Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
Ugly Americans
Penn Jillette dedicated his hour long radio show to a segment on the ‘ugly American’ syndrome a couple of weeks ago. Basically his contention is that we are who are and we shouldn’t change our pattern of behaviour just because other cultures don’t like our culture.
In other words, if we want to dress in board shorts, hawaiian shirts and flip flops and be loud, brash, and aggressive good for us. Go with it.
I think he may lack an understanding of where the stereotype comes from. For what it’s worth, he’s right about HIS definition of an 'ugly American'. He is his own stereotype, by his own admission. I don’t have a problem with the way Penn is and I wouldn’t expect him to change his behavior as he travels ‘round the world. In fact, I’m a bit like that too…which may be why I don’t have a problem with it. But THAT is just what I’ll call the ‘unpleasant American’. The ‘ugly American’ is a different animal.
I saw this most unpleasant of creatures many times, most notably while I was temporarily assigned to duty in Okinawa, Japan but I saw a particularly unpleasant example just recently on my cruise to Bermuda . It was the 2nd or 3rd day on the ship at around 5 PM. The kids from the dance center where my wife works (2nd job) had recently finished their performance and were getting pictures in the large open area in the middle of the ship. We were waiting on some folks to go to the captain’s reception a couple of decks above the kids looking down on them our creature encounter occurred. It came stumbling out of a nearby bar being guided by a friend. I felt sorry for the friend trying to corral the drunken beast down to his stateroom without much success. The inebriated fool was cursing loudly and when approached by one of the ship’s crewmembers it became increasingly belligerent. He looked at the crewmember and said, “I’m an American. I can do what I want.” And then asked, “Are you a terrorist?, I hate terrorists.” (The crewmember was not an American, brown skinned, and looked like he might be from South America). The confrontation went on for several minutes with more cursing and utterances like the ones mentioned earlier and a physical confrontation (both with myself and the crewmember) was narrowly avoided when the ship’s security finally showed up.
That epitomizes the ugly american to me and although I’m sure there’s only a small percentage of the travelling population that act in this manner it’s an image that’s going to stick with any foreigner. It’s a shame that those few will continue to soil the image of Americans everywhere.
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Ugly is as ugly does
We've all seen the ugly American tourist. They basically demand that everywhere they go they be treated exactly as if they were in the US and are entitled to the very best treatment at all times. These are, though, a vast minority.
On the other hand, when it comes to the service industry, American beats every other place I've even been. I sat for 2 hours in a restaurant in Ireland once having a sandwich because the shit-ass wait staff did everything slowly and poorly. The restrooms in many countries are, in fact, filthy, small and cold. Roads in all countries (that I've been to) suck compared to those in the US.
We do have it good here when it comes to the amenities.
Which countries were these?
German roads are way overrated, but they're generally better than US roads. They're certainly good enough to drive half again as fast as on US interstates. French roads are great, as are Italian highways; Italy's road system only starts sucking once you get off the highway. Britain, or at least southern England, has even better roads, but whereas in France and Italy you can do 160 km/h on the highway, in Britain the police appear to be as anal about speed limits as in the US.
Yeah, I am under-traveled in
Yeah, I am under-traveled in Europe proper. The street in front of my house is wider and better kept than every road in Ireland. Heading to Spain in a month -- I'll report back!
Ugly tourists
I don't think the problem is specific to Americans, but I think the natural loudness of American society tends to amplify the Ugly American perception. I believe there are basically two types of idiots who give others a really bad name.
The first is the incessant complainer. This person compares everything about his current environment to his home, and nothing ever lives up. These people rarely seem to enjoy their vacations, but seem to just be going because all their other friends have gone. There are the whisperer complainers and the loud obnoxious ones, and when the loud obnoxious ones speak, the accent is unmistakable.
The second is the entitlement idiot. This moron always things he's entitled to something and will belch out obnoxious things like, "We saved your ass in WW2, so you owe us!" when talking to a European. Keep in mind, this same bottom feeder would complain for an hour and a half to get something worth $2 for free at Walmart. It doesn't matter what country this idiot is in, he'll use some misremembered fact from his public school education to bludgeon someone else to get what he wants.
I'm sure that approximately 1/10th of the idiots from the first category that are identified as Ugly Americans in other countries might actually be Canadians (our population is about 1/10th of the US, and we're generally indistinguishable from Americans). I know I've encountered these types of people when they're not being tourists. I'm not sure there are many of the second type of idiots from Canada -- we don't have anything to really hold over the heads of other nations.
Ugly tourist
I've had my share of uglies.
1. Going to dinner while at field camp in South Dakota, two of the other people in my group were complaining loudly about how bad the coffee was (ya, I know, that's still in America).
2. In a theater in Japan, seeing Return of the Jedi, the Japanese were horified by the thought of an evil emperor, the American couple couldn't stop laughing (actually that was my parent's experience, I was just a baby).
3. It isn't really ugly, per sey, it's just weird, going to Yellowstone park and seeing a Japanese family trying to pose for photo ops beside the bison/elk (thinking about it, I don't think that Japan really has any large herbivores that can go from placid to attacking without much warning). As an American that was really weird because I've known since I was little that you really want to respect the buffalo.
4. Oh, speaking of Yellowstone. Seeing American kids throwing coins into hot springs and (even worse!) the sealion enclosure at the Aquarium because they've been taught they just have to throw coins into every pool of water they find. The worst part is there are signs all around the enclosure telling tourists not to throw coins in, because the sealions can mistake them for fish, swallow them, and then die because the coins block their digestive tracts.
5. One of my friends reported this, having visitors at the aquarium she was working at ask "where's Nemo!" repeatedly after Finding Nemo was released, even adults. This was an aquarium dedicated to species native to the water around New York.
Ugly as Ignorant
In my experience as an American that was born in Europe, and that has spend 12 of 38 years living outside of the USA, I think the "Ugly American" thing usually derives from many Americans ignorance of the world outside the borders of the US. This ignorance comes from a very America-centric view of the world.
I've been asked of my fellow countrymen such questions as "do they have eggs there", to "is there electricity", and so on. I am generally embarrassed by these questions, which reflect a feeling of absolute superiority, and hope that I have never exhibited the same degree of idiocy.
I see this as a consequence of nationalism and patriotism gone bad, and blind faith in the pronouncements of politicians who consistently declare that the US is the greatest nation on earth (something I tend to agree with, in a more nuanced sense), while using that statement to ignore the fact that "greatest" does in NO WAY mean "perfect".
Ugly American is BS
I've spent many years abroad. The general phenomenon I see is the that the locals will view whatever nationality they are bigoted against as ugly.
Like in China, the second they see a Japanese person they tense in waiting to catch them doing something remotely insensitive. Considering that so many of China's woman either choose to or are forced into prostitution tourists will often enjoy these services in the hotels. The various bath houses in China, as well as the "barber shops" are also parlors of the full release. The Chinese can be seen walking in and out of these places with regularity. But, once they hear that Japanese (Korean slightly less so) have been partaking in the services of their woman they go marching in protest of the ugly Japanese who do not respect Chinese "ladies". They know Americans, Canadians, Australians do the same but they are sensitive to Japanese.
Generally speaking the world does not like the US (or Israel for that matter) and will open their ears a little wider for the small cultural insensitivities that all people exhibit. In the US we could harp on the way French generally don't tip, put their nose up at our pasteries and wine and how often you hear them speaking about our mistaken Imperialism (French Imperialism was fine for its day. But, us Americans are real A-holes for our liberal-democratic form of Empire). We are ugly Americans because we don't know the name of Slovenia's capital. They, on the otherhand, don't know the difference between Washington DC and Washington State.
Yes, there are drunken baffoons in every country. It might be the Chinese guy who drunkenly offered to treat us to dinner... insisted really, and when we accepted (so as not to be rude) he proceeded to yell into my ear and slobber over my wife. There are the Israelis who insist on teaching the local chef how to "properly" make humous. There is the Welsh bigot who only confronted me with his hatred (because I'm an American, I'm overweight and a Jew) when he was drunk. The rest of the time his cajones resided somewhere in between his pituitary and thyroid glands.
Alon, in previous discussions I addressed you as Mr. Levy. I would have refrained if at the time I had known just how young you are. I can't assume to project what has lead you to hate the chain of DNA, traditions and the beauty from which your came. Be it your effortlessly contemptuous comments that single out the sources of your being (American, Jewish and judging by your name Israeli) or the blindness you have towards a true view of your roots, you are a disgraceful shame. Someone with your form of contempt and childish angst might have been goaded and proded into becoming a homicid bomber or into posing for Reuters photographers in Beirut rubble if you had come from a less tolerant society. If you are lucky you may grow up and begin to differenciate between ugly situations and hateful human-beings. That photograph of you; hunch-back to the camera, a dark room in the sterile glow of your screen and your face screwed up in a petulant pout, speak more then a thousand of my words would describe. One day you might go to China where people are still afraid to speak their minds or to India where they just have to get on those trains, even if it may be bombed again, because there is no other way to get to work. You might find yourself in Arabia where you'll not find a church, a synagogue or masonic meeting house to hold contempt for. You will be surounded only my moons and stars and beautiful domes adorned with lovingly crafted scribbles and geometric designs... but that is all. You may get to Africa and find a village with brand new wells and a small clinic paid for with American tax paying dollars. The Third World is dotted with wells and clinics your parents paid for with their taxes and none of these countries were anything but Third World before America came. One day you may forgive us our ugliness but only if it staves off evil coming from other places. You may be alone in the Universe, but one day you may find yourself needing some human contact. I won't deny it to you just because I once knew you in your ugly duckling phase.
Many Miles, Many Shoes
BoNo
Ugly Americans
I think we kind of mixing up the politic topics with the personal face to face encounters.
I'm not agreeing with the way the American society builds and grows its people...that’s why they seem so ignorant but still have the mentality of the best nation on earth.
I have american friends and i just love them...they have many nuances that we europeans don't.
On the other hand they produce...money...power...it's a power machine that you can not fight...!!! And every contra argumentation against them...fails, cas they are the ones to have the economic power. And still, there are so many European brains to work and live on USA.
I personally try to make a distinction between politics and a person that it's born as an American, Arab, Jewish and so on...
The scary part is that this mentality "best nation in the world" ... was Hitler's dream :)
Sorry for the english mistakes, hope i didn't ofend.
No, it's not BS at all
At least in Israel, the greatest jokes about how Israelis are insensitive and boorish come from within Israel. Israelis joke about how Israeli tourists unscrew and steal taps in Turkish hotels; Turks don't. Turks do get pissed off at Israeli tourists sometimes, but given that Turkey is generally pro-Israeli both as a state and as a nation, shrugging it off as nationalistic is ignorant.
And before you start trumpeting the US as a global force for good, check how much your country gives out in foreign aid. You'll find that as a percentage of GDP, it's the lowest in the first world. The UNDP has requested 0.7% of GDP in aid from each developed country; a few European countries have met that, a few more are fairly close, and some more are far behind, but at 0.1%, the US is dead last.
Lets Try Another View
In my opinion the best Israeli jokes are based around the Holocaust.
I didn't understand what you meant with, "but given that Turkey is generally pro-Israeli both as a state and as a nation, shrugging it off as nationalistic is ignorant."
What was I shrugging off as nationalistic?
When you say that Turkey is generally pro-Israel you are dealing in relative terms. Relative to Syria, Iran, Malaysia and Indonisia then yes, Turkey has reasonably good relations with Israel. The fact that they do business with Israel, recognize its right to exist and Israelis are relatively safe there is probably enough to ask of any country. To call this pro-Israel is a little over the top.
I myself have found Israelis who were "ugly" in behavior. I have personally been an Ugly American as well. The point is that every nation notices tourists. Tourists stick out in many ways. They hang out in tourist traps, they spend too much on crap, and they speak in foreign tones. They usually wear the perpetual grin of someone who recognizes they are in foreign territory and need to show the locals they are friendly. People are generally weary of strangers. When we see tourists we either see some combination of an oddity, opportunity (especially if they are from a wealthy nation) and danger. Even between tourists there are criticisms of each other. English tourists are bothered that German tourists wake up early, set their towels on the best chairs on the beach and then go back to sleep. This leaves the English looking for a decent place to create their beach space. English have a way of going to the same Spanish resort every year and finding the local British pub where they can watch Man U. kick a ball around, drink Stella and eat fish and chips. What about the Mediterraneans who are characterized wearing those ugly Speedos? Have you started to notice the steady growth of Chinese making the global rounds in their full face visors for the women and the men hiking the Sierra-Nevadas in baby-poop brown slacks held up by their "Playboy" belt wrapped around their waist?.. if you consider your waist at belly-button level.
If you look at literature you'll find the first snide comments about American Tourists come right around the Civil War Period. This coincided with the Knickerbockers making the traditional Grand Tour or sending newlywed couples to Paris to outfit the young bride in the most fashionable clothes and then on to London so the groom could be fitted into the height of affluent business and leisure wear. Even then our accent grated on the European ear, our ignorance of proper European customs drew derision and the wide-eyed gusto in which we took in all this “new” culture chaffed on the European reserve. I'm not so sure one can blame our sense of world domination for these characteristics.
The conversation was a discussion of Ugly Americans. Your habit of dragging Israel into conversations always seems to serve the purpose of “exposing” your version of an axis of ugly. Your last comment irritated me at the moment. But, you did well with this most recent comment. You kept to the point and said nothing completely ridiculous. Well done.
Lastly, the US does not owe anyone, but its citizens, anything. If we give to the Third World then that’s very charitable of us. If we make contractual obligations we should keep our end so long as our partners do the same. Others who contribute to the less fortunate, good for them. But, we are under no obligations. In the last fifty years no country has done more to assist the development of other countries, sent aid when disaster has struck nor been accused of more malfeasance for not doing more. One could also count the private donations of America's many corporations and private citizens that dwarf the contributions of some nations, which since these donations are tax deductible, should be counted as a US contribution.
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/default.htm
Calculate our GDP and multiply that by the 0.1% and you'll find that number exceeds the contribution of other nations. The foreign aid the US gives out comes in many forms other then the formal aid the UN is asking for. The US Armed Forces, stationed in bases around the world, spend a large part of their time forging ties with communities by helping them build, with their own hands and funds, infrastructure in places that have never had any. They also hire local people to do some of the work their presence creates. This is another benefit of American Imperialism. It behooves you to perhaps reassess the standards the UN and EU put to the US. The UN is not the world government. The Constitution forbids treaties that subject the People of the United States to foreign rule. The UN can ask for money, and the US is still by far the biggest financial contributor to that body as well, but we are under no obligation to fulfill that request. The UN and EU often imply the worst and ignore the best of America's contributions. Can we be more knowledgeable, yes? Can we help more, yes. That applies to all countries, all nations and every person. But, we owe the world neither.
Many Miles, Many Shoes
BoNo
Oh, nice
The US throws bread crumbs, so it's to be lauded, even as other countries do the best they can. The EU together gives several times as much as the US; are you going to start supporting everything the EU does over this? Or are you going to invent another reason to fly in the face of every major human rights organization and trumpet Americanism?
I dragged Israel into this because you said hating annoying tourists is based on prejudice. I gave a counterexample of widespread hatred of annoying tourists that contradicts your little theory. Stop with the characteristically American idiocy that is hating it whenever someone brings up international examples.
Back to the Drawing Board
Why are you comparing a continental block of nations to a single nation? The EU is comprised of 25 countries. The US is one.
There is no way for me suggest that the US government's donations to foreign aid is the highest in the world compared to other countries, by percent of GNI or GNP (which ever you prefer). But, in terms of actual dollar amounts the closest any other country comes in providing foreign aid is Japan who has given half the amount in 2005 that the US gave. From Japan the total of foreign aid amounts of 13.1 billion while the US' is stuck on the paltry 27.5 billion. The next country on the list of total dollars given is a European one, sort of, with England giving 10.8 billion dollars. As a Math major you should be able to easily see that the US, in terms of total dollars given, gives more to foreign aid then the next two nations combined. How are these breadcrumbs? I'll repeat the beginning premise of this comment; the US is the second lowest giver in foreign aid, of developed countries in the world... but only by percentage of GNP. You might one day come to realize that if one can reasonably argue that someone is both the best and the worst in a category depending on the standard used then the reasonable conclusion is that they are doing quite enough. Instead your friends in the EU and UN want to harp on one figure and make little of the other. Am I perpetuating your view of American idiocy?
BTW, since we are talking about figures lets correct some statements you made. The US is dead last in foreign aid (of the developed world) at .1%???
Does this mean you do not count Portugl as a developed nation? The Portugese might find that an insulting example of American ignorance since they too are developed and give .21% of GNP while the US actually gives .22% of GNP. The UN requested .7% of GNP... by the year 2015. There are still nine years to make that deadline for all nations involved. BTW, you have displayed classic American ignorance and insulted yet another European group. Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Luxombourg and the Neatherlands don't meet but all exceed the requested percentage given to foreign aid. But, one can spend such percentages when they have equal protection under NATO that all signatories enjoy while providing far less resource to that mutual cooperation.
But, none of these numbers account for two things. One, thousands of American private citizens create billions of dollars worth of non-profit organizations that also provide aid for foreign people. Two, these organizations are subsidized by US tax dollars because donations to such organizations are tax deductible. American corporations and some of the wealthiest Americans donate huge chunks of money that again is higher then any donations coming from any other group of people.
Finally, this still does not take into account government organizations such as the Military or the Peace Corp, both of whom do some heavy lifting in working to improve foreign countries. You are once again crapping in your own plate thinking it’s a toilet.
If you look at the chain of comments you, in a previous lesson about blog etiquette did quite well in suggesting that one should link comments to their appropriate chains, made the following statement.
"And in general, tourists who aren't American or Israeli are alright. It's just these two groups that scream rather than talk, and think everybody hates them and then act in a way that perpetuates that".
This comment was made Aug 22nd. 1:49PM. My first comments on this Ugly American blog were made on Aug 22nd, 11:50PM. So, I think you'll find it difficult to blame me for your having brought Israelis into a discussion about Americans. Your history on this site indicate that you use whatever excuse you can imagine to criticize Israel, Israelis, the US and Americans.
Far be it for me to fly in the face of all human rights organizations. I didn't realize this was how we designated the UN and the EU. They now are human rights organizations? Interesting. The diatribe I feel coming on belongs on another blog entry so; I'll leave it at that.
BTW, how much do you donate to foreign aid? Hezbollah and Hamas don't count.
You boy have a moral compass stuck on straight ahead no matter what twisty road you walk.
Many Miles, Many Shoes
BoNo
Some of my ugly American moments...
See a pattern? Loud and not very bright.
- No More Mr. Nice Guy!
Real money
You know, given what's happening in world finance lately, I'd say that greenbacks aren't real money and the US ought to accept the Euro.
Ugly American or Ugly Drunk?
An ugly American to me is a buffoon who tromps around another nation loudly ridiculing their culture while proclaiming the superiority of his or her own, regardless of his or her blood alcohol level. What you described is a scene that plays out in many bars in America and probably in many other countries 24/7/365.
Drunk
Matters not. In vino veritas. I am not ashamed to say that I drink to the point of inebriation on occasion and I have and would never act like that person did. Of the fact that I occasionally act foolishly I am positive.
And you're right. Your description is also a valid characterization of an ugly American...the point is that the way most of us act is not in line with these few that make us look bad, but the few do indeed exist.
What I'm not sure of is if the poor behavior crosses cultural lines. I've not travelled Europe or even encountered many European's in the US. What, anecdotally, I've seen is that foriegn traveller's and residents don't act in the same callous manner as the few Americans that do.
I lived in Hawaii for several years and there are a TON of Japanese that visit and reside in Hawaii. Never did I feel or see that any of them that I encountered acted in a manner that I would consider 'ugly'.
Well, I have
And in general, tourists who aren't American or Israeli are alright. It's just these two groups that scream rather than talk, and think everybody hates them and then act in a way that perpetuates that.
For a second there I thought
For a second there I thought the inebriated fool you were describing was Mel G.
I didn't hear Penn's broadcast
But when I think of "the ugly american," I think of the american who is disrespectful of the people and customs of the countries he visits.
In that sense, "ugly american" applies perfectly in Iraq...
ARB
Those who ask the most questions, have the most answers. - ARB (1991)
Ugly American
I was not born in this country, and I am thankful for the wonderful opportunities that made me who I am. The day I became a US citizen, I got my voter's registration and applied for my passport. I travel all over this world and I find that the image of the ugly American is being superceeded by that of the "Ugly American Goverment". Most people can differentiate between the ugly American goverment an the ugly American person, some do not. My last trip to Europe found me attempting to separate myself from "my" goverment, a difficult task. The English derive a sort of historical revengful satisfaction by pointing out all of our ugly traits, a caricature of who they, (with our help) believe we are, a badly dressed, complaining, arrogant, loud and overweigh tourist with a Hawaian straw hat and two cameras around the neck. The ugly American expects everybody to speak English and to take American dollars. They are always looking for McDonalds or Pizza Hut. Seldom take the time to understand, respect or appereciate the local customs, he is ethnocentric, ignorant and sadly a very poor embassador of our wonderful country. On the other side the Ugly American Goverment wants to export "U.S. style democracy and impose "American" values, including our judeo-christian belief system. Any other system is non-democratic and if Mr. Bush has his way, we would build Christian churches where all temples, mosques and other houses of worship and centers of spirituality are.
I found that in all my travels through Europe only the Polish people like us, but look their options, Russia to the North and Germany to the East.