Why do non-americans assume all americans are idiots?

[The Apprentice]

One of my morbid obseesions is watching car crash tests on Youtube. The other day I was looking at a video for the F-150 from about 10 years ago, before restrictions were raised. Of course the old truck did badly, like most cars of its age. I drop down to the comments box and about every single comment was a remark about red-necked american pigs and their SUVs from who I believe were mostly Germans and French people. Since I was the only American there, I wrote a short messege about how I'm an American and that I, like many of us, recognise that we lag behind the rest of the world in auto technology but refuse to downgrade to a lighter, fuel-efficient car that's German-made out of fear that an American truck or SUV is going to hit us, the sheer size difference would ensure that the drivers of the smaller cars would probably be dead.

I got an email a few days later from Youtube telling me that someone replied so I checked it out. Someone European was telling me that I'm retarded because I'm American, and therefore incapable of recognising the true secret of German safety engineering and that "over here, we know the Smart Car can split one of ours in half from its low center of pressure" and of course that somehow it would do the same to our F-150s and Suburbans.

I get tired of all the stupid namecalling and disrespect that Americans get because of the last eight years. When we went into Iraq we had the support of over 40 nations and when it didn't pan out somehow we ended up alone with all the blame for the world's problems. A few greedy business giants shatter the world economy (some of the big players weren't even Americans) and guess who's at fault, no, not the greedy business owners, the Americans themselves, even the ones too young to affect the markets, because we're all pigs, red-necked, beer dinking hicks who need to "keep buying cheap trucks so we can all die in them" (to quote one of the youtube comments.)

[gradualmeltdown]

Its actually quite fun. Most of these people you will meet are simply arrogant and extremely ignorant. I figure I can't change them so why not just play the part and really piss them off. Let them underestimate us, we might turn America around who knows.

Here's an example :

There were a bunch of French soccer players eating at a local fast food joint here in Portland. They were with their host family speaking in English. They all were around 18-19 and completely trashing America the whole time they were there. They assumed that this was the best "American" food and that all of us never cook (some do!). As I walked out by them in my work uniform they decided to make a snide remark about my lack of "style" These bastards had the gull to talk shit in another country to me, an ex "union lead stage hand" who does not let any mouth run unchecked.

At this point I asked them why they were speaking in English? Why do they know another language than French? Puzzled they had no answer. I said, "because America speaks english and it is the most powerful country in the world" I asked "why are you here, because America has something you want. If you don't like us well enough to spend time here get the fuck out.

The host family father told them to shut up and gave me the "sorry could you get the hell out of here" look so I laughed at them and left. They all mumbled in French.

Did I really feel that way? yes towards those douche bags. Anyone who wants to be here should be welcome. Want what we've got but don't want to be on our side? At least don't rub it n my face, or we'll start a mini arms race right here and now.

[dsheinem]

Because as a nation, we're not so bright:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 115133.htm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00730.html

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0923110.html

[MrPopo]

So my friend Jay and I went over to that new video arcade. And they don't speak English there, so Jay got into a fight and he was all like "Hey quit hasseling me because I don't speak French or something!" And then he said something in Paris talk, so I said "Hey back off!" and they were all "Get out!" and we were like "Make me!"

It was cool.

[Cassidy]

No offense intended, but if you're using YouTube comments as a litmus test for global perceptions of America, then you're kind of proving their point.

As a Canadian, I've never encountered the stereotypical American. You guys are just like Canadians only with bad taste in beer.

[Erik_Twice]

Ey, I don't assume that


First of all, people is stupid. Everywhere. So you can expect non-americans to be idiots.

They don't think americans are stupid. They are stupid and consider everyone else to be stupid. However picking on Austria is not funny because when you think of an important country you do not think about Austria. So who do you hate? The United States of course because they are powerful. Makes sense? No, but to idiots it does.

Add a null sense of general culture and you get stupid idiots.

It's not that people assume all americans are idiots. People assume everyone else is an idiot. However the US are more "important" and thus are more on target. (Specially when you are stupid and can't remember more than 10 countries)

I still wonder why all the americans I've met were surprised that we Spaniards had electricity and water in out houses. That's just...wrong. But I can bet you south-americans have worse ideas about Spaniards. And the French, and the British, and the Germans. And the Spaniards thinks that French people suck because they invaded us in the 1800s, they British are stupid because they drink tea and the Germans suck because they are Germans and are far away.

Don't think there is any kind of reason, just the superpower status of the US and the idiocy of people. Universal idiocy is universal idiocy.

[Cassidy]

If it makes anyone feel better, and speaking as a non-American, the rest of the World suffers from severe USA-Envy.

It's like penis envy only on a global scale, brother.

[glynnahab]

When you've got a hillbilly President as your representation to the rest of the world, people begin to think of the rest of us accordingly.

Not to mention that most of his supporters were usually the overly-zealous patriotic types, waving their American flags and swearing on their Bibles while cursing people of other ethnic, religious, racial backgrounds in the same breath.

[Ack]

People were surprised that Spain has electricity and water? Wow, that's just sad. Then again, some Yankees think the same thing about the South, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

[petey]

I do not envy the US at all. That is why I am sad that the US government persists in trying to "save the world" by attempting to change countries to be more like the US, which is a failed model if I ever saw one.