Trendy Insults

[Rockman X]

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.

 

[Donald Trump]

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.

 

[Erythritol]

*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.

 

[Davey Gaga]

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.

 

[Dark-Angel]

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

 

[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. 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.

 

[Davey Gaga]

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.

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,

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!"

 

[Rockman X]

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.

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

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.

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.

 

[aerocrystal]

well the thing is, I could understand someone from a third world country hating America, especially one that is highly culturally different from the US and the west and has dealt with western imperialism for hundreds of years. I could argue with you Eryth. that McDonalds and other Western companies can actually be really damaging to third world countries, but I'll get to that in a future post.

However, for Australians and UK people and other western Europeans to continually bash America is ridiculous. Most of them have pretty much the same foreign policy, government, and cultural problems that we do.

Furthermore, in some of those countries, as Eryth. mentioned there are even more problems with personal freedom, poverty, gender, immigration, and race relations than in America. America treated our native population like shit for hundreds of years (and according to many people, still does), but have you listened to how horrible Australians get when they talk about aboriginies? Now I'm not an expert on Australia so correct me if I'm wrong, but at least most Americans seem to have pride and interest in the native culture. Amongst any of the Australians I've ever spoken too, that seems really rare. (Again, correct me if I'm wrong).

 

[Red_Mage]

I'm proud to say that I'm living in the country with my favourite stereotype... Eh?

But seriously, I've nothing against the U.S. I've been there, I like it. I do hate Bush, but so does 90% of the country he runs, so I'm pretty normal on that view. Actually, I even keep up with American politics and isssues. I think the whole obesity thing is overblown.

 

[Rockman X]

Furthermore, in some of those countries, as Eryth. mentioned there are even more problems with personal freedom, poverty, gender, immigration, and race relations than in America. America treated our native population like shit for hundreds of years (and according to many people, still does), but have you listened to how horrible Australians get when they talk about aboriginies? Now I'm not an expert on Australia so correct me if I'm wrong, but at least most Americans seem to have pride and interest in the native culture. Amongst any of the Australians I've ever spoken too, that seems really rare. (Again, correct me if I'm wrong).

Haha, well according to Darkstar the aborigines aren't looked upon favorably at all. They seem to like to sniff petrol and aren't particularly upstanding citizens. But I don't think the government does much to help them out either, so mostly they stay really low class and live out in the bush.

As for Native Americans...they're not exactly upstanding citizens either. Well, the ones who move out of reservations generally do make something of themselves, but I know that in alot of states (like Oklahoma) most of the Indians on reservations are alcoholics. The ones running the casinos do fairly well for themselves though. Also there's the matter of the Indians who set up tourist shops around the Smokey Mountains in North Carolina and then out in the Western states. Maybe this is just my view, but it seems kind of lame that they sell their heritage by making shitty souvenirs to sell tourists. Then again, they might not have any other way to make decent money.

But seriously, I've nothing against the U.S. I've been there, I like it. I do hate Bush, but so does 90% of the country he runs, so I'm pretty normal on that view. Actually, I even keep up with American politics and isssues. I think the whole obesity thing is overblown.

If only more people would keep up with American news and politics The obesity thing is still an issue of course, but there's a large effort to spread awareness about it. Everywhere you go you'll see carb/fat free foods, alot of schools are changing their lunch menus and vending machine items, and as a whole people are becoming more aware of it.

The thing I really don't understand is how so many people are fat and can stand to look at themselves in the mirror and not try to do something about it, especially when this country is obsessed with good looks. If being fat was trendy that would be a different matter, but it isn't. People like Jessica Alba and Angelina Jolie are the hot ones, not Rosie O'Donnell.

 

[Soul Saver]

It is true that it is an ignorant stereotype.
People like to go on stereotyping and generalising others, and it only shows their own stupidity and ignorance.
However, stereotypes are rarely unfounded, and come about due to exaggerated opinions and generalisations.
It might be true that some people in a particular group conform to stereotypes, but this is not normally true for the whole group. Rumour and media portrayal is typically responsible for such stereotypes. Tabloids and television play a part in shaping most people's world views, unfortunately. Until they've seen something for themselves, many rely on what others say.
Stereotypes can often have some truth to them, but they are only one simple perspective, and should never be trusted as reliable fact. They can be funny, but only an idiot relies on stereotypes.

 

[Donald Trump]

Haha, well according to Darkstar the aborigines aren't looked upon favorably at all. They seem to like to sniff petrol and aren't particularly upstanding citizens. But I don't think the government does much to help them out either, so mostly they stay really low class and live out in the bush.

As for Native Americans...they're not exactly upstanding citizens either.

You should at least be fair to the native americans though. I remember studying a bit about it last year.
It was systematic genocide, a general or a politician said 'the more I meet Indians the more I want to kill them'.
They gave them rugs infected with smallpox and got them high and drunk before making them sign away their land. Judging them should be done whilst taking this into account.

The english 'settlers' to Australia had a far worse attitude, but were less successful. They hunted them for sport, they also tricked them into shooting themselves in the head.

I could understand South Americans hating the US. The whole monroe doctrine being part of US foreign policy thinking in the 60s and 70s is just so patronising for them. Also the support of Corrupt fascist governments doesn't help.
Also your recent presidents aren't glowing endorsements of America. The president of the USA is to the rest of the world, our view of your country. Bush can barely string a sentence together, Clinton was adulterous, and didn't he have some dodgy business dealings? Bush snr is not much better Jnr. Reagan lied to congress, and there is Irangate. Most people outside of America haven't heard of Carter. the same for Ford really. Nixon needs no explanation.
Apart from Reagan, they're pretty shitty representatives of America.
The rest of the world also thinks that America are oil hungry bastards that want to invade everywhere. Faggoty liberal journalists who think themselves oh so witty are already saying that America would have invaded Zimbabwe ages ago if they had oil.
People have short memories, as it was the US who stopped the Rwandan genocide and the genocide in serbia.
But you'll have to put up with the fact that America is the country people love to hate.

 

[Soul Saver]

The thing I really don't understand is how so many people are fat and can stand to look at themselves in the mirror and not try to do something about it, especially when this country is obsessed with good looks. If being fat was trendy that would be a different matter, but it isn't. People like Jessica Alba and Angelina Jolie are the hot ones, not Rosie O'Donnell.

I DO NOT WANT to get into another argument about weight, health, etc, but...

Some people like or don't mind being chubby/fat, and some are attracted to chubby or even fat people. Should they change because they don't conform to society's standards in their looks or preferences?
The health worries are definitely exaggerated, and people look to the stereotypes of fat, lazy slobs who suffer from an array of diseases. I have never denied that obesity can cause severe health problems, but being "overweight", not obese, is wrongly percieved as being unhealthy, when it is not, for most women, at least.

Nothing you haven't heard before, but I detect a certain irony.

Also, Rosie O'Donnell is ok.

 

[Darkstar]

Haha, well according to Darkstar the aborigines aren't looked upon favorably at all. They seem to like to sniff petrol and aren't particularly upstanding citizens. But I don't think the government does much to help them out either, so mostly they stay really low class and live out in the bush.

OK, lemme clear this all up.

The white english settlers came to Australia, thinking nobody owned it, until they came upon the aborigines. Shit happened until here we are today. Just recently, the Labor government, led by Kevin Rudd (who is much better than John Howard ) made a formal and political apology to the Aboriginal Australians regarding the Stolen Generation issues. I really can't be bothered telling you about that, just look it up yourself .

Now, I know what I said was horrible, yet part of it is true. They are a low class race. Yet, the government does give them compensation, but the aborigines choose to use said money for alcohol and drugs. Oh, and petrol sniffing is just a horrible generalisation.

Now, yes VR, Australia does also have its terrible generalisation, which weren't helped by Steve Irwin (may he rest in peace).

For example: We all live in a desert community, have pet kangaroos, all know how to use boomerangs, have terrible dress sense, with those God awful cork hat things

 

[aerocrystal]

i don't mean to target you, but "low-class race"? If I was an aborigine and all the white people, the people in power, just refferred to me as a low class race, I would probably start to act like that too.

Do you realize how that makes you sound? I will admit there are many Native Americans and probably Aborigines who do not take responsibility for themselves and probably abuse systems. Yet, so do many people of numerous other races and classes. How many white people do you know who just live off their rich parents but do nothing with their lives because I know quite a few. How often have you worked for rich white people and known they are cheating on their taxes or abusing the system in other ways? Also, perhaps lower class people might be crack heads or alcoholics, but how many rich people are coke heads or...alcoholics? Or completely stoned constantly?

Also, if you've been told for the past few hundred years that your race was less than human, wouldn't that have a psychological effect on your behavior? I have seen numerous forums where the topic of discussion is just "Do you think Aborigines are the ugliest people on the planet?" Now, if that is what you are told you're entire life and you grow up amidst people reinforcing that you are a piece of crap, wouldn't you react badly? Anyway, there is evidence that malnourishment and disease can lead to physical defects into in people's grandchildren. That means that if even if they are getting healthy diets now, if their ancestors suffered sickness and starving they could still be physically affected.

I know you didn't necessarily mean it the way I took it, but I think it's important to step back and think about any group of people we look down on.

 

[Rockman X]

It might be true that some people in a particular group conform to stereotypes, but this is not normally true for the whole group. Rumour and media portrayal is typically responsible for such stereotypes. Tabloids and television play a part in shaping most people's world views, unfortunately. Until they've seen something for themselves, many rely on what others say.

Actually there are some stereotypes that are true for a whole group and aren't simply propagated by the media. For instance, the stereotypes for southern Americans are true. I'm sure all of you who live in America (and maybe some of you who don't) have heard various things about rednecks, the southern drawl accent, and hillbillies. While not true for everyone down here, it is true for a very large portion of the southern states. There are tons of rednecks running around with rebel flags tattooed on their flabby biceps yelling "DAMN YANKEES" and bearing a grudge against the North. And I'm sure some of you have seen the show Beverly Hillbillies. Well, if you go into the areas around the Appalachian mountains, you really WILL see people like that.

Another example is the stereotype of black people and their love of chicken. Now most people of any color like chicken, but blacks seem to foster an even greater love for it. Watch any KFC commercial and it's always black people. Drive by a KFC and look in the parking lot and 9 times out of 10 there will be black people out there. Go into any fast food restaurant and pay attention to what a black person orders, almost every one will pick something with chicken.

So while some stereotypes are broad generalizations, the generalizations are also true.

You should at least be fair to the native americans though. I remember studying a bit about it last year.
It was systematic genocide, a general or a politician said 'the more I meet Indians the more I want to kill them'.
They gave them rugs infected with smallpox and got them high and drunk before making them sign away their land. Judging them should be done whilst taking this into account.

The english 'settlers' to Australia had a far worse attitude, but were less successful. They hunted them for sport, they also tricked them into shooting themselves in the head.

Yes, what we did to them was pretty fucking awful. The Trail of Tears was probably the least atrocious thing done to them. I don't know if we tricked any into shooting themselves for sport though...actually I don't think it would have worked, since most tribes had rifles by the time the movement to exterminate them and/or get them on reservations had begun.

I could understand South Americans hating the US. The whole monroe doctrine being part of US foreign policy thinking in the 60s and 70s is just so patronising for them. Also the support of Corrupt fascist governments doesn't help.
Also your recent presidents aren't glowing endorsements of America. The president of the USA is to the rest of the world, our view of your country. Bush can barely string a sentence together, Clinton was adulterous, and didn't he have some dodgy business dealings? Bush snr is not much better Jnr. Reagan lied to congress, and there is Irangate. Most people outside of America haven't heard of Carter. the same for Ford really. Nixon needs no explanation.

Ah yes, the Monroe doctrine. But how can anyone hate that? It's such a wonderful excuse to covertly overturn governments As for Clinton, why yes he did have dodgy business dealings. He sold off some weapons secrets and god knows what else to China. Lying to the court about his affair with Monica Lewinsky is quite tame compared to the other stuff he did, like his China business dealings, pardoning criminals, etc. Bush may be an idiot but he's not near as corrupt as Bill was.

The rest of the world also thinks that America are oil hungry bastards that want to invade everywhere. Faggoty liberal journalists who think themselves oh so witty are already saying that America would have invaded Zimbabwe ages ago if they had oil.

And to that silly notion I have but one thing to say: if we had invaded Iraq for the oil, the average cost of gas in America wouldn't be $4 and steadily rising.

Now, yes VR, Australia does also have its terrible generalisation, which weren't helped by Steve Irwin (may he rest in peace).

For example: We all live in a desert community, have pet kangaroos, all know how to use boomerangs, have terrible dress sense, with those God awful cork hat things

I thought Steve Irwin was pretty cool, and having a pet kangaroo would be pretty awesome. I dunno if he perpetuated that many harmful generalizations for your country, though. Alot of what came of him was people thinking your country was full of tons of exotic animals and that everyone over there wrestled them and were outdoorsy types. Probably an inaccurate stereotype, but not necessarily a bad one to have.