there's a lot that i want to say with this post, but i'm not quite sure how to get it all in. first, let me give you some background about myself. i'm nearing the end of my senior year in college, and i've spent this whole year in england. the university i've gone to is quite nice because it contains sooo many international students. people from all of western and eastern europe, many of the different countries of africa, india, south america, and countless countries in asia. during this year i've had the blessing of being able to talk with many of these peoples from the different countries.
now, i think that it's not to far of a stretch to say that these people would have a bad view of america's government and millitary. after all, we have throughly spent the last...i don't know, 50 years(?) fucking over countries from all around the world. as i've said this could be expected(the bad view of americans that is). what i did not expect to find however in my talks with these people is that their disdain for americans goes much deeper. don't get me wrong, the majority of people i've met are open minded enough that if you show that you are aware and open minded, then they will show you respect.
but this further stereotype of americans, beyond our government's foriegn policy comes from the fact that american's are IGNORANT to the actions and events that go on outside of our country. granted, there are obvious explanations for this. the size of our country is massive. we are also totally isolated from europe and asia.
i guess i'm writing this to encourage, and ask to my fellow okayplayers to try to think more outward. pay attention to that stuff going on in other countries. i think with the relativly recent success of america in the world wars, we've been lulled into thinking that america is untouchable. i'm sure much more goes into it than just that, such as us having so much money to back up our influences(brief brake. i'm listenning to do you want more right now, and is there anything better than the version of essaywhuman on it? i think not). but seriously, all of those foreign events greatly affect us whether we realize it or not. one thing that i hope and wish, is that if americans as a whole were aware of the stuff going on in other countries, then it would be more difficult for our government to get away with all of the bullshit that they pull so often, without the public even knowing. honestly, i'm tired in my history classes of learning about places such as the phillipines, nicuragua, iran...and so many other places that we went in, and no matter how you look at it, we were the machevellian bastards.

i'm going to bring in another point right now. that is the media. in england, you can't even call the newspapers forms of true info(any u.k. okayplayers can correct me if i'm wrong). but basically, there are different tabloids which cate to all of the different political intrests. it's rediculous how subjective the righting is. but i think that people in the u.s. need to be more aware of the fact that maybe what you read in the papers isn't objective. for example: the most recent confrontation between the u.s. and iraq. i believe it was maybe a year or two ago. you remember...sadam kicked out the weapons inspectors. at least that's how it was posted in the washington post, n.y. times, and countless national news shows. BUT, this wasn't the case. sadam didn't kick them out. it was a decision made be the u.s. person in charge. yet, it was reported falsely in some of the most respected forms of media in the u.s.!!! because we're so isolated, geographically wise, we're left to trust these forms of information, and we're very vulnerable to this type of brain washing.(another brake. man, if you don't think that dice raw rips it on the lesson, then you smoke crack. i can not wait for this guys solo album). but seriously, think about it. i'll start another post about places to find the REAL news. whether the internet or other sources.
okay, so in attempt to tie this back to what i was saying earlier, here in england among all of these people from around the globe, americans are definetely known as the most ignorant and unrespectful. from the people i've talked with, and from my experiences of traveling around western europe on my breaks this year, american's expect to be catered to, and don't respect the cultures they are visitors in. i acknowledge the fact that i am generalizing here from my limited travels and experiences. i believe that this ignorance is definetely an extension of the americentric thinking that goes on, and when we go to other places, we are as a whole UNAWARE of culture and country we are in.
anyways this has gone on for a long time...my post that is. please post anything that this post may have spurred in your mind. i look forward to hearing others experiences in dealing with the aspects of americentricity.