Is american culture better than the rest?

As a North American, I get the impression that most white people here believe foreigners from other countries, like China or France or India, have unappealing cultural practices and think poorly of them for it. 

Is it weird or normal then that I feel differently? I think it's more likely to be ::us:: that is unappealing culturally. 

We are a relatively new country, populated with descendants of the lower classes of the ancient nations of the world. Most of our ancestors came here to make a better life for themselves and their families since they couldn't do so in their own country. Essentially, we're all immigrant shit here, with the exception of the original tribes that inhabited the continent prior to European discovery.

From an outside perspective, we probably look like a bunch of unsophisticated louts will new money; money which has allowed us to gain some world power very early in our history compared with other civilizations. Yet we have the audacity to look down on the cultures of nations that have endured thousands of years of cultural evolution as if we are the standard by which every nation should be judged.

Voting Results
44% Normal
Based on 39 votes (17 yes)
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Comments ( 9 )
  • disthing

    No, it's not better, but it's not necessarily worse either.

    It's as easy to think negatively about your own culture compared to others as it is to think positively. In other words, an inferiority complex comes as easily as a superiority complex.

    Unless you have a full and broad understanding of somebody else's culture, it's hard to make a valid comparison.

    From my outside impression, American culture:
    - values rags-to-riches stories
    - favours the short attention span
    - celebrates creative media (music, art, television, movies) and frequently supports and exports brilliant work, though conservative attitudes stifle innovation leading to a homogenous output
    - has unresolved racial tension stemming from real and perceived inequality, as well as concerns surrounding immigration
    - has tension between conservative and liberal attitudes, which can be broadly described as right wing vs. left, often politically represented by conservatives vs. democrats, with a growing support for an alternative libertarian view
    - places too great an importance on military influence worldwide
    - is generally supportive of the weak and vulnerable (not alway reflected in laws passed)
    - values confidence and upbeat, positive attitudes
    - doesn't place much importance on curiosity about the world beyond North America
    - can be fairly diverse depending on what state you're in

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  • handsignals

    This is America! it's not..frickin..China or whatever

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  • anti-hero

    Parts are better, parts are worse. Just like everywhere on earth.

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  • thegypsysailor

    "From an outside perspective, we probably look like a bunch of unsophisticated louts will new money; money which has allowed us to gain some world power very early in our history compared with other civilizations"
    This is pretty on the spot thinking from a member here.
    But to continue it one step farther; America has no culture of her own. Every single thing in American society has come from somewhere else. We have adapted and changed things to suit our society, but that is not our culture, it is something borrowed, bastardized and bartered for.

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    • Jfdp

      Unsophisticated louts . . . Oh my word I don't think ive ever, seen heard or read of an American who ever used that phrase. . ./0-o\

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  • FireFlower

    Mcdonalds and fat people is not a culture.

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  • Jfdp

    You think that's bad you should check out Australia's culture . . . exactly you googled it . . and it spat out zero results ^^

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  • SubstationSubCurb111713

    Be nice to each other, engage with each other. Doesn't matter where you are from, and if you think your intelligence, culture or whatever else is defined by the country you were born in, you're quite probably wrong. It's more down to you than the geopolitical borders decided before you were born.

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  • loopoo

    What culture?

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