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Originally Posted by Still Growing  America has a huge upper middle class and a huge lower middle class which creates an over all lower test score and averages. So when it comes to education and world knowledge it would depend upon which American you are speaking to. What I mean to say is that the US has a system of disparity which skews data. Socialistic countries have higher averages however this does not mean that the US cannot compete going head to head in int'l commerce. If you asked a general laborer in a socialistic country a question about the world he is more likely to know the answer than his American counterpart. Kudos but it doesn't tell the full picture.
As for the remark about Americans being lazy, greedy, selfish and entitled; I think this is more a result of modern society. As we loose more of our culture and the world becomes more Californicated into pop culture, fast food , etc. it has an affect of desensitizing the masses. The US does not have a strong cultural base as France, for example.
Some other adjectives that you left out when discribing Americans are hard working, ambitious, ingenuitive and free thinkers. On average, Americans work hard (maybe too hard) and are very upwardly mobile. Also, Americans have free thought and less restriction in problem solving on average. Not to mention any nations by name but some countries are too regimented (on average ) and they have their own unique approach to product manufacturing. In addition, Americans are great marketers and it is home to the concept of franchising and other modern marketing techniques.
I hope those int'l readers to this post don't think that I'm a "typical arrogant American" who thinks they're the best. I'm merely stating that each country has strengths in its system. Thats what makes the world interesting. I am simply giving the other side to the notion that Americans are stupid or ignorant. We all know that you can take data and manipulate it and we all know that American must be doing some things right to be a member of the world economy. I don't think the US is number one but it is unique; just like Germany is unique, Japan is unique and so on. As I travel around the world I receive negative feedback about being from the US. To lump an entire nation of people into a group is stereo-typing and anyone who does this is the ignorant one. (clearly). Whenever you generalize you simply show your own limitations in understanding.... |
I fully agree with your statement.I did not mention the overwheming positive aspects of Americans because the bent of this post was negative. I was trying to paint the picture that the negative aspects of America are as such. I actually do think there are a LOT of hard working people who are very intelligent.I guess maybe I should have expanded on my post, but I was running late thanks for your in-put. G