How does the world view America?
609928
Notice you're only getting answers from people who are from the US...?  All but one who stated what another country's opinion is.  Please disregard the rest.  Now, I was stationed in Germany for about 3 years and I can say that the majority of people that I encountered had a pretty good opinion of American's.  I never really got too much of their opinion of America as a whole.  If it is of any consideration, after the war in Iraq started the Germans actually volunteered some of their troops to guard our posts over there.  Just a little enlightenment and something that the people who say "The whole world hates America after the Iraq War" might want to think about.  The biggest thing that I can mention is when we went to Holland for some training:  The Dutch still look at America as liberators.  So, that's just my opinion as some one who has actually been to other countries, not one who just criticizes my own while I'm safe in it.
77940
That's good to hear, enough countries hate us already and to be honest, i dont ever think to myself " who doesnt like America" i instead think "who does like American". We are really hated thanks to our government when really Americans themselves (most) are very nice family people.
146152
it is because of the following.\n\n1. AMERICA thinks that they own the world\n2. They have the money and they ABUSE it\n3. They are miserable and AFRAID\n\nWell before you judge me of my answers let me explain\nTo let you know I live in Asia, the Philippines.\nAmerica thinks they own the world... -> This is true, you can se this on TV, hear it on radios.. America doing business all over the world. I mean it is not bad but because they are in the pinnacle of power they abuse it. they think they know each country, each culture. they think they are superior because they are first world, they're democratic and they are rich. But it is not all about the money or the power. Each country has its culture and its people. I can tell you that democracy is not always the best option of government. \n\nAmerica is also afraid that over the course of time, these regimes or budding power will destroy them. So what do they do?, they take actions while a growing country is still young and take them on their necks.\n\nSAD to say but its true. How you can prove it?, take away the comforts that you are in now, visit a third world country (like the Philippines, Cuba, Africa), live it, feel the culture the people and know firsthand how AMERICA destroys.
520886
America....it would definately be number 1. Why? Because we are a divided people no matter what other people from other counries believe. See, that's where the problems stands. No one sees all American people. The news only shows you what it wants to. We as a country are in big time trouble. We have a ton of issues. Until we get our voices heard as a people we will continue to have problems.
308251
The mind set that you're criticizing actually has a historical term called American Exceptionalism.  It roots all the way back to the beginning of the USA and it is the belief that America is truly unique and special in the world.  Americans operate off this assumption that is ingrained in them from birth that says America is superior.  It's naturally for someone to have pride in their country, but unfortunately, most of us Americans take it to a an extreme level.  This is why the Bush administration thinks that it's O.K. for America to ignore the Kyoto Protocols and that the Geneva Conventions don't apply to them.  And thus your problem, Americans on Yahoo are so ignorant that they just assume that well of course everyone on yahoo is an American.  It's an American company in English!  And they would be surprised to know that people from around the world use Yahoo.  I think you are right to take offense at Americans who do believe that the USA is everything and I agree that they are wrong.  One of the answers to the problem and what allowed me to see it in myself was to travel abroad.  And I don't mean go be a Ugly American tourist, but I went to Brasil and actually staying in someones house for two weeks and experienced what life is like for them and it forced me to realize that the American way of doing things is not the best and that the USA is really only a small part of the world.
783297
America is not the best country in the free world (or any other world).\n\n1.  America traps millions of its own citizens in poverty.\n2.  America denies basic health care to millions of its own citizens.\n3.  America is ruled by a president who became president by means of fraud.\n4.  America's economy is dragged down by the nation's militarism.\n5.  America's primary and secondary school system was created by big business for the purpose of generating conformity, and it works.\n6.  America supports genocide committed by other countries who are friendly towards western big business.\n7.  America ignores genocide committed by people who 'don't matter' against people who 'don't matter.'\n8.  America has repeatedly interfered in the affairs of other sovereign nations, generally for the purposes of making itself wealthier and improving its ability to control the world.\n9.  America's mass media is run by big business and is therefore afraid to explore unpleasant truths (see numbers 1 to 8).\n\nShall I go on?  Sure, why not...\n\n10.  America drops bombs on children.\n11.  American snipers shoot children.\n12.  American foreign policy starves children.\n13.  American foreign policy leaves sick children to die.\n14.  America destroyed Nicaragua.\n15.  America has now destroyed Iraq.\n16.  America is friends with Saudi Arabia.\n17.  America looks the other way regarding human rights abuses in China.\n\nWow, this is getting tiring.\n\n18.  American electoral politics is entirely dominated by two parties who disagree on almost nothing of substance.\n19.  American electoral politics is the preserve of rich people.\n20.  America is a racist nation (see number 1, for starters).\n21.  American big cities have murder rates higher than anywhere else in the 'free' world.\n22.  America is destroying its middle class.\n\nAnd finally, because I have to stop sometime...\n\n23.  Americans habitually deny the truth about America.\n\n(PS  I sound like an ideologue, I know, but I am genuinely open to any of the statements above being shown to be false.)
728114
I have learned that it is not the American people that the rest of the world doens't like, it's the politics and policies of the government.  Sometimes it comes across as anti-american.  I do wish that the ones who are saying these things would get to know some Americans as you have.  There are good and bad from everywhere.
1073195
Cos Americans have big heads and think they are the whole world!
544650
America is a very powerful nation.  Power is the ability to coerce people to do things they otherwise wouldn't do - and that tends to make people upset.  America is also a very wealthy nation - and wealth generates envy and resentment.  So yes - I'd say America is not widely loved.  So what of it ?  Wealth and power come at a price - are you willing to give those things up just to make people like you ?
512301
There are always detractors out there.  When you are free, powerful, and relatively wealthy (collectively), there are some out there who will feel a certain degree of envy.  America has a myriad of problems, but it is still the greatest country in the world.  \n\nTough to argue with that one.
886810
Great question!!!  It's all about the dumbing down of America without knowledge the world will continue to be led by lies and bad decisions.
933556
Generally speaking, yes it has had an impact on the image of the US.  I'm in the USA.  But many people outside the US are quite upset with us over Iraq.   Outside of the Islamic world, not many are too upset with us over Afghanistan-- that was considered justified given the taliban, OBL and 9/11.\n\nAfter 9/11 the US supposedly had much support over being attacked.  Even from some countries one wouldn't expect.\n\nInvading Iraq based on faulty info has been seen as a mistake especially in light of ignoring the UN position on this.  We had broad support in the first Gulf war but not in the second.\n\nI do speak with friends and colleagues from other countries-- generally they're ok US people, but quite upset about our policies around the world.  I've also seen opinions from some that indicate we're too leanient in some cases-- that is, we need to just demolish people who mess with us.\n\nIn one converstation, I was discussing freedom of speech etc. with a foreign student (from Europe).  When I mentioned protests, it surprised him that we protest against our own government.  In his country, most of the protests are against the US and less so against their own goverment.\n\nI think we (the US) are often seen as trying to impose our wishes on everybody else regardless of what they want or think.\n\nOh, I'll echo the comment below me-- many outside the US think "americans" are generally ignorant.  Not agreeing with that but that's the perception.
707217
Is America ? I think so
639018
Good question! But do you really want to know?..\n\nI'm from Australia. Not Austria, AUSTRALIA. Aka 'the land down under'. You know, that place Elle McPherson came from.\nSorry ;)\nAmericans (from the US) don't seem to have a clue where our country is or even seem to care. It seems that Americans think they are the centre of the universe and they have the right to go tell other countries what to do. - Granted, this is probably a minority view (at least I hope so!) but it is what has stuck in the minds of many people here.\nOne thing that has inflenced my view is what an American woman said to my friend's wife while visiting the US:\na.w. - "So do you have computers back home?"\nfriend - "Com- what?" (making a sarcastic joke)\na.w. - "Oh, don't worry. I've noticed that as far away from America you travel, the more backwards the countries are." (didn't realise the joke & stuck her fat arrogant foot in her mouth)\n\nSo yeah, my opinion of Americans isn't too great. I'm not saying all are like that, but it only takes a few to ruin it for everyone.
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.
409405
We would first need to know how YOU view the U.S.
49946
I see very little outside of the United States, so I will limit my remarks to my country.  Our culture has become very diverse.  As a consequence, there seems to be a wider span of beliefs and thoughts about the proper and socially acceptable behavior.\nOn one hand are those who are steeped in traditional moral value, but have been lead to believe that military action in the middle east is acceptable behavior.  On the other hand are the rising minorities who are coming to the realization that the “American Dream” may remain just a dream for them.\nToo far?  We, as a society, are too divided to solve our own problems.  We are rapidly building walls between ourselves and each other as well as the rest of the world.  We seem to have forgotten tolerance in favor of getting “in each other’s face.”  The seeds that we sow now shall be reaped at some future time, perhaps when our national debt is owed to the rest of the world.