4 ms·

I'm travelling in Asia and have just been in Europe and something very different is happening lately. When I meet Americans, young and old, the majority of them

I'm travelling in Asia and have just been in Europe and something very different is happening lately. When I meet Americans, young and old, the majority of them tell me they're ashamed or embarrassed of being American, some of them tell me they usually tell people they are from Canada! I don't hear people from anywhere else doing that to be honest.

mc32 10y ago
It's really weird because even people with dictators will say they are proud of their country even if they hate the dictator or the poor conditions of their country. You don't get many Haitians saying "I'm ashamed of my country" or Russians saying "I'm ashamed to be Russian" It's predominantly a section of Americans who feel that way. I've met Mexicans who have become citizens of the US who still consider themselves "Mexican" in every way --except that they live outside Mexico, while they decry the corruption and lack of opportunity back home --but never ashamed.
- mcv 10y ago
  Maybe it's because the US used to have such a stellar reputation. It used to be the leader of the free world, was founded on important liberal principles that have inspired the world. Around international conflicts, the US used to insist on lofty principles that they now trample at every opportunity. The world got used to holding the US to a higher standard than Russia or some petty dictatorship. The US itself definitely helped to paint this image of being better and more noble than other countries, even other freedom-loving western countries. And now they're falling so far short of that ideal, that it is really embarrassing to everybody who can see what's been happening. I'm not even American, and I'm ashamed of the US.
  - mc32 10y ago
    I guess... but there also aren't many Spaniards, or French, or Belgians (citizens of countries presently with democracies but with colorful pasts) who are ashamed embarrassed of their countries. They might be opposed to some policies and disagree with some of their past history but seldom are ashamed. Imagine a Chinese person or Japanese person saying they are "shamed". It's a very hard thing to come by.
    - mcv 10y ago
      Some people are ashamed of some things their countries have done. But none of them were ever the champion of freedom the way the US used to be, and few slid down as hard as the US did while still claiming moral superiority. Though I can imagine Belgians having been pretty ashamed in 1908.

mc32 10y ago

It's really weird because even people with dictators will say they are proud of their country even if they hate the dictator or the poor conditions of their country. You don't get many Haitians saying "I'm ashamed of my country" or Russians saying "I'm ashamed to be Russian" It's predominantly a section of Americans who feel that way. I've met Mexicans who have become citizens of the US who still consider themselves "Mexican" in every way --except that they live outside Mexico, while they decry the corruption and lack of opportunity back home --but never ashamed.

mcv 10y ago
Maybe it's because the US used to have such a stellar reputation. It used to be the leader of the free world, was founded on important liberal principles that have inspired the world. Around international conflicts, the US used to insist on lofty principles that they now trample at every opportunity. The world got used to holding the US to a higher standard than Russia or some petty dictatorship. The US itself definitely helped to paint this image of being better and more noble than other countries, even other freedom-loving western countries. And now they're falling so far short of that ideal, that it is really embarrassing to everybody who can see what's been happening. I'm not even American, and I'm ashamed of the US.
- mc32 10y ago
  I guess... but there also aren't many Spaniards, or French, or Belgians (citizens of countries presently with democracies but with colorful pasts) who are ashamed embarrassed of their countries. They might be opposed to some policies and disagree with some of their past history but seldom are ashamed. Imagine a Chinese person or Japanese person saying they are "shamed". It's a very hard thing to come by.
  - mcv 10y ago
    Some people are ashamed of some things their countries have done. But none of them were ever the champion of freedom the way the US used to be, and few slid down as hard as the US did while still claiming moral superiority. Though I can imagine Belgians having been pretty ashamed in 1908.