Bruce Bawer, if that is the article I recall, portrays all of Europe based on his experience in one city in Norway, which is like making a portrait of the States like one extended stay in a single USA city, say, St. Louis, Detroit, Tampa or Charleston SC. And watching a teevee show starring Donald Trump.

Maybe the reason he had a bad experience in Norway isn't because he is from the USA, but because he might be a prick.

Part of the problem with European understanding of Americans is that they get so damned much American TV to look at. Last week in Copenhagen, I could watch CNN, Law & Order, and Everyone Loves Raymond at will. I was seeing as much coverage of the US Presidential campaign as the announcement of the intent of the Danish prince and princess to divorce. They see our TV shows and believe it represents as real in too many unfortunate ways, which I guess is more or less what Bawer says.

I was very amused at their take on typical American political beliefs. When I told the Danes that I am a libertarian, I was made to explain what that meant. I tried to keep it very simple, explaining that I believe that government is too large and intrusive, and that taxes are too high. The inevitable response? "But that's what all Americans believe!" They really believe that the US is an anarchic Coliseum of social Darwinism on parade, and that an American liberal Democrat is closer to Milton Friedman than to a European social democrat, which is actually the case.

The Europeans that constantly want to degrade the United States are so full of jealousy towards us that they cant stand it. They just want to make themselves feel better because they are not part of the greatest country in the world. After Europes demise and the rise of the greatest economic and military power in the world, who could blame them. They all wish that the country they live in could be the same. They all really need to understand that the United States is the best thing that could happen to them with respect to the security of there countries. Deep down inside they all know that we are the defenders of the western way of life and without us the socialists in Europe would be hard pressed to find someone to defend our western culture. God bless those in Europe which understand the important role the United States plays in world affairs and God bless the United Kingdom for its political support always. Hey Europe, who freed you from facism and the onslaught of the Soviet Union? Could you really have held them off without us?

the reason people hate americans is that y'all so opinionated. let people be and keep ya shit to ya self. if u really feel the need to justify yourself every minute of your existence then maybe you should have a good hard look at yourself, bitch!

Scott! Jealous, aren't ya!

Yep, we Americans have it all. We have stuff, people, music, movies, TV, freedoms of every kind, patriotism, religion. Wow. We do have it all. I love being an American!

The dumbest opinions are always the loudest.

Intelligent media exists, but must be found.
Example: the Sunday Independent, an Irish paper.
I read it religiously because it constantly challenges the status quo and has a lot to say about the terminally messed up state of the our country due to our government's consistent incompetence and more to say about global affairs.
I very much recommend checking it out. Journalists such as Eoghan Harris, Brendan O' Connor, Eilis O' Hanlon, Gene Kerrigan come highly recommended.

Helloeverybody

I think this posting better illustrates misunderstanding, cultural difference, and miscommunication between the Americans and Eurpoeans.

Europeans, in general are better traveled then Americans, but like Americans when they travel they typically go to DisneyLand, not just a random city to talk to the locals. I think that if we all did the latter, even if only on the way to DisneyLand (or Eurodisney :-) we'd foster a stronger feeling of Global Community.

BTW. just in response to one post above. I think it's a falacy to belive that Europeans are "full of jealousy" about the US. Europe is series of developed nations, many with emenities we don't have in the U.S. (like good public transportation and universal healthcare), therefore they are justified in having nationalistic pride (same as us Americans do). The idea that they are better than us, just follows that mindset. It's harmless, and probably healthy for them to think of themselves as "better". Just like I believe the Flyers are a better hockey team, then say, the Ducks. :-) Go ahead and disagree.

america sucks and they are usually not man enough to admit and correct it. now because of their greed im suppose to suffer and pay for their indiscretion?