Anti-American sentiment in SL forums

i personally find it all stupid due to my beliefs that one is reincarnated....so ive been indian, chinese, british, and who knows what else, and have a fondness for all those cultures because i feel ive lived there. except for canadian man those suckers don know hang ALL about buyin subs ( to derrick)

Hey, you borrowed 65 drachma from me, after the olympic games in ancient greece.
Dont think dying on a persian spear point at Marathon later lets you off.

actually two of my fave shows of all time are british...ab fab and young ones....bring me some marmite and maybe i will let you live

Ok, let's try to give a reasoned response.

Firstly, I don't disagree with you that this kind of anti-American sentiment can be seen, and the stupid comments from one poster confirm that.

There are a number of reasons for it, I think. One of them is that the American culture is so ubiquitous. In Britain we go down to the local McDonald's, then go home to watch all-in wrestling or some American detective series on the TV. American expressions are invading the language. In my lifetime we have gone from saying 'You can get it free' to 'You can get it for free', and there are lots more examples of this. This tends to breed resentment, albeit on an unconsious level.

American foreign policy is another. To be quite honest, from our perspective America seems to be an aggressive imperialist country, run by a lunatic. That doesn't exactly warm the cockles of one's heart.

Thirdly, there is the thing that has only become manifest since the internet appeared - the perception of many Americans that America is the world. This one does annoy me, and I often comment about it in the forums. SL is supposed to be an international site, and yet I have gone to trivia where all the questions have been purely of American interest, have seen postings where a general comment is made and on checking you find it is referring to some American phenomenon. People have made comments on here like, "We are all Americans, after all."

This posting is not intended to be a criticism of Americans, but you asked a question, and I have tried to give you a response. Certainly the British are far from immune to the same failings.

I would take heart from the fact that at the moment, when people in Britain make anti-American statements, they usually do so in a humorous manner. There is still a lot of affection for Americans here (the response to 911 over here proved that without a doubt), and we like to shake our heads and 'tut' at the antics of our young cousins. It's just that sometimes we fail to see how hurtful those kind of comments can be under certain circumstances.

If you really want to feel put upon try being a minority race in England or America !

Yes, I have a resentment to americans over the problems of culture getting mixed into our own and eroding, but I tend to hide that to my best.

The problem is, treat others as you wish to be treated, I remember a recent forum topic I made which got some very unsavoury comments and showed alot of cynicalism on the US side of the pond.

Some examples from that topic:
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/108/b9/93696/3.html#post937750/108/b9/93696/3.html#post937750
/108/b9/93696/4.html#post938214/108/b9/93696/4.html#post938214
/108/b9/93696/5.html#post938319/108/b9/93696/5.html#post938319
/108/b9/93696/5.html#post939458/108/b9/93696/5.html#post939458

Double standards anyone?

I am White English.

Where I live in London is 44% afro-carribean. There is also a large spanish speaking population around here, plus many africans from different countries.

I have been on a crowded bus before, and been the only white face on the entire bus.

In England.

In my area, I am an ethnic minority.

Lewis

To be quite honest, from our perspective America seems to be an aggressive imperialist country, run by a lunatic.

Oh you should, I'll be there again in two weeks for another holiday... sorry vacation, I forgot you guys don't speak English.

Look at the crap you guys have on the tv, and the amount of channels full of that crap that you have.

"Everybody loves Raymond"
"Everybody hates Chris"

Wow... such imagination.

Lewis

I am White English.

Where I live in London is 44% afro-carribean. There is also a large spanish speaking population around here, plus many africans from different countries.

I have been on a crowded bus before, and been the only white face on the entire bus.

In England.

In my area, I am an ethnic minority.

Lewis

It might have had a bit more impact if you hadn't also made a comment about furries in the same thread:

[QUOOTE=Pyrii Akula]Honestly, I keep reading replies and feel like I accidentally stepped into furryland, it's like... BIG DRAMA in here over just some comments. Whatever happened to the art of discussion.

Second Life came out of the U.S. and you seem very wrapped up in it. Now bugger off.

I'd hate for Australians to be judged by the attitude and actions of our Prime Minister. By that criteria, we'd be a nation of mean-spirited bigots.

Australia has a Prime Minister?

Does anyone outside of Australia actually know who it is...? Seriously, I've never heard anything about Australian politics, and I know two of your guys.. Two!

I'd hate for Australians to be judged by the attitude and actions of our Prime Minister. By that criteria, we'd be a nation of mean-spirited bigots.

I prefer to judge Australians, by those I've met in RL and online.
In my experience most of them have been warm, friendly, and had a good sense of humour.

Its the love of Vegemite i don't understand.

Its the love of Vegemite i don't understand.