Am I alone in finding American culture rather vulgar and distasteful?

Yes thats fair enough but he has said opinions/facts most people fail to realize.

Just the way American people behave as if they are the centre of the world and the rest of the world is here to serve them. They seem unable to achieve anything with a sense of modesty, grace or class.

Americans' by and large seem to think their country and system is superior. That free market capitalism is the way forward and any country which opposes or questions their ideology is either marginalised or blown up. So obnoxious and ignorant.

Despite America having some of the highest GDP in the world, they have some of the most unequal societies, lowest levels of happiness and just generally a disgustingly vulgar culture where people live in gated communities, ignorant to the world around them and how a successful modern society can function.

Mother Theresa on the US

"This is the poorest place I have ever been"

She was not referring to material wealth here.

Compare the US to say Switzerland, Germany or the Scandinavian countries which also have vast wealth but choose to invest on society and base their culture on good social relations, unity and objectivity.

The problem is that for some reason the American system seems to be rapidly infecting the UK and needs to be stopped.

Instead of Cameron vetoeing the EU, he should break free of America.

x.

I thought you were from the UK ! lol, You get the 'wtf' look from people in texas?!

yes, thats why I mentioned red solo cup haha. He's a nutter !!


I actually met Jay de Marcus (Rascal flatts) on holiday in Mexico a few years ago! That was absolutely amazing, he was telling me all about the country and the band. Apart from that, no I haven't been to a concert yet. I can't find anyone to go with and until this year I haven't been up for going it solo. I'll probably go down to London to see brad paisley though. Contemplating a summer trip either around Germany or America in which case i'll be going to see many more. Got some mates dotted around America so it would be an absolute laugh

Brad sounds amazing live. Do rascal flatts play good live? Watched their live DVD on the tube and they rocked! ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRGITmhhjdI )

As a Brit living in the America for the past two years I hope I can be of some value.
I agree with many of your points, including healthcare which is ridiculously corrupt and takes advantage of those who do not understand the systems, but a lot of the problems with their US-centric world view is down to education.
while I do go to a private British school in the capital, I have many friends in public schools and especially the history they study is very narrow.
The Republican presidential race is a farce, Romney the frontrunner is a popularity-whore who merely wants power, Ron Paul is practically a Nazi however he makes some good points in regards the US need to stay out of conflicts that arent their concern. The only genuine candidate who seems sane is Jon Huntsman, but because he doesnt have MILLIONS of dollars to invest in his campaign he is ignored in marginalised, despite the fact he is the most qualified (having worked under Obama, Reagan, George H.)

I can't wait to move home. /sigh

American culture has its good and bad points. I find the relative lack of class awareness quite refreshing, it is so ingrained in British culture that you often forget how oppressive it actually is. To be honest I think the looking down on US culture is a lot to do with our love of snobbery in this country.

no. just no. it´s stereotyping and not just to jude on any 50 states at the same time. there are so many smart asses around telling we shouldn´t judge or stereotyping a whole group at the same time and these people rep such a post? just no. it´s another haters thread and racist to me. because it´s stereotyping and all about we´re the UK and we are so much better. I don´t say that this isn´t true. I don´t like Americans that much but it´s just not fair to say well, they are all the same. just stupid, vulgar etc. people from New York can hardly be compared to people from Hawaii or Texas, I think. every states has it´s own laws and traditions and also different historical backgrounds if you compare north and south for example. different economic systems etc. so you can´t just say they are all idiots no matter what.

it´s ok not to like American people or the whole American attitude many people there have but you can´t say they are all uncivilised hillbillies because we are not or we think we are not. it´s ok not to like them but respect them!!!!

ok. true but let them do their thing if they like it. laugh about the "chosen ones" (city upon a hill thing from Puritan New England still in speeches of presidents) but why not. if they want to believe that, fine for them. what´s bad about that?

an advice I would give to many American people I´ve met, too. just be tolerant and let them be. sometimes people tend to forget that it´s perfectly fine and good to have different views on things. it enriches life. uniformity restricts conversations. as long as they don´t harm others it´s ok. I only disrespect racism, violence and cowards.

I'm not usually one to defend America, but this whole thread is just ridiculous. Strangely enough, just about everything you've said about America can be said to apply to Britain. How ironic, but then again Brits are known for their irony, eh?

First of all, I'm willing to bet that almost none of the people who are complaining about "Americans" have ever even been to the U.S. or any of its states. They're making their judgements based on Hollywood films and sensationalist news headlines. If that isn't the epitome of ignorance, I don't know what is.

Most British people know very little of countries outside of Europe (or even those in the Eastern Europe); they're as ignorant as the Americans they accuse. Few people speak a second language fluently, and expect to go to other countries and have people speak English to them. They believe that their customs are the best, just like Americans do. American society may be unequal, but the British caste/class system and their obsessive deference to it, is not much better. America has its Tea Party Republicans, you have your BNP and EDL. Their free market capitalism might not be working, but your broken welfare state is no better. Why must you judge others through your own lens and expect them to conform to your customs and expectations? Do you not see the irony in any of that?

As a Canadian, we've managed to maintain a separate culture and existence from Americans despite being right next door, so Americans can't be as imposing as you claim. Yet, there seems to be more American influence over here in the UK, all the way across the Atlantic. Clearly then, British people are welcoming these influences into their society, at least in ways that we and other countries have not. You need to stop complaining and do something about it if you don't like it. All this bitter whining makes you all sound pathetic and immature. You can't eat your cake and have it too.

I've visited America enough to realise that I don't like it, and don't want to live there.
I'm not judging America as a whole, or America's preferences in their cultural values, but they're just not compatible with my own.

Instead of Cameron vetoeing the EU, he should break free of America.

Nobody is saying we are better and I wouldn't suggest that because ironically, I don't think the UK is the centre of the world (like the vast majority of American's seem to think their country is). I have no problem with cultures living differently either. However, what I do have a problem with is cultures which force their ideologies onto others. Can you not see the Americanisation of English culture happening around you? Doesn't it make you feel sick? That a culture would want to force others to live a certain way and dismiss all of their traditional values for the sake of material wealth? Maybe you like that, but others don't and some people feel very passionate about protecting their country's culture and identity.

> Not that much because I am German and I live in Germany.

What other culture around the world forces its ideology onto other people and makes them adopt their way of life/ trade with their businesses/ become dependent on them. It's vulgar pure and simple.

I don´t know how to split quotes so I marked my comments. sorry. I´m stupid. :P

> nobody says you have to like them. I like the fact that they believe they are superior to others because they´re not. if sb offers me a green card I would rather burn it than go to America. I have learnt so much about their history, which doesn´t really exist their ways of life, habits, attitudes, government, economy etc. that I don´t even want to spent my holidays there. :P not that easy to teach English and American culture at school without letting the students know what I think about these wanna be heros having a flag everywhere but don´t even know their owen national anthem. lovely bunch of patriots they are. very credible.

I don't recall calling them 'uncivilised hillbillies'?

I find it kind of amusing when you talk about showing respect to American people. Do you think America shows respect to other cultures?

> No, I doubt that. they pretend to because they "love" everybody they meet. but they only really love themselves the most. but only because they don´t respect me, doesn´t mean I don´t respect them. if you do that to poeple you are as stupid as they are.



I'm happy for them to 'do their thing if they like' in their own country but why come here and 'do their thing'. Screw up our country as well as theirs? Show blatant disregard for manners and tradition for the sake of money. Disgusting. How difficult would it be to learn basic manners ('please', 'thank you' for example)? It's the same language for goodness sake!! But why should they because the world evolves around them doesn't it? We are all here to serve them aren't we?

Nobody is saying we are better and I wouldn't suggest that because ironically, I don't think the UK is the centre of the world (like the vast majority of American's seem to think their country is). I have no problem with cultures living differently either. However, what I do have a problem with is cultures which force their ideologies onto others. Can you not see the Americanisation of English culture happening around you? Doesn't it make you feel sick? That a culture would want to force others to live a certain way and dismiss all of their traditional values for the sake of material wealth? Maybe you like that, but others don't and some people feel very passionate about protecting their country's culture and identity.

What other culture around the world forces its ideology onto other people and makes them adopt their way of life/ trade with their businesses/ become dependent on them. It's vulgar pure and simple.

I don't recall calling them 'uncivilised hillbillies'?

I find it kind of amusing when you talk about showing respect to American people. Do you think America shows respect to other cultures?



I'm happy for them to 'do their thing if they like' in their own country but why come here and 'do their thing'. Screw up our country as well as theirs? Show blatant disregard for manners and tradition for the sake of money. Disgusting. How difficult would it be to learn basic manners ('please', 'thank you' for example)? It's the same language for goodness sake!! But why should they because the world evolves around them doesn't it? We are all here to serve them aren't we?

Haha, okay, maybe I was a bit confusing!... I'm half-American and half-British because my parents are British but I was born in the US. I've lived in Texas for the majority of my life but we spend the entire summer in England every year so I feel like its a second home. I have friends in the UK and know the town where we stay just as much as in the US, haha.

That would be amazing to meet him! All my years in Texas and I've never met anybody, so you're really lucky And you should definitely try to do that! I think country concerts are so much fun because you get such a variety of people there, but they're all there for the music, which is kinda special

Yeah, Brad is supposed to be really good. Rascal Flatts was really good! There voices were great live and sounded really genuine (not auto-tuned at all, really) so I definitely enjoyed them

I'm on the same boat as you, what part of the US are you in?

I was supposed to move back when I start uni but I didn't get in where I wanted so I got to wait another 2 years.

Just the way American people behave as if they are the centre of the world and the rest of the world is here to serve them. They seem unable to achieve anything with a sense of modesty, grace or class.

Americans' by and large seem to think their country and system is superior. That free market capitalism is the way forward and any country which opposes or questions their ideology is either marginalised or blown up. So obnoxious and ignorant.

Despite America having some of the highest GDP in the world, they have some of the most unequal societies, lowest levels of happiness and just generally a disgustingly vulgar culture where people live in gated communities, ignorant to the world around them and how a successful modern society can function.

Mother Theresa on the US

"This is the poorest place I have ever been"

She was not referring to material wealth here.

Compare the US to say Switzerland, Germany or the Scandinavian countries which also have vast wealth but choose to invest on society and base their culture on good social relations, unity and objectivity.

The problem is that for some reason the American system seems to be rapidly infecting the UK and needs to be stopped.

Instead of Cameron vetoeing the EU, he should break free of America.