Stagnant, or Arrogant, maybe.

It's hard to pick one word, because there isn't one word I could really think of that would symbolize the deep "retro" society we have. We're supposed to be a country of freedom and equality, and yet people still vote for people based on their race or sex, and not what they are saying, you still have hate crimes, neo-nazis, even the KKK...we've not advanced that much in the way of furthering freedom and equality in our own country. Homosexuality is still deeply looked down upon, gay marriage is banned in 47 states, we still have a DA,DT policy in the army which I find to be completely stupid and unequal, etc.

If I knew a word for that, I'd say that.

Consumerland

I've never been there but it seems that in US people are all like "Buy a VCR, buy an atari, buy mac donalds, buy ps3 buy wii BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY". I think that this will continue long after all the things handsome lamb has said are gone, but not too long because this way of life is unsustainable. When it ends people will realize how stupid it was.

Consumerland

I've never been there but it seems that in US people are all like "Buy a VCR, buy an atari, buy mac donalds, buy ps3 buy wii BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY". I think that this will continue long after all the things handsome lamb has said are gone, but not too long because this way of life is unsustainable. When it ends people will realize how stupid it was.

We're not the only country who goes BUY BUY BUY man. Japan does it too. It's because we've become higher technologically oriented, and the better and bigger tech comes, the more people are going to impulse buy. The only reason (in my opinion) that its fairly unsustainable over here, is because of cars + gas prices. Look at Japan man, almost no one there has a car. They don't need it! Everyone walks everywhere or if they get bored they pay like 2000 some yen to go to A WHOLE NOTHER FUCKING CITY when they get bored because it's cheap. They could keep doing this because it isn't as expensive for them like it is us with cars. We have way more distance, etc.

I don't really think theres a big problem with BUY BUY BUY, so long as people don't send themselves into debt with it. I know, I know...: people do. Yay credit cards. But that's not the majority (thank god).

Free

most troubles in america are the conclusion of what the US of A always prided itself in. people left to their own devices are stupid

We're not the only country who goes BUY BUY BUY man. Japan does it too. It's because we've become higher technologically oriented, and the better and bigger tech comes, the more people are going to impulse buy. The only reason (in my opinion) that its fairly unsustainable over here, is because of cars + gas prices. Look at Japan man, almost no one there has a car. They don't need it! Everyone walks everywhere or if they get bored they pay like 2000 some yen to go to A WHOLE NOTHER FUCKING CITY when they get bored because it's cheap. They could keep doing this because it isn't as expensive for them like it is us with cars. We have way more distance, etc.

I don't really think theres a big problem with BUY BUY BUY, so long as people don't send themselves into debt with it. I know, I know...: people do. Yay credit cards. But that's not the majority (thank god).

No, what I meant by unsustainable is that 1) this lifestyle consumes too many natural resources which AREN'T infinite 2) It causes trash to pile up everywhere 3) It also fuxxors things up in countries where consumer goods (like ipods) are made, for example China and India (this is called cost externalizing but I think you know it already).

Japan and South Korea are two countries where buying electronic things like there is no tomorrow is the norm are also the two developed countries with the highest suicide rates in the world. I'm not saying that if you buy a cell phone you're going to commit suicide in 10 hours but all that technology certainly isn't making their lives any more tolerable or happier. And this is why it is a problem. You spend 10 years in school, then more 5 or so years in college, and then you work 16 hours a day for what? So that it changes some mysterious economy numbers? So that your children will be able to live the same life as you? So that you can buy the newest laptop?

This doesn't make sense.

And then there are the unitedstatians, doing exactly the same thing. Working so that they can buy things. As long as you're not in debt that is cool, right? But what about that chinese guy who works 18 hours per day in a factory assembling your ipods? Maybe for him this is better than working in a rice crop.

But how long will that cycle last?

I think that us'ians have too much power on their hands that could be channeled into doing good things but it will take a while before they realize that (hint: buying the new ipod has a higher priority) but I think it will happen someday.

Powerful..


no doubt

Paranoia.

Guns.

The Downward Spiral.

Ok honestly guys. America is a friggin continent. Your contry is called "United States of America". "American" is the standard way to refer to a citizen of the USA, but you can't reffer to the USA as "AMERICA". Damn it.

Edit: I'd reffer to the typical american as ignorant, arrogant, racist, consumist, white trash.
Of course, I'm reffering to the typical, low-class, middle-class american. Not all americans are like this of course, the ones I've met are very respectful and educated people. But still, the general image, that the 'general' american gives, is that one.

Now, as a country? Normally, a disliked one. Getting in stuff that's none of their business, thinking they're like "the world's saviour" or something. Honestly this is driving the world nuts.

At the same time, since they're the most powerful country in economical therms, almost every country has to comercialize in some way with them. :/

I think most Americans can be summed up as gullible or ignorant, as in a lot of us think Bush is dumb and the entire Middle East is Iraq. "America sux *eats mcdonalds*"

what

bush is dumb

"man bush is dumb he killed world trade center and killed my boy in iraq. he also wants no health care stupid busht"

This is what many of my peers say. I guess bandwagon could describe Americans, too.

EDIT: also self-destructive

overstated

seriously, it's a fucking developed country and it shares pretty much the exact same problems every developed countries share; high consumption of natural resources, high amounts of waste, and slovenly individuals.

it's pretty easy to say the country is fat (because yeah, lots of fat people) but almost all comparisons are made against a country that has like... a quarter of the america's population.  you could say the country is wasteful but being a developed industrial nation i can also say that china and japan are wasteful.  every country has a state religion (every), every country has zealots (every), every country is fucking prejudice (try asking a chinese national in japan what life is like), every country has crime, every country has *gasp* problems.

i know this topic is specifically about AMERICA but i knew when i walked in here i'd expect to see stupid college kid mentality and when I read this

Anyways, my class is being especially negative on the subject ("Bigoted," "Stupid," "Imperialistic,") so I'm interested particularly in what people from other countries have to say, too. This'll be fun. Maybe.

i knew i was right.

i'm not trying to be that POST 9/11 PARANOIA I LUUUUVVVV AMERIKA guy but holy fuck if there is any country in the world that is criticized more than america for problems that exist everywhere then please give me a fucking link, guys.

shit.  you want to talk about religion, would any of you watch a mother bath her child in cow urine with a straight face? 

but god, fucking jehova witnesses and their door to door sales fucking twats.

Paradoxical.

It prides the symbolic freedom and liberty, yet is built upon denying that.
It provides us with some of the most extreme of both right and left wing views.
A country that has no rich historical culture to dig from (due to basically starting from scratch) yet has provided us with some great entertainment and has become a forefront of so many things.
A baby country yet a powerhouse out of nowhere.
It is modern yet in parts extremely backwards
Progressive yet stale.
Areas of extensive athiesm (eww... plague) and then catholicism/christianity/any other weird voodoo cult