Non-American here.
I don’t dislike America. I was a teenager in the ‘90s, when the culture was peaking in influence here in the UK, so I have great nostalgia for American things (which really helps when playing the daily NYT games). I’ve visited a few times, and always enjoyed my time there.
But I am real fucking tired of the American influence on the internet, on politics, and on attitudes around the world.
I’m tired of the American view being the default on social media, because the majority of social media sites are American, populated by Americans.
I’m tired of saying something that would completely uncontroversial outside the US that attracts a rash of people bitching at you because it’s not normal over there. Like letting our cats outside. I once said something on Reddit about my cat getting killed by a car, and got a bunch of replies from people telling me how irresponsible I am for letting her go outside.
I don’t use TikTok, but my wife does, and part of her kinda wants the US ban to go ahead, so that her feed is a bit more balanced towards Europe. And I get that.
:edit: I accept that this isn’t the fault of individual Americans, and hold no ill-will towards them. It’s down to the vast majority of global tech wealth being held in the US, giving the illusion that the whole internet is an American thing.
I also accept that this is rank hypocrisy coming from a Brit. If we’d had the internet 250 years ago, the whole world would be speaking English now, as opposed to most of it.
Love our land, loath our society.
The natural beauty of America is amazing, but the people seem to be mostly absolute shit.
Non-American here. You all keep making up the vilest “jokes” about French people. The sheer level of ignorance and disrespect deserves nothing but contempt and derision. And that’s what you’ll get from me and most of Europe.
Better learn to cope 😒.
I wish it was, but then there’s posts like the recent Frenchposting in the memes community, you should see the comments.
The United States has done far more harm than good for humanity at large. The individualistic values it champions have led to a society that is fragmented and leaves many citizens in misery. Its global hegemony has resulted in the destruction of numerous countries, with countless lives lost due to its military interventions, coups, and regime change operations around the world. Moreover, the US’s extractive policies have prevented other nations from developing their own economies, perpetuating a cycle of underdevelopment and dependency. Additionally, as one of the largest consumers of energy per capita and major producers of fossil fuels, the United States is among the worst offenders when it comes to climate change, exacerbating global environmental crises with its unsustainable practices.
As a non American who used to live there, I can say some things are amazing and some things are awful.
I love the nature. The national parks are so beautiful. I like many of the people. And there are good job options there in tech.
But the awful things were a deal-breaker for me, and why I’d never want to live there again. The wealth inequality, the guns, the crime, the homelessness, the healthcare system, the partisan politics, etc.
So ultimately I probably fall on the side of not liking it.
