Why are Americans so different from the rest of us Westerners - Page 13

HershOstropoler · January 16, 2003, 12:36

Quote:

Originally posted by GP
And my 11:14 one.

Typical american, not converting into CET....

TCO · January 16, 2003, 12:37

Quote:

Originally posted by HershOstropoler

No need for it. From the scarce data about euro-US migration, it looks quite few people are moving both ways, and in about the same nrs.

I'm not making any claims that people in toto are moving preferentially from Western Europe to US any more. Just that in my set of consulting and business exec contacts, it seemed like much more excitement about seeing the US than reverse. I know...in the Zurich office my office-mates thought I was wierd (and stupid...and they may have been right) for doing work in Swissie. That's not the reaction German speakers get when doing stints or transferring to US (and I worked with 2 directly on projects in the US and several others indirectectly. International businesspeople I knew seemed to have a similar take but not as strongly felt.

Quote:

Depending on what you do, I do not think language is such a big problem. You get along with english here, and have all the time to learn the native language if you want to stay.

Maybe...but somehow it seems like a bigger hump. I'm probably not alone in thinking that. [pure troll] Of course if you did a stint here, you might have a feel for it.[/pure troll]

TCO · January 16, 2003, 12:38

Quote:

Originally posted by HershOstropoler

Typical american, not converting into CET....

DOH!!!

TCO · January 16, 2003, 12:39

Quote:

Originally posted by paiktis22
I can kick GP's ass in the dirt

(or maybe not)

I'm not a big guy. Except in certain areas...

Spiffor · January 16, 2003, 12:47

Quote:

Originally posted by HershOstropoler
So, was Mr Tocqueville "buttlocked" ?

Not at all

Bereta_Eder · January 16, 2003, 12:48

Ears are beautiful things.

HershOstropoler · January 16, 2003, 12:50

"Just that in my set of consulting and business exec contacts, it seemed like much more excitement about seeing the US than reverse."

I know, but you have a small sample there with lots of possible motivations and reasons.

I don't see any US law prof coming here (migt be one in Vienna, not sure), while I know some lawyers* who went to the US from Mozart city. Here language really matters.

* Including one screamingly incompetent guy. Last thing he was at Harvard's Kennedy school of government, or what's it called...

TCO · January 16, 2003, 12:51

Quote:

Originally posted by paiktis22
Ears are beautiful things.

kinky! (I find the hole a little small though.

)

TCO · January 16, 2003, 12:59

Quote:

Originally posted by HershOstropoler
"Just that in my set of consulting and business exec contacts, it seemed like much more excitement about seeing the US than reverse."

I know, but you have a small sample there with lots of possible motivations and reasons.

I don't see any US law prof coming here (migt be one in Vienna, not sure), while I know some lawyers* who went to the US from Mozart city. Here language really matters.

* Including one screamingly incompetent guy. Last thing he was at Harvard's Kennedy school of government, or what's it called...

Policy weenies.

My mom entertained an Austrian professor and his wife who did a year of teaching at American University (in DC). Two interesting notes:

1. He spoke ill of the Repubs and of both Bushes, in a manner that implied that OF COURSE we would be on his side. My mom was annoyed both by his views and by the lack of grace in raising a topic like that. So she served him coffee in a George Bush coffee mug and just smiled and said, "this shows how we feel in this house...now what should the next topic be?"

2. He said the American students were better. Surprised me. I thought he would say the reverse, that Americans are lazy or whatever. His wife did say that he was teaching undergrads at Tirol and had grads at AU so it wasn't a fair comparison.

TCO · January 16, 2003, 13:03

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiffor
Not at all

Go Mr. T.!!!!

DuncanK · January 16, 2003, 13:12

Quote:

Originally posted by DuncanK
The US had already developed a national mentality before the Red Scare. This mentality was very right wing, and the Puritans had something to do with that.

I don't know if non-Americans know about the Red Scare. In the last part of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century the US got a lot of immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe (including Germans). Many of these immigrants had very left wing ideas (Anarchist and Communists). The propertied class in this country was able to convince the poor in this country that the ideas of these immigrants were evil and that the immingrants were also evil. They spread a lot of propaganda about them and railroaded many of them for crimes they probably didn't commit. It's one of the ugliest periods in US history. Ever since this time left wing ideas are thought of as foreign and evil. Couple that with a century of right wing\anti-Communist propaganda and you have a very conservative society.

My post got lost behind pages and pages of stuff about Canada.

Canadians,

this thread isn't really about you. Very little is. If you want to have a thread about Canada go and start one. I suspect that you will be the only ones posting there. It's like why America is more significant than you, because everyone immigrated to our country and not yours.

Bereta_Eder · January 16, 2003, 13:17

a brit (david bowie) has something to say about the issue

Johnny's in America, low-tech's at the
wheel
No-one needs anyone, they don't even
just pretend
Johnny's in America

I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
Johnny's in America

Johnny wants a brain, Johnny wants to
suck on a coke
Johnny wants a woman, Johnny wants
to think of a joke
Johnny's in America

I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
Johnny's in America

Johnny's in America, Johnny looks up at
the stars
Johnny combs his hair and Johnny
wants pvssy and cars
Johnny's in America

I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
Johnny's in America

God is an American
I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the world

I'm afraid I can't help it

I'm afraid I can't

I'm afraid of Americans
I'm afraid of the words
I'm afraid I can't help it
I'm afraid I can't
Johnny's in America
Johnny's in America

*note: i admit i have circomverted the profanity filter but it is justified to convey the whole artistic value of the song
so dont bust my behind Ming

Ozz · January 16, 2003, 13:25

Quote:

Originally posted by DuncanK
Canadians,

this thread isn't really about you. Very little is. If you want to have a thread about Canada go and start one. I suspect that you will be the only ones posting there. It's like why America is more significant than you, because everyone immigrated to our country and not yours.

Americans get cranky if they're not always the centre of attention.

Bereta_Eder · January 16, 2003, 13:27

way better than romantic colonial scum who got kicked in the ass for their murderous regimes DL ozz

edit: actually no, they are the same ****

TCO · January 16, 2003, 13:38

Quote:

Originally posted by DuncanK

My post got lost behind pages and pages of stuff about Canada.

Canadians,

this thread isn't really about you. Very little is. If you want to have a thread about Canada go and start one. I suspect that you will be the only ones posting there. It's like why America is more significant than you, because everyone immigrated to our country and not yours.

It's a good post, ok. STEFU WHERE THE F...HECK IS THAT PAT ON THE HEAD SMILIE!!

DuncanK · January 16, 2003, 13:53

Yeah, some Americans draw more attention to themselves than others. I've never been timid to drawing attention to myself when neccessary.

I didn't know if people wanted to go through page after page of stuff about Canada to read my post when this is not a thread about Canada.

Ozz · January 16, 2003, 14:00

Quote:

Originally posted by DuncanK
I didn't know if people wanted to go through page after page of stuff about Canada to read my post when this is not a thread about Canada.

Your quite right, But it is a thread about the differiences between people. The though of "Limelight" trait of Americas just occured to me reading your post.

Arrian · January 16, 2003, 14:05

ARG!!

Damnit! Was there anything good on page 18? Because I can't get to it (the lovely "UUUUUUUUU" error).

-Arrian

DinoDoc · January 16, 2003, 14:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Arrian
Damnit! Was there anything good on page 18? Because I can't get to it (the lovely "UUUUUUUUU" error).

You didn't miss much.

Page 19 isn't so hot either.

Spiffor · January 16, 2003, 14:17

Page 18 was mostly uninteresting, except for this quote HershOstropoler used :

Quote:

The Americans, in their intercourse with strangers, appear impatient of the smallest censure and insatiable of praise. The most slender eulogy is acceptable to them, the most exalted seldom contents them; they unceasingly harass you to extort praise, and if you resist their entreaties, they fall to praising themselves. It would seem as if, doubting their own merit, they wished to have it constantly exhibited before their eyes. Their vanity is not only greedy, but restless and jealous; it will grant nothing, while it demands everything, but is ready to beg and to quarrel at the same time.

If I say to an American that the country he lives in is a fine one, "Ay," he replies, "there is not its equal in the world." If I applaud the freedom that its inhabitants enjoy, he answers: "Freedom is a fine thing, but few nations are worthy to enjoy it." If I remark on the purity of morals that distinguishes the United States, "I can imagine," says he, "that a stranger, who has witnessed the corruption that prevails in other nations, would be astonished at the difference." At length I leave him to the contemplation of himself; but he returns to the charge and does not desist till he has got me to repeat all I had just been saying. It is impossible to conceive a more troublesome or more garrulous patriotism; it wearies even those who are disposed to respect it.

GP answered him that explained why Hersh was so buttlocked.

DuncanK · January 16, 2003, 14:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Arrian
ARG!!

Damnit! Was there anything good on page 18? Because I can't get to it (the lovely "UUUUUUUUU" error).

-Arrian

Stuff about trade and job transfers

spartak · January 16, 2003, 14:32

I bored with this thread about half way through. Could some kind soul provide me with a summary (hopefully in3 words or so, so that I don't have to read too much).

Spiffor · January 16, 2003, 14:39

Taz : put simply : read MrWhereItsAt's post (page 14), it leads to the interesting posts of these thread. Skip all posts he doesn't mention

DinoDoc · January 16, 2003, 14:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiffor
Taz : put simply : read MrWhereItsAt's post (page 14), it leads to the interesting posts of these thread. Skip all posts he doesn't mention

That's more than the three words he asked for.

Spiffor · January 16, 2003, 14:45

Quote:

Read MrWhereItsAt

Is that better ?

DuncanK · January 16, 2003, 14:58

Skip pages 15 and 16 unless you are very interested in the Canadian lumber industry, how it used to be part of the English Empire and whether it shold aquire serious weaponry. There is nothing else there.

Ozz · January 16, 2003, 15:18

Skip 18 & 19 too, just complains "aboat" Canadian threadjacking.

Americans need a identifying vocal mannerism. eh?

Or do "Yeeha" and "Sazamm" count?

Tat Tat and all that rot.

DuncanK · January 16, 2003, 15:26

Quote:

Originally posted by Ozz
Skip 18 & 19 too, just complains "aboat" Canadian threadjacking.

Americans need a identifying vocal mannerism. eh?

Or do "Yeeha" and "Sazamm" count?

Tat Tat and all that rot.

18 is not "aboat" that at all. Most of 19 is not about that. I'm just trying to get this thread back on track (and poke at you a bit

) Please don't take too much offense. Canada is a great country.

TCO · January 16, 2003, 15:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Taz
I bored with this thread about half way through. Could some kind soul provide me with a summary (hopefully in3 words or so, so that I don't have to read too much).

READ TOQUEVILLE'S BOOK

Ozz · January 16, 2003, 15:34

Quote:

Originally posted by DuncanK
and poke at you a bit

Not offended at all, I was doing a bit of poking too.

Do Americans have unique reckonzied vocal mannerisms as a whole? Some regional areas do ie Texas, The South but as a whole is there something only Americans
say?