Have you ever felt embarrassed to be an American?

Wigwam · 07-08-2008, 12:19 PM

This thread has probably appeared on this forum before, but I'll post this anyway: Have you ever felt ashamed of being an American?

I went to Spain recently and I felt semi-embarrassed about my American citizenship frequently throughout the trip. Whenever I walked into a shop or museum the clerk would address me in English. When I asked people on the street for directions in Spanish, they acted shocked that I could speak the language at all. Once, my group was denied entrance to an upscale restaurant because the hostess felt we were too rude and loud and would scare away regular customers.

America is a great nation and I appreciate the fact that English is a universal language, but we expect foreign tourists visiting our country to speak our language. I feel mildly guilty that Americans visit other countries expecting to be perpetually addressed in English. There is something paradoxical and wrong about that.

HisGraceFillsMe · 07-08-2008, 12:27 PM

^Not everyone.

If I went to a foreign country, I would at least try and speak the language.

I've never felt embarrassed about MYSELF being an American. There's nothing you should be embarrassed about personally. Be embarrassed for the other jerkfaces who made it that way, not your country.

PlattsburghLoser · 07-08-2008, 01:06 PM

I'm not embarrassed to be American, but I'm not proud of it either.
It's just something I am and I have no desire to deal with people who would write me off based on my nationality alone.

MollyZo · 07-08-2008, 01:10 PM

I just came back from France, and I know EXACTLY what you mean! People treated us like we were stupid. I tried really hard not to look like those "obnoxious Americans".

arnoc · 07-08-2008, 01:11 PM

Being a citizen of the greatest country ever? No, not ashamed.

ArtOfMind_21 · 07-08-2008, 01:13 PM

embarrassed? No....

I really don't see how?

Johnson181 · 07-08-2008, 01:22 PM

Embarrassed about being American? No.

I'm embarrassed of all the idiots our country has though. And it's good to note that every country has idiots. Our country just happens to have a lot more than more European countries because we're a lot bigger (in size & population).

olgita · 07-08-2008, 01:49 PM

France is just a really arrogant country, so they hate Americans even more because they don't have as many nukes, lol.

In general though, other nations do see the US as a country of idiots. Having lived in a different country for the majority of my life, however, I find that most of the stereotypes about the US are exaggerated. Sure, the pop culture here scorns learning, but there are many kids who are able to overcome that. Most of the wealth that "those filthy rich" Americans have comes from hard work and a business-oriented lifestyle. "Paris Hiltons" constitute only a tiny percentage of all wealthy people in the US. So no, there should be nothing embarrassing about being an American. Respect other cultures, but don't forget to be proud of your own.

Multitasker · 07-08-2008, 01:54 PM

Embarrased, never, but we do become characters sometimes when going overseas and demand the same inmediate attention that we ask in here, to learn that it doesn't work that way anywhere else. Examples such as waiting for meals, or asking for directions. I think we can be very entertainting to the rest of the world, but I'm proud to be American, even with those "imperfections" =_)

romanigypsyeyes · 07-08-2008, 02:00 PM

Nope. My mum's an immigrant and raised me proper just like she was raised and I'm not loud and obnoxious. I've traveled to many different countries so I'm culturally aware of the customs elsewhere.

I love my country, through the good times and bad, and could never be ashamed of it. I don't love all the people ie Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan, etc. But the world knows that that is not how all of America is.

PS: I hate how everybody (esp France) b*tch and moan about Americans but have no problem with our McDonald's, fashions, etc. It's like if you hate us, kick us out. We don't need your business that much. And even still we'll protect them in war, even though they complain about our military power and weapons.

olgita · 07-08-2008, 02:02 PM

"But the world knows that that is not how all of America is."

I'm pretty sure most of them don't...
An old friend of mine saw my prom pictures and said that I looked like a "real American." I'm fairly sure it was my gold dress, which looked a lot like some of the ones at last year's Academy Awards.

magneticpoet · 07-08-2008, 02:03 PM

I dunno, I was in England a couple of years ago and I felt pretty embarrassed. We were at the train station waiting for our train to Paris, and everyone was just relaxing and waiting for the train. Except, of course, a "typical" American family of loud, rude tourists, pushing their way to the doors and being generally, well, rude and loud. Ugh. They had fanny packs and everything.

future-scientist · 07-08-2008, 02:04 PM

Every country has it stereotypes, of course. The English - bad teeth, the French - hairy, Americans - fat and stupid etc. I don't really care for what others think, so when they ask me if I'm American I have no problem saying YES I AM. People are stupid if the consider everyone from one country to be the same thing. America is the leading nation in the world, of course, some nations may feel some jealously which then leads to them treating us like were idiots. Just because some famous Americans are stupid like Jessica Simpson or fat doesn't mean we all are. I just think it's stupid. Like we usually think Asians are so smart but, you won't believe how many idiots/sickos/pervs there are in China.

So am I embarrassed to be an American? Not at all. I rather live in another country though, but I will never hide that I am and was born in the U S of A ;]

romanigypsyeyes · 07-08-2008, 02:05 PM

olgita, I've never met anybody who really thought that was what America was like. Other countries are not that different. They have their celebrities and they know that they don't represent typical life. (Example: The Beckhams' in England.)

proletariat2 · 07-08-2008, 02:05 PM

No, not really. I like America, or at least the part where I live. I don't think that there's anything wrong with us as a country. If there is, I'll invoke my Canadian citizenship so I won't have to deal with the question.

Also, there was recently a survey conducted among international hotel staff that said that Chinese, Indian, and French people were the rudest. Americans were 11th out of 21, right next to the Thai. Japanese people were the most polite.

Actually, now that I think about it, I have been ashamed of being American, but I'm not right now.