What is it?, to be an "American"?

[Tigran of Sasoun]

Ok this is what I want to know, why are Americans so proud of thier nation and always reply something like: "this is the best country in the world"
"we have some problems but this is still the best country in th world"

So what makes America, uhhh... America? Why are you so dam proud? What difference from another country is it that you consider it the "best"?

Is it the military power?, the economic power?, the different ethnicities living under on nation? is it the influence? What is it?

[Justinian]

It's because America is so big. Countries where you can go 3,000 miles and still be with the same people are usually very proud of themselves simply because they aren't exposed to other cultures.

Canadians are practically the same as us and everyone ignores Mexico.

[HorseArcher]

Ok this is what I want to know, why are Americans so proud of thier nation and always reply something like: "this is the best country in the world"
"we have some problems but this is still the best country in th world"

So what makes America, uhhh... America? Why are you so dam proud? What difference from another country is it that you consider it the "best"?

Is it the military power?, the economic power?, the different ethnicities living under on nation? is it the influence? What is it?

Have you lived in America?

You would need about 5yrs or so and you'd soon start to realize.
So did I after 6 years in the US Army. Even though I don't like Bush, don't like the whole Iraq deal, still I have to say, this is great place to live. My homesickness to back to my old country dissappears after 3 weeks of visit. Then I get home sick again, but for my USA home.
I only miss my friends, but other than that, I support the people of USA. they are not the same as its goverment.

[Justinian]

Having never lived anywhere really different from the USA (I lived in Canada for three years... but then again I was three and a half when I left, so I don't remember it) I can't really say why people who have moved to America prefer it ... but evidently they do.

[SovietDoom]

Ok this is what I want to know, why are Americans so proud of thier nation and always reply something like: "this is the best country in the world"
"we have some problems but this is still the best country in th world"

So what makes America, uhhh... America? Why are you so dam proud? What difference from another country is it that you consider it the "best"?

Is it the military power?, the economic power?, the different ethnicities living under on nation? is it the influence? What is it?

Everything.

[Justinian]

An addendum to previous statement: Americans are proud of America for the same reason Britons were proud of Britain in the 1800s.

[Lord Tomyris]

An addendum to previous statement: Americans are proud of America for the same reason Britons were proud of Britain in the 1800s.

You may say I'm living in the past old chap, but I'm still proud of the empire!

[Francisco Montana]

You may say I'm living in the past old chap, but I'm still proud of the empire!

Same goes for Great Britain. I love her, in all her glory and shortcomings.

The British Empire gave alot to mankind. It's easy to point a selfrightous finger at them, but that's copping out and ignoring the historic perspectives of the time.

[Tigran of Sasoun]

Well im in Canada, and i think that it is one of the greatest places to live. Reason is that we have free health care, we keep to ourselves and do not try to force others to do things, we are a FREE demcoratic country where the government has to answer to everything they do, its very layed back, more like European countries.

So you guys keep saying the same thing, "this is the best place to live" , and "this is the best place to live even with Bush and iraq war"

So WHY is it the best place to live? Because its home is not good enough. Ok i love canada, but i would Rather live in other European nations for a few reasons and main one is that it is in Europe, with rich history and mediteranian climate.

[Justinian]

So WHY is it the best place to live? Because its home is not good enough. Ok i love canada, but i would Rather live in other European nations for a few reasons and main one is that it is in Europe, with rich history and mediteranian climate.

Only if you're on the Mediterranean. In which case you have to learn like six languages...

You can get a great climate in California or Hawaii. . . both parts of the US I might add.

[GiantMonkeyMan]

britain has free health care and is just as proud a nation.... i see europe as a great mix of cultures, tastes and ideals whereas (and i know people will argue) i see america as a mix of tv, burgurs and freedom to have a mix of guns... i mean america is good and all but with europe as a whole (i'm not talking european union)... it just doesn't compare

[John I Tzimisces]

britain has free health care and is just as proud a nation.... i see europe as a great mix of cultures, tastes and ideals whereas (and i know people will argue) i see america as a mix of tv, burgurs and freedom to have a mix of guns... i mean america is good and all but with europe as a whole (i'm not talking european union)... it just doesn't compare

When free health care defines a nations greatness, let me know. Capitalism has brought my family from living in a condo into a fairly large house on the CT-NY border...
my father grew up in a ghetto. thats the american dream right there. rags to riches.

[Justinian]

i see america as a mix of tv, burgurs and freedom to have a mix of guns

Have you ever even been to America? I don't call British fat stick up the butt tea drinkers having never been to the UK, so please don't pass generalisations on us if you've never been here.

UK is one to talk, it's just under us in obesity...

By the way, I've lived in the US for a while and I have yet to see a single civilian carrying a gun... and I've lived on both sides of the country.

[RZZZA]

Which Americans proclaim "This is the best nation on the face of the Earth"? Pardon me, but I live in America and every time I've heard someone say that, they say "I think" first. BIG DIFFERENCE. One is a declaritive sentence, the other is an opinion, isn't it?

[SovietDoom]

britain has free health care and is just as proud a nation.... i see europe as a great mix of cultures, tastes and ideals whereas (and i know people will argue) i see america as a mix of tv, burgurs and freedom to have a mix of guns... i mean america is good and all but with europe as a whole (i'm not talking european union)... it just doesn't compare

This is about America. Not politics, not Europe, not economics. Keep this crap out of this thread.

[danzig]

britain has free health care and is just as proud a nation.... i see europe as a great mix of cultures, tastes and ideals whereas (and i know people will argue) i see america as a mix of tv, burgurs and freedom to have a mix of guns... i mean america is good and all but with europe as a whole (i'm not talking european union)... it just doesn't compare

Sorry then you simply dont understand America if that is your view of us and quite honestly that comment would be like one of us Americans saying Europe is just a place that constantly needs to be bailed out by us...ignorance goes both ways after all

Anyway to be an american to me is the ability to do/decide anything I want in my life, nothing is beyond my means to achieve if I actually put effort into it. Only thing to hold you back here is your own limitations. You name it you can do it here, the varied lifestyles from nutty NYC (where I live) to laid back and absolutely beautiful country in mid west and south to the laid back west coast. It is the absolutely perfect country for me and that is obviously impacted by the fact I was born here like Im sure it is for alot of people. That doesnt make the US the 'best' in the world it simply makes it the best in the world for me and hey that is all that matters. As Gulderan said we americans are proud of our country for the same reason people from every other country on these forums are. We arent all evil, fat, lazy, ignorant to the world people you know...we are as varied and different as all your countries combined (some of us are just louder then others so you get that perception)...and that is what makes it entirely unique place to live.

But when I talk to the "right wing" Americans of this forum I get the impression they hate all this.
Especially when we talk about European cultural diversity which happens to include a lot of Islamic culture.

Shrug Im a right winger and I absolutely love our cultural diversity (which *cough* is superior to your european diversity ) only thing I object to is *ANY* group be it religious nutcases, muslims, jews, christians, atheist etc trying to impose their view ontop of it. Whether its trying to strip away Christmas from public displays, whether its trying to sneak in ID into biology classes or demanding Porky the Pig and Piglet be banned from calenders in goverment buildings because its offensive...that is what bugs me. My only gripe is everyone should be required to learn english if going to live here...its just a good idea. I think alot of us right wingers want to continue what has been done since the mass of European immigrants into the US, keeping your cultural identity intact but intergrating entirely into American society and adding to our diverse culture and not attempt to impose your culture under the guise of 'minority rights'

[John I Tzimisces]

Well im in Canada, and i think that it is one of the greatest places to live. Reason is that we have free health care, we keep to ourselves and do not try to force others to do things, we are a FREE demcoratic country where the government has to answer to everything they do, its very layed back, more like European countries.

Iraq war? How does that effect anything? In all honesty, I'm enjoying my life as much as I was before the war as I was after.
International politics really have no bearing on day to day life. Everyone complains about the administration...but the truth is, no one really feels a difference in the way the govt effects life be it a democrat or republican. Somewhat of a plus for the seeming flaw that our political parties are basically the same. Do YOU want the govt screwing up your life on a local basis?
Its really a good time here, theres something for everyone, if you know where to look, there is basically every culture in the world here. NYC is such a mix I'd go so far to compare it to ancient Rome. (yes, i know, our "chinese" food is nothing like actual Chinese food, but I digress.).

EDIT!!!: Not to mention the second largest population of Armenians in the WORLD. That kicks ASS.

[Justinian]

(yes, i know, our "chinese" food is nothing like actual Chinese food, but I digress.)

You live in NYC? Sweet, the real capital of the US.

[John I Tzimisces]

You live in NYC? Sweet, the real capital of the US.

Shh no, but my family is from there. Mom is from the Bronx, second generation american armenian. She lived there until high school, and i still have folks there, and we go there to visit them all the time. Unfortunately, by some bizzare coincidence, its been cold and raining every time i go to NYC, even when we visited the statue of liberty, ellis isle, the empire state building (we have a freaky shot of the WTC from there. It is the ONLY building we took a picture of that is shrouded in fog...), etc.

[Last Roman]

every superpower in the history of the world has said "this is the best nation of the face of the earth" in one way or another. Its just that Americans tend to be a bit more vocal about it, especially lately as it seems that America is loosing her grips as the lone economic/military superpower in the world and we need to reassure ourselves. Look, most of us (Americans) are not arrogant jerks (its true i swear ), who see the rest in the world as inferior. Its just that America has reason to be very proud of our place in the world and we're not afraid to share it.

@Tigran. Canada is a very nice place too