A typical American?

well, im sure that was objective interviewing at its finest .

hey, are these typical brits?

YouTube video

You do realise, I only posted that because I was asked to?

Originally posted by chillmeistergen
You do realise, I only posted that because I was asked to?

you do realise that wasnt aimed at you?

Good, just the Brit thing 'n that. Because the people interviewing aren't British, I can't really see where it fits in.

Originally posted by chillmeistergen
Good, just the Brit thing 'n that. Because the people interviewing aren't British, I can't really see where it fits in.

the thread starter is a sock troll from the u.k. who apparently hates americans and cries alot. hope that clears it all up for you.

Fair enough. Yeah it does, in a way.

Originally posted by chillmeistergen
http://www.shoutfile.com/v/gSfSsCpR/Why_People_Believe_Americans_Are_Stupid

This was not what I was referring to but it is a much longer video that gets the point across.

Also, not everyone is going to know about other countries unless they study them or follow politics. Why does it matter if the people in the United States know who John Howard is? Other than a coalition of forces in Iraq, what significant things are occurring between the USA and Australia that warrant the average American Citizen to follow Australian politics?

I can understand other countries needing to know about the US government because the US is the most powerful country in the world and has a major influence on the entire world with its foreign polices and aid. That is not arrogance, that is fact.

What about me?

Well, I know about other countries in this manner only because I am a nerd and I actually enjoy studying these things.

I really really want to go to Sydney and interview random people on the street with questions similar to what was asked by that man from Australia. I would love to go to London and do the same thing. If I can ever find the time to do something like that and actually get the funds to make those trips, rest assured, I would post the video on youtube and on here.

Also, the phrase "Axis of Evil" shouldn't really be known to anyone considering that it is a stupid phrase that doesn't make sense anyway. Those three countries do not have a coalition between each other to warrant the use of the word "Axis". The phrase should be more like, "3 countries that the Bush Administration doesn't like very much." I feel embarrassed that my President would ignorantly use a phrase like that.

Originally posted by Schecter
you do realise that wasnt aimed at you?

Calm down.

tsk tsk

Originally posted by Dexter_Morgan
Since visiting Canada people keep telling me Americans are stupid. I have tried to defend them.

I opened my email to this link though.......

Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder has admitted not knowing people speak English in London.

The NFL player might want to check a map before he gets on board a plane for Sunday's prestige game against the New York Giants at Wembley Stadium.

Crowder, who comes from Atlanta in Georgia, may be praised on the field, but confessed geography was not his strong point.

He admitted he did not know until now where London was - or that Londoners spoke English.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/20071026/tuk-nfl-star-they-speak-english-in-londo-45dbed5.html

It is just not some of the americans that are stupid there are some from other countrys too.But because of the war alot of the countrys hate us so calling us stupid is there way of saying so.jm 😉

A typical American is not a stupid NFL player.

And when you say "American", I assume you are aiming at the United States OF America. If you were talking about America in general, you'd be talking about North America (which includes Canada), Central America, and South America.

It is so ridiculous, people taking shots at the US all the time. There are millions living here in the United States, and not all of us are idiots. The people get blamed for their president's idiotic ideas, and actions, and it's not fair. Stupid things happen here, it's true, but why do people think they only happen here?

Originally posted by SelphieT
and not all of us are idiots.

Originally posted by SelphieT
And when you say "American", I assume you are aiming at the United States OF America. If you were talking about America in general, you'd be talking about North America (which includes Canada), Central America, and South America.

possibly if we were living in the 1500s.

Originally posted by inimalist
possibly if we were living in the 1500s.

Rofl

Originally posted by inimalist
possibly if we were living in the 1500s.

So they aren't called South America, North America, and Central America? Please inform me of their new names then.

Originally posted by SelphieT
So they aren't called South America, North America, and Central America? Please inform me of their new names then.

Yes, they would be referred to as the "Americas", 500 years ago when they were named.

however, people from those parts are no longer referred to as "American", as 500 years of history has redefined the term.

To put it bluntly, while you may have some academic merit to your point based on the origins of the word, if people from Canada are "Americans" and Americans are "Americans", though not the same "Americans", the term American is useless and we would end up using terms to define Canadians and Americans anyways.

The meaning of terms, especially those relating to geopolitical issues, change constantly. Do you know who the first Aryans were?

I could go to any country ask loads of people lots of easy questions and theres bound to be a few people who don´t know certain things some people would think everyone knew.

Then put these people on a TV report or whatever.

Pathetic really.

For example I had no idea where porridge came from, yep hard to believe but Ive never considered it. And neither do 35% of brits🙂

Interesting link here🙂

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200706/13/eng20070613_383672.html

To put it bluntly, while you may have some academic merit to your point based on the origins of the word, if people from Canada are "Americans" and Americans are "Americans", though not the same "Americans", the term American is useless and we would end up using terms to define Canadians and Americans anyways.

Originally posted by backdoorman
What? If Americans (as they probably should) invented an original term for themselves instead of taking that of the whole continent's, the term "American" would still be quite useful.

If you think it is useful to lump the entirety of North and South America into one mass of geography or people...

But ya, if the term hadn't changed in its usage it would still mean the same thing it had previously...

If you think it is useful to lump the entirety of North and South America into one mass of geography or people...

Originally posted by backdoorman
Good thing I never said it would be, however, North and South America are indeed one mass of geography.

so is asia and europe. We should then use a term to classify all people from the Chinese to the Portugese?

Never have I argued that the Americas don't exist, just simply that to classify people from Canada, Mexico, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, etc, as one people, ie "Americans" is useless. Not to mention that the use of "American" to refer to people that are not born in the USA causes confusion given the modern use of the term "American", meaning that a new term to distinguish USA "Americans" from NA/SA "Americans" would have to be created anyways, again rendering the outdated use of the term useless.