Other forms of life -- Has the American culture cross the line into Paranoia?
104243
I think as Americans we are all scared. Scared to leave our homes unlocked in broad daylight, scared to go out at night, scared of terrible disseases, and much more. The media makes it sound like the BIG BAD BUGS will all get us. I think it's a propaganda of fear. Check out my recent quesions and you will see I have been asking similar questions of people and they concure. Its not just germs we're scared of...
362901
Bingo!! You hit the nail on the head when you asked this question. Many people around the world watch movies, tv shows, and stories from the U.S. and believe that what we all look like, act like, and live like Hollywood, California. WRONG!! That's why we have depression reaking havoc on this country. Everyone from their 70's to their teens wonders why there life isn't like the movies. T.V. shows display all the lust, without any of the consequences. Afterwards, people have given themselves to whoever they meet at some nightclub, and then wonder why they have no self respect. I ,thankfully, am glad that my life doesn't resemble American Pie. How pitiful and sad it is to be so obsessed with sex that you tried to make love to a pie!! I am living outside the U.S. currently, and I watch a network, that broadcast the U.S.'s highest rated T.V. programs. All they show is Sex in the City, The O.C., and Will and Grace. No wonder the Middle East thinks we are all a bunch of heathens, trying to corrupt the entire world. But finally to answer your question, NO!!!!!! WE ARE NOT ALL LIKE THAT. I campaign daily to try and influence this country's people to see the truth. I hope that this has helped.           Sincerely,
766869
Most certainly yes.\nPeople seem to like the sort of stories that feed their own prejudices and confirm their view of the world. That's why so many of these stories are about foreigners or other "weird" people.\nIt seems a vicious circle to me, and no way out, unless more people come to their senses and stop buying that crap.
818931
I hear you.  I think that it's too much time in front of the TV and not enough time working and serving real people.  Combine that with a general distrust of their own culture and traditions and a generally elementary level of logic which "substitute(s) your reality, and replace(s) it with [their] own" (quoted from Adam on Mythbusters), and we've created the typical liberal, a virtual Frankenstein from the removal of spirituality from science.
66836
Other than the practical side of not wanting to see floating bodies, I would imagine it is based in superstition.  Some cultures believe in ghosts and zombies and if they aren't nailed in.......
128756
paranoid yes. as well and stupid and sketchy.  hallucinate, well ive seen guys claim to hallucianate off of the mary jane so i guess anything is possible, but meth is not usually considered a hallucinogen
682059
I think the culture is cool...but any culture, examined closely enough seems to portray a long list of regulations which are meant to 'clone' the thinking patterns of civilians so that in the long run, everything runs smoothly.  IT all seems to be working quite well, I might add.... 'smoothly.'
704530
I believe that as a society, and speaking narrowly just upon the AMERICAN society, that it goes back to the roots of the country. It is that way with every place on earth, though. In our case...the roots of the society we live in were set by people following a Christian religion. This isn't right or wrong, this is just fact. The Native Americans had their forms of practice and religion practically shoved aside. All of our rules, our social limitations, laws, perceptions of society and proper etiquette; these were all established for the country by those before us.\n\nWe're lucky enough to live in a place where we have outside influences flowing in. We're constantly exposed to other cultures and ways of thinking. I think this may be why we are changing as a society on our views (I know, it seems to be so slow!).  People challenge pre-concieved notions. We see other ways of viewing the world and can either decide to allow our minds to expand and accept new things, or to remain on the paths of thinking that those before us followed.\n\nOn the other hand...majority of humans DO just follow in the steps of those before them. There's a large part of the human mind programmed to "fit in with the rest of the tribe", which is why for some people it's so damned hard to just be different and think differently.\n\nI was just thinking about all of this last night, actually....\n\n...there are still places in the world where they eat their dead, let the vultures pick the bones dry, then allow the mother to hold the bones for her grieving period of a few days before burial. \n\n...not to mention places they eat live bugs.\n\n...but then again...Americans have weird costums, too. ;)\n\nThanks for a thought-provoking question!
521930
I'm not entirely sure the two are related. Personally, I think the problem is this cardinal sin in our culture, and that is to never be wrong. People dread it terribly, and will spin and ignore and do whatever they can to avoid admitting they were wrong about anything. This is what accounts for the division in our culture. \nBut I could be wrong.\nFactors accounting for the formation of attitudes: the 2 big ones I can think of are the peer groups and information sources. Odds are if you're a liberal, you have liberal friends and listen to liberal news. Same if you're a conservative. And both groups are real quick to tell you how the other side is evil and destroying America.\nBut again, I could be wrong.
307250
To be honest it is not about believing it or not it is about thinking outside of what we have always been told.  More about possibilities.
840291
The shows that you have mentioned here are examples of the absolute edges of the social order here---and can be equated to the old circus sideshow thing of the past-----a display for public amusement of the absolute oddest and most bizarre of people and behaviors -- and in no way reflects the normal cross-section of anything other than the categories that could be labeled "freaks" !!!\n\nAnd as to the second part of your "question"\nthe shear approach of this ----smacks covertly of racism-- in that in today's social order---there is no single group or combination of groups that comprise the absolute "corner of the market" on undesirable behaviors and practices--- the social engagement of every single race is equally plagued by myriads of individuals engaged in irresponsible behaviors and lifestyles and no one single race can be singled out as being the absolute culprits of God's little blue planet !!!  Once again-- to suggest this is just simply wrong---and the actual facts PROVE this with no questions attached !!
618367
The French, British, and Japanese did it too have you ever watched any of those. My point is that it's been going on all a long. I don't think watching crazies at work is going to sway America anymore with fear tactics. A few people don't rule the World.
106077
It goes back to the self/other distinction which I think is engrained into everyone's mind. Somewhere in the bottom of everyone's mind is the old, animalistic belief that they must be forever on guard by attacks from beings which are outside of their species or "pack."  People don't like dealing with uncertainty.  Some find it easier to classify all unknown/unfamiliar things as "enemy," to be feared and despised, than to think about every person or group on a case by case basis. \n\nAlso, most people want to believe that the way they're living is right, and they find it easier to believe it's right if they convince themselves that everyone else is wrong.   Self-doubt can be very hard to deal with. People reinforce this belief by thinking (unconsciously or otherwise) that their own race, culture, religion, etc., is the one which is most "human."  They therefore find other cultures and races to be not valid as members of the human race. This used to be much more pronounced than it is today; as little as a hundred and fifty years ago, well-respected scientists were still trying to decide if blacks or native americans were "true" humans, or if they were a separate species in between human and ape.  Whenever I get depressed by some of the mindless drivel about superior cultures or races today, I remind myself that humans, as a whole, have gotten a *lot* better about this.
1154571
Not really. The world is full of interesting countries, not just the US. Even when I lived in the US, I felt unique because coming from another country I have a different perspective to offer to the Americans.
655234
i agree. American culture has such in influence on all other countries that they think they know us better than we no ourselves. Idiots oh and God bless America
994712
I have no problem with most of America.  There are some stereotypes...and some of them may be true.  \n\n1.  Centric (not knowing much about the world outside USA)\n2.  Boasters (biggest everything)\n3.  Bullies (current foreign policy)\n4.  Wasters/not environmentally friendly (not wanting to support biofuel production to its max...see Bush's comments on the use of corn for biodiesel)\n\nHaving said that, there are plenty, more than plenty of Americans who are concerned and friendly and humble and just like everyone else.  Unfortunately, we don't hear much from them, as the newscasts prefer stories that are shocking and awful.  So the world's view of the typical American is probably skewed.
823005
The thing that disturbs me the most, is that the government can say things like "Liberty, Freedom, Democracy"...and the american public actually believes it.\n\nAs people living in North America, sure comparatively we have a huge amount of freedom - but a lot of that material freedom depends on the resources of so many countries.\n\nThe standard of living that we enjoy doesn't come from nowhere, so in that sense, from that perspective we are not totally free. So when the U.S. goes to war to protect its interest, and uses the words like freedom, liberty, democracy - they aren't totally lying, nor are they totally telling the truth.\n\nGetting a bit philosophical here, but i think the as people living in industrial nations, we have to reduce our dependency at home, so that words like freedom and liberty actually have some relevance.