When did "American" become an insult?

[bell110]

Well, isn't "French" considered an insult? It was so gravely offensive that our congress changed french fries to freedom fries on house menus. Being French is parallel to being a coward.

I guess we really can expect to everybody to think we are as great as we think we are.

 

[SuperFerret]

Wait... Congress changed french fries to freedom fries? I thought that just started with idiots.


Wait...

 

[The Original Bamfer]

Really, it's just a generalization like that of sexism, racism, etc... Each country has them.

 

[Manic]

Well, isn't "French" considered an insult? It was so gravely offensive that our congress chaged french fries to freedom fries on house menus. Being French is parallel to being a coward. And Japanese are crazy. And Mexians are lazy moochers.

I guess we really can expect to everybody to think we are as great as we think we are.

Don't forget changing "french toast" to "liberty toast." God knows why they didn't go with "cinnamon toast" like normal people.

 

[knowsbleed]

It's really interesting if you think about it. The US consists of every single ethnicity/nationality in the world... yet when some other countries think of "Americans"... they don't think of American versions of their own ethnicity.

 

[The Sarge]

I do.

 

[Lantern Venom]

Honestly, I even hear it from actual Americans regarding entertainment or ways of doing things, like "that's such an American *insert such and such here*. Some kid on IMDB basically used it as an attack due to his hatred of The Hurt Locker flick, saying that "Americans will probably like it, of course." Have we become that huge of an a-hole country or something?

There is a lot of stereotyping of Americans on the internet. I think some people in other coutries have the image of a country full of buck-toothed, illiterate, shotgun toting hayseeds.

*That being said, it isn't as if America doesn't do the same thing to other countries. I've heard countless jokes and seen countless representations of Europeans as: soft, stuffy, arrogant, hygenically challenged (especially oral hygiene), alcoholic, and fat.

* Let me state that I don't adopt such stereotyes. I'm simply pointing them out.

 

[chamber-music]

There's this rant I've done a few times in the Doctor Who and (defunct) Torchwood threads. It's about how American characters who appear in Russell T. Davies' Doctor Who universe are all bastards. I call it the "Dastardly American" archetype. Starting from the 2005 season/series, we've seen stupid American businessmen who capture hostile aliens that threaten the planet, stupid American businessmen who willingly serve hostile aliens that threaten the planet and the human gene pool, evil little American geniuses who are willing to sacrifice the human race to a bunch of war-mongering aliens, American soldiers who order our favorite supporting characters to destroy the Earth, and presidents who like to snatch power from the UK's prime minister (granted, the prime minister turned out to be evil in that episode, but the president didn't know that before taking all diplomatic duties away from him).

Russell T.Davis is more anti-authority than anti-american.
He makes villains of Time Lords, Goverments, Militaries ect. America is considered a global authority (which you could take as a positive thing) so its leaders are evil just like the British ones are. Average Americans in stuff such as daleks in manhattan are shown no different from general people anywhere else.

Who cares. At least the Galactic Empire is British. They're like, the most evil villains in all of sci-fi.



Have you ever heard one of these guys speak with an American accent? Didn't think so.

Darth Vaders accent - do I win the no prize now. j/k t:

There is a lot of stereotyping of Americans on the internet. I think some people in other coutries have the image of a country full of buck-toothed, illiterate, shotgun toting hayseeds.

*That being said, it isn't as if America doesn't do the same thing to other countries. I've heard countless jokes and seen countless representations of Europeans as: soft, stuffy, arrogant, hygenically challenged (especially oral hygiene), alcoholic, and fat.

* Let me state that I don't adopt such stereotyes. I'm simply pointing them out.

I got to say this probably has some truth in it. American television, films and media are shown all over the world. Plus all those crazy wierd people you guys give tv shows to

But every country has stereotypes and every country gets mocked from time to time. When it comes to identity America on the whole is viewed as not having the ability to laugh at its self or be self-deprecating (not my personal view but I have heard some Americans and non-Americans actully say this).

 

[Erzengel]

Honestly, I even hear it from actual Americans regarding entertainment or ways of doing things, like "that's such an American *insert such and such here*. Some kid on IMDB basically used it as an attack due to his hatred of The Hurt Locker flick, saying that "Americans will probably like it, of course." Have we become that huge of an a-hole country or something?

I am a real American, fight for the rights of every man,
I am a real American, fight for what's right, fight for your life!

 

[ChickenScratch]

Wait... Congress changed french fries to freedom fries? I thought that just started with idiots.
Wait...

You are correct, congress didn't do that. People wanted to change the name and they did. Just like sauerkraut was called "liberty cabbage" when we were fighting the Nazis.

 

[katie_girl09]

Honestly, I even hear it from actual Americans regarding entertainment or ways of doing things, like "that's such an American *insert such and such here*. Some kid on IMDB basically used it as an attack due to his hatred of The Hurt Locker flick, saying that "Americans will probably like it, of course." Have we become that huge of an a-hole country or something?

International relations have made the USA unloved by the rest of the world. No offense.

Did you honestly just realize that?

 

[Obi-Ron]

There is a lot of stereotyping of Americans on the internet. I think some people in other coutries have the image of a country full of buck-toothed, illiterate, shotgun toting hayseeds.

I had a discussion at work about this the other day.

CO-WORKER: Look how every American is portrayed in Japan - every one is shown waving a gun around. They must think we're a bunch of gun-waving maniacs!

OBI-RON: Good!!! Bet they'll think twice about attacking our military bases again.

That shut him up.

 

[Metamorpho1977]

You're just now noticing that people make fun of Americans? We've been the butt of many-a-joke since forever. We're seen as loud, obnoxious, bossy, fat, lazy, hypocritical, arrogant, and none too bright. Basically, we're a country full of Homer Simpsons' (thanks, 20th Anniversary episode, for giving me that metaphor).

We're also the first on the scene to give aid to whoever has experienced some major disaster. But I guess that doesn't mean anything.

 

[Manic]

We're also the first on the scene to give aid to whoever has experienced some major disaster. But I guess that doesn't mean anything.

Americans giving aid doesn't make for a good joke.

Think about it this way: What stereotypes do we have about Japan?
-Timid, bowing businessmen
-Giggling schoolgirls
-Stupid/wacky inventions
-Lonely men dating robots, getting off on porno anime
-Young adults in crazy clothes and dyed hair
-Spikey-haired street racers

Never mind that they're one of the most technologically innovative nations in the world right now-- we gots jokes ta crack!

 

[VampElvis]

Don't forget changing "french toast" to "liberty toast." God knows why they didn't go with "cinnamon toast" like normal people.

Ummm, maybe because fren, errr, liberty toast and cinnamon toast are two different food items?

 

[VampElvis]

I am a real American, fight for the rights of every man,
I am a real American, fight for what's right, fight for your life!

I prefer:
America!
America!
America **** YEAH!

 

[StorminNorman]

When you are the best, people resent it.

 

[Logan's Lady]

I think all Americans are born with patriotism that their country is better than any other out there.
I think when they take on the experience to live in another country for a while and really deal with culture shock, it's then that they realize that there are wonderful things about each and every country.

When I lived in England for 9 months (and for 3 weeks of that time traveled Europe) I learned that though it's great to be American... we're not the greatest country on the face of the earth. Every country has it's own things to be praised for

 

[Logan's Lady]

When you are the best, people resent it.

Have you ever been to another country?

 

[Immortalfire]

Well the south hurts America....Bush...Fox News.....yeah.


And plus they're well....fat....no offense.

Shut your mouth, you Canadian.

 

[Manic]

Ummm, maybe because fren, errr, liberty toast and cinnamon toast are two different food items?

Really? I was under the impression that they were the same thing my entire life. I've never had any other kind of toast that's cinnamon-y.

 

[ChickenScratch]

Have you ever been to another country?

I always ask that of people taking about this country in relation to others, be it the "we are number one" or the "we suck, we should be more like X." I've lived in 8 countries and there's no other place I would rather be. Though I do have many other countries I love.

 

[BillyZaned]

Well the south hurts America....Bush...Fox News.....yeah.


And plus they're well....fat....no offense.

Pretty much... think about how the rest of the world sees us

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[BillyZaned]

Have you ever been to another country?

and that's the really sad part about many of these cowboy Americans... who beleive that we are always the best, .... always right... and that we can do everything by ourselves, and that your either with us or against us....

so dillusional in every way... it's almost kind of sad really....

I've been to Canada, England, Germany, and France... and to tell you the truth, I truelly beleive America is behind in so many ways, that it's gut wrenching... and the reason we hold ourselves back as a society, is the because we keep on viewing ourselves us superior...

 

[bgates87]

If the Earth was a High School, America is perceived as the Super Jock. You know, the Quarterback of the Football team, dating the hottest cheerleader, has a Mustang his parents bought him, gets straight A's just by showing up in class. Some people are just looking for a reason to hate us, and when they find one they ignore everything else.