not everyone is American! gasp!

[Blackthorne]

I was being faceitious.....hehe.  

Frenchmen don't stink; but French women.....okay... enough about the French.  They did invent mayonaise and champagne, both of which are quite tasty.

[Goldmund]

Blackthorne, you're blowing your culture into something larger-than-life, even in negative aspects, which isn't very accurate, as the truth is that to most foreigners "American" means: not confusing, not overly complicated, pragmatic, etc. This is of course simplyfying view, as you also have David Lynch, but most of the cultural products of America that get to the rest of the world aren't particularly controversial.

- It wasn't my aim to make everyone think 100 times before posting.

- Wondering all the time if you're not offending someone is idiotic.

- Learning about other cultures is a wonderful thing.

What I was talking about is that subconsciously a lot of inhabitants of United States felt no need to wonder whether they're understood by everyone, or not. Many of you provided sound answers as to why this happens, and now I know I wasn't mistaken about the occurence of the habit. Which makes me happy.

[InCreator]

1) Monopols and forcing are very strongly related. U really can't say that the land to Mcdonald's was sold without any pressure. Whatever the pressure was (too much money not to resist offer, fact that our country has 20000 soliders against US's 18 million (if I'm not mistaken) or whatever else). It just is that way.

2) I really can't imagine that city council saying: Go to hell, americans, we don't need your high colesterol crap here, find another fool and historical place to spoil! This could be a scandal, especially because americans sleep always one eye open.

3) Actually I'm worried. about this NATO thing - these US guys are really dumb if they think that they can safely set up their forces only about 180km away from Russian Federations border. And this is totally offtopic - or maybe not? Americanization is spreading too fast and may cause disasters. I really can't wonder what could happen if NATO really builds bases here and at least one russian nut or maybe just someone drunk (there's  living 1,4 million people in my country, 40% russians) sneaks into one of them and bombs it or even just makes some mess. What then? We'd be hunted down under flag of "war against terrorism"?

- Wondering all the time if you're not offending someone is idiotic.

I agree, no doubt. But this won't work when discussing something with american people. And this really angers. It seems that beating patriotism and absolutely dumb belief into  country and its ruler(s) in USA into people's brain is 100 times more intense than it ever was in Communistic Soviet Union. This is sick. Open your eyes, burger people! (Well, I followed quoted text - and I'm sure this thread becomes into "americans beating InCreator" one - so It there will be proof about what i just said)

So - you don't own the world, americans. Remember it all the time, even if it's only a some stupid crap at the forum, mistake with thinking everyone should know what's "Best Buy".

[Pumaman]

I think you're being rather unfair on the US there. The guys who visit these forums are certainly not dumb and blindly patriotic - but of course, there are some people who are. Perhaps the US has a high proportion of "dumb and believing" compared to the rest of the world - but it's important to remember to seperate criticism of the government and its policies, from criticism of the people themselves.

[MrColossal]

yea jeez increator... what the hell did i ever do to you?

[InCreator]

I'm talking for myself, and actually, I'm pretty ignorant and stubborn guy, so don't bother complaining or getting offended or trying to tell me I'm wrong. Complete ignorance and being non--tolerant is supposed to be wrong so I know perfectly what's WRONG with myself!

If I wasn't creative, I'd call myself stupid...
But as you see, I'm stubborn enough to post anyway...  

My personal disgust against USA is not connected to this forum, its members, etc. It's more like national thing, I grew up in Soviet Union and I think that hidden rivalry between these two groups of world never ends.

Just today, I looked at the american movie "Armageddon". The way they tried to impersonate russian cosmonaut (it's astronaut for you) made me angry and sick. Do they think that people on this side of earth really look, talk and act like that? Maybe it is only the media that poisons souls? Whatever.
Only Americans could believe that this guy in the movie is really related so someone from here! And there's lots of US movies made during cold war, talking about those... oh hell.

Most accurate (not COMPLETELY, but yeah, close) things in US culture (i'm right about them) I've seen were Tom Clancy's books.

[Alynn]

but it's important to remember to seperate criticism of the government and its policies, from criticism of the people themselves.

That was the point I was trying to make.

Back to InCreator

Also, it isn't a monopoly if there are other places to be able to get a similar product. Now, I won't say I know everything about international economics, or local. But if people really didn't want it there, it wouldn't be there. Not sure what you mean about sleeping with one eye open.

As far as the hunting you down or whatever. I can speak of this. You act like the military (and in reality the government because thats the parent of the military) Putting security and all that stuff aside, if some drunk guy somehow got in with a bomb and blew something up ( and I can say that it's not an easy thing to do, expecially for any john q public off the street to do), after some investigations they would find it was some guy acting on his own.

You may hate the government for the decisions it makes, but blaming the people for the government is wrong, because it's not their fault. Yes we vote for them, but that doesn't mean that we agree with everything. And if they make enough decisions we don't like, they don't get reelected.

The same goes for the military, you may not like what they do but they are doing what the government says, and blaming an individual soldier is even worse, he is just doing his job.

Now, it's obvious that I am American, it may not be so obvious that I am in the military. I love my country, I've been to many places in my military career, and every time it makes me appreciate what I have compared to what they have. But saying "YOU AMERICANS ARE THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL" is a shot at me. And I reserve the right to defend myself.

Now, I believe I'm giving you thought out arguments, and I am in no way saying you are wrong, just stating my opinion is different than yours. If you are mad at mickyD's then you say mickyD's is the debbil, don't say the americans are.

The closest I want to come to world domination is 2 acres of land and a house.

[InCreator]

So, after everything, we just need more cultural exchange programs. Especially me.

P.S. My way to think is a bit military indeed, because my nephew, uncle and grandfather were (nephew IS) russian MIG pilots and whole faimily is a bit militay. So we all have grown up in belief that USA is enemy and evil. Though I didn't got that drill very much, because soviet union broke when i was 8 years old, but there's still something... in blood.

[MrColossal]

there's still a rivalry between the US and Russia? I never hated Russia [or any country] before in my life. My friend Zak majored in Russian at college and went to live there for a semester with a host family [he brought them salad dressing and they gave him salted bread] he said it was great and the ladies were lovely.

and did you stop to think that maybe the ENTIRE movie armageddon was retarded and not just the actor who played a russian cosmonaut? why do you accept bruce willis' character as a rough and tough oil drill worker going to space to drill an asteroid more believeable than a russian guy in space who didn't do much in the movie anyway?

a civilian who has NEVER been even close to breaking through the atmosphere is asked by the US government to go into space with his team of OIL DRILLERS to drill a hole into an asteroid hurtling through space and planting a bomb in it's center. This was all totally plausible?

[InCreator]

*laughing*
Okay, I give up!  

Actually, I'm a bit afraid that people would take all the crap I'm talking too seriously. Peace!

No, MrColossal, I told only about the way russian people are show in this and these movies. Of course whole movie was worth a laugh - but that's the whole idea of entertainment.

And I'm just an ordinary male human being. Don't expect me to pilot a plane into some big building...
I can think or say whatever, hate americans, mongols or chinese, etc, were still all just people, but until people don't do actual bad deeds, noone cares anyway.

- I have nothing against you, scummbuddy or whoever in this forum from usa -  and i don't think that a word in a passport or on id card makes me automatically hate or dislike someone. We're just ants in a nest of 6 million ants. And have to learn to get along.

This forum gives me opportunity to discuss whatever with other people, so I do it. Even if I'm really wrong, I always liked arguing and I think I'm normal enough to never get *really* upset or take things really personally. It's educative and entertaining. Maybe I'll be an advocate one day, who knows  

Oh. but okay, I won't post anything anymore, not to be selfish.

[OneThinkingGal and ._.]

Referring to the original post, I think part of it might have to do with the fact that pretty much everything in the US is part of a chain.

Everything from restaurants to electronics stores to hair cutting salons....so I think people assume that other people will know these stores too.

This is not the case everywhere, so other people don't mention the store they bought things at.

[Arasan Nayamu]

This is not a personal thing, just Arasan Nayamus' introductory thread reminded me of something that often caught my attention and I thought that I'd finally mention it. She writes:

"Runaway!" If you haven't got it, GO GET IT! Best Buy does not carry it from what I've seen. I have only found it at Circuit City so far. Go! Buy!

Why do you (the plural you=Americans, as always ) think that everyone on this forum knows what is "Best Buy" or "Circuit City"?

LOL
I think nothing of the sort. Thanks for coming to that assumption. I do not believe that everyone knows what Circuit City or Best Buy is. I've been online for a good ten years at least and I'm 21, am well aware that the whole world can be online and I have many friends from other countries. I play MMOs for cripes.

What I do know is that a logical statement can be correctly interpreted. I was explaining a computer software and that you can buy computer software at Best Buy and Circuit City. A logical assumption would be that CC and BB are places to buy software at. You guys play adventure games and rely on mostly logic in those adventure games and yet can not divulge in the concepts that I am portraying. I was merely stating that it would be a good idea to go to your local software retailer and see if they have it. And if not, buy online for all I care.

Go get a life.  

[Kairus]

This thread brought back to my mind one detail I'm completely unsatisfied with that's the fact inhabitants of the US are called Americans. Now I'm accostumed to it so I just use the term naturally, but it still doesn't give it any more sense. I'm also an American, as I live in the American contintent, I live in South America, and why aren't we called Americans, too?
If it's a matter of being in the North, why aren't Mexicans and Canadians called Americans, too? Why the hell do you - US inhabitants - call yousfelves (and the rest of us do the same) Americans and think the rest of the people from America aren't? What if tomorrow we here, in Uruguay, decided to call ourselves 'humans' and that we should be called 'humans' every time someone wants to refer to us... would it mean that the rest of the world out there isn't populated by humans?
When I learned at English class that the United State people where referred to simply as 'Americans' I thought it was quite unfair and it really hurted me... It doesn't affect me anymore but I still think it's unfair.

[InCreator]

Go get a life.

What an idea! Do they sell one at "Best Buy"?  

When I learned at English class that the United State people where referred to simply as 'Americans' I thought it was quite unfair and it really hurted me... It doesn't affect me anymore but I still think it's unfair

United States of What, then? Uruguay?
Habits are infectious. Call yourself an american, make your friends and family do teh same, and soon the world will follow.

[Las Naranjas]

Hey Kairus. I remember trying to tell DM that many Latin Americans also considered themselves american, not just the estados unidense, but he didn't believe me.

[Matt Brown]

yeah, thats true. In brazil and such, they call themselves americans.
I imagine that folks from the US are called americans, b/c they have the word america in the name of the country, which I do not think appears formally in any other countries name. (other nations haves states, mexico, brazil, etc. but as far as I know, the word america only appears in the USA)

[Las Naranjas]

There are somewhat analagous situations where a common language seems to stop this happening.

"Germany" used to refer to the region of Europe where German was spoken, which included dozens of states, including Austria until it federated under Bismark. But I don't think the Austrians call themselves German anymore [although I believe they did for a while, and we all know that example, so no-one needs bring it up].
and "Australia" refered to all 7 colonies in the south, including New Zealand, but the kiwis would resent that term now.
I think that the common language in both cases prevented a situation like the American one though.

[Kairus]

Yes, I'm an American, too, it's the name of our continent so I have my rights, here we generally call them 'Estadounidenses' which in English would sound like United-Statians, but generally people refer to them as Yanks. Anyway, America is not a good name, I think it would be better to call Columbia the whole continent... but maybe even better if it had some American (the continent) indigenous name, but there are so many languages and dialects that I don't think a way we could agree on a name.
Well... that was quite off topic.
About the thread, it's clear that many names are already in common tongue in most parts of the world like McDonald's and Coca-Cola, but I, personally, hadn't the slightiest idea of what Best Buy and Circuit City were. From its name I'd think Circuit City was a place to sell hardware spare parts and Best Buy should be a suitable name for a flea market or somewhere where you buy really cheap things under the label of 'best'.
I wouldn't get as far with nationalism as InCreator, but I agree something's not right with the way the multinational chains are spreading around the world. It's not only the Yankee enterprises, but many European or Asiatic, too. I don't know where all this globalization joke will take us to, but from extrapolating the currect state of the world I can't really see any good.
The world has many countries and many beautiful cultures that deserve to exist. It would be a pity to destroy entire cultures in sake of 'progress', maybe that's not the kind of progress mankind needs.
I know I must be the only Uruguaian in these forums so I know I shouldn't say I went to 'La Botica' or 'la feria de Tristan Narvaja' to buy this or that game, but maybe If I did you could get from context (I'm talking about a game) that it's a place where they sell software. That would be right in the first place but wrong in the second. Tristan Narvaja is kinda flea market and, amongst many other goods, piratery has its place. So, getting things from context doesn't always work.
That's why I always try to state: 'I went to La Botica (a place where software is sold) to buy ....' etc.
It should be very nice if everyone did this because the rest of us could, as well as understand the post, learn some interesting details from the other countries.

[Goldmund]

Go get a life.

What an idea! Do they sell one at "Best Buy"?  

Haha, InCreator!
No, you have to become an AmWay distributor and then you learn this phrase. Along with "Go Diamond!!"

Kairus: sorry, I'll use Yanks from now on. I like it. And thanks for your post, it explains also my views on the subject very well.

[shbaz]

Are you also going to use the term confederates for the people in the southeast? "Yanks" is a stupid term to envelope us under, because that's a label for people from the northeast part of the United States. Besides that it's slang for the full word, Yankee.

The reason we are called Americans and not you is only because it is in the name of our country, and not yours. United Statesians is not proper English, and saying "people from the United States" is long winded. I'll still call myself an American, thanks. If it really bothers you that much, I could just call myself an Oklahoman but that would be pompous to assume people have went through the trouble of memorizing the 50 states.

A little bit of history for you.. The name America comes from the first person to make a map of the America's, his name was Amerigo Vespucci. He started with the east coast and gulf of Mexico, mostly mapping what is today the United States of America. Rather than calling the country "New England" after the hated English when we were founded, the founding fathers of the US gave it a simple name after the continent that it rests on. It was at the time the most prosperous colony anyway, and people even referred to it as America then. Most South American countries are named with native words that have meaning, and ours is simply the most inoffensive bland thing they could come up with at the time. So I guess what I'm saying here, is that you should be proud of your heritage and stick to your countries name instead of being offended that you don't also fall under the label of American, after the first person to make a map here.