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Posted
Why does everybody hate us so much?
One word: ENVY..........Infy

On occasion, yes. Other times because: Abu Ghraib, "collateral damage", unilateralism, Hamdaniya, arms sales policies, Wing nut “patriotism”,etc.

 

Whenever I hear someone say "They hate our freedom",I can't help but think of the pretty girl with no social skills or manners thinking,"they hate me because I'm pretty."

Posted
On occasion, yes. Other times because: Abu Ghraib, "collateral damage", unilateralism, Hamdaniya, arms sales policies, Wing nut “patriotism”,etc.

 

In all honesty, I must agree with these examples also my friend. It is a shame that with all the blessings this nation has received, many times we seem unworthy of them......................Infy
Posted

I believe an important note (and I could probably use feedback from you non-US residents out there on this point) is that much of the hate and anger and whatever are not directed at Americans as individuals, but at America as a concept.

 

It is not the nation, but what they perceive the nation as representing that causes the intensity...

 

 

:shrug:

Posted
Why does everybody hate us so much?

 

TFS

One word: ENVY..........Infy
Infamous hit it on the nose.
I know with certainty, having discussed it with a couple of French women, that this particular question and answer, and widespread agreement with it, is one of the things at least a couple of non-US residents make fun of US residents not about debating, but about concluding. “Everybody hates us because they envy us” is funny to them because they personally neither hate nor envy us. The statement is hyperbole, which, in proper context, is usually funny. (Comparatively, for reasons having nothing to do with hyperbole, they find the tendency of many Americans to carry their wallets in the back pockets of their jeans when traveling in Europe much funnier.)

 

While I’ve never discussed anything with a non-US resident terrorist, like many Americans, I’ve studied several of them indirectly, mostly through journalist’s descriptions and their authentic speech and writing. I think it’s reasonable to label any person wanting to kill people because they are US residents as hating us. However, their speech and behavior seem not to indicate that non-US terrorists envy US-residents. Can anyone present evidence supporting this claim? (Yeah, I know the watercooler is traditionally an evidence-free zone of hypography, but I’m skeptical of this claim)

 

I know many people who envy us Americans, all legal and illegal Central and South American immigrants working in the Washington DC area. These people don’t appear to me to hate us, but rather are among the friendliest people I know.

 

For the emotions of envy and hate to be simultaneously focused on an object and its possessors, it appears to me that one must have the desire to possess the object, and the belief that the object or an equivalent object can only be had by taking it from its possessor. The hatred of the US associated with such atrocities as the 9/11/2001 attack appears to me not to be the result of this, but of the belief that the US is interfering with the government and cultures of primarily Muslim countries, and especially that the US is providing support to Israel.

Posted
True, they may not undestand why we think we're hated. The fact still remains, the vast majority of the world would like to see us fall. And they may be blinded to their own envy by rationalizing that America doesn't deserve the resources that we have accumulated. Here is what I think is dumb; They don't recognize their own envy and make other excuses for their attitudes about Americans.......................Infy

 

Wow, your head really fits all the way up there, huh?

 

Your post is indicative of why there is a general feeling of antipathy directed towards America.

 

A few years ago I was watching a program about the aftermath of 9/11. Political figures from several countries got together and had a chat over the dinner table. At a point in the conversation the subject came up and the American's response was "Everybody hates top dog". Completely oblivious, so desperate to lay blame at others feet.

 

If top dog wasn't an arrogant jerk, if he played fair and honest, nobody would hate him.

Posted
The fact still remains, the vast majority of the world would like to see us [the US] fall.
Can you supply any supporting evidence for this claim, such as the results of a survey?

 

This claim seems extraordinary.

Posted

There are quite a lot of issues that might give fodder for anti-American sentiment, the world over (not as bad as Infamous' perception of the vast majority, though).

 

Amongst others, I could count double standards. Muslim fundamentalism is being seen as the big danger, yet Christian fundamentalism is allowed to infect and infest every walk of American life. Think ID, etc. What's the difference, here? Fundamentalism is bad, regardless of the flavour.

 

Also, lack of respect for sovereignty of other states as and when the US see fit. The US shouldn't expect others to respect its borders and national integrity, if its not willing to return the courtesy.

 

Corporate bullying, etc., also might be indicative of world opinion towards the US.

 

Modern-day slavery, where the US intentionally shifts factories from US soil (where restrictive labour laws are in place) to third world countries where people are paid a dollar a day to sew ridiciously overpriced Nike sneakers together in miserable conditions, because the capitalist mantra dictates that it should be so - regardless of the cost in human dignity and quality of life. This is done, regardless of good American working folk losing their jobs to the Third World. I'm not saying the Third World don't need investment, what I'm saying is that US Big Business don't seem to care about either the Third World people they're exploiting, or the American workers who are now unemployed. This to me is wrong.

 

The US blindly supporting Israel is also cause for concern.

 

There are a lot of possible reasons, I can go on. But I don't think its as easy as saying the world don't dig the the US because they're 'envious'. Personally, I find the obsessively materialistic approach to life that is so characteristic of what we (non-US people) perceive as 'American', rather distasteful. There is so much more to life than chasing after Mammon, and life is, indeed, short.

Posted
“Everybody hates us because they envy us” is funny to them because they personally neither hate nor envy us.

 

Your exactly right. To hear someone say "oh you just dont like me cos you want to be me" sounds arrogant, when in the first place you dont not like them nor want to be them.

 

I am glad to be Australian, I would rather be Aussie and not american. And I most certainly dont hate americans, nor the idea/concept of americans, you guys are really trying to make a difference in the world, but sometimes I think you need to take a step back and listen a bit more.

Posted
Can you supply any supporting evidence for this claim, such as the results of a survey?

 

This claim seems extraordinary.

I tend to believe that the majority of people in the world that truly feel this way are not going to be honest enough to admit it. Therefore, I can't support that statement with any hard facts, however, if we consider the greater population of China, Russia, much of the world Muslim population, and including a good percentage of Europe, I think my statement is a fair assessment of the reality. Let's qualify it and say that the statement is just my personal opinion. Because, in truth, the title of this thread is; Difference of opinion, is it not? ............Infy
Posted
You must be aware that the majority of people in the world that truly feel [envy] this way are not going to be honest enough to admit it. Therefore, I can't back that statement up with cold hard facts...

 

Infy, this statement really sounds like that of a paranoid/delusional person:doh:

 

I don't believe most of the world hates us or envy's us. I do believe there are a number of terrorist organizations and fundamental extremists which do want the US to fall and get out of the middle east.

I don't believe they dislike or hate us because they envy us though.

Posted
Infy, this statement really sounds like that of a paranoid/delusional person:doh:

You're intitled to your opinions also Zythyn. The fact remains, the greater part of the communist socialist world is not only wishing for our demise, they are actively working towards those ends. And like I stated in my fomer post, China, Russia, and a host of other socialists nations are planning strategies for our down fall. Along with the radical Muslim movement, these forces are working against us on every hand. Might sound paranoid/delusional to you, but I see it played out everyday in the news and within world events.................Infy
Posted

Infy, if you see it, that constitutes evidence. Please share that with us. You stated you had no evidence which is what prompted my reaction.

 

Again, I don't doubt there are some organizations that don't like us and some that hate the US government.

Posted
Infy, if you see it, that constitutes evidence. Please share that with us. You stated you had no evidence which is what prompted my reaction.

 

I haven't dug up any surveys or taken any polls, all one really needs to do is watch the news and read the newspapers. It soon becomes evident.
Posted
The fact remains, the greater part of the communist socialist world is not only wishing for our demise, they are actively working towards those ends.Along with the radical Muslim movement....
The problem is with political ideology.Both communists and hard-line Muslim radicals have a dislike of democracy.That's not envy. The greater part of the free world would like to see the demise communist and theocratic governments. It's certainly not due to envy,its ideological.

 

...all one really needs to do is watch the news and read the newspapers. It soon becomes evident.
It's evident lots of people dislike America for different reasons.I'm still not clear why you think it's envy.
Posted
I haven't dug up any surveys or taken any polls, all one really needs to do is watch the news and read the newspapers. It soon becomes evident.

 

I do. What I see is indications that there are lots of violent people in the world.

I see that extremists hate people. I see that the target of that hate has been the US, Britian, France, Spain, Iraq, Darfur and many other locations and people.

I have seen the people commiting the hateful acts were extremist of the Muslim faith, extremists of one of the Christian faiths, middle aged white guys that lost a job/wife/court case.

If you expand any of the news reports to include 'everyone else' why not expand all of them?

 

This would mean your neighbor hates amish school children:doh:

 

The news is sad, and shows us terrible things. These things are happening and will continue to happen (which is also very disheartening). But expanding what events you see on news to include everyone in a country, or everyone in a group of countries is... illogical:shrug:

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