Americans, what is something that Europeans have/do that makes no sense to you?

Like A Duck@programming.dev to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 178 points –
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Half of these posts are just inverse statements trying to shit on America. Very boring.

That raises a good question relevant to the post. Why is xenophobia so acceptable? Many seem eager to be prejudiced, especially if it makes them feel superior.

When its in response to Americans I'd say it's probably influenced by having to put up with our decades of espousing american exceptionalism and our tendency to not care to learn it respect the traditions and cultural norms of the places we visit. It's probably not the best behavior but it's kinda understandable why they might have specific negativity towards the people that have spent so long loudly proclaiming how great they are.

That, in and of itself, is a stereotype.

Are you trying to say that American exceptionalism wasn't a big thing for decades? Cause that's not true. Are you trying to say that not every American engaged in it? Cause that's not a useful point.

I'm trying to say that prejudice based on stereotypes is still prejudice, and I believe that is a useful point.

In fact, that is the entire point. Individuals deserve to be judged on their own character and not on a caricature presented by others.

I dunno, seems reasonable to me. Be well.

As a general rule sure but in the sense of taking a braggart down a peg, like with the resentment towards american exceptionalism, trying to raise that to the level of prejudice is too much. It could even be seen as cheapening actual issues of prejudice.

What cheapens the issues of prejudice is actively participating in it, thus normalizing it.

Justifying the resentment of an entire group based on the actions of some isn't bringing them down a peg. It's just just perpetuating negatively, at best.

Nah, knockin us for going on about "Murica #1" isn't on the same level as the actual prejudice against the Roma for example.

Didn't say it was, dosen't make it right. Weird thing to support, though, tbh.

You kinda did though. At least that's the stance anyone reading your previous comment is going to infer.

No, I said supporting prejudicial views normalizes it and thus exacerbates it. I didn't say all prejudices were equal. But, continue to support it if you want. Maybe I will too, seems healthy.

See you are kinda doing it again. I was explaining why Americans are the focus of frustration but you want to be reductive about it and just make it all flat prejudice. That frame work puts it on equal footing with actual serious prejudices.

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It's not really xenophobia as much as just blowing off steam about frustrations with many Americans who think that their country still is NUMBER ONE BABY, YEEEAAAAAHHH FLEXES MUSCLES GROPES SECRETARY

I actually had to deal with a guy literally like that here in Mexico.

I know not all Americans are like that. I know America is a great country. I also know that America has a shit tonne of VERY shitty yet VERY preventable issues.

Healthcare: should be universal but still destroys lives.

Education: the best and a lot of the worst yuou can get. Let's allow companies and churches to dictate what's being taught in our schools, sex baaaad, oil gooooood.

Poverty: Richies getting richer and poorer getting poorer. Let's not tax the rich, it'll trickle down!

Safety: children requiring bullet proof vests in school over "let's restrict or outright ban guns"

Racism: do I even need to put something here?

Safety: let's not train police at all, or ifwe do, train them with pseudo scientific bullshit. Let's hire racists and protect all of them even if they cross the line. What could go wrong?

Politics: "winner takes all" makes you country sway all over the place, getting more extreme with each move. each new president cuts the crap from the previous and it looks like every time a democrat slowly makes the country nicer and then a republican throws it off a cliff, rinse and repeat.

I could go on for a while but most other civilized counties don't have a list his huge at this level. Yet Americans keep shouting "WE NUMBER ONE BABY!"

Reminds me of this: https://youtu.be/z2HKbygLjJs?si=HJEdvGkcCCVMhPHq

Justifying it by saying it's just blowing off steam is not really acceptable. If you believe those things about an entire group and don't allow people to define themselves by their own character, that's pretty shitty. It dosen't matter how many problems their country faces.

If they are arrogant, then that's the problem, but people are not responsible for the actions of others.

Its a kind of cultural thing really, doesn't make sense to me either

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