Schmidt Wrote: Ann Jones, AlterNet, January 11, 2015: Is the U.S. Crazy?Ann Jones writes from the perspective of an American expatriate living in Europe, and often faced with the hard questions that baffles many Europeans, Asians, and Africans about the "increasingly odd and troubling conduct of the United States." America’s trigger-happiness, cutthroat free-marketeering, and “exceptionality” are seen as just crazy. She recently returned to the USA for a visit and had this to say:"It struck me there that most Americans have no idea just how strange we now seem to much of the world. In my experience, foreign observers are far better informed about us than the average American is about them. This is partly because the “news” in the American media is so parochial and so limited in its views both of how we act and how other countries think -- even countries with which we were recently, are currently, or threaten soon to be at war."I would agree with Ann Jones having spent a good portion of my working life as an expatriate overseas. Whenever I returned, I needed a reality check, and when I ultimately returned for good it was a bit of a culture shock as I learned about Fox News and other media sources, and ordinary people seemed so often to be in "La La Land." Or maybe it was just me that was the oddball.Jones writes about her experiences, and her article above is worth reading. I know that Dutch and I share many of her observations and views.
Schmidt Wrote: "It struck me there that most Americans have no idea just how strange we now seem to much of the world. In my experience, foreign observers are far better informed about us than the average American is about them. This is partly because the “news” in the American media is so parochial and so limited in its views both of how we act and how other countries think -- even countries with which we were recently, are currently, or threaten soon to be at war."
Schmidt Wrote: Jared -- Yes I agree. Americans as a whole are not viewed the same as our government, especially when foreign policy is concerned. I think that distinction really applies to many of us expatriates that chose overseas assignments, and in doing so recognized that we would have to live and adapt to different cultures. It doesn't apply to everyone, however. I know some American expatriates that could not adapt, and all they did was complain and criticize while socializing amongst themselves.I considered it honor to have been invited into the homes of our foreign hosts and to be able to talk politics and drink beer (or shahee) with them. It was an immensely rewarding cultural experience that I will cherish forever. The American tourist is also a mixed bag. Many have done their homework and really appreciated what they went overseas to experience. A few others are culturally insensitive.
pgr Wrote: Just in time for this thread is this article from Salon ;http://www.salon.com/2015/01/13/have_americans_gone_crazy_partner/