Britons tire of cruel, vulgar US: poll

plan_D · 07-05-2006, 08:50 PM

Your stubborn attitude is what makes you a waste of time. I have plenty of life left to visit what I want. The mere fact that you refer to all Europeans collectively as one entity has proven your ignorance. It seems all in the U.S do I hear people refering to Europe like it's a country.
The cultures, education and attitudes of all European countries are different. I, personally, want to visit most of the countries of Europe because the culture differences are massive.

To appreciate the culture, you have to mingle and mix with the local people. In Germany, I was lucky to have Chris guiding me through German traditions and the people. It was a great experience to be somewhere, and feel a part of another culture.

When in another country, do you attempt to speak their language ?

syscom3 · 07-05-2006, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plan_D

When in another country, do you attempt to speak their language ?

Actually I did try.

But one day you will visit the orient and discover those languages are tough to learn!

Plus many of the people want to practice their english. So being a good american with a nice attitude, I let them practice their english on me.

I need to find the pictures of the goat i bought (in Jakarta) for sacrifice. They slaughtered it and gave the meat to the poor people. Most Europeans wouldnt do such a thing. But the US, Canadian and Aussies did it all the time.

Soundbreaker Welch? · 07-05-2006, 09:40 PM

Fair or unfair, Bush has failed the worst in getting momentum. And he's not even a lame duck yet!

Everyone see's him as more of a puppet, when in reality he has lost none of his actual power, just his good standing. Still, without much support, the dust really gathers on the White House.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 07-06-2006, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davparlr

Help me understand. And for your information I hold no grudges against those dam carpetbagging Yankees!!

Well I hope you are not offended with the comment that made.

To help you understand I will put it like this. Everyone makes stereotypes of everyone. If anyone denies this, then they are blind to the real world. Now having said this, alot of what people are saying here is stereotyping of Europe that is not true. Americans have a habbit of doing this because they dont know any better about what it is like over here in Europe. They only know what they are tought and what they see on TV through the media and TV shows.

Good example everyone thinks that Germans like David Hasselhof (yes he was popular over here in the 80's [he was popular in the US as well with Knightrider] and the early 90's) because of shows like Eurotrip (which was a great movie!) and Dodgeball and other shows that show up on TV in the states. You dont know how many times I hear from Americans "Germans are gay because they all like David Hasselfof!" when in fact he is no more popular over here than he in the states.

I have lived in both Europe and the United States and I have seen it first hand that Americans either ie. make heavilly fun of or critisize or stereotype what they do not know or understand and that is the case for much of what I am reading here.

Do they do the same in Europe? Ofcourse they do. Most of the stereotypes come from the Americans that they see here on a day to day basis and lets be honest a large population of the soldiers here do not act very polite or friendly, especially when there is alcohol involved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by davparlr

PBFoot says "world outside the US which is the fault of the US media and educational systems". Typically we take a class in US history and one in World history. Are you implying that our world history courses are slanted (I'm sure it is) but that Canadian world history is not? What would you suggest would improve our understanding?

Well to be honest, I have been to both schools in the US and Germany and I have to say the history classes that are tought in US schools are lacking. They teach only an Americanized form of History and leave out a lot. In US history books, WW1 was won single handedly by the US, WW2 was won single handedly by the US...

Is that eneogh of an example. They leave out much of the world. It is a proven fact that most Americans do not even know where the country of Lichtenstein is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by davparlr

We all have preceptions base on our media, the Germans are tree huggers with a few neo-nazis and anarchist, the Brits are all drunken soccer fans (this may be true), and Canadians all wear red suits and ride horses and have a dog (actually the Canadians have contributed so much to our culture that it is hard to think of them as anything but brothers and sisters.) The truth is, that the news always represents the worst.

That is very true. The media manipulates the way people think. It is this way all over the world.

This is basically what I dont like. I am a US/German citizen who was born and raised in Europe but lived for many years in the United States. I have seen both sides of the house. I dont like how some people (I will not give names but you know you are) make these stereotypes that are completly wrong, because they dont know anything outside of there sphere called the USA. Basically what I am saying is this, if you do not know or understand something, learn first then pass judgement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by syscom3

It was some Belgians in Tokyo that embarressed themselves

Some Frenchman in bangkok and Hongkong that infuriated the Chinese and Thai's

And some dumbass's from Britain and Germany in French Guiana that made fools of themselves.

And then theres all the Euro-tards that would go to the beach when I lived in Hermosa and Redondo that proved once and for all that the education standards in Europe arent what its cracked up to be.

The only people who seemed to never make an *** of themsleves were the aussies and scandanavians.

And US citizen make fools out of themselves everywhere as well. I see it on a day to day basis here in Germany. If you saw how they acted you would be ashamed of yourself.

And as for that Euro-tards remark, I am giving you ****ing warning now. There are plenty of Europeans on this forum including the German side of me. I will not tolerate you making open offending remarks to them. I dont give a damn what your agenda is! Dont get me started syscom, I really do like you, I think for the most part we see eye to eye on a lot of things and get along but I have no problem becoming an ******* and bringing a hammer down.

My style may not be Les's style but I am not push over!

Quote:

Originally Posted by syscom3

So whats wrong with that? Europeans are among the most hypocritical people around. Just sticking it back at you.

You are proving quite the contrary.

Quote:

Originally Posted by syscom3

Youre just jealous that Ive been to places youve never been to.

And I am sure that I have been to more places than you can dream of. The main reason because I care to learn about other cultures and not just belittle them as you do!

Frankly I am really getting tired of you talking so much **** about other cultures when you have your own prolbems in you own back yard!

Quote:

Originally Posted by syscom3

Most Europeans wouldnt do such a thing. But the US, Canadian and Aussies did it all the time.

There you go stereotyping again. You are walking on a thin line syscom. I am growing tired of this...

Syscom you are starting to make a riff in this forum and I do not like it!

davparlr · 07-06-2006, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plan_D

Your stubborn attitude is what makes you a waste of time. I have plenty of life left to visit what I want. The mere fact that you refer to all Europeans collectively as one entity has proven your ignorance. It seems all in the U.S do I hear people refering to Europe like it's a country.
The cultures, education and attitudes of all European countries are different. I, personally, want to visit most of the countries of Europe because the culture differences are massive.

To appreciate the culture, you have to mingle and mix with the local people. In Germany, I was lucky to have Chris guiding me through German traditions and the people. It was a great experience to be somewhere, and feel a part of another culture.

This is deffinately the way to go. Unfortunately, that would take an emmense amount of time. You can't do that on a two week excursion through Europe. My wife has family in the UK, her mother was a war bride, and I spent a good amount of time with them touring the back roads of England. It was great! This opportunity does not appear often.

When in another country, do you attempt to speak their language ?

This is unfair. If I took a two week tour to Paris, Berlin, Italy, Athens, and Madrid, you can't expect me to learn French, German, Italy, Athens, and Spanish. Europeans are emmersed in other languages and Americans are not. We can travel a thousand miles in any direction and only run into one other language (maybe two if you count French). If I knew Spanish, would I be accused of being an uncultured American in France? Probably.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 07-06-2006, 11:26 AM

No the French think everyone is uncultured!

Man it is going to suck when I go to Paris in August. They hate the Americans and the Germans so I am really screwed being German/American!

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 07-06-2006, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davparlr

This is unfair. If I took a two week tour to Paris, Berlin, Italy, Athens, and Madrid, you can't expect me to learn French, German, Italy, Athens, and Spanish. Europeans are emmersed in other languages and Americans are not. We can travel a thousand miles in any direction and only run into one other language (maybe two if you count French). If I knew Spanish, would I be accused of being an uncultured American in France? Probably.

When it comes to attempt to speak the language, I dont think he means you have to learn it, but to try and communicate with them, whether it be through books or learning a little bit before you go there.

I see that so much here in Germany. Most of the Germans speak very good english, since it it is required to learn it in school here, but they prefer and consider it polite if you attempt to speak a little in there language, even if it is just Hallo or Wie Geht es dir? Once the effort is made they will speak english with you.

The problem with so many Americans over here is they litterally have the attitude (I am not joking about this they actually think this) "We won the war, they better speak english to me!"

I think that is bullshit!

Nonskimmer · 07-06-2006, 11:44 AM

Heh. I live in an officially bilingual country, and do you think I speak the other language (French)? Naaahh.

Does it make me uncultured? Yeah probably, but WTF. In fact, a lot of French-Canadians are so indignant about the fact that the rest of us can't speak their lingo that they'll resfuse to speak English to us. Try asking for directions in Québec sometimes. "Quoi? Je ne parle pas anglais." Pffffffff. Up yours, tool.

Fact is, in North America and indeed in much of the world, English is the language. Aside from the odd community or places like Québec, it's everywhere. It's the international language of trade and commerce. Even in the major markets of the Orient. If you can't or won't deal in English, you ain't gonna get very far. Fact o' life.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 07-06-2006, 11:47 AM

Yes but if you are a tourist in another country, you can not expect the locals to speak english for you. It is not there language. They should speak if you are polite and make an effort but if you go with this shitty attitude that I see so many over here do, then no I dont blame the Germans for not speaking english with them and I would not either.

Nonskimmer · 07-06-2006, 11:50 AM

I'm all for trying. I do try my hand at French when in Québec or around a group of francophones, but I royally suck at it. Most of them just laugh, put up their hands, and say, "Dats alright buddy, we'll speak English.".