h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I am an English Brit, married to a Scot who is very aware that I am English. Cultural imperialism and the celtic fringe, and all that.

One of the reasons I am concentrating on working abroad (Hamburg and now Stockholm, and previously Glasgow - if that counts as "abroad") is to find out what it means to be (1) English and (2) a Brit.

My posting follows on very closely from the previous posting by Trilians Child - press the button and check out what she had to say.

I think you need to make a distinction between Americans and America. That way, your sweeping generalisations can be grounded in the cultural zeitgeist (if I'm allowed to use that word).

1. America believes that the death penalty is good.
2. America has a whole shed full of problems with the division of church and state. This has massive ramifications in the recognition of other cultures and/or religions as inferior.
3. America claims to believe in democracy, all the while propping up and arming dictators across the world.
4. America claims to be have a classless society, but the fact is that the gap between rich and poor is growing ever wider.
5. America wants to be the policeman of the world, but is unable to sort out it's own human rights abuses.
6. The contridiction of Christianity and the religious right.

I could go on. These are just the perceptions of a young British man, but it's what we see. Prominence is given, in the American and British media, to nuts who want to burn crosses, castrate sex offenders and build a wall around Texas. Is it any wonder that we have such a warped view.

Stand up if you are a nice American!

Sorry to rant.

Midwestern American opinion:

Now if you guys are going to start throwing stones, why are all Brits, pompous, over-bearing, stuffed shirts, who have little to be proud of other than driving on the left and drinking tea every couple of hours.

And yes, The death penalty is GOOD.
Division of church and state was a liberal idea (and a bad on in my opinion).
Regular americans are not arming dictators, that's our government (who we are trying to replace as we speak - go GW!).
Who said america is a classless society? I come from a middle class family who works for a living. Just because we don't have a King/Queen doesn't mean that we are classless, just all the classes are suppose to be treated equilly and can mingle. Noone is SUPPOSE to be better than anyone else.
I as an American do not want us to be the policemen of the world. But whoelse can do it, England?
BTW... what's wrong with casterating sex offenders? What would you do to someone who raped your wife/daughter/sister or son for that matter?
I think casteration is getting off light (see earlier in the conversation with deathpenalty only slower).

Look, I have no problem with Brits and you can stereotype any culture. Why can't people just judge each other on a one to one basis?
You will notice there are good and bad people in all cultures.

Nothing is wrong with Americans. I think I said it before (probably on the English/French forum) that it was summed up best in Men In Black "1 person isn't stupid, people are stupid". Not that I mean Americans are stupid.

But, as far as I'm aware, draping yourself in the US Flag, singing the Star Spangled Banner and hating Cuba for being different is called pAtriotic. In this country, draping yourself in the flag, singing the national Anthem, and hating anyone who is not a blue-eyed blonde would be called nationalism and start a world war.

And while we're on the subject of being World Policemen - perhaps the USA would like to pay their (overdue) contribution to running the UN.

Also, surely the definitin of a repubic is that there are no classes? And any country that has such a HUGE plus in the national budget could give healthcare to all its citizens, not just the rich ones?

Actually, I've never been to the States. But I'm sure it's spectacular. But I bet I've met more Americans than the average American citizen who has never been to Britain has met Brits. If you see what I mean. And I even liked most of them.

And before you all start the Brit bashing again, don't forget: we gave you Shakespeare. End of argument.

Sorry Old Tasteless Joke

We also gave you John Lennon and what did you go and do you shot him

My opinion...I am American have always lived here and have yet had the money to travel outside of here. I am from Massachusetts which gets more and more tourist every years (and a true yank at that). I have worked in restraunts and bars for a very long time.

Anyone who goes and visits another country usually acts like we are lucky to have them in our country and should bow to them. You come here (not just Brits everyone) and expect us to always understand you and if we can't you look at us like were stupid Americans. When we try to help you act like it is our job to act as your tour guide. As for large groups of tourists don't even get me started.

But wait...Americians also do this when traveling abroad. So who is better no one, so stop bashing each other.

After all this it is very silly to bash each other because no matter where your born your heritage goes back to somewhere else (usually the place your bashing).

I'm done now

The death penalty is good?

I don't think so. You can't claim it's deterrent to killers. Just look which country has the highest rate of murders per member of population.

In the UK not so long ago, a number of men and women were convicted of a series of bombings. Were we in the USA, they would all have probably been executed. However, a few years later, it was discovered that, not only was the evidence mishandled, but also there was an alterior motive on behalf of the authorities (ie, we'd better get some one convicted of this as soon as possible or we'll look bad).

Fortunately, these people only lost their liberty for 10 or 15 years. You can't take the death penalty back. Ever.

I notice you didn't mention the contridiction in your belief in execution and the Bible's commandments. How does 'middle America' square this circle?

This contradiction is also supported by the major Christian churches, which say that it is ok to fight a war if you are fighting on the side of right. Even though thou shalt not kill.

(Hate interrupt the Bible discussion, but I don't know if this point has been made)...

Americans are awfully foolish and inconsiderate and stupid because we have televisions for babysitters... or we fail as parents and let prejudice words and ideas form in our children's minds...

I'm sure that it's probably not limited to the United States, but our ignorance begets more ignorance... "I don't know WHERE little Joey got that attitude from!!!"

Well, he probably received it from his parents, through A) Their own examples
B) Their quickness to let the television keep their child happy
C) The lack of time they actually spend talking to their child
D) Their silent acceptance of some childish American's behavior(look at Bill Clinton, still much a child, in my view)...

Why do you think the states have procurred so many ridiculous self-help and therapy books!??

I think the church says that two wrongs don't make a right. However, if you have to kill one thousand people to save one million, then who's going to say that's wrong?

Don't get me mixed up with Christians (or any other religion), but I think (as Dostoyevski, or some other dead Russian) once said: you can judge a nation (or civilization) on how they treat their prisoners.

In relation to the point of castrating sex offenders, you need to make a distinction between justice and revenge – and, as with the death penalty, on the consequences of making mistakes.

Another (dissenting) midwestern opinion:

Yes America has problems, as ALL countries have problems. Each one has slightly different problems, but bumpy government is a universal standard. I guess what I was after when I first posted is this:

When I first logged on to h2g2 I was very excited about the range of cultures and different people I could now be in contact with. I guess I saw it as more of a cultural exchange. With the prohibitive cost of international travel, it's a fact that many cultures are ignorant of one another. This is not just an American problem. If you've never been to Africa you don't really know what it's like there. You only know what the media and the governments want you to know about what it's like there. The same holds true for the country, city, county, town, neighbor next door. h2g2 as a site has the ability to break down cultural stereotypes and build better understanding. Yet it is not reaching it's full potential.

Just a thought, how many people would be offended if this forum was called what's wrong with Africans? what's wrong with Indians? or what's wrong with Jews?

I asked the question "What's wrong with Americans?" not to offend anyone, but because I am American, and most of the negativity I have encountered has been directed at Americans, and being "culturally undereducated" I was not aware of the animosity that exists against us as a culture.

So Andy, what is a deturrent to killers, 3 meals a day, heat in the winter, airconditioning in the summer, never having to work again, having other (law-abiding) people pay for everything you need for the rest of your life?

I agree that not all trials are fair and some people are innocent that are found guilty, but that's why there are appeals. If people are repeatidly found guilty by an unbiased jury of there peers for commiting murder then yes they should be put to death. What if there is no possible doubt that the person is guilty, eyewhitnesses, caught on video tape killing the person and such? Do you just put him in a room and take care of that person forever and burden all the other law abiding citizens with taking care of him or do you do what you would do with a rabid dog and dispose of 'em?

And I have no oppinion on the Bible's commandments because I am Agnostic.

This actually sounds like a debate between me and liberals. So yes there are quite a few Americans that have the same views as you. The death penalty is only active in afew of the states so you can't actually say that all of America has the same views as I.

BTW... You didn't say that the bombers didn't do it, just that the evidence was mishandled and the cops wanted to pin it on someone. So did they do it?

Bombers. It's very unlikely that they did do it. This also means that the real culprits got away scott-free, as the investigation was wound up.

I was always told in school that two wrongs don't make a right. If someone kills a person (and the analogy with a rabid dog is misleading, because a rabid dog is under the imfluence of a hideous brain destroying disease), then society should try to rehabilitate them. If that isn't possible, then yes, we should pay to keep them locked up. They are human and the first human right is a right to life. Regardless.

If you want to make a man dangerous, take away his hope. This is why the death penalty isn't a deterrent. In countries where there is no capital punishment, the murder rates are lower. That's a simple, unarguable fact. So how can anyone say that it's a good way of keeping down crime.
Far better would be to concentrate on tackling the reasons why people kill, rather than 'closing the door after the horse has bolted.'

The death penalty is about revenge, and that's not something to build a legal system on.

Under law they didn't do it :. they didn't do it.

We gave them Shakespere.
They gave us The Simpsons.
No contest really is it?


Re-garding American Attitudes towards stuff..just a quickie while there are so many Americans gathered together in one forum. I was just wondering what the current popular oppinion is regarding handguns espacially after the killings at the school in Columbine last year and in the run-up to the presidential elections?

Clive

As far as hand guns go I personally don't like them at all but if you want to have a gun keep it locked up far away from your children. Gun laws should be a lot stricter so that people like the kids that shot up Columbine High School can't get them.

Last year I was watching the news when I heard a report about a kid who brought an AK47 into my old high school. That is a very scary thought.

As for the election I don't pay attention to potitics. Politicians tend to make me want to throw up.

All the Americans I have personally encountered have been stereotypical, I'm afraid. Such as the ones who go round shops in Stratford-upon-Avon (birthplace of Shakespeare etc.) going, "It's so cute, I wanna take it all home with me!"
Nothing spoils the ambience of an historical ruin like a loud, obnoxious tourist who shrieks their opinion of it in wildly inappropriate language. Whether they are American or British, local or far-flung.
I have to say that, if and when I meet the polite, quiet and genuinely interested tourist that I try to be when I'm touristing, I'll be very pleased indeed. But if I find one who's wholly ignorant and in no hurry to disguise that fact, I won't be able to resist severely taking the mick- wherever they're from.