I've seen it asked here a few times, 'why do people hate America so much?' or why do Europeans feel they're superior to Americans?
For fellow Americans reading this: Imagine a world where the following was true.
Imagine 90% of all movies released in your country are about England. 80% of said movies are of a very similar, not-so-intelligent nature that you, as an educated person, can see appealing to the less intelligent sectors of your society and heavily influencing them. Said movies appeal to the lowest common denominator of society, the TV couch potatoes who influence the ratings, so the TV stations keeping buying English TV shows, cause they seem popular.
Imagine that some of those movies about England changed or skewed historical fact to make England look that little bit braver, that little bit more important.
Imagine that when you turned on your TV 90% of what was on was English programs, starring English people in England. Imagine you saw your son or daughter trying to act like some English person on TV because that was what was 'cool' to do in the schoolyard.
Imagine that many programmes from this Anglo-oriented TV schedule showed lots of very ignorant/under educated English people arguing and fighting, for the sake of ratings.
Imagine that 90% of the music you could listen to on radio was from England, sung by English people, talking about their lives in England.
Imagine that these same singers and movies stars, all from England, thought America and Canada were the same place, and were unconcerned when told otherwise. It doesn't matter to them because their market is England and the rest of the world buys their movies/songs anyway, so who cares right?
Imagine that at every given opportunity English people would assert their right to proclaim how truly great their country was, scoffing at any other country who tried to compare themselves.
Imagine England was one of the single biggest pollutions causing nations, and when the rest of the world tried to take them to task over it, they refused to listen and continued polluting.
Imagine you occasionally met English tourists who were under educated, over weight people who didn't bother educate themselves about your country or it's people. Asking you questions like "So you're from New York? Is that near London?" or <shouting> "My god, these people don't have beefeaters over here!". Imagine that was the stereotype of an English tourist.
Imagine England proclaimed itself the guardian of the world, the world's superpower, and yet occasionally decided to attack other countries for it's own gain but promoted the attack as defence of freedom. Imagine knowing that was a lie and yet having to watch all the aforementioned TV shows and movies all following that lie, trying to convince you it was the truth.
Imagine all of the above and then think about whether or not you'd be quick to lose patience with 'English' people.
Of course this is just from a popular culture viewpoint, it doesn't delve into religious reasoning or how middle eastern countries might feel. Just my 2 cents on the whole 'why do Europeans think they're superior etc' thing.
For fellow Americans reading this: Imagine a world where the following was true.
Imagine 90% of all movies released in your country are about England. 80% of said movies are of a very similar, not-so-intelligent nature that you, as an educated person, can see appealing to the less intelligent sectors of your society and heavily influencing them. Said movies appeal to the lowest common denominator of society, the TV couch potatoes who influence the ratings, so the TV stations keeping buying English TV shows, cause they seem popular.
Imagine that some of those movies about England changed or skewed historical fact to make England look that little bit braver, that little bit more important.
Imagine that when you turned on your TV 90% of what was on was English programs, starring English people in England. Imagine you saw your son or daughter trying to act like some English person on TV because that was what was 'cool' to do in the schoolyard.
Imagine that many programmes from this Anglo-oriented TV schedule showed lots of very ignorant/under educated English people arguing and fighting, for the sake of ratings.
Imagine that 90% of the music you could listen to on radio was from England, sung by English people, talking about their lives in England.
Imagine that these same singers and movies stars, all from England, thought America and Canada were the same place, and were unconcerned when told otherwise. It doesn't matter to them because their market is England and the rest of the world buys their movies/songs anyway, so who cares right?
Imagine that at every given opportunity English people would assert their right to proclaim how truly great their country was, scoffing at any other country who tried to compare themselves.
Imagine England was one of the single biggest pollutions causing nations, and when the rest of the world tried to take them to task over it, they refused to listen and continued polluting.
Imagine you occasionally met English tourists who were under educated, over weight people who didn't bother educate themselves about your country or it's people. Asking you questions like "So you're from New York? Is that near London?" or <shouting> "My god, these people don't have beefeaters over here!". Imagine that was the stereotype of an English tourist.
Imagine England proclaimed itself the guardian of the world, the world's superpower, and yet occasionally decided to attack other countries for it's own gain but promoted the attack as defence of freedom. Imagine knowing that was a lie and yet having to watch all the aforementioned TV shows and movies all following that lie, trying to convince you it was the truth.
Imagine all of the above and then think about whether or not you'd be quick to lose patience with 'English' people.
Of course this is just from a popular culture viewpoint, it doesn't delve into religious reasoning or how middle eastern countries might feel. Just my 2 cents on the whole 'why do Europeans think they're superior etc' thing.
