I need to say this about the world

[Jivin Gerbil]

i just have to post my view on one of the worlds problems(even if i get laughed at or abused). Just keep in mind, i am only a teenager. Ill bet this will be bady recieved because of teh fact that a lot of ppl on this forum are american bt here goes.

I think america is a bit too wound up in nationalism. Sure, there is no problem with having pride in your country, but from the americans i have met throughout the year i haev been in the u.s, and the general perception of teh american publc, i can do nothing more than say that they are too nationalistic. What are poeple going to do? laugh at you becuase you care more about the welfare of others, regardless of gender, age, relion or race than you do about your country's position on the social/technological laddder? i think not! those people do not deserve to get any attention what so ever. I am not saying that America is the only country that is like this. Hell, EVERY country is even mine (australia) but i am just saying that i think america has earnt itself a reputation of being a bit too nationalistic. Just as europe has its reputation of being overy fanatical about their soccer and how russia has its reputation of being very brutal.

I know this sounds old, but i think everyone needs to forget whether their country is better at ANYTHING, including sport and focus on what problems we have instead of what we have worked so hard to acheive simply to be better than someone else. I beleive this just as important as accepting other religions and races and cultures.

On its own nationalism wouldnt be so bad, but i think with the aid of technology and greed, nationalism will be the end of us, and it is all but too late to stop it.......

This is just my view, please do not abuse me for haveing an oppinion.

EDIT - Dont get me wrong though, i am not saying ALL american citizens are like this, that would be down right unfair and stupid.



[This message has been edited by Jivin Gerbil (edited 06-13-2000).]

[CMonster]

I am ngoink yust Vhat you mean. za problems vit our own countrys yust all about zese Amerikans fault... d@M# Amerikans! How foolich zaE ist to imajaine a zense of nationle pride or identity ... zese d@M# upstarts - ve giv dem 300 year zeah tink zeah own hole vorld!

If only ve can strip zem of der national pride zen alla are problemz go avay..yah??

[CMonster]

I think Americans are the most apathetic and least nationalistic of any people - but then again I live in Los Angeles - so we may be a little over integrated with many nationalities here.

~~edit: BTW, I think you have California to thank for the Gerbil's infamy - either San Franscisco or the Hollywood/Melrose area...

[This message has been edited by CMonster (edited 06-14-2000).]

[akaBruno]

Ahahahhahah...

If you think it's bad now, you should have seen it during the decade that you were born.

alf veeder zane, hey CMon?,

Bruno

[scotter]

go to Iran or Iraq or any other country that hates america and tell them that about them self's and see where it gets ya

[Target]

Pride, nationalism, patriotism, whatever you want to call it, is a funny thing Jivin. Your thread kinda bounces around a bit, but the gyst I get from it is that you've not met the best that America has to offer, and you've gotten a bad general impression of its citizens. Its unfortunate, and I hope that your future experiences and open-mindedness will allow you to see us in a different light.

We've earned many reputations throughout the short time our country has been in existence..... some of them accurate and deserved, and others that had no merit or basis. The only sure thing is that they seem to change as often as the weather, and are as varied as the person who has formed the opinion.

Do we have a lot to be proud of about our country? Absolutely! Are we sometimes a little too zealous in our expression of that pride? Guilty as charged. Does it necessarily mean that we generally think we are better than any other country? I guess that depends on the Americans that you have been exposed to. We've got our bad apples too. Not all of us believe that because we have a great country, all of the others are inferior. Most of us aren't naive enough to pretend that we're perfect..... Being nationalistic doesn't mean we are ignoring the problems we do have. Nor does it assume we have all of the solutions either. But thats little cause to put aside our pride.

When I was 13, I built my first and only wooden table, by hand. Its flawed, ugly in some spots with a less than superior design, and needs to be refinished. But I am just as proud of it today as when I created it. For many Americans, our country evokes the same kind of emotion. This is the only country we've been a part of building. We know its not perfect, but its ours, and for the most part, we're proud of what we've been able to accomplish thus far. Will we make it better? Will we resolve our own issues? I guess only time will tell, but surely there will be plenty of opinions on our progress.

I'm not sure I follow you on how combining nationalism with greed, or technology, is going to be the end of us all. Perhaps if you could elaborate, I could understand your perspective a little better.

[hd581]

I think america is a bit too wound up in nationalism.

I'm glad somebody said it. I always felt the same way, that our pride in our country sometimes turned objective arguments into subjective ones (take domestic cars vs imports). I feel that the stem of that debate is a "we're better than you" kind of thing, not about what product is superior.

Also, I've met foreigners who notice how little we know of the world outside our borders. I'm guilty of this too: I only found out a year ago just what and where the CN Tower is.

[tonym]

Ya know,

The moment there's a catastrophe or national disaster somewhere else in the world...even in some obscure little rat-hole, the first airplanes that hit the runway there with food, medical supplies and "humanitarian aid" usually have a white star and US designations on the side.
And we don't do it for brownie points from the rest of the world or to swagger the "superpower" moniker around. Just out of care and compassion. It could well have been us (US).

And when it is us (US), I don't think I can recall in MY lifetime the offer of aid or support or ??? when we've had a terrible disaster (hurricanes, floods, Mt. St. Helens eruption, the wildfires, etc.). Nothing, none , nada!!! Not even an offer (to my knowledge).

If you call nationalism doing a lot for other and asking for nothing in return and then being kicked around in the theatre of world opinion because of our compassion, or lack thereof in the eyes of some, the we're guilty as charged!

I think as someone in a previous reply has mentioned that Aericans as a whole are a very individualistic people...you don't find us taking to the streets demonizing the "great satan" or lashing out at another nation for some transgression. We mostly mumble over our conflakes at breakfast time and go off and work and pay taxes and help others. And most of the social conflict that we've had here has been inwardly directed, tormenting the fabric of our society. Even the Vietnam War was less nationalistic than ideological (we must stamp out Communism).

So, don't mix up national pride with nationalism, the US is guilty of a lot of things but I think we have a poor record when it comes to being nationalistic. We're more capitalistic!


Tony

[mgordon99]

You are right-on tonym. The rest of the world is like "why help the US? The rich, capitalistic Ba%#!ds can help themselves".

Thay point the finger with one hand, while holding out the other for money.

This is not a perfect country by any means, but I love it just the same.

[Warthog]

CN Tower??

Warthog

[hd581]

CN Tower??

Thank you for making my point.

[narayan]

One reason for our pride may be the fact that the government still belongs to the people. "We The People" We the people are the government, so we can truly say this country is ours.


For now, at least.

[tantone]

I'm not going to go one way or the other on this issue.

However, I would like to say that with all that the US does for the world (read TonyM's post), wouldn't you think a bit of pride--perhaps more so than other country's--is deserved?

I will say that I am amazed at those tv shows that ask random American's on the streets of large cities basic knowledge questions and they can rarely get them right. Our educational system sucks ***. People have forgotten that it's it's not so much the responsibility of the teacher to teach as it is of the student to learn.

The lack of a good education might be a part in where the "too nationalistic" attitude comes from.

[Warthog]

Someone told me that on a TV show, they were randomly walking up to people on the street and asking them if they know the three branches of the government. Hardly any knew.

****! I'm 16 and can name all 3: Executive, Judicial, Legislative. Whooopee!

Warthog

[mgordon99]

Warthog, this may help:

http://www.cntower.ca/