You have more work to do that you even know. - Looking in from the outside.
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| Also listed in: Cruel and Illogical Twits: | Timeout Corner |
Here's a reality check, and for those of you who read and pay attention to this, it should scare you.
You live in the United States of America. It's a large country. It's a rich country and has a mighty military, so Americans have had a place at the top of the global foodchain for the last couple of hundred years. Most of what you hear is about America. Most of your TV shows are American shows. The talk shows are about America, the evening news shows are about America, the newspapers are about America. If you aren't VERY, very careful, you might let the importance of AMERICA get blown way out of proportion in your thinking. Like to somewhere around 99 or 100%. If you aren't careful.
I live in Canada. I can be across the border and into America in 45 minutes. You know how important the American primaries were here, just 45 minutes outside the country? Not at all. The names of the candidates were barely known. There was no spot on the news at night even after the supertuesday primaries. Now that each party has a presumptive nominee, does Canada care? ...um, no. Why?
Because America's getting weaker by the minute. The dollar is weak. The military is stretched to the limit. The whole economy is fragile. American schools are the bottom rung on the worldwide educational ladder. Most kids want to grow up and be video game designers. When the "future of America" isn't watching American Idol or survivor, or playing mob wars on facebook, they're watching their hero, Miss South Carolina, demonstrate her educational expertise on youtube. Should ANYONE actually be taking this country seriously anymore? Nah, not really.
Do you think that European countries are all holding their breath to see who is elected in November? ... no. They aren't. I can tell you this with some confidence because I am outside of America. When I watch TV at night I have Canadian channels, European channels, African channels, Asian channels, AND an Aussie channel. I can flip through the nightly news in 5 different countries in 10 different languages. They're all talking about the economy. They're watching Iran and North Korea with mild interest. They aren't concerned so much about the war in Iraq, because it isn't their problem. They're watching the dollar fade without any concern. They are extremely concerned about the weather, and food prices, and the availability of food and medicine throughout the world.
And in the end, each of the other countries in the free world are all watching each other. They know each other's concerns, and for the most part, they share one another's concerns. When's the last time that you flipped through your TV at night and saw anything that wasn't American?
Living inside America causes a frightening degree of isolation and detatchment. The media has decided that all that should matter to you are American interests. How many of you have ever seen "The Truman Show" ? It's like that.
There's a rest of a world that has a very different point of view. I can't help but think that it would be better for us if we were allowed (even encouraged) to connect more with the rest of the world than to have the mistaken opinion that what happens in America is all that really matters.
You live in the United States of America. It's a large country. It's a rich country and has a mighty military, so Americans have had a place at the top of the global foodchain for the last couple of hundred years. Most of what you hear is about America. Most of your TV shows are American shows. The talk shows are about America, the evening news shows are about America, the newspapers are about America. If you aren't VERY, very careful, you might let the importance of AMERICA get blown way out of proportion in your thinking. Like to somewhere around 99 or 100%. If you aren't careful.
I live in Canada. I can be across the border and into America in 45 minutes. You know how important the American primaries were here, just 45 minutes outside the country? Not at all. The names of the candidates were barely known. There was no spot on the news at night even after the supertuesday primaries. Now that each party has a presumptive nominee, does Canada care? ...um, no. Why?
Because America's getting weaker by the minute. The dollar is weak. The military is stretched to the limit. The whole economy is fragile. American schools are the bottom rung on the worldwide educational ladder. Most kids want to grow up and be video game designers. When the "future of America" isn't watching American Idol or survivor, or playing mob wars on facebook, they're watching their hero, Miss South Carolina, demonstrate her educational expertise on youtube. Should ANYONE actually be taking this country seriously anymore? Nah, not really.
Do you think that European countries are all holding their breath to see who is elected in November? ... no. They aren't. I can tell you this with some confidence because I am outside of America. When I watch TV at night I have Canadian channels, European channels, African channels, Asian channels, AND an Aussie channel. I can flip through the nightly news in 5 different countries in 10 different languages. They're all talking about the economy. They're watching Iran and North Korea with mild interest. They aren't concerned so much about the war in Iraq, because it isn't their problem. They're watching the dollar fade without any concern. They are extremely concerned about the weather, and food prices, and the availability of food and medicine throughout the world.
And in the end, each of the other countries in the free world are all watching each other. They know each other's concerns, and for the most part, they share one another's concerns. When's the last time that you flipped through your TV at night and saw anything that wasn't American?
Living inside America causes a frightening degree of isolation and detatchment. The media has decided that all that should matter to you are American interests. How many of you have ever seen "The Truman Show" ? It's like that.
There's a rest of a world that has a very different point of view. I can't help but think that it would be better for us if we were allowed (even encouraged) to connect more with the rest of the world than to have the mistaken opinion that what happens in America is all that really matters.
When Obama makes his visit we will really know the interest.
How do I know. I just got back from visiting family over there and meeting with them and old family friends of the last 45 years. It isn't as rosy as you would like us to believe because they just want Bush gone, and the chosen one wants us to believe that this will be an indication of his international experience (LOL).
The same enthusiasm would occur if any of the more qualified democratic candidates had won!
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Politically, the United States has enjoyed a position of power among the world powers- look at the chart, I think we rank real high; probably, in part because of its strong and wealthy economy (GNP and GDP - there's a formula for that).
People's Republic of China has experienced some tremendous growth within the past decade, while wealth is shaky but more millionaires being born in the US, our industry and technology are falling due to outsourcing. The European Union, Russian Federation and India are among the other already-established world powers which may have the ability to influence future world politics, but the US spends more per capita on military.
I wouldn't poke fun at US fads or pop culture when there's: Pokémon, Sudoku, Numa Numa, Origami, Idol series, YouTube, Orkut, Facebook, and MySpace, all used by Americans, Asians and Canada because it's accessible to those who have Internet or Television. If you're living on a $1 per day, then I guess you aren't classy enough for Pokemon. Why pick on culture when we have World-wide sporting events like FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games? This unites.
Accoring to World figures: 1981 to 2001, the number of people living on $1 a day or less declined from 1.5 billion to 1.1 billion in absolute terms. I believe Canada gave 1.3 billion, while America gave 6.5 billion and if America didn't have to spend $41 billion per year to remove illegal people crossing our borders, we could buy allot more of that GDP and GNP, education, wealth, technology and infrastructure, not to mention, give our troops the protection they need and deserve.
US gave most blood in Iraq too.
Some people care, some people don't.
Some governments care and many more do. America still remains the Land of Opportunity and Dreams, it's why they cross to come here. They aren't jealous, they want to become apart of it.
I do agree, many abroad think America has lost its way, but are eager for us to find the way back.
And to be fair, I didnt mean that no one cares, but consider this....
consider the difference between how in touch other countries are with each other, than how in touch Americans are with the rest of the world.
My point was that our position is slipping, and sadly, based on what our media feeds us, most Americans dont REALIZE how far our position has already fallen.
Would you disagree?
They see our students as weak and ill informed. Because most of technology is now totally out of the US. They know we are broke! They fear we will invade anyone pushing against the norm!
They see us a nation nearly out of control. And GWB has created it.
Please see my comment above.
Hugs
I believe I can speak with just a bit of authority on the subject because of my background, in that I speak fluent German, visits to family and friends of many years and was talking with people all over the country while there. You get a much better take on the subject when you appear as a German to them and relate subjects they are totally unaware of!
Otherwise, Anne has a good point: we over-value ourselves and our importance to the rest of the world. This has a couple of effects on both extremes: on the one hand, the Republicans see us as moral leaders of the free world, with every act having far-reaching positive effects and everyone sits in awe of us. The left, OTOH, believes us to be this brutish empire spanning the globe with our paws in everything and a constant burden to everyone.
Neither one is true.
The US is a lot like Donald Trump: we make the news more often than Bob from accounting, and we sometimes can actually affect what's going on strikingly, but largely, the local power-outage is much more newsworthy. Sometimes, we can make the news by doing something silly, like getting into a spat with the Rosie O'Donnell French.
But I'd still rather live here and complain to my heart's content than anywhere else. Just wish we had a bit more revolutionary blood left in our veins to kick the crooked politicians out of D.C. and finally get back some decent representation for our citizens.
Freedom of speech, liberties, democratic elections, the opportunity to have a wonderful career, the opportunity to control your destiny, Patriotism, community....all those things are not unique to America. There are other countries where the opportunity to do the all of the above is superior and enhanced and encouraged.
Jeez, some of them even have a National Health Care System, they work 35 hour weeks and get one month a year annual leave.
Crime is an exception and not the rule. Homeless, have homes and the standard and quality of living, is higher.
What do we have that hasn't been duplicated and improved on for the benefit of the public in other countries around the world?
Because it has been and you don't have to trust me on that. Those countries are reality. They exist.
What a lost opportunity for America to join the rest of the globe.
Living in Australia, I got to personally observe American tourists and what the Australians refer to as American arrogance. It was a scary thing to watch and I did everything I could do to avoid it.
If a bunch rocked into a pub, I left. Many of my mates would attempt to initiate contact between myself and the temporary tourists but only to have a little fun. The best fun is when they would throw on a heavy aussie accent and talk slang to confuse yank tourist.
The americans that travel overseas, if they are only there for a vacation or holiday, are demanding and high maintenance. They are always, without fail, the loudest ones in the room. Very few if any demonstrated any humility.
It was embarrassing as a american, living in another country.
Bottom line is the rest of the world feels that yanks have an attitude of entitlement. That we are full of self importance, that we think that it's our way or the highway.
Bush at one time claimed he had looked in Putins eyes and saw his soul. What he didn't know was, when Bush left the room, everyone laughed their ass off.
And that's pretty much what you can count on when you go over seas now. They'll look you in the eye, but when you leave your resort room after bitching out the porter, the desk clerk, the matre de at the resturant or the rental car clerk at the airport...they'll laugh their ass off.
"Typical Yank"....is what you would hear.