Why Are American's So Arrogant

[MissScripture]

[quote name='KnightofChrist' post='1622699' date='Aug 9 2008, 02:18 PM']Very sad isn't...[/quote]
Yeah. When I was in about 6th grade, my mom and I had a conversation about what a lot of "bad words" actually meant, and I was shocked that a) most of them had actual meanings other than just cuss words, and b) people would use these words. She always said that it shows ignorance to use words like that, especially when you use them incorrectly.

[Madame Vengier]

[quote name='MissScripture' post='1622706' date='Aug 9 2008, 02:22 PM']Yeah. When I was in about 6th grade, my mom and I had a conversation about what a lot of "bad words" actually meant, and I was shocked that a) most of them had actual meanings other than just cuss words, and b) people would use these words. She always said that it shows ignorance to use words like that, especially when you use them incorrectly.[/quote]

It's definitely the meaning and connotation of the word and the intent, rather than the word itself. For example, the P word is also a word for a cat, but it used as a vulgarity for a woman's private parts and when leveled at someone the connotation is that of weakness and shame. Q.E.D., the real meaning behind the word is that a female -- as characterized by her reproductive anatomy -- is weak and shameful. This is why the word is so offensive to women. I think a lot of people don't even realize this. If they did, they would not take it so lightly.

[Madame Vengier]

[quote name='MissScripture' post='1622674' date='Aug 9 2008, 01:59 PM']I'm not trying to justify the use of the word, but I do think that words like that and other words have become so commonly used that many people, my age and younger, espeically, don't even realize what they're implying or saying when the word is used.[/quote]

So when someone says "that word really offends me" you don't then laugh it off and accuse them of over-reacting. You stop and THINK about the word and why/how it is offensive. Then it'll come to you.

[Not YOU, of course. Just a general "you".]

[MissScripture]

[quote name='Madame Vengier' post='1622727' date='Aug 9 2008, 02:38 PM']So when someone says "that word really offends me" you don't then laugh it off and accuse them of over-reacting. You stop and THINK about the word and why/how it is offensive. Then it'll come to you.

[Not YOU, of course. Just a general "you".][/quote]
Or you avoid using those words.

[Madame Vengier]

[quote name='MissScripture' post='1622734' date='Aug 9 2008, 02:43 PM']Or you avoid using those words. [/quote]


That's your best option.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='KOIfriend' post='1621496' date='Aug 8 2008, 01:06 PM']The Bible says pride cometh before a fall. With the economic recession you are facing right now, which also is spreading here in Canada, I think you should reconsider all of your Attitudes. Your country is not the country you think it is. It is corrupt and evil.

You think that because Republicans [b]say[/b] they are against Abortion and homosexual rights your nation is any more Godly than anybody else's. Well guess what, Conservatives in my nation say they're also against homosexual rights and abortion. And in both nations, nothing ever gets done about these. If you haven't already realized, it's a stupid carrot and the Donkey trick. They dangle that carrot in front of you so they can stay in power.

You are blind, arrogant, and proud. And any other American who thinks the same is blind, arrogant, and proud. Stop being self-righteous, and start trusting in God and God alone. Your government isn't going to make your nation a godly nation, God is through you![/quote]
Well I came a bit late.

FIRST OF ALL...

If you had done any looking of your own, even stopped to consider this, you would have noticed that I'm CANADIAN.

FURTHERMORE

I find it well within my rights to be ashamed of many aspects of my country's laws, and just as acceptable to admire certain aspects of another country.

AT NO POINT did I say that America is somehow above anyone else. I did not make any blind, arrogant, or proud statements.

I would not so politely urge you to cease making uninformed and insulting judgements based on woefully inadequate information.

[KOIfriend]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1622804' date='Aug 9 2008, 05:37 PM']Well I came a bit late.

FIRST OF ALL...

If you had done any looking of your own, even stopped to consider this, you would have noticed that I'm CANADIAN.

FURTHERMORE

I find it well within my rights to be ashamed of many aspects of my country's laws, and just as acceptable to admire certain aspects of another country.

AT NO POINT did I say that America is somehow above anyone else. I did not make any blind, arrogant, or proud statements.

I would not so politely urge you to cease making uninformed and insulting judgements based on woefully inadequate information.[/quote]

agreed

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1621572' date='Aug 8 2008, 01:31 PM']WOW. Now, I don't know if you are Canadian. But by what you have just posted here, I can assume you are. I've met a total of seven Canadians in my whole life (in an American convent.) 6 out of the 7 said to me, almost verbatim, the exact same thing you wrote....! (And no, I didn't provoke them in any way.) I find this incredibly fantastic! At what age do you all learn to hate your neighbor to the South? Is this like in a Canadian nursery rhyme book?

These same Canadians used to love it when Canadian holidays came up, because that gave them more opportunities to bash America and Americans. I also enjoyed their frank discussion on how we were to blame for the Canadian casualties of WWII (we entered the WAR way too late for their tastes) and for all the other problems that beset Canada that we are remotely involved in.

So, it seems there's a lot of arrogance in almost every country in this world. America doesn't seem to be the leader in that area...[/quote]
There's someone up here with us in the North who's indoctrinating us against you.
Trust me, I've noticed exactly the same thing as you. It's ridiculous. You'd be hard pressed to find someone my age defend America... anywhere.

[Madame Vengier]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1622806' date='Aug 9 2008, 03:41 PM']There's someone up here with us in the North who's indoctrinating us against you.
Trust me, I've noticed exactly the same thing as you. It's ridiculous. You'd be hard pressed to find someone my age defend America... anywhere.[/quote]


My Canadian friends told me about it all the way back in 90's, so this isn't new. Just worse.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Madame Vengier' post='1622809' date='Aug 9 2008, 03:49 PM']My Canadian friends told me about it all the way back in 90's, so this isn't new. Just worse.[/quote]
I don't doubt that.
Although I was barely self aware in the 90s, so I can only speak from experience, which is life in a Canadian high school.
It's bad. It's really bad.
No one actually has reasons anymore.

"You're stupid like George Bush!"
"Why is George Bush stupid?"
"Uh... DUH!"
"Seriously, why is George Bush stupid?"
"...iraqiranafghanistankatrinaguatan
obayracistgaybashingguntotingfearmongeri
gantipoorbigbusinesspuppetfbiplottoblowu
twintowers"
"Please stop. My ears are bleeding."

Edited August 9, 2008 by Nihil Obstat

[Jesus_lol]

think of it as the resentment of a middle child towards the sibling that gets all the attention.
nothing against americans in general, but at least we think of you guys, where so many of you brush off canada as insignificant, not worthy of notice. personally i would rather be disliked than ignored entirely.

[Madame Vengier]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1622819' date='Aug 9 2008, 03:53 PM']I don't doubt that.
Although I was barely self aware in the 90s, so I can only speak from experience, which is life in a Canadian high school.
It's bad. It's really bad.
No one actually has reasons anymore.

"You're stupid like George Bush!"
"Why is George Bush stupid?"
"Uh... DUH!"
"Seriously, why is George Bush stupid?"
"...iraqiranafghanistankatrinaguatan
mobayracistgay
bashingguntotingfearmongeringantipoorbig

sinesspuppetfbiplottoblowuptwintowers"
"Please stop. My ears are bleeding."[/quote]

Wow. They sound quite obsessed. Sad. They need to form their own identity and stop fixating on our. Their Freudian slip is showing.

Back in the 90s my Canadian friends (who are conservative Catholics and love America, think their country is going downhill but they love Canada and have no thoughts of emigrating even though they could have after college) were telling me that thay Canadians (it's mainly liberals, they said) have a MAJOR inferiority complex about us and they are fixated on little things. They especially are angry because whenever Canadians travel, foreigners think they are American. No one EVER meets them in Asia or Europe or Africa and says, "So, are you Canadian?" They ALWAYS ask them if they are American and it infuriates Canadians to have to constantly say, "No, I'm from CANADA." They feel like they (Canada) never gets any attention in the rest of the world because America is big and loud and steals their thunder. Canadians have apparently started going around foreign countries with the maple leaf on their backpacks, in an effort to distance themselves from being confused with Americans. My Canadians friends really hate this. They feel embarassed that their fellow Canadians would would resort to things like that because they are obsessed with America.

Anyway, these are not my opnions, just some of the things my Canadian friends, whom I've known for many years, shared with me.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Madame Vengier' post='1622828' date='Aug 9 2008, 04:01 PM']Wow. They sound quite obsessed. Sad. They need to form their own identity and stop fixating on our. Their Freudian slip is showing.

Back in the 90s my Canadian friends (who are conservative Catholics and love America, think their country is going downhill but they love Canada and have no thoughts of emigrating even though they could have after college) were telling me that thay Canadians (it's mainly liberals, they said) have a MAJOR inferiority complex about us and they are fixated on little things. They especially are angry because whenever Canadians travel, foreigners think they are American. No one EVER meets them in Asia or Europe or Africa and says, "So, are you Canadian?" They ALWAYS ask them if they are American and it infuriates Canadians to have to constantly say, "No, I'm from CANADA." They feel like they (Canada) never gets any attention in the rest of the world because America is big and loud and steals their thunder. Canadians have apparently started going around foreign countries with the maple leaf on their backpacks, in an effort to distance themselves from being confused with Americans. My Canadians friends really hate this. They feel embarassed that their fellow Canadians would would resort to things like that because they are obsessed with America.

Anyway, these are not my opnions, just some of the things my Canadian friends, whom I've known for many years, shared with me.[/quote]
Something that we're always told... and I'm not really exaggerating, I do believe I've specifically been told this, is that the rest of the world "hates America" so much that we wear Canadian flags when we're overseas. Apparently that same 'rest of the world' thinks Canada is just the little darling child of North America, and I've been told specifically that people are nicer to you.
I have to say, I am proud of some parts of Canada. Although most of that has nothing to do with any policies we have. I don't really consider leaving, but that's mostly because everyone I know lives around me.
Maybe it is an inferiority complex... thinking about it, it makes sense. What I think though, is that it started that way with the people... older than me, I guess your generation. With my generation, most of us actually truly believe that America is an authoritarian police state with basically everything wrong with it that could ever be possible.
At least that's what my observations would indicate.

[mommas_boy]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' post='1621987' date='Aug 8 2008, 07:15 PM'] It's sickly sweet. I had a bottle of it and I couldn't stand to drink it. I cooked with it instead.[/quote]

I brewed a batch of mead the other day. I kinda liked it, but I don't think that I fermented it long enough. I don't think that I used enough honey, either. But yeah, it was very sweet.

[Madame Vengier]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1622833' date='Aug 9 2008, 04:06 PM']Something that we're always told... and I'm not really exaggerating, I do believe I've specifically been told this, is that the rest of the world "hates America" so much that we wear Canadian flags when we're overseas. Apparently that same 'rest of the world' thinks Canada is just the little darling child of North America, and I've been told specifically that people are nicer to you.
I have to say, I am proud of some parts of Canada. Although most of that has nothing to do with any policies we have. I don't really consider leaving, but that's mostly because everyone I know lives around me.
Maybe it is an inferiority complex... thinking about it, it makes sense. What I think though, is that it started that way with the people... older than me, I guess your generation. With my generation, most of us actually truly believe that America is an authoritarian police state with basically everything wrong with it that could ever be possible.
At least that's what my observations would indicate.[/quote]


That's really sad. And creepy. It really does sound like someone up North is forcing Koolaid down the kids' throats.

Actually, the only thing I have heard of about foreigners' views of Americans that I know is SOLID (i.e. not made up) is that they think we are rude and pushy. And they expect that when they encounter Americans in their countries. There are those Americans who end up being the nightmare imagined and this only perpetuates the stereotype. But when it doesn't happen, the foreigners are happily surprised and then will treat us with the utmost graciouness. Most people just want to be treated nicely, with some manners, and the best is when you do that AND you show you are enjoying their country.

Maybe this would be different if I actually went to a country where they have more deep-seated feelings against us. Maybe then no matter how nice I was they would not accept me because of my nationality. So far I've not been to any such country.

Edited August 9, 2008 by Madame Vengier