French hating McDonalds, every McDonalds I go to in France (and I go to a lot) is packed to capacity. Sometimes you wait 15 minutes to get an order in, and often there is no place to eat, so you stand outside along the front of the store.

44

Don’t overdo the false modesty, now.

Sometimes, yes. And sometimes the USA is a six-year old with a shotgun and the rest of the world is trying very hard to figure out how to prevent bad things from happening, if I may use an equally hyperbolic metaphor.

Most of the time, though, the US is a successful country far away - basically quite OK, but with some weird ideas every now and then.

Don’t confuse consumer products (and I gladly count pop music and Disney movies among those) with culture. To quote Samuel P. Huntington, there are presumably jeans-clad youths somewhere in the Middle East who are drinking Coke and listening to rap while they plan their next terrorist attack on the US.

Sure, American pop culture has its icons, and some make a point of embracing all of those. But look carefully, and you’ll see people taking what they can use and shrug off the rest. If you look at Europe, Coca-cola has certainly grabbed the lion’s share of its market, Budweiser is hardly sold (except for the original Czech version, of course), Miller can hardly be given away. “Made in the US” is not enough, the product has to be competitive.

McD has a great concept in junkfood, but the good old white Danish hot-dog stand is still a permanent fixture on Copenhagen street corners. (BTW, I believe that the McD-hating activist is newsworthy because he’s atypical, even in France.)

Completely different products, designed for different audiences. Just like McD can coexist quite nicely with the three-star restaurants in Guide Michelin.

While I can’t speak for the French, I know that audiences in other European countries enjoy American and domestic movies alike. US movies may not flop - though some do - but local movies certainly sell tickets too, and in numbers to compete with the US ones. (6 movies on the Danish top-20 list in 2000 were produced in Denmark. Not too shabby, IMHO.)

You can find parallels in most other areas, if you care to look. Well, perhaps Coke has the soft-drink market cornered, but apart from that…

And we’re still just talking products, here. When it comes to culture in the broader sense, many US values are nowhere near universally embraced.

So in short: There are lots of people who are perfectly content not to live in the US - there are even those who would rather not, even when given the choice. That I’m wearing Levi’s does not mean that I share the American dream.

S. Norman

45

Just wanted to say that this made me laugh out loud. Classic. :slight_smile:

(The liquor Blue Curacao is actually Dutch, but since a lot of Dutchmen live on the Antilles, it’s exported there. Think of Curacao as Fort Lauderdale.)

46

I am, I think, the third Australian to post to this thread. For some reason I feel that the two others are younger than me and would like to offer a 52yo male opinion.

As a young man I served alongside Americans in Vietnam, a country now best known for its unique cuisine, but once a place from where the world was fed daily doses of what was consistently presented as the arrogance and barbarity of America.

These doses were largely administered by America’s own media, and like my country and most of my mates, (Australian AND American), I was judged and found guilty by that media.

I belive that a large part of the perception of the USA as some kind of global thug comes from the picture painted at that time. A generation has been fed the views of their babyboomer parents, and have in turn passed these to their children. The truth (or not), of of those views is irrelevant, they were however the prevailing views.

I can just remember a time when the USA was seen almost as the saviour of the world for it’s selfless part in the destruction of the Nazis, and where due to its vast empire, Britain was the favorite for “global thug”.

It is unfortunate that the advent of global communication into the homes of ordinary people occured at just the wrong time for the USA, remember, there is no second chance at a first impression.

47

Correction about the California part (i’m sure Anthracite didnt mean to make such a broad sweeping generalization about a state that is very diverse :)):

They expect it to look like LA (and sometimes like SF). Most of California is not built up, and paved over (actually, between here and Ventura there isnt much development on the coast). There are green spaces, low crime, and low pollution in California, it’s just away from the bigger cities.

48

You are quite correct, Doob. I meant to say that they expect it to look like the California they see on TV and in the movies - mainly, LA and SF. California is a very diverse State, and a large portion of it probably looks like Kansas City as well. :eek:

49

I probably should let it die quietly, but I’ve been rereading my second reply to this thread and I realize that it’s about ten times as harsh as I wanted it to be. Too much caffeine or something.

So - ehm - sorry about that, fellas, especially the US posters. I meant to express a somewhat milder difference of opinions and values, that tirade was not called for.

I still dislike that O’Rourke quote, though…

S. Norman

50

I really think that I shouldnt respond to DontAsk, but I will anyway, as a means of Fighting Ignorance.

The “Benovelent Organisation” you are refering to in your stupidity laden posts is The American Fund For Ireland, part of the International fund for Ireland If you think it isnt going anywhere, feel free to come over to me here in Ireland, where I can show you one of the many things it built and funded.
http://www.gaa.ie/html/administration/artaneBoys.html
I was a member of this group. Several years ago, The band was in severe financial dificulty. During fundraising activity, the band was approached by this organisation, and as a result of the funds raised, in assistance with donations from groups like these, the security of the band was assured for many years to come.

Come along and see the improvements to the bandroom that the money helped fund. Or listen to the music that the new instruments that the band was able to afford produce great music. Or see an organisation that has helped thousands of young dubliners learn to play music, as well as learning manners and life experience.

So, Don’tAsk, (if that is your real name :rolleyes:) Your just talking out of your dunces cap.

Goodday.

51

You do, at least, understand the THEORY behind “a joke”, don’t you? :wink: I’m fully aware England is currently presided over by a Queen.

52

She doesn’t preside, She reigns. Damn republicans. :wink: