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Sweetnighter 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 24 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1298
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 Topic: How do you view the American?
Posted: May 11 2005 at 22:22 |
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So, how do you view the American? This can go for the contemporary
american or the stereotypical/ideal American man/woman that has served
as an image for the past 250+ years.
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I bleed coffee. When I don't drink coffee, my veins run dry, and I shrivel up and die.
"Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso? Is that like the bank of Italian soccer death or something?" -my girlfriend
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tuxon
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 21 2004
Location: plugged-in
Status: Offline
Points: 5502
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Posted: May 11 2005 at 22:32 |
Is there really such a person as a true American.
They come in all flavours, so all of the posibilities are true, and non of the possibilities are true. 
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I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT
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nacho
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 18 2004
Location: Spain
Status: Offline
Points: 521
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Posted: May 12 2005 at 03:20 |
I cannot answer to this poll: I haven't personally met all the Americans.
I think there are a couple of Brasilians, four or five Canadians and maybe three Peruvians that don't even know I exist...
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Hangedman
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 03 2004
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 1261
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Posted: May 12 2005 at 06:57 |
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Its not really on that list, but your country is divided almost down the middle politically population wise. Its hard to say one of those things because the clear majority isnt very large.
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Sweetnighter
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 24 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1298
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Posted: May 12 2005 at 11:01 |
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i guess what i'm really asking is: what is the world image of the
typical or ideal american? obviously every american is unique, as is
every individual around the world, but how is the american populus
viewed?
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I bleed coffee. When I don't drink coffee, my veins run dry, and I shrivel up and die.
"Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso? Is that like the bank of Italian soccer death or something?" -my girlfriend
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nacho
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 18 2004
Location: Spain
Status: Offline
Points: 521
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Posted: May 12 2005 at 11:16 |
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Again, I find it's really difficult to answer to that: I have some ideas about some of the americans, but I guess there's very little in common among people from Cuba, Argentina and Canada, just to mention three of the american countries....
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synthguy
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 25 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 225
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Posted: May 12 2005 at 17:31 |
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Good point, Nacho, But I think Sweetnighter is talking
about United States Of American. Those Americans.
As one of those, I can say that neither the news media or
Hollywood,or the American politicians can accurately
portray the average American. Like people everywhere each
of us is unique. Each of us is a person. " we breathe the
same air...and we are all mortal."
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Wearing feelings on our faces when our faces took a rest...
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James Lee
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: June 05 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 3525
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Posted: May 13 2005 at 03:22 |
Sometimes I see us as a bunch of whiny, greedy, status symbol fetishists with no eye for beauty and an atrophied compassion.
Sometimes I see us as an energetic, optimistic bunch of frontiersmen who believe strongly in "live and let live".
Sometimes I see us as a bunch of regular folks who just want to lay low, stay clean and provide for their families...and maybe get a little raucous once in a while.
Sometimes I see us as grasping, posessive, demanding monomaniacs who cannot rest until everyone on the planet either serves us or at least suffers along with us.
Sometimes I see us as a struggling brotherhood participating in the greatest mass experiment in history- momentarily embattled, but with the solution to all the world's problems almost within our grasp.
Sometimes I see us as growing quietly desperate over the nickel and dime losses in ideals, potential and vigor from year to year...each generation less likely to repair the leaks in the boat, and more unpredictable in our rising, repressed panic.
I'm choosing to remain proud and hopeful but it's damn tough sometimes.
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Tony R
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
Joined: July 16 2004
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Points: 11979
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Posted: May 13 2005 at 07:02 |
I see Americans as much the same as all Western peoples at the mercy of rampant Capitalism.
We are thrown enough titbits from the master's table to keep us sweet and compliant.Meanwhile the "great and good" defecate all over the planet in our name.They make sure that enough of us want to sit at their table (even though there aren't any seats available) to maintain the status quo.
Yet the man in the street sings about the Land Of The Free.....
We are all blind,cowardly and ignorant and that is how "they" like it.
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Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
Status: Offline
Points: 32995
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Posted: May 13 2005 at 07:17 |
Again, I find it's really difficult to answer to that: I have some ideas about some of the americans, but I guess there's very little in common among people from Cuba, Argentina and Canada, just to mention three of the american countries....
Cmon Nacho behave.....you know very well that he means the USA! Naughty naughty
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nacho
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 18 2004
Location: Spain
Status: Offline
Points: 521
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Posted: May 13 2005 at 07:26 |
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Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
Status: Offline
Points: 32995
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Posted: May 13 2005 at 07:50 |
How do I view Americans? From behind them if they're firing at anyone! 
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gleam
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 01 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 299
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Posted: May 14 2005 at 13:18 |
Americans are a mass of contradictions which is a good thing. We work hard and play hard. Millions of people come from all over the world every year to share in the ideal.
There are many wrongs in our country, but all in all there is a lot of good too. In general, the average American means well. I think the most important thing to remember is that we are the luckiest people in the world.
Oh, btw Tony R. Your welcome... We will be more than happy to save your asses a third time, just as we did in the previous two wars. After all let's face it, if not for us you would be speaking German.
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arcer
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 01 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 1239
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Posted: May 14 2005 at 16:35 |
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I see them from as far away as I can possibly get - they're weird... and
smell of milk
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Jared
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 06 2005
Location: Hereford, UK
Status: Online
Points: 19190
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Posted: May 14 2005 at 17:23 |
One American journalist said that the USA is divided between those whose state adjoins the sea, and those whose state doesn't. If your state does, then you are more likely to have a sense of irony and realise that there was an old York before there was a new one. Those whose states don't border the sea are more likely to own a dog, carry a gun and go to church on a sunday.
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Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson
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gleam
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 01 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 299
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Posted: May 14 2005 at 17:49 |
Fandango, a couple of observations...
Irony is an excuse for those who think "they can't" achieve anything.
New York is the center of the financial world, old York isn't.
Personally, I like my dog. He's loyal, friendly and nonjudgemental. You must be a cat lover.
I don't carry a gun around with me however I do own a few.
Although I don't go to church - ever, I don't consider organized religion a bad thing.
Oh! and before I forget, I live on the coast.
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James Lee
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: June 05 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 3525
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Posted: May 16 2005 at 18:44 |
I'm very much in favor of guns and dogs, and I'm landlocked. Guilty!
However, I was born on a coast and possess more than my share of irony- and I tend to stay as far away from churches as possible, except maybe to admire the architecture. 
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Tony R
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
Joined: July 16 2004
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Points: 11979
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Posted: May 16 2005 at 19:08 |
Anyone pro-gun is a moron in my humble opinion.
However,given that James is obviously not a moron,I wonder at his pro-gun stance.Care to elabourate?
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Trotsky
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 25 2004
Location: Malaysia
Status: Offline
Points: 2771
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Posted: May 16 2005 at 22:32 |
I didn't answer because I'm totally conflicted ... my politics generally pits me against what most American governments want to do ... yet, I went to uni in Virginia, half the best friends of my teenage years are in America, my sister's married to an American.
Simplistically, America did save the Euro's butts from the Germans and our Asian butts from the Japanese so for that I am grateful, Gleam .. but what do you make of people who murdered the Indians (native Americans) for the land, worked it with the blood of African slaves, and allowed organizations like the KKK, the mafia and most dangerous of all, the CIA, to flourish alongside with the awesome American dream ... I do miss America, it's been more than a decade since I left ...
And on another note, James, amazing how many people are pro-gun ownership. Nothing to do with that murder capital of the world thing, eh? Guns don't kill people, people kill people, right?
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"Death to Utopia! Death to faith! Death to love! Death to hope?" thunders the 20th century. "Surrender, you pathetic dreamer.”
"No" replies the unhumbled optimist "You are only the present."
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Sweetnighter
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 24 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1298
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Posted: May 17 2005 at 00:12 |
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Trotsky:
AllowED? You mean allow? The KKK, mafias, and the CIA all exist
(although the CIA belongs in a different "bad organization" category).
Of course, as you may guess, I dispise the groups, but honor their
right to exist. Rights to assembley and free speech are vital to a
functioning democracy, even if they permit groups such as these. In
some ironic way, because their right to free speech is preserved so is
mine. Plus, society at large will never allow these sorts of groups to
dominate social life in the states.
BTW, I'm pro-gun. Its a matter of self-defense. Its also a matter of
practicality. If a criminal wants a gun, he'll get it whether its
illegal or not, so you may as well establish a system that allows the
police the ability to track who is carrying weapons. I think the same
should go for drugs. If people want them, they'll find a way to get
them, whatever way that may be. Set up a system that allows its use to
be tracked legally.
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I bleed coffee. When I don't drink coffee, my veins run dry, and I shrivel up and die.
"Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso? Is that like the bank of Italian soccer death or something?" -my girlfriend
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How do you view the American?
