Why do you think that so many people hate Americans?

Question

I'm not American, but I've always wondered. Is it envy? What do you think?

Answer 1

In my experience the views on america changes with the president in office at the time and what he has done to that point. Currently Foreign relations with America are extremely low, the Bush administration has shown a bad light across the country. With the elections coming up I'm hoping that either McCain or Obama (I have more hope for Obama making a difference) will change that view and improve foreign relations.

As far as people calling us fat, stupid, lazy and so on. Well it's all stereotypes. I'm sure America has stereotypes for their country as well. Unfortunately Nationalism is just as potent as racism.

Answer 2

Probably the media, portraying American superstars and stuff. I'm not American either, but have lots of American friends, most are pretty cool people :D

Answer 3

Because they believe whatever the media feeds them.

Answer 4

My best guess is that people think American politicians speak for everyone, and that everyone agrees with them.

That and the fact that we always seem to meddle in everything in the world in some way or another.

Answer 5

May i add i am Australian and i love Americans...  Especially Nick Jonas he is hot! I actually wish I lived in America New Jersey.

Answer 6

I live in America, and it definitely makes sense where the stereotypes come from. Of course there are pros and cons to every country though. Although I feel like America is a little on the worse side..

after traveling to France and Japan this summer, when I got back to America I felt like I flew back to h**l for the first week.

I was so miserable coming back! I really realized where the stereotypes came from. Actually I think I'm still in denial about coming back to America and I just got used to it. I'm glad I live in Los Angeles though over some closed off hill billy city in Georgia or something

i agree with what other people said about how easily we feed into the media here. its actually really ridiculous,

i'm curious to hear more about what people from other countries think of americans/america in general

Answer 7

Americans tend to come across as entitled and greedy.  Our Government has our nose in all sorts of things outside of the country but yet we don't seem to take care of our own problems here in our own country.  Many great people are Americans but many of us are not so upstanding.  As for others not liking us because of envy... that may be true to a certain degree but perhaps if one looked closely they would notice that we carry an attitude which is undesirable.  Only hope that myself and my children can stand with honor and integrity.  

Answer 8

Jealousy. People like Creep need to get a life.

Answer 9

im from america and i dont think other nations hate us if they did why does every1 in the world want to live in america...i really think ppl that come here most of which are not legal they get in trouble and are deployed then they go back wherever they came from and say stuff to only make their view on american look as if america did them wrong...i wish sometimes ppl would try and understand us better than being fat,lazy,and stuff of that nature.i would never put down your country on hear-say so lets not put down my country on it either...

Answer 10

There are probably a number of mechanisms at play, of which envy is just one.

For some Westerners, America is the undisputed bigger brother; always worth challenging, just for the h**l of it. Or perhaps the large, dominant, powerful neighbour who is a little bit too controlling.

For some people in the developing world (and their supporters in the West) America is pure evil and there is nothing it can do to change that.

The need to have enemies, real or imagined, is probably almost as important as the need to have friends.

I am European. I love America.

Answer 11

The same old theme from every american, "it's because everyone else is jealous" "everyone wants to be american" "everyone wants to be in america"Well,I am not,I don't and I value my life too much to ever want to go there.The hatred is there because they are ignorant,arrogant,far,far too loud and unjustifiably boastful.

Edit........T S is an excelent example of the "Everyone wants to live in america".It really is pathetic.My obsevations are NOT based on hearsay.Common knowledge is not hearsay.

Answer 12

They're fat, lazy and sound like hillbillies. And they're Christian fanatics. They also eat McDonalds all the time.

mickjew - lol yeah, I'm REALLY jealous of Americans. Right.

Answer 13

The fact of the matter is that people hate America and Americans because of the nature and modus operandi of America's foreign policy.

In the words of one Canadian:

"It is definitely not jealousy. At least not in my case. We hate how America tends to be extremely arrogant, ignorant to much of the world, and seems to only consider violence the best way."

People hate America and Americans because America has:

. "Supported repressive monarchies and dictatorships.

. Ignored torture and other human rights abuses by (their) allies.

. Suppressed and helped attack democratic movements."

Let us recall that:

. In May 2001, "the United States was voted off the U.N. Human Rights Commission.(as) an opportunity for countries.to express dissatisfaction (with America's foreign policy)".

. "The Bush administration has decided to renounce formally any involvement in a treaty creating an international criminal court and (declared) that the signing of the document by the Clinton administration is no longer valid,"

. "Despite fierce U.S. opposition, advocates of the first permanent international war crimes court.obtained more than the 60 government ratifications required for the creation of the tribunal."

. "(On 3 September 2002), the International Criminal Court held its first meeting.ignoring a U.S. campaign to undermine its jurisdiction by exempting Americans from prosecution;" but in the case of non-Americans, the U.S. Pentagon Department has already set the stage "for prosecution of the Iraqi high command before U.S. military tribunals.for aiding or abetting crimes on the battlefield or for failing to investigate subordinates' alleged violations."

This unilateral action reflects America's Arrogance of Superiority at its racist zenith.

. The Bush administration has warned foreign diplomats that "their nations could lose all U.S. military assistance if they become members of the International Criminal Court without pledging to protect Americans serving in their countries from its reach."

However, despite the U.S. "arrogance of power," the Court could begin prosecuting cases in 2003.

People hate America and Americans because of its ethnocentric and etrocentric policy toward Iraq as opposed to North Korea.

The fact of the matter is that unlike President Saddam Husein of Iraq, the leadership in North Korea has:

.  

Answer 14

you only have to look at their president

Answer 15

It's not envy.  You couldn't pay me enough to live there.

It's not exactly hatred either - it's frustration.

America has all the tools to be a shining light among nations, and they're throwing it all away.

Bible Belt arrogance, g*y bashing, racism, gun culture, illegal wars, flippin off the UN and treaties they've signed - all contribute to a very negative view of the US.

It's Like someone wrote a book, "Democracy for Dummies" and the US set out to break every rule.

It's just sad.  I know many individual Americans and they're great people.  They've just got this collective disconnect - when they act as a country, they put their brains in Park.

Answer 16

People tend to generalize. I'm mexican, people still think that in Mexico we have small cities were short, dark and stupid. And some people here don't like US citizens because they go out of their country and have no respect. I'm not saying that everybody does that but it happens. Besides, other people in europe don't like them because of government, political issues, etc. I have very good friends in the US and have very deep respect for them. But basically is the generalization.....the errors of few.

Answer 17

Well my wife is american and living with me in Worcestershire England and people love her. But she is a very sociable person.