Ugly American x10 in Korea.

[MyLittlePony 340]

America is great land of the free freedom of speech.

[keysjangle 145]

Alan does have a very good point. I come from a mixed WASP/Mediteranian family where manners were drilled into me. From my WASP side it was things like no elbows on the table, how to place a fork and knife on the plate when you've finished eating, saying grace, and of course please/thank you/excuse me. From my other side it was more like, if you are going to have a piece of gum/a cookie/drink etc you always offer it to your guests/company first then you can have it. Generosity is huge, I always pay for my friend when we eat out because I know sometimes he can't afford it, and I don't care if he doesn't pay it back. I actually get angry when people won't take my money sometimes.

With Americans I've met though... It horrifies me. Even my husband didn't have "please" and "excuse me" in his vocabulary, although now my family and I have drilled it in. I had a literature professor from Chicago tell us he knew he was becoming Canadian when he bumped into a light post and apologized

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

You know, come to think of it, I'm sure the big difference between the young people of the UK a few weeks back and Americans is they said please and thank you before they availed themselves of free TVs and burned down people's homes.

[Captain Oates 910]

America is great land of the free freedom of speech.

I suspect that you are not for real.. your 2 posts are real troll meat

Afghanistan ?

Scanty personal details

Yes I claim the bounty for detecting a fake account !

You know, come to think of it, I'm sure the big difference between the young people of the UK a few weeks back and Americans is they said please and thank you before they availed themselves of free TVs and burned down people's homes.

and stabbed people with a knife and fork - and not just a fork

[Captain Oates 910]

Alan does have a very good point. I come from a mixed WASP/Mediteranian family where manners were drilled into me. From my WASP side it was things like no elbows on the table, how to place a fork and knife on the plate when you've finished eating, saying grace, and of course please/thank you/excuse me. From my other side it was more like, if you are going to have a piece of gum/a cookie/drink etc you always offer it to your guests/company first then you can have it. Generosity is huge, I always pay for my friend when we eat out because I know sometimes he can't afford it, and I don't care if he doesn't pay it back. I actually get angry when people won't take my money sometimes.

With Americans I've met though... It horrifies me. Even my husband didn't have "please" and "excuse me" in his vocabulary, although now my family and I have drilled it in. I had a literature professor from Chicago tell us he knew he was becoming Canadian when he bumped into a light post and apologized

I love to discuss these cultural differences because they are part of this new life experience I am having, and I miss out not being able to compare and contrast. I can't though because one of the cultural differences is that Americans are incredibly paranoid if they detect a hint of 'Criticizing America' and they come screaming out of the woodwork from all angles and use the dirtiest tricks to pound the perceived criticizer into the dirt. I know this at first hand because my wife is American and won't let me laugh at the blinding white teeth of the TV presenters.

I can report that this is not the case in England where we are the first to agree that city streets are a disgrace and the underclass is forever present and the weather is horrible etc etc etc. I suppose we balance that acceptance of our flaws, with a deep seated and unspoken smug assurance that our other cultural attributes more than offset all that.

Discussing these differences is NOT denigrating America. I have tried giving it balance by waxing lyrical on the wonderful things about the USA and preparing my audience for one tiny little negative - hoping they will accept it if I prepare the ground first. It doesn't work. Only 100% approval of the USA can be allowed otherwise the mighty fist comes down. It's a cultural thing and there is no sign of it changing. I have concluded that it comes from a deep seated inferiority complex and I try to remove that first before mentioning...anything ?...but without success.

As far as politeness is concerned - as long as things are going well, the USA has to be the politest society in the world. My friends at my rifle club treat me with incredible grace and politeness and friendliness. However, as soon as your status changes to opponent or outsider (eg a Mexican) - every foul word in the American English vocabulary will be used and every dirty trick employed to crush you

It's a cultural thing. Its very interesting but quite exhausting to navigate it

Of course these are stereotypes but sterotypes are valid as an aid to survival in the time before an individual's characreristics are known. For instance, stereotyping a bull in a field as a potential threat, is very useful and doesn't exclude making a pet out of it later when its true nature is ascertained.

Edited September 1, 2011 by Alan the Red

[Ban Hammer 12,863]

Yes I claim the bounty for detecting a fake account !

you're about 3 days too late.

[slim 1,514]

I tried to explain to my wife when she first got here that America, while being the most free country in the world, doesn't necessarily mean you're free to do what you want when you want.

It means you're free to apply for the proper permit, license, approval, etc.

[Captain Oates 910]

you're about 3 days too late.

Dash !

I was going to have a second career as Dog the Bounty hunter - then I found someone had already got the name - and now my first capture has been gotcherd before I had chance to get my bandana and gold rings and big belt on

oh well

[Captain Oates 910]

I tried to explain to my wife when she first got here that America, while being the most free country in the world, doesn't necessarily mean you're free to do what you want when you want.

It means you're free to apply for the proper permit, license, approval, etc.

...and you can say anything you want any time and any place you want to say it - so long as you realize there are consequences and they hurt and are expensive

eg going to texas and saying big hats look silly and then referring to the 1st and your right to say it, will avail you but little I fear

...especially if they seceeded last night and you didnt see the news on the telly

[MyLittlePony 340]

Not a fake or a troll so stop being jude

[Captain Oates 910]

Not a fake or a troll so stop being jude

Who's jude ? Hey Jude ? .. or is it a verb ?

[_Simpson_ 250]

Alan does have a very good point. I come from a mixed WASP/Mediteranian family where manners were drilled into me. From my WASP side it was things like no elbows on the table, how to place a fork and knife on the plate when you've finished eating, saying grace, and of course please/thank you/excuse me. From my other side it was more like, if you are going to have a piece of gum/a cookie/drink etc you always offer it to your guests/company first then you can have it. Generosity is huge, I always pay for my friend when we eat out because I know sometimes he can't afford it, and I don't care if he doesn't pay it back. I actually get angry when people won't take my money sometimes.

With Americans I've met though... It horrifies me. Even my husband didn't have "please" and "excuse me" in his vocabulary, although now my family and I have drilled it in. I had a literature professor from Chicago tell us he knew he was becoming Canadian when he bumped into a light post and apologized

I would argue that your situation doesnt speak for most people. In my neck of the woods these words are very common. One thing I do find different/odd about my wife's culture is that the birthday boy/girl pays for party. As far as who will pay for dinner, IMO who ever did the inviting should pay unless the other insists to pay for their own.

Edited September 1, 2011 by _Simpson_

[Captain Oates 910]

Not a fake or a troll so stop being jude

Come out of the shadows - your profile is as bare as Bernake's bone dome - it looks like you are hiding something.

I understand that the Taliban may be after you and you might have been put in a safe house in CA. In that case though , you wouldn't be so uncomplimentary about the Americans. Anyway, that's my job and you would need a work permit do it

Actually, now I am an American, its a form of self abuse and I could be whisked away for my own good

So come on and tell us more about yourself and why I cant be Jude.

In America you can be anything you want - except on VJ where you have to be you.

Perhaps your "Judy in disguise ?"

Why don't you start by telling me which disqualifies me from heaven the most - eating pork chops or being an unbeliever ?

PS Welcome to VJ - peace be up your Khyber

[MyLittlePony 340]

I will do what ihave to do and just ignore you.

[Captain Oates 910]

I will do what ihave to do and just ignore you.

Did you and I used to be married ?

Your acclimatisation is coming along apace