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

Well, Empty Sky actually said 'ALL Americans' not the American government.

I do take some of the things that are said about my country to heart. While I don't agree with mnay things that are done by my government, I think it is a great nation with great people and an occasionally great but sometimes lousy government.

... why shouldn´t they ?....

I can see you are still expressing your self in a mature and dignified manner TD

Hello Two Bit. I suggest that there's very little actual difference between "all Americans" and the "American government". This is because of the curious phenomonen of Americans blindly supporting the prevailing government even if they didn't vote for it. Americans virtually deify their leaders, but only while they ARE leaders. Weird! Bush is a perfect example. Nobody voted for him, yet now he walks on water as far as the public are concerned. Do you really believe that your President (whoever he may be) has the support of God?

I like the way TD expresses his/her self. I just wish I could translate it.

"Hello Two Bit. I suggest that there's very little actual difference between "all Americans" and the "American government". This is because of the curious phenomonen of Americans blindly supporting the prevailing government even if they didn't vote for it. Americans virtually deify their leaders, but only while they ARE leaders. Weird! Bush is a perfect example. Nobody voted for him, yet now he walks on water as far as the public are concerned. Do you really believe that your President (whoever he may be) has the support of God?"

I know I'm not two-bit but I couldn't let this pass.

"This is because of the curious phenomonen of Americans blindly supporting the prevailing government even if they didn't vote for it"

Eh? Are you quite serious? Do you honestly believe that every single American of voting age religiously worships whoever is President?

"Americans virtually deify their leaders, but only while they ARE leaders"

I don't think a single American President has every been considered beyond criticism, even Washington or Lincoln. Certainly, I can't think of a 20th/21st century US President who has been "deified" whilst leader.

As for "no one voted for him". Bush was elected by a large minority of the voting public in the United States. If that's unfair then it's a problem with the US electoral system. However, saying "no one voted for him" is just silly.

Sorry if your comments were flippant and I took them too serously, but I'm getting sick of silly, poorly-informed arguments on what is supposed to be a serious thread.

Hello Zagreb. Yes, my comments were, to an extent, flippant. The "no-one voted for him" was metaphorical. Actually fewer than fifty percent of fifty percent of eligable voters voted for Dubya, Al Gore actually won the popular vote. As for "deify", I did say "virtually". Of course there are no absolutes where popular opinion is concerned but Americans (in general) do give the impression that they VIRTUALLY deify the office of president. Remember Nixon? He was not only supported but actually re-elected!!!

Americans do not always support the sitting president. President Clinton was vilified by the right, and many on the left disliked his personal problems. President Nixon was reelected, but no one really understood Watergate by that point. President Bush (the first one)was well liked after the Gulf War, but after he broke his 'No new taxes pledge, ' he was unelectable.

In times of troubles, Americans do rally around the president. President Roosevelt was so popular that he was elected four times. Even he faced conflicts at home. President Bush, who was seen as somthing of a buffoon, has, in the yes of most Americnas, risen to the occasion after 9/11. Still, he faces some hasrsh criticisms in the states.

Hiya... mind if i 'butt' in?

I think it's all about size (ahem)- allow me to explain...

America is a very big country, with lots of folk living there(mostly americans unfortunately(only joking..)
If any village, town, city or country was scaled up to the size and population of the U.S.A, i think many of the traits yanks are accused of, such as having a superiority complex, smugness, arrogance ,etc, would spontaniously appear.

I've noticed that the smaller a community is, the friendlier, less competitive, more trustworthy and generaly nicer the people seem to be. Sweeping generalisation i know, but i certainly noticed the difference in people and their attitudes when i moved from the city to a village.

So i am hypothisising that on a larger scale the same maybe true... mind you Russians couldn't be any more different than americans, so maybe that's where my theory falls.....

discuss!

....urges empty Sky to rush down, and buy a Babelfish ....

I popped in out of curiosity and saw this.

"Sorry if your comments were flippant and I took them too serously, but I'm getting sick of silly, poorly-informed arguments on what is supposed to be a serious thread." ---- "supposed to be a serious thread." Can I have some of whatever you're smoking/drinking Zagreb?


"Americans do not always support the sitting president. President Clinton was vilified by the right, and many on the left disliked his personal problems."
America has a left?!? since when did this happen

They went out and bought one, New Zealand was having a sale.. Sorry, I couldn't help a sudden surge of flippancy there.. Well, they don't have a recognisable left any more, sadly.

The Democrats are regarded as the "left" in America, even though they are centre-right by most countries standards.

There is a small but vocal "Left" in America, such as the green and anti-capitalist protesters. However, they don't strike me as particularly bright and seem more concerned with opposition and dogma than thinking out new ideologies and solving the world's problems. They also seem utterly disinterested in engaging with the majority of American voters, which is probably why they don't get anywhere politically.

:-=

c'mon the electrol college pretty much kills the idea of more than two parties.

Zagreb, the 'not very bright' slur is used against Greens everywhere, it's a kind of shorthand for 'I don't agree', and accusing them of being more interested in dogma than engaging with the voters, is just an assumption. I have read statements by Ralph Nader and Winona la Duke, which show the opposite!

That'll have the planet in the bog quicker

If I could be permitted to enter the frey.
This has probably been said before but... I still can't forgive the present administration in America for the Keoto agreement. Now if any worldwide agreement or treaty is signed a country now has the excuse to back out.