Since you do say you have never been here, you must admit, that your view of
us is pretty skewed then, am I correct?
Having only been out of this country once, and that was only to Canada, I
can hardly call myself "worldly." However, with the advent of the internet,
even those such as I can come in contact with others from around the world
and get their opinions on life.
It is a common sentiment today to be anti-American, and on the surface,
there are plenty of reasons why this country isn't all it's cracked up to
be. On the other hand, the sheer size of this nation makes all
generalizations quite untrue. You can visit two completely different parts
of this country and wind up with impressions of us as different as, say,
Germany and Japan.
People all over the world tend to hate where they live.. Earth is not the
ideal place we all wish it would be, and those who have a yearn to travel
alot most likely do so because being at home does nothing for them.
Therefore, as a tourist, new places (new to them) are always more exciting
than the boring same old, same old at home.
The middle class isn't the whole of America. They're just the most
obnoxious. I agree with you whole heartedly on the middle-class stereotype
which seems to abound in this country. But to judge the entire nation on one
part of a whole is a bit unfair.
Of course, I am probably the last person on earth who should be talking
about being unfair, but when it comes to the United States, I think we get a
bad rap. This country was founded on some pretty decent ideals, and though
the government seems to have wrapped itself up into a beauracratic jumble of
crap (but then again, whose government hasnt? I recall -not personally, of
course- sex scandals rocking Britain in the 60s) and the blatant consumerism
of the middle and upper middle class with their Starbucks coffee and SUVs is
taking most of the publicity, I believe that there are so much more
interesting and amazing human beings here than we are ever given credit for,
myself not included!
Oh, and this is by no means me trying to start a debate, i just wanted to
say my piece. Thanks.
Chad
*-----Original Message-----
*From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Paul Secular
*Sent: Monday, November 08, 1999 12:22 PM
*To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*Subject: End of debate
*
*
*>Prejudice is usually born from ignorance. Just curious, have you
*>spent any
*>time in the States, Paul?
*
*Are you *KIDDING*?!
*Why would I want to spend any time in the States?!!?
*
*But seriously...
*I've thought about it, and it's not really that I'm prejudiced.....
*not in the way that bigots are.....
*it's just that there are things about America, the middle-class etc., that
**I don't like*
*In the same way I don't like the fact that non-vegetarians eat
*meat. And the
*fact that farmers farm animals.
*You see what I mean?
*
*Anyway - I'll admit that I go over the top on the list.... just
*that I find
*it funny winding people up!!!
*You all know what I mean.... you seem to enjoy winding *me* up
*enough!!!!!!!
*
*;)
*
*Paul
*
*PS. All (or most anyway...) Americans (mods/tourists in clubs
*etc.) I've met
*that I've got on with tell me that they despise the USA..... and that they
*don't want to live there! What's that tell me huh?
*
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