Quote:
Originally Posted by Gackt21
I don't like being know associated with people that do that. I guess I feel dishonored when someone from my own country does something like that.
|
I think on one hand shame is important because it keeps us humble. Many U.S. citizens feel ashamed of government actions, military actions, or the action of any U.S. citizen behaving poorly [whatever that should mean] in another country. Furthermore, such shame should be an incentive for us to work on improving things as best we can, so that hopefully less incidents occur, or in the event that they do, they can be dealt with as efficiently as possible.
But its also important for people to recognize where the line is. Just because one U.S. citizen, or even more than that, turned out poorly or did something bad, does not mean that all U.S. citizens are bad, because that's what you are talking about, I believe, when you talk about a country. So when I hear people talk about how they hate their country, I guess that means they hate me too.
The United States, like any country, has problems. It's important to recognize where those problems are, however, and who is participating in them verses who is associated with them. Every U.S. citizen is associated with the United States government. Not every U.S. citizen can vote, not every U.S. citizen can make decisions about war and policy, and in what areas they can it's important to recognize the extent of power. I think it is easy, but also ignorant, and probably foolish, to criticize an entire body of people for circumstances that are not entirely directly under their control [and thank goodness for it], without recognizing that opinions, intentions, desires, and the execution of power is a complex process that churns out what people never thought they triggered.
This is not to say that nobody is at fault, or that U.S. citizens shouldn't feel anything about this [because apathy can be a serious detriment], but we should recognize with whom the blame actually lies and who actually deserves out criticism.
Not to pick on you.
I understand what you're saying, I think; there are many aspects of the United States that disappoint me too. But "aspects" is a key point.
Reading other responses to this thread, as well as others, I think everybody runs into a lot of issues with perception verses actuality. That is, even if people understand they exist, they forget to take such things into account in the midst of discussion because, in many cases, it is simpler to do so. That makes it hard for communication, I think.
I also think that we forget that almost any citizen of
any country who loves certain aspects about it, though they will criticize it and constantly engage in discussions about its problems at home, will probably feel the need to be defensive in the face of those abroad. For this reason discussion get more heated, and people will especially seem patriotic or nationalistic on the international scene. It makes them come off as terrible stereotypes, when the actuality of what they think may be very different.