Trendy Insults

June 23, 2008, 5:46 AM

So for a good while now it's been globally popular to insult America, and with the current obsession with Japan, there's even a rise in self-hating American teens wishing they were in Japan instead. I suppose alot of it has to do with George Bush being a complete dumbass. For some reason many people are unable to disassociate him from the rest of America and think that we're all redneck warmongers like him.

It's also quite popular to insult America for being the fattest nation in the world. I often hear insults about America's obesity, usually coupled with references to McDonalds. In many foreigners' eyes, Americans are nothing but fat slobs who eat nothing but McDonalds. Well, now you all may kindly take your fat jokes and shove them up your fat asses. Australia is now the fattest country in the world.

Moreover, the UK is having major issues with obesity. Sadly I couldn't find any statistics from this year, but it's quite the growing problem. Apparently, a large percentage of adults are either obese or overweight. Not only that, but as of 2006, more than half a million British schoolchildren are obese, so America isn't the only one with a childhood obesity epidemic.

So foreign countries really don't have much room to talk when it comes to insulting America. It's really quite hypocritical of them, actually, and it never seems to stop. UK people (and every now and then people from other countries) revel in insulting America just because they can and they lift their countries up to godly levels while completely ignoring all the social and political problems they have. As a *THIN* and relatively intelligent American, it's getting very tiresome.

Discuss.

June 23, 2008, 6:06 AM

People seem to have a hypocritcal approach to stereotypes. You can't say that the black guy will steal everything you own because he is black, or that all asians are good at maths. But as far people are concerned, thinking all Americans are fat, lazy ignorant cunts is fine, and true. Although it's a relatively recent trend to insult America, France has been taking shit from everyone for ages.

I think you're right, people wouldn't be as willing to criticise other countries if it didn't make their country seem better by comparison. So they feel happy, the irony is that they think and feel better, but their actions cause people to think worse of them.

I don't know what it is like to have people make negative generalisations about my country. The only generalisations are positive. It must be rather annoying to have people think that you are stupid and lazy just because of the country you are born with.

But the reason other countries are getting increasingly obese is because you americans put McDonalds everwhere

Also America is a country that is involved in many international affairs. Most of these will probably upset some people, because America is involved in so many, they upset a lot of people. And human nature being what it is, people tend to focus only on their negative actions.

June 23, 2008, 3:41 PM

*Applauds VR* Thank you, thank you! I am sooo very sick of people insulting America or Americans telling me they're ashamed to be American. No, we aren't all from Texas, we aren't all stupid, and we aren't all fat. If we were truly that stupid of a nation, why would we have some of the top ranking universities in the world?

While it is true that many Americans are obese, it isn't because they're lazy slobs who won't exercise. Obesity and poverty are intricately linked. It's a fact that in the United States unhealthy food is much cheaper than healthy, organic food. It's much easier and cheaper for poor people to eat at places like McDonalds than to cook a healthy meal. Oftentimes, they don't have the time to cook such a meal, as they have several jobs. It is also statistically shown that poorer areas have fewer recreational centers, which means decreased exercise opportunities. And poor people can hardly afford gym memberships. But I digress.

While it's true that McDonald's is spreading to the rest of the world....so what? It's called westernization and globalization. Deal with it. No one is holding a gun to your head and telling you to eat there. It's not America's fault if the rest of the world is developing shitty eating habits.

I realize that many people are unhappy with America's foreign policies. I hardly think we're the evil imperialist that a lot of countries like to believe we are. America does play the world policeman. Why? Because we are the world superpower. When another nation takes America's place, they will, I have no doubt, also take America's place as world policeman.

I also find it so entertaining when people baw about America infringing upon people's rights, and it's usually Americans. Such people are clearly ignorant of the policy's of other countries and just how much freedom the American government gives its citizens. A small example: the government doesn't regulate when stores can have sales. France does! The government doesn't attempt to more heavily tax those whom it considers obese. Japan does! The point isn't to trash the other countries, but to show that America has a pretty cushy deal going. I don't think a majority of Americans realize just how lucky they are.

June 23, 2008, 3:50 PM

Hahahah.

I'm sure you know this already but it's called stereotyping and it's going to be around for as long as ignorance. Every bloody country suffers some form of stereotypical statement - I'm Scottish; think about the ways you could slag me off! Most of it wouldn't be true, though - I'm not a large, ginger, kilt-waearing, bagpipe-playing, sheep-munching idiot, who speaks his own made up language.

Well, actually, I've done the majoirty of those examples but that's not the point. xD

You'll see one "Lose Weight or Die" program, where the American woman has to get a gastric band fitted in order to live more than a year onwards and, suddenly, everyone thinks that's what goes on in America, because the bloody narrator has to fire off these statistics that will do nothing but continue the bad image.

I'm not sure where I'm taking this post but the original point was that America's not alone and it's not something you should really get pissy about. Living in America yourself, I can't imagine hearing too much hype about the shit state of affairs unless you go looking for it.

June 23, 2008, 9:05 PM

Yes i agree with above dude poster.

Its just America's stereotypical view. I AM sorry to have to say this, but everyone usually sees the negative things in life and uses them to their advantage...for what? to be gain popularity. Its bullshit. I dont like the idea of slagging someone off for fun, i see it as slighty rude and disrespectful. Its rather low in my eyes.

Everyone has sterotypical views. Scotland- red haired, hairy, kilt wearing, sheep shagging bag pipe players

Germans- Nazi's. Nuf said

America- fat stupid lazy people

We all have them, but if it annoys you so much, do what i do and simply dont listen and rise beyond it. No one's perfect

June 24, 2008, 7:32 AM

While it's true there are stereotypes for each country, the simple fact is no one really cares about the countries you've mentioned

Sorry. Scotland and Germany are not world powers, nor are they nearly as prevalent in world politics. Additionally, neither country has a globally hated and controversial leader. Because America IS so prevalent in world politics and has such a hated leader, Americans are stereotyped much more often and, I'd say, much more negatively. I've experienced quite a bit of stereotyping and hatred abroad when it comes to America/Americans. Someone once flat out told me, "I don't like America." I find that people-- ignorant people, of course-- have trouble differentiating between America's leaders and American's citizens. I am not George Bush, nor did I vote for him, so do not judge me as such.

And it's not a matter of "rising above it." Ignorance breeds hatred and violence. Ignorance should not be allowed to exist. If someone is clearly stereotyping, they should be corrected. Simply ignoring it is a stupid idea. Obviously ignorance will never be completely stamped out, but people should do their best to eradicate it.

June 24, 2008, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erythritol

While it's true there are stereotypes for each country, the simple fact is no one really cares about the countries you've mentioned

Sorry. Scotland and Germany are not world powers, nor are they nearly as prevalent in world politics. Additionally, neither country has a globally hated and controversial leader.

Not currently but when Hitler was doing his dirty deeds, back in the day, I'd bet my left testicle on the fact that people generalised Germans as murderous Nazis.

Quote:

Because America IS so prevalent in world politics and has such a hated leader, Americans are stereotyped much more often and, I'd say, much more negatively. I've experienced quite a bit of stereotyping and hatred abroad when it comes to America/Americans. Someone once flat out told me, "I don't like America." I find that people-- ignorant people, of course-- have trouble differentiating between America's leaders and American's citizens. I am not George Bush, nor did I vote for him, so do not judge me as such.

I don't think that the stereotypical views derive from the slagging off Bush endures (though, admittedly, it's a contributing factor

) but from bad Press, really. Obesity isn't Bush's fault and the general idea that every American is thick probably comes from those reports you hear about x% of American's not knowing where their country was on the map. I'm not suggesting that it's not been exaggerated but the story's had to come from somewhere,

Quote:

And it's not a matter of "rising above it." Ignorance breeds hatred and violence. Ignorance should not be allowed to exist. If someone is clearly stereotyping, they should be corrected. Simply ignoring it is a stupid idea. Obviously ignorance will never be completely stamped out, but people should do their best to eradicate it.

As much as I want to hump your face for hating ignorance as much as I do, I don't think that's much of a practical response. YOU'RE clearly different to whatever generalisation is made and, as long as you keep hold of that, I wouldn't get too worked up about it.

I honestly do purely blame the Press - it's just blatantly more interesting to the general population to read about the disastrous state of affairs in a particular area, as opposed to reading that everything's going well. I cannae be arsed with bad, useless information in news reports but, let's face it, some folk would just rather hear that "20% of America is obese!" as opposed to "80% of America is perfectly healthy!"

June 25, 2008, 8:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myotismon

I'm Scottish; think about the ways you could slag me off! Most of it wouldn't be true, though - I'm not a large, ginger, kilt-waearing, bagpipe-playing, sheep-munching idiot, who speaks his own made up language.

Wow, that is quite a lot of stereotypes you have there. I didn't know you guys munched on sheep

In America pretty much the only common stereotype I've seen for you guys is the kilt thing, and nobody cares much. Maybe you get ragged on more by the Irish and English than us though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erythritol

Scotland and Germany are not world powers, nor are they nearly as prevalent in world politics. Additionally, neither country has a globally hated and controversial leader.

So true. I never hear much at all about Scotland, and while Germany was known for Nazism...I think now they're mostly known for making kickass cars

Quote:

And it's not a matter of "rising above it." Ignorance breeds hatred and violence. Ignorance should not be allowed to exist. If someone is clearly stereotyping, they should be corrected. Simply ignoring it is a stupid idea. Obviously ignorance will never be completely stamped out, but people should do their best to eradicate it.

Exactly. If someone knows the facts about America and has experienced living here and still doesn't like it, that's fine, they're entitled to their own opinion. But when their opinions are based on complete ignorance is when it gets very annoying hearing your country flagrantly insulted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myotismon

Not currently but when Hitler was doing his dirty deeds, back in the day, I'd bet my left testicle on the fact that people generalised Germans as murderous Nazis.

'Course they did. We watched an old film in my debate class last semester called Why We Fight, it was a motivational video for American soldiers back in WW2. It painted the Germans as a monstrous breed of humans that had always wanted to take over the world, long before Nazis came to exist. It even compared them to the Mongols.