"The rest of the world is laughing at the U.S.!"... but should we care?

[Andrew NDB]

(be it about an imagined lack of gun control, or how "racist" we are, or so on). And if so, why should we care?

[FredWolfLeonardo]

It really depends on what the U.S is being laughed at about, a very broad and vague question which I would answer either way depending on the subject.

[ZariusTwo]

Live life. Care little. Be free. You fought for that.

[IndigoErth]

Ehhh... yes and no. Depends on why.

Our choices and mistakes are up to us to make, just as they are for any other nation. (Not like others haven't made laughable bad choices, too.) But, figuratively speaking, no nation is an island, we share this planet and have an impact on each other whether we want to or not, so no one, including the U.S., should ignore that they also still need to try to be a good world neighbor as well, so in some ways it matters what the "neighbors" think. And if it is losing the status of this nation, yeah, that matters a bit.

[neatoman]

Well, so this one might need some explaination. In Sweden, you can only buy alcohol from Systembolaget, a stateowned corporation that charges more than what you'd expect in other countries. The only exception are bars, where the price will be even more jacked up due to taxes. The general idea is that people will buy less alcohol, to minimise accidents or poor people wasting money.

In this commercial, an American marketing expert is used to demonstrate why it might be questionable to sell alcohol in such a way that the customer is inclined to buy more. The thing is, the expert obviously didn't need to be American, plenty of other countries have loose regulations regarding alcohol. So make what you will of the decision to cast an American in this role.

[triplexxx]

What should be laughed at is those who laugh at others (as in at others' expense). Those who can't find humor in things other than someone's misfortunes, are the biggest objects of ridicule in this world, regardless of where they're from.

[IMJ]

The rest of the world has laughed at the U.S. in terms of blanket statements, hate and bias the the big dog always gets for decades. Probably since the inception of the country.

It's always been whatever bottom feeders a society has in other countries delivering armchair-commentary about the U.S., talking bias and out of their asses all the time. "All Americans are fat." "All Americans are cowboys". "All Americas do is have things and throw them away". It's always been ******** from people in other parts of the world, usually in countries with huge problems of their own, pointing fingers at the U.S. as if they were some authority on civilization.

Until recently. The last few years, the mouths of America have painted a disgusting picture of a generation of people doing internally what the low level thinkers of other countries used to do externally.

So in that particular context? Yes we should care because the regular people of the nation have given rise to it. Back when it was the foolish of other nations pointing fingers because of their own emotional nonsense, no we shouldn't have cared. But now? It's a generation of mouth breathers who better stabilize their personalities and understandings because Russia and China are coming fast, boy.

[frank_one]

As an European (Italian) I'm not laughing at the U.S., not at all! But, honestly, if I ever were to visit your country I would be afraid of being killed just crossing a street with all those weapons around. Having a gun is very uncommon here, unless you are a hunter or... a criminal.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by IMJ

"All Americans are fat." "All Americans are cowboys". "All Americas do is have things and throw them away".

IDK about the cowboys part but they sure got us with the other two.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

IDK about the cowboys part but they sure got us with the other two.

That's ironic because you would brand me a conservative solely for my countering of extreme liberal views regularly, but I stay in shape even in my 40's and re-use things where I can while making every effort to recycle. I'll drive to recycle packing foam because we can't throw it in the bins and I give things to Habit for Humanity, Goodwill and Toys for Tots all the time without throwing them away. And most of the people I know do these things as well. Actually on that note, most the people I know who the rest of the world would define as "white problematic America" are just as conscious about day to day living and are in relatively normal, average shape as well.

But you are an SJW yet here you've cited agreement and experiences in a world view towards the negative end of the countries spectrum. It's just an interesting thing to note.

I don't share your world view. They don't have us on those things at all. Of course there are always examples - it's a big country. But by and large? No, not in my life.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by frank_one

But, honestly, if I ever were to visit your country I would be afraid of being killed just crossing a street with all those weapons around.

I get it, but it's a pretty silly notion (I've lived in rough neighborhoods most of my life -- even Tukwila, WA for a good portion, which was once ranked the worst city for crime in the U.S. -- and have never even met anybody shot by somebody else... except a British guy I know who moved here and claims to be a "shooting victim" but later on admits it was a kid with a BB gun that "shot" him and equates it as one and the same).

Unless maybe you attend one of the "peaceful protests" we've been having. Then maybe your odds of getting shot go up significantly (probably by one of the other attendees).

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by frank_one

As an European (Italian) I'm not laughing at the U.S., not at all! But, honestly, if I ever were to visit your country I would be afraid of being killed just crossing a street with all those weapons around. Having a gun is very uncommon here, unless you are a hunter or... a criminal.

While it sounds like shootings happen all too often, have to take into account that it's also a much larger country and the chance of actually being one of those unlucky people to experience it is still rather small. I'd worry more about aggressive drivers when crossing a street than someone with a gun.

[Leo656]

I live in one of the most densely-populated states in the Northeast and I've never seen a single person with a gun outside of their home property, except for cops where it's "part of the uniform.". And yes, sadly, I've been to New York City, more times than anyone ever should have to in a lifetime; never saw a gun out in the open there, either. I'm sure someone had one, but I never saw it.

The only times I've ever seen or encountered a gun are:
- My father was a hunter, so he had several hunting rifles, until he got arrested on felony drug charges and he couldn't own guns anymore after that.
- A friend of mine is a "survivalist" and outdoorsman; as such, he owns several guns, which he keeps securely in a giant safe that's bigger than a refrigerator. He let me hold one, once, a Glock I think. Didn't much care for it. Pretty heavy.
- I've unfortunately had the cops point theirs at me a couple of times. Not a lot of fun, but it seemed very much like a procedural thing and so while I was nervous I didn't much feel like I was in any actual danger. "Shut Up, Do This," so that's what I did, situation resolved itself immediately.

Like, I really shake my head at how in some parts of the world the U.S. has this reputation, like people just run around like Yosemite Sam or something. The truth is, not hardly. The vast majority of people will never even SEE a gun in their entire life outside of a photograph. You've honestly probably got a better shot at getting hit by lightning than of getting shot by a bullet. Depending on where you live, of course. But if you can avoid places where there's a lot of crack and crystal meth, Surprise Surprise, people otherwise don't generally get shot that often.

I assume it's the hysterical mainstream media that perpetuates the whole Gun-Crazy American myth throughout the rest of the world. The truth is far more boring. Yes, people occasionally get shot. In Cracktown. And yes, people also get shot by police sometimes. Also in Cracktown. It would seem that the most obvious way to avoid getting shot is to just stay out of Cracktown; your odds of survival increase exponentially.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I assume it's the hysterical mainstream media that perpetuates the whole Gun-Crazy American myth throughout the rest of the world. The truth is far more boring.

Yeah. Bingo.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by IMJ

That's ironic because you would brand me a conservative solely for my countering of extreme liberal views regularly, but I stay in shape even in my 40's and re-use things where I can while making every effort to recycle. I'll drive to recycle packing foam because we can't throw it in the bins and I give things to Habit for Humanity, Goodwill and Toys for Tots all the time without throwing them away. And most of the people I know do these things as well. Actually on that note, most the people I know who the rest of the world would define as "white problematic America" are just as conscious about day to day living and are in relatively normal, average shape as well.

But you are an SJW yet here you've cited agreement and experiences in a world view towards the negative end of the countries spectrum. It's just an interesting thing to note.

I don't share your world view. They don't have us on those things at all. Of course there are always examples - it's a big country. But by and large? No, not in my life.

Oh ho ho ho, I am the farthest from being an SJW.

Which country has an ever-growing obesity problem? And which country it trying to sweep it under the rug with fat-acceptance movements?

Our country has a million faults. The only way we'll ever change and try to strive to be better as a country is to at least admit we have them.

What's next? You gonna tell me this country doesn't have a racist problem? Or homophobia isn't a thing here?

[Leo656]

I'd argue that Fat People are our biggest problem. Pun fully intended.

Maybe not the most "dangerous", but unlike other problems you can't just wish it away or pretend it isn't there. I actually have to look at these f*cking people.

[Andrew NDB]

Yeah, there is definitely a growing obesity problem (in a culture attempting to shift glamor on being obese), but I don't think that's what he was talking about.

A racist problem? In tiny pockets of the country where you could expect to find it, sure, but it's hardly like a pressing issue that needs solving. Like if it is, it wouldn't even make the "Top 50" list. Nowhere near what the media is implying. They make it seem like you'll be tripping over 20 "white supremists" a day just going about your business. I've never met one. I've never known anyone that knows one -- that's fake (oh, but go on Facebook and every SJW with a keyboard is finding "nazis" everywhere). Now, there IS growing -- actual -- racism coming from the left and especially the media, with corporations bending to it. That's concerning.

Homophobia problem? No, not really. At least, what little there is is on its way out. In the 90s you would be stuffed in a locker by 20 laughing kids if even a rumor got spread about you being gay, let alone if you actually were... now? You even use "gay" in a derogative way your parents might get sued and you might get expelled. And nobody is getting stuffed in lockers anymore. Turn on the TV and 80% of all new shows have some (mis)representation of the LGBTQ on them. I think the WAVES of acceptance that have happened since then should be celebrated, not the few outliers now and again focused on and whined about to propagate victimhood. Also, that shouldn't be attached to a ramp that ends with 12 year olds being taught about 30 genders in the classroom either.

[Leo656]

I still say stuff is "gay". But to be fair I'm pretty old and set in my ways.

[ChosenOne]

I voted as a non-American citizen who feels that US citizens should indeed care, inasmuch as I was repeatedly told and read everywhere for the last four years that the former President was laughed at the world over, which I know full well isn't the case either at home or abroad, and yet only now is the American (fraudulently elected, and yes, Virginia, there was election fraud) "president" a joke in every single regard but no one seems to care. And those that do care do nothing about it. By all means, wait until the bastard and his handlers turn the country into North Venezuela, install a fascist dictatorship, racial quotas to promote "diversity" (ie, keep the leftist electorate happy with the illusion of change), cause a full-blown humanitarian crisis at the border, and just in general leave the US bowing down to China with Xi's tiny penis in its mouth for all time. /rant

America is the beacon. Please don't let it go out.

[Roseangelo]

Originally Posted by ChosenOne

I voted as a non-American citizen who feels that US citizens should indeed care, inasmuch as I was repeatedly told and read everywhere for the last four years that the former President was laughed at the world over, which I know full well isn't the case either at home or abroad, and yet only now is the American (fraudulently elected, and yes, Virginia, there was election fraud) "president" a joke in every single regard but no one seems to care. And those that do care do nothing about it. By all means, wait until the bastard and his handlers turn the country into North Venezuela, install a fascist dictatorship, racial quotas to promote "diversity" (ie, keep the leftist electorate happy with the illusion of change), cause a full-blown humanitarian crisis at the border, and just in general leave the US bowing down to China with Xi's tiny penis in its mouth for all time. /rant

America is the beacon. Please don't let it go out.

I honestly can't tell how serious you are... which makes this a pretty good example of why I don't care (on a broad scale) about how other countries view the US.

The international understanding of life in the US seems to be based on a handful of grand caricatures about life and politics here, largely narrated by cable news, Twitter, and Reddit. I have a lot of opinions and critiques of the same topics that get repeated in those places, many of those opinions are rooted in frustration at the people in charge of local, state, and federal politics. But reality isn't just what you see on the internet, and making changes for the purpose of "looking good" for anonymous people on the internet (especially people who are probably never going to like anything that we do) is never going to work in the favor of the people who live here.