January 23rd, 2009 Reading: SAE Pg. 98-104.
My thoughts and response:
From these four topics of discussion, the idea and facts that stood out to me, was the reading from "How the World Sees America". I felt that i agreed with several thoughts and ideas; however, i had also been taken by suprise from some of the information presented. Such as how part of the world consisting of China, Russia, Germany and France see America as violent greedy and dishonest.
Reading this article made me realize that you should not judge countries around the world. I am positive that people in America assume and believe the same things about other countries because of the rumors spread from Americans views around the United States, which is how thoughts, ideas, hatred, and violence towards other countries exist.
With a number of people in different countries around the world believing that other countries are looking down on their belifs and way of life, how will it ever be possible for other countries to compramise and get along?
The United States government wishes to cure all violence across the world. The desire to make the world peaceful in all locations seems to be a never ending battle. The Military strives to resolve all violence across the world and try to control other contries rules, to make them match the US. This only causes war amongst other countires and resentment. I do disagee with violence around the world, esspecially towards woman, and i know that the US is only trying to help other countries with what the US sees as a problem! Such as having different outlooks on laws and rules. Every country although will not always agree on the same matters. Different countries should agree to disagree in certain polictial and religous beliefs.
Freedom in other countries differs then what it means in the US, and if there was a chance for the US and countries across the world to agree on the same rules, regulations and ideas, there would be no words i can think of, that could describe what peoples emotions may be. This is mearly a desire, yet if it were to ever happen, i feel the world would be a happier place.
Overall, this reading has given me the insight that not everything in the world is at it appears to be, and people should take the iniciative to learn more about other countries as well as their own. I did not know for instance that other countries felt that the US was violent greedy and dishonest, which makes me re-think how i truley feel and my opinions about other countries around the world. This was a meaningful article that has gotten me to think critically about the issues around the world and how some day the US and other countries may hopfully be able to resolve them.
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I think we really have to consider how just it is to perpetuate this idea, "The United States government wishes to cure all violence across the world. The desire to make the world peaceful in all locations seems to be a never ending battle." You really make a great point about how arrogant America can be. I mean, on the one hand, you talk about the way that European countries see AMerica-as greedy and dishonest. But on the other hand you suggest that countries should not judge each other. I agree with the idea that judgement is bad, but then again AMerican has done many awful things to many countries. Of course, so have France and England (just look at colonialism). It is so complex; should we or should we not "judge" a country based on their actions in the past? And IS is honest to say that America is greedy and dishonest? Generalizations are never good. Thanks for a thought provoking blog.
ReplyDeleteCandice
Your blog poses many interesting points. Looking over the date presented in SAE does not take into consideration WHY the world views America as it does.
ReplyDeleteWhat would be interesting to see is a chart of countries, the peoples opinions of 'us' and then why they feel the way they do.
There are many different reasons why people may view America negatively, such as our militaristic history (in Japan, the Cold War, all the upheavel in Middle East over the past forty years or so), our current military situation (this seemingly never ending war in the middle east), or perhaps our sense of entitlement over other developing nations (compare how many cars are owned by Americans versus how many cars are owned by Indians or the Chinese). There is a myriad of reasons for a negative opinion of Americans, and likewise a myriad of reasons for an postive or optimistic view of Americans.
Also, I'm not exactly sure I agree that the American government really wants to see an end to all violence and wars. Since WWII it seems America might be 'stirring the pot' a little bit, with the way 'we' handle treaties, build trust, organize our allies and control our enemies.
My final bit of interest lies in your statement about all countries and peoples agreeing to some utopian set of ideas, rules and regulations. There is great value in diversity. I am not saying that human rights should continue to suffer, merely that we should ways to spread ideas of human rights, womens advocacy and equality without losing our differences in cultures, governments and religions. While I am not a fan of totalitarian or dictator-style governments, I think there are things to be learned from governing styles other than democracy.
I wonder quite a bit about how the world would be different if religions could learn to coexist. This is not an option for some systems of faith who believe in converting or destroying all nonbelievers. Also, how would common citizens, (not government leaders) feel if country lines were redrawn, or completely erased. What would happen if people became citizens of the mother earth, with the freedom to plant, grow, evolve, and coexist without anyone telling them to take pride in a certain geographic location. I may blog about this to draw in more comments from our fellow classmates.