U.S.A. -- good or evil?

[Macfistowannabe]

And may I add all it said was this:

George Bush =

What kind of thread is that? It had no substance.

 

[pax]

In relation to point 1, I would see that as a "chicken-and-egg" type argument, i.e. non Americans are perhaps reluctant to post if they see the majority of posters are Americans.

In relation to point 2, I'll keep my thoughts to myself on that one.

Nobody makes you stay here, you know.

 

[pax]

Don't even bring Pax into it, in my view she is the most pro-American biased mod ever.

F**k it, American lump Muslims as terrorists all the time, and also they lump Europeans as Socialists are whatever.

I have seen this on here, and the mods never object to it, so spare me the sanctimonious whinging about cry-baby Americans.

Hi. Do you even read anything I post? Did you catch my post about how much I hate generalizations, of all kinds? Have I not specifically warned post-ers in here about the dangers of labeling Islam as a "terrorist religion" since the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful, decent people?

You don't know me, financeguy. You've been posting here for less than six months. I've been a mod here for damn near three years, and if I was that terrible, I'd have been relieved of my duties.

My posts here, as a member and as a mod, speak for themselves. If you were to actually read what I've posted over the years, you'd see that I've expressed admiration and respect for many, many countries, governments, leaders, and religions. You'd see that I do not agree with everything my country says or does. You'd see that, yes, I'm proud to be American, but that does not equal unqualified U.S.A. worship. You'd see that I've done my utmost to protect both the rights and the sensitivities of everyone in FYM.

In other words, you'd see that you're dead wrong.

 

[earthshell]

 

[-macphisto-]

Good in the sense that:

- Americans can be great people to socialise with and are very fun loving
- Gave us REM, Live and the Foo Fighters
- Produce some great television
- There exists a strong and real desire amongst many Americans to want a peaceful world

Evil:

- Can be very arrogant.

- A lot of Americans are brainwashed into thinking that any religion besides those that take a Christian influence are inferior and "wrong."

- People who believe that "God" is the be all and end all, and believe that this "idea" actually influences the way of the world. This is outdated and too fanciful.

- Keep talking about Jesus. He is a DEAD MAN, get over it and relaise it's up to you to make a difference.

- Under the false impression that Capitalism is a perfect ideological system, when the reality is that it is extremely flawed and in urgent need of reform.

- Killed Socialism

- A Maniac for a president.

- KKK

- Mormons

What the heck, why are Mormons on your list? Do you even know a thing about them? And what makes them evil??????

 

[Anthony]

Seriously dude, get over yourself. The reality is, posts remotely critical of the USA are routinely censored here.

I don't wish to enquire as to your reading abilities, but my post was aimed at intedomine's less than cordial comment aimed at mormons. I dont know if you're aware of this, but there are quite a few Mormons who frequent this site and take part in this forum, and, even if they didn't, it really isn't polite to mock someone's religious beliefs, and thats all there is to it.

Ant.

 

[diamond]

jack mormons too


db9

 

[namkcuR]

Culturally, the USA has been very influential, be it for the good or for the bad. The world culture, at this particular point in history, is becoming a very Americanized culture. Of course, each country has its own unique culture, but more and more you see points of Americanization within those cultures. For example, in most of the biggest cities in the world, you can find multiple McDonald's restaurants. No matter where you go in the world, if someone is using a computer, chances are it's either running Microsoft software or Apple software on it. People all over the world watch our sports leagues - probably NBA and MLB more than NFL or NHL. Of course, that works the other way around as I'm sure there are a lot of people in the USA that watch international futbol(soccer) on a regular basis. Our television shows get played all over the world in other languages - Simpsons, Friends, Seinfeld, ER, whatever. But that's the kind of thing I'm talking about. Whether all this is good or bad is up to individual opinion. Personally, I don't feel strongly one way or the other about it.

Politicaly, we've done some good and we've done some bad, basically what's already been said.

 

[VertigoGal]

Seriously dude, get over yourself. The reality is, posts remotely critical of the USA are routinely censored here.

Any poster critical of anything non-USA can just about get away with anything.

Don't even bring Pax into it, in my view she is the most pro-American biased mod ever.

F**k it, American lump Muslims as terrorists all the time, and also they lump Europeans as Socialists are whatever.

I have seen this on here, and the mods never object to it, so spare me the sanctimonious whinging about cry-baby Americans.

umm...sorry, but you're the only one "lumping people." As an American, I can say that the vast vast majority of people are very accepting of other religions. Yes, even Christians! When it comes to religious hatred in the world, we're hardly at the top of the list. I'm friends with Muslim people and they've never had any rude comments towards them. I know after 9/11 there were a few unfortunate incidents of bigotry which were completely uncalled for, as Muslim Americans are as American as anyone else, but I don't want you to think we've got them in internment camps or anything. And there are plenty of less than pretty reasons for Bush's little "liberation" war in Iraq, but I don't think religion was one of them. After all, we seem to be on great terms with ol' Saudi Arabia. mad

As far as lumping Europeans as socialists, I've only met a few people who've actually made that generalisation. I have met people (and agree with them) who like our system here better than the government in France or Germany, and there's nothing wrong with that. I don't want a 20% sales tax...

meanwhile, you've made 3 generalizations about Americans: that we think all Muslims are terrorists, that we think all Europeans are socialists, and that we are "cry-babies." this doesn't do much for my opinion of you, but I'm not holding it against the Irish people in general (I've never met the other 3 million)!

 

[AcrobatMan]

American

Good
-------

All the universities - stanford, harvard, MIT etc

musicwise - REM, Flaming lips, BRMC etc

Politically - as long as it doesnt mess with my country, I am not concerned.

NASA

Miami, Las Vegas, LA


Bad
-----

About ending terrorism, they have got it all wrong
..not all but most of it anyway.

Sometimes arrogant

On airport - they should have some sense on whom to stripsearch and whom not to... So lack of common sense by airport authorities


I am still maintaing a NOT GOOD - NOT BAD status on Bush !!

 

[Harry Vest]

(Used to be) a nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live there.

 

[WinnieThePoo]

good
it's my choice

 

[MsGiggles]

On airport - they should have some sense on whom to stripsearch and whom not to... So lack of common sense by airport authorities

I'm your typical American (desperate) housewife....I get searched all the time at the airport.....what do they find on me??? Barbie shit and gameboys that I'm carrying for the kids.....

 

[Dreadsox]

Seriously dude, get over yourself. The reality is, posts remotely critical of the USA are routinely censored here.

I have never known Ant to be full of himself. This is one of the funniest statements ever written in here. Posts critical of the US are routinely censored?


[Q]Any poster critical of anything non-USA can just about get away with anything. [/Q]

You serious?

[Q]Don't even bring Pax into it, in my view she is the most pro-American biased mod ever.[/Q]

Put your glasses on. If Pax were biased I would have been banned years ago.


[Q]F**k it, American lump Muslims as terrorists all the time, and also they lump Europeans as Socialists are whatever. [/Q]

That most certainly is not allowed in here. Speaking of broad generalizations.......

I have seen this on here, and the mods never object to it, so spare me the sanctimonious whinging about cry-baby Americans.

And just because you do not see the continuous bought of PM's that I get from the Mod team correcting my behavior and you do not see it it did not happen?

 

[melon]

Evil:

- Mormons

Well, I'm very critical of Mormons on how homophobic they are to the point of ostracizing and excommunicating homosexuals "who don't change," so I can't defend them too much. But to single them out as "evil," while excluding most of Christianity in this nation would be doing them a disservice.

I dunno...thankfully, there are some good people outside of rigid and evil institutions. That's all.

Melon

 

[Muggsy]

let's start for the good things:

* MetallicA
* Miami (yeah i like that city)
* The values of freedom and independence (although the real facts don't always endorse them )
* The people

the bad things

* Drug Politics... it is true that the USA has done a lot with the colombian authorities to stop drugs traffic. but things like spreading chemical stuff over our national parks to kill the illegal crops are not right.

* Mc donalds.... nobody here can eat that shit

 

[cardosino]

* Mc donalds.... nobody here can eat that shit

No one here is making you.

Watch Super size me, you'll never touch fast food again.

Funny how even in Manila and Shaghai where I was recently, there's one on every street corner, it appears the rest of the world likes it

 

[Muggsy]

No one here is making you.

Watch Super size me, you'll never touch fast food again.

Funny how even in Manila and Shaghai where I was recently, there's one on every street corner, it appears the rest of the world likes it

yeah... that's true.. but they are using standarized ways to cook and prepare the food. it just takes to eat a hamburguer from another place to notice that.


I've seen some clips of that movie... really scary.

Md's aren't that popular here... I live in Bogotá and I'm sure there's not a mac donald's in every corner. people goes there just to take their kids and buy them the happy meal, but (thank God) most of us go to lunch to "home made" restaurants which are healthier and cheaper. it is funny but we save fast food to special ocassions, like going out with friends or things like that

 

[shart1780]

Has done more good in the world then any other country.

So please whine about them instead.

 

[intedomine]

Well, I'm very critical of Mormons on how homophobic they are to the point of ostracizing and excommunicating homosexuals "who don't change," so I can't defend them too much. But to single them out as "evil," while excluding most of Christianity in this nation would be doing them a disservice.

I dunno...thankfully, there are some good people outside of rigid and evil institutions. That's all.

Melon

When I put Mormons down as "evil" I wasn't actually acknowledging what the question was asking properly.

I didn't mean to say that ALL Mormons are "evil", I just think that to be a Mormon is a bad thing.

By the way, I'm just exercising my freedom of speech here....

The experience that I have had with Mormons is one that has led me to express serious disgust with what they stand for and how they disgracefully conduct themselves.

Although I can get along with Mormons, many of the ones I have encountered seem intent on converting everyone they speak to on their so-called missions. This is a disgrace and an invasion of other people's lives.

One experience in particular has given me an overall bad impression of what the average Mormon stands for...

And please Mormons dont feel too offended by what I'm saying. I have disrespect for almost every religion, be it catholicism, islam, buddhism, or what not.


Also what's all this about a Mormon-Coca Cola alliance that's always discussed (but never in fine detail)? I'm curious as to what the connection is.

 

[Angela Harlem]

Perhaps it's another brand of American Cocacolonisation? I've never heard of it, so write this off as being facetious if necessary. Though American influence bothers me greatly. And luckily that is pretty much the extent of my dislike. Your shithouse tv shows, your tinny crappy music, your food.

Americans are cool, but I feel sorry for ya's

 

[cardosino]

Perhaps it's another brand of American Cocacolonisation? I've never heard of it, so write this off as being facetious if necessary. Though American influence bothers me greatly. And luckily that is pretty much the extent of my dislike. Your shithouse tv shows, your tinny crappy music, your food.

Americans are cool, but I feel sorry for ya's

Ya's don't need to watch our shows, ya's don't need to listen our music, ya's don't need to eat our food

Ya's are making personal choices to do so when ya's do, or are ya's all so socialist that ya's aren't comfortable with taking responsibility for ya's own actions ?

 

[melon]

Well, I spent enough time in Canada to realize just how domineering American cultural imperialism can be, so I can understand why people might grow to resent us after a while.

I can almost hear the moaning if Britain was still the dominant global power with a powerful Hollywood-like media structure, while the U.S. had a small, generally state-supported media industry. We would probably moan if all our TV stations did was fight to broadcast British shows. All our theatres just aired British movies, while you'd see an occasional American film...that would inevitably bomb at the box office. Then, to top it off, see British fast-food joints on every corner with British food ads everywhere.

To say that America would get angry is an understatement. We just often take for granted that we're a large and diverse nation that has long prided itself in individualism. In many ways, this was our greatest success with our once rather loose immigration policies. If any other nation figures that out, they might give us a run for our money in 50 to 100 years (because the first-generation immigrants are usually a washout; even all the European immigrants to the U.S. were mostly exploitable, uneducated labor that had a hard time learning English, and it takes subsequent generations to show how "valuable" a culture can be in America.)

Melon

 

[Irvine511]

Your shithouse tv shows

"neighboUrs," anyone?

and perhaps it's Australia's ravenous appetite for the consumption of American products that pumps money into our economy, enables us to spend on defense, and then agree to defend YOUR coast should it ever be invaded so you can spend money not on the military but on a rather generous social support system.



mostly just teasing ... but kernals of truth here and there ...

 

[shart1780]

Look guys, America is obviously the most influential country in the world and every other nation is just begging to get a piece of our culture, products, music, food etc.. If you think it's so crappy then you must think the majorty of the human race has really crappy taste or are complete morons.

And if America was so horrible not everyone would want a piece of us. And they do. And, like I said ealier, America has done more good in the world than any other country. We've done more good for mankind than China or Russia or Germany or whoever you wanna name. We've always had a history of freedom and liberty unlike almost every country in the entire world. If you disagree with alot of their policies (I do) now that's fine, but most of you are still probably living off the system and/or recieving aid from the governmant.

Sure, you can name all the good and bad things America has done, but compare them honestly to the good and bad of other nations and America will clearly dominate.

 

[A_Wanderer]

"neighboUrs," anyone?

and perhaps it's Australia's ravenous appetite for the consumption of American products that pumps money into our economy, enables us to spend on defense, and then agree to defend YOUR coast should it ever be invaded so you can spend money not on the military but on a rather generous social support system.



mostly just teasing ... but kernals of truth here and there ...

Quite true points, and we also spend our money subsidising a local film industry which produces our very own "quirky comedies" and "hard hitting dramas" ~ I much prefer to get the best that the world has to offer than be stuck with some of the tripe that we make.

 

[intedomine]

Actually USA has produced some amazing television shows and music (IMO opinion anyway) and they are some of the country's best attributes.

No other country could create a Seinfeld or a Friends.

No other country could give us an REM or Live

 

[shart1780]

All in the Family anyone? Elvis???? Movies!! Star Wars!!! Lord of the Rings! Gone With the Wind! Casa Blanca! More good movies than any other country.

We rock baby.

 

[Angela Harlem]

Touchy! Sheesh!
If anyone personally created what I object to, then my sincerest apologies for offending anyone. If not, then buck up and put it in context, eh? I just dont want to start up Word and have it underline words like 'favourite' in red, because it is spelled incorrectly. I've set my MS to English (Australian) which is it's own bastardisation of the English language, but I dont want to go through 2 lots of changes to get it spelled correctly for here. I dont want to 24 hour donut shops. Who in their right mind would want a bloody donut at 3am? On the subject of the latest invasion, Kripy Kreme, who in their right mind would want to buy a box of 12? Unless you have a family of 10 kids and it's a treat? It's excessive. And yes, I do avoid it. Like McDonalds and other fast food. On fast food though, Subway! What the hell is the deal here? A novelty healthy fast food place? It's famous for simply being healthy. That is sad. Countless sandwich bars already sell, and have done for as long as we've all been alive, healthy simple sandwiches. And they're a lot cheaper too. But in railing against (admirably) the stronghold unhealthy fast food has on all our societies, Subway has become something to bow to. This appreciation speaks more than the mere presence of Subway. I wont believe that America has never seen healthy food before. It cant be all that new and exciting, surely? Yet in it's protest against affordable convenient food, it took another giant chain to get people to eat well. Starbucks and their counterparts. Isn't this a bit excessive too? Can people not surive a few hours anymore without a coffee when they're out and about doing their errands? Our parents used to, and I'm sure they all drank a lot of coffee as well. Sure, it wasn't any swanky mocha latte frappacino with skim milk, but it served it's purpose of a caffeine hit for those in need. People survived a great long time with having coffee at home and not needing to spend the cost of half a jar of instant while 'doing the shopping' or whatever. Same goes for bottled water. I'm old enough at the ripe old age of 28 to remember the days when people drank it from a tap! Imagine that. But in our increased times of excess and expediency, we want instant clean water, instead of boiling it ourselves or buying an at home purifier. It's moved beyond being a handy product or service to make life easier, and become something we now rely on, and it's made us lazy as a result.
Is this all America's fault? Certainly not, and not in the case of 'blame' either. I'm sure all these businesses and concepts began as a way to help a rather large nation by offering things which helped make life a little easier. Consumerism took on a new face as time went on, with everything being throw-away and instant. And like all good businesses, they wanted to expand to where ever would adopt them, including here. So we lapped it up, and it kept getting fed. Here was yet another willing market for this change to spread to.

Something similar happened with television. 7,9 and 10 look at ratings for American sitcoms and realise it's cheaper to buy the rights to a season of already established popularity, than to try and create our own. Your networks utilise that popularity to sell it to overseas markets. And so when we turn on our tellies, we have a choice of American sitcoms or the latest imitation of an American based reality tv show. As for how much our industry suffers is probably debatable, but it seems the only shows here which get any run is Home and Away & Neighbours, or gardening/lifestyle programmes. Our movies have moderate success here, but how many of ours make it over there? It's not a form of cultural or social exchange when all of this is one-way. It reaches more than movies, tv and food. The fact that all of this reaches our shores is not the problem, nor whether it is quality or not (as that is subjective), but the volume of it, the saturation, is.

 

[beli]

I have one thing to say.

The USA is NOT all of America. There is more to America than the USA. People from Canada, Chile, Brazil, etc are all Americans.

If you want to talk about the USA then do so but this thread is not about "America". Its about the USA.