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Friday, March 25th, 2016

The Violent Image That America Projects To the World

Author:     Michael Payne
Source:     Nation of Change
Publication Date:     March 20, 2016
 Link: The Violent Image That America Projects To the World
Stephan:   Perhaps because I have traveled outside the U.S. for many years, and have spent untold hours listening to non-Americans talking to me about their views of the U.S. I have become over-sensitized about negative comments. Or maybe not. Maybe the real issue is that a growing number of the world's population fear and despise us for the way we behave as a nation.  Either way I find it very embarrassing, and more than a little disheartening. It didn't used to be that way, and I really dislike having to be ashamed of my country. This report spells it out.

flag and dollarIn years past, especially after the end of World War II, America had a stellar image in the world. Nations and their people looked up to this symbol of freedom and democracy. They respected its government and admired its people. America was often thought of as a role model for all other nations.

How things change. Much of that respect and admiration has eroded in recent times as many of these nations now view America as a nation with an overly aggressive government and a troubled, increasingly violent society. The America that they see today is vastly different from the one that they once knew.

A likely response by a great many Americans to this assessment would be, “Who cares what they think.” They would simply brush off those views as being totally irrelevant. “Who are they to judge us and what we do? After all, we’re still the most powerful nation in the world, we still possess the largest economy, and the U.S. dollar is still the world’s main reserve currency. We are #1.”

That’s a very misguided attitude because it’s critically important […]

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1 Comment

  1. Inge on Friday, March 25, 2016 at 7:26 am

    Hi Stephan,
    If ALL Americans would behave the way you descibe in your “8 Laws of Change” this country and its people would still have a stellar image.
    I lived for more than 50 years elsewhere and since 2000 in the US.
    To me….the root cause of the eroding respect has to do with that superiority complex (maybe in some cases: overcompensation?)
    It seems the “the soul of the nation” is still quite young and countries with an older “soul” are not happy to be told how to behave……don’t you think?

    I try to portray it as neutral as possible and hope not to have offended somebody.
    Otherwise: my apologies for my straight talking (= very Dutch).