Is it really hard to fathom why many people despise the US?

ujoni08 · Post by **ujoni08** » 04 Feb 2014, 15:13

Agreed. All of the Americans I've met have been really nice, friendly people. They all had in common that they were 'ordinary' people, not involved in corporations or government in any way.

The powermongers all over the world on the other hand, have many things in common...

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 04 Feb 2014, 16:24

ujoni08 wrote:Agreed. All of the Americans I've met have been really nice, friendly people. ...................

The powermongers all over the world on the other hand, have many things in common...

Like the French, as far as I'm concerned. Some lovely people but as a nation????

This presentation is quite scary and sets out why there will be another huge financial crash in the US on 1st July this year. Many of the reasons why are things that we have been discussing here for a few years, such as the rest of the world going away from the US dollar as a reserve currency. It's really worrying just how far many countries have actually gone towards dumping the dollar.

Perhaps this is a reason for the TTP and the US-EU Trade Agreements: corporations trying to get an alternative legal framework for keeping their competitive advantage. Did I say "competitive"? Corrupt, or indeed any similar word, would be better.

That presentation is very long but the horrors listed are truly worrying. I sometimes wonder if the people who do these presentation are shorting on the dollar and various stocks and shares and are hoping to influence people in the right direction to profit. Moneyweek does similar presentations and lets them out for free as well. As they usually charge for their advice it makes you wonder what they have to gain from advising for free.

eatyourveg · Post by **eatyourveg** » 04 Feb 2014, 19:06

Once again the Daily Mash nails it:

"But now, thanks to a combination of psychotic greed, political expediency and the sort of jaw dropping stupidity that makes you wonder if they actually know how to breathe in and out, I can look forward to a future of dysentry, burnt-out vans and an exciting range of low-fat meals, all of which – in some way or another – involve rodents."

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/busi ... 0809301290

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 04 Feb 2014, 19:22

eatyourveg wrote:Once again the Daily Mash nails it:

"But now, thanks to a combination of psychotic greed, political expediency and the sort of jaw dropping stupidity that makes you wonder if they actually know how to breathe in and out, I can look forward to a future of dysentry, burnt-out vans and an exciting range of low-fat meals, all of which – in some way or another – involve rodents."

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/busi ... 0809301290

Yep. Perfect.

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 05 Feb 2014, 08:57

UndercoverElephant wrote:
eatyourveg wrote:Once again the Daily Mash nails it:

"But now, thanks to a combination of psychotic greed, political expediency and the sort of jaw dropping stupidity that makes you wonder if they actually know how to breathe in and out, I can look forward to a future of dysentry, burnt-out vans and an exciting range of low-fat meals, all of which – in some way or another – involve rodents."

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/busi ... 0809301290
Yep. Perfect.

Nice rant but I don't see where they ever get around to explaining WTF they are ranting about.

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 05 Feb 2014, 09:39

We have explained it. What don't you understand?

No, don't bother trying to answer that question. The very fact that you are so thoroughly unable to "get it" just marks you out as more typical of your countrymen than others on here are suggesting you are. Maybe not as bad as the majority, but still heading that way.

I'm not just being rude for the sake of it here. It is a characteristic of the problems we've been discussing in this thread that Americans themselves are totally unable to see themselves the way non-Americans see them, even after the problems have been explained in detail. You still, for example, don't understand why almost everybody here believes you to be absurdly right wing in terms of attitudes to tax and the responsibilities of governments. Neither do you understand why we find your views on gun control to be equally barmy. This inability to understand what the world looks like to people who aren't from your own country is not solely a US problem, but it is far worse in the US than anywhere else in the western/developed world. The North Koreans have got an excuse for not knowing what is going on outside their own country. Americans have not.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 05 Feb 2014, 10:28

UndercoverElephant wrote:Everybody else sees you as a bunch of psychopaths.

No, not quite UE. The American corporate, military and political regime is (not sees - definitely is) a bunch of psychopaths.

A large proportion of Americans are far nicer than you or I, their major fault being that they continue to vote against their (and the rest of the world's) interests.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 05 Feb 2014, 10:32

RenewableCandy wrote:As a new graduate, among my many job applications was one to something called Radio Free Europe. It sounded pleasingly Continental and anarchic, and I thought they might appreciate my French. I was rather shocked when they told me I couldn't work there because of not being a USA citizen.

So did you apply for work with Radio and TV Marti, named in honour of the great Cuban patriot?

tpals · Post by **tpals** » 05 Feb 2014, 15:23

emordnilap wrote:
UndercoverElephant wrote:Everybody else sees you as a bunch of psychopaths.
No, not quite UE. The American corporate, military and political regime is (not sees - definitely is) a bunch of psychopaths.

A large proportion of Americans are far nicer than you or I, their major fault being that they continue to vote against their (and the rest of the world's) interests.

It's hard not to become apathetic when the corporations pump so many millions into propaganda to get the votes they want. Like the way they stopped the GMO labeling bill in California.

Sometimes I think people are basically stupid and selfish. Expecting them to vote against their short term interests for the good of all or for the future doesn't seem to be working. Would most British vote to end flying holidays for the sake of the earth? Or end binge drinking for their health?

For the record: I don't feel over-taxed, haven't looked for loopholes to avoid taxes, and have already paid my property taxes for the year.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 05 Feb 2014, 15:40

tpals wrote:Expecting them to vote against their short term interests for the good of all or for the future doesn't seem to be working.

It's not even being tried!

tpals wrote:Would most British vote to end flying holidays for the sake of the earth? Or end binge drinking for their health?

It depends on how it's sold.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 05 Feb 2014, 15:43

But the GMO labelling wouldn't have cost anybody anything! Why on earth would any normal person vote against that??

tpals · Post by **tpals** » 05 Feb 2014, 16:33

RenewableCandy wrote:But the GMO labelling wouldn't have cost anybody anything! Why on earth would any normal person vote against that??

Because that's the propaganda that was spun. That it would cost food producers so much that food costs would soar and the poor would go hungry. People are easily stampeded into stupid.

tpals · Post by **tpals** » 05 Feb 2014, 16:36

emordnilap wrote:
tpals wrote:Would most British vote to end flying holidays for the sake of the earth? Or end binge drinking for their health?
It depends on how it's sold.

You have more faith in people than I can muster.

edited to fix quote

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 05 Feb 2014, 17:06

tpals wrote:
emordnilap wrote:
tpals wrote:Would most British vote to end flying holidays for the sake of the earth? Or end binge drinking for their health?
It depends on how it's sold.
You have more faith in people than I can muster.

edited to fix quote

Well, some of us would, so it is possible!

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 05 Feb 2014, 19:14

Here's another reason why the US suffers from a, shall we say, lack of respect. The US has a ban on exporting crude oil so that it is protected to a great extent from high oil prices. This gives US firms a trade advantage which, if it were claimed by any other nation would warrant a complaint by the US to the World Trade Organisation. Yet here they are protecting themselves at the expense of others.

Mind you the TTP and the US-EU Trade Agreement could put a stop to this as the oil companies could take the US government to the tribunal staffed by their own lawyers, seconded yes, and claim damages for their lost sales value. Now that would be interesting!! I wonder who would win!!