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TOPIC: "Cowboy" Americans | |
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Listing 1 to 10 of 16 Replies | |
| Jarl |  "Cowboy" Americans |
| Member Since: July 2009  RK: 1 MP: 7   | Thursday July 16, 2009 2:03 PM Before I start, I want to assure you all that I am an American, proud to be one, and would give my life for this country. That said, it is no secret that most other countries dislike us. There is a reason for that, and it is reflected on the video-hosting network, Youtube, but more on that in a second. When an American calls another American a cowboy, it can be a complement. That is to say, the person is rugged, tough as nails, level-headed, and the list goes on and on. In European cultures, calling an American a cowboy is derogatory, always derogatory, and nothing but derogatory. We see cowboys as cool, they see them as rowdy, reckless, no-nonsense, arrogant, bullies, and that is the way we Americans portray ourselves. Now to the Youtube thing. I was on recently and was looking for some new songs for my MP3 player. Particularly, the style I'm into now is the heavy-metal of electronic music...HardStyle. I am an avid fan of the music, and it is slowly catching on stateside. However, the music is widely popular throughout Europe, but especially in Germany and the Netherlands. Thus, a lot of comments are in German. I can read a little German, and Dutch is close enough I can pick out pieces of it, enough to know they like the songs. Then I came across a comment from an American that read:"Why the fuck do you assholes not learn english? Is it too much to ask that you learn to speak like us? Come on guys, you need to learn english before you can fucking post on youtube. It's the least you can do after we bailed your asses out in the wars. Get civilized and speak english." Needless to say, I was IRATE. I replied to his comment, after giving it a thumbs down, to this effect: "You sir, are the reason America is unpopular with the rest of the world. It is idiots like you who confirm in the minds of Europeans everywhere that America is all about itself, cares nothing for anyone else, and will never change. Your ilk are the most selfish, self-centered wretches in the country. You have no respect for the cultures that made our country what it is. WE ARE ALL EUROPEANS! Our country was FOUNDED by Europeans. For goodness sakes, open your eyes and realize the simple fact that we are the MINORITY! Half the worlds population (6 billion people) speak Chinese. Of the other half, 3/4 speak either a European language, an African language, or some sort of indigenous dialect. The remaining 1/8 of the entire population speak English, and only 1 of 3 major countries is America! You need to learn to respect other cultures. We are the ones who should be learning THEIR languages, not vice versa." Last I checked, my reply had 17 thumbs up................and one thumbs down. Am I right? Is this what Europeans see when they look at us?  |
| DarkDalamar20 | RE: "Cowboy" Americans |
 Member Since: April 2002  RK: 13 MP: 6,209   | Thursday July 16, 2009 2:47 PM I think the whole reason for his comment was to make someone "irate". Sadly, the internet, nay - the world, is full of douchebags like this that say things simply to get a rise out of people. YouTube, allowing free speech to anyone and everyone, is deluged with people like this. Odds are, this dude is probably the same 17 year old that called me a "gay noob" the last time I played Gears of War. People are stupid. Put a keyboard in front of them which adds to the anonymity and, boom, you got a douchebag. Your response was a good one, but I don't really like the whole "we are all Europeans" argument. Sure, the majority of us have descended from that line - but that was over 200 years ago. Times change. King George III and the Loyalists have nothing to do with the Ford Mustang and a Bacon Whopper with Cheese. We are Americans (not everyone in here, I know. Thankfully we got a good mixture of Irish, Norwegian, and even an Australian or two in there). While, I don't feel we all need to learn each others languages, it sure could help. It's not going to cause any less arguments, but it would be a nice dream. Am I a bad person doing good things...or a good person doing bad things... - Dexter |
| Jarl | RE: "Cowboy" Americans |
| Member Since: July 2009 RK: 1 MP: 7 | Thursday July 16, 2009 4:09 PM Thank you for drawing my attention to my mis-communication. I meant simply that our country was founded by Europeans, and as such we owe a small amount of credit to them for making us who we are. That said, I agree with you that we are unique as a country. I meant only that some of our societal traits are inherited from our European background. I've also tackled quite a few people for flaming posts on my youtube videos. The ones who leave a seven word response, four of which are swears and the remainder all homosexual slurs, have no business posting, because it is obvious that all they want to do is hurt others, which I do not stand for. |
| Avenging_Angel | RE: "Cowboy" Americans |
  Member Since: July 2003  RK: 12 MP: 5,933  | Saturday July 18, 2009 2:53 PM As DD20 pointed out, the guy sounds like your garden-variety troll. That said, I think it's become something of a popular stereotype over in Europe - not unlike our stereotypes of the mincing French snobs, or whatnot. Mostly used for humor's sake, but not really believed by most people.Though, That entirely depends on the people involved. It's often as much an insult as a compliment - or occasionally just a statement of fact. "Look at that guy, who's he think he is, all dressed up like a cowboy." "You realize we're in ranch country, right?" "... oh." "Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something." I can kill 'cause in god I trust. |
| CandlestickJay | RE: "Cowboy" Americans |
 Member Since: April 2007  RK: 2 MP: 346 | Wednesday July 22, 2009 9:00 PM My two cents - I myself am from Texas. People dress like cowboys because its appropriate work attire, not because of the association or the style. Its just what works. Cowboy boots are pointy and called "shitkickers" for a reason. If we were meant to speak the same language, we would. Diversity has a purpose. Part of America's unique mix is that we blend cultures and languages and still manage somehow to function. And in that functioning, might eventually reach a higher understanding that could not have been achieved otherwise. But there is a chance I'm blowing smoke completely, and none of this will ever happen. Oh well. "I love you." "No you don't. You only say you love me because I FEED you." |
| nanuk | RE: "Cowboy" Americans |
 Member Since: February 2007  RK: 8 MP: 2,375 | Saturday July 25, 2009 6:50 AM Yay! First European to weigh in! Woot.Firstly, like AvA and DD20 said, guy was a troll. I never let youtube comments get to me because either it's their goal, or they genuinely are that stupid and offensive and are thus not worth my time. Wrong on this- as well as being a huge generalisation, which is never a good thing. You've done a survey of every demographic of every country in Europe? Lumping the entire - and diverse- peoples of a whole continent in as having the same opinion on something? It's often used in a negative way (i.e. describing a tradesman as a cowboy usually implies that they're not really reliable, are a bit fly by night), but not always (usually when referring to the characters of individuals, it would be in a more admiring way). Loads of us have seen the same westerns you have, and have the same positive associations. I have friends, grown friends, who idolise anything that's even remotely related to cowboys- they've even been known to swoon at plaid shirts, lol. Plenty of people feel the same way, and it's often reflected in clothing trends- superficial though they may be Aside: 'no-nonsense' is generally considered an admirable trait, here at least. It means you're practical and get things done without messing around. Yup (though rather than 'it's become' I'd say it had, but has very much been on the wane over the last decade or so). I don't know anyone who would, for example, believe that the majority of people in New Jersey are good ole boys who wrangle steers on their lunch breaks. We're aware it's a living part of the culture in certain parts of the country, but it wouldn't be an image that would spring first to mind when you thought of Americans. That said, I don't think Americans are disliked in Europe as much as some people think. The politics, yes (that whole 'freedom fries' thing did you no favours, lol) but most are able to separate the political identity and actions of a nation from its actual people. Just because the news channels and comedians spent the majority of the last few years ridiculing Bush doesn't mean that he was held as a model representative of the entire country. Ridiculing him is a very different thing than ridiculing the entire nation. "Just imagine the headlines 'Howard Moon, Colon, Explorer'. Got a ring to that don't it?" "Colon Explorer?" "You know what I'm saying." |
| Aeramae | RE: "Cowboy" Americans |
  Member Since: December 2003  RK: 10 MP: 3,124 | Sunday July 26, 2009 4:29 PM I mock Bush and the Freedom Fries movement as well. Tony Blair said his piece, people respected him. France steps up and says their piece, and America is suddenly anti-French. What the hell is wrong with us? So what if France didn't agree. Guess what? You don't have to live there, and they didn't create french toast, so leave 'em alone! I love France, wish I could visit there some day. But back on track, ignore the trolls, they are usually ugly fat losers anyway. Note I said usually, not always.Leader of the Amazonian Army, and fighter for the Female Initiative.
Bitchy since 1999. |
| CandlestickJay | RE: "Cowboy" Americans |
Member Since: April 2007 RK: 2 MP: 346 | Monday July 27, 2009 7:33 PM I know! You wouldn't believe how much crap I got from some of my more...redneck associates back in high school for not only taking a French class (and enjoying it!) but for loving the culture and talking constantly about my trip to Paris! I was accused of being unpatriotic by mentioning that they just might have a point! "I love you." "No you don't. You only say you love me because I FEED you." |
| Unbeliever | RE: "Cowboy" Americans |
  Member Since: September 2005 RK: 8 MP: 2,478 | Tuesday July 28, 2009 11:16 AM Well, clearly the definition of patriotism is blindly following what a handful of people declare patriotic. Rather than maybe questioning the things done in this country, and holding it up to a higher standard in the hopes of always making it better. Because, ya know, when you really love something you don't want it to be better, or anything. That's just silly. And selfish. And maybe even Communist. Gawdamn reds, every one of you. |
| Iorlas | RE: "Cowboy" Americans |
 Member Since: January 2005 RK: 2 MP: 339 | Friday November 6, 2009 12:45 AM I gotta agree with DarkDalamar on this. Now I respect where we came from as a whole, but I'd prefer not to have our country signed off to the rest of the world to do as they please. Sadly enough I cant see this country lasting fifty more years. We've grown decedant and have forgotten the true meaning of united we stand. "Religion is only a mindset..True spiritual freedom lies within yourself.." |
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