How the USA is regarded from the rest of the world

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We like America in Canada because it would be dangerous not too. But we don't follow lockstep with them or the rest of the world would want to bomb us too.

I like FORD engineering from america. And I like Americans in person.

I think one important thing anyone has to keep in mind when critiquing this country is that one cannot make generalizations about the US. Sure, secular-minded people laugh at the conservative Deep South, and everyone laughs at California right now. But there are so many different parts to this country, each with its own culture. Maybe the US as a whole is only middling on some quality of life indicators (life expectancy, et. al.), but if we isolated it by state, I'm sure some states would score far higher than most people. Virginia, I think, may be in that situation.

I hate this country. Just about everything is made in China. The citizens are a bunch of dicks! This entire country is a cultural wasteland. I am f*****g sick and tired of the games Americans play on ME! I'm only staying here because it never gets bombed by the terrorists.

Anyway, some perspectives of mine about America, mostly from a tour I did of the country last year.

1. I got the impression it was a more outdoorsy country than here, so it may very well be there's more of a ruralist/frontier mindset. For example so many people hunt; people seemed to know their wildlife and look out for it.

2. A populace that's nowhere near as ignorant of other countries as some consider it to be.

3. Cities and towns have very regular layouts, so that wide areas of cities seem to look the same. Though I pretty much knew that in advance, from my geographical researches/special interests.

4. A populace that's much more open and friendly than here. Sometimes a good thing, sometimes not.

5. Religiosity - I noticed first hand how religion was pervasive in people's lives even when they were liberal or from more liberal areas by US standards.

6. Obesity WASN'T something that struck me in a big way (I live in Scotland after all, the country second behind the US in obesity).

7. Sociologically not a country that as a whole I'd like to live in or even return to (except for the sorts of places mentioned in 9). I got the impression I was far more likely, compared to here, to get into trouble with women; trouble with children; trouble with people wishing to take advantage in some way; even trouble with police. In other words, exactly the sorts of interpersonal trouble I do NOT appreciate having.

8. The exaltation of the military, and preferential treatment given to them in society, compared to the UK which fought alongside it in the likes of the Iraq war.

9. New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, at least, were places that seemed noticeably more tolerant than elsewhere, where I felt much more in my element. It was a shock that I found these places, if anything, friendly. I suspect a handful of other cities I've not been to would, I'd find, probably come into this category.

Meh, how are the USA regarded from the rest of the world? Guess that depends on whatever your president does. Or any of your citizens, although they can be more readily dismissed as individual eccentricities, whereas the president "supposedly" embodies and represents the nation (or at least the executive branch). <.< (note: this is also relatively true regarding any other democratic country leader)

And if that makes you feel any better, I'm not that happy with some of the things the leaders of my two countries have done (whoohoo for dual nationality o.O ). And that would be France, Canada being rather obvious. <.<

Meh, the grass is always greener on the other side... ~

edited for asking Keeno which states he visited. :p

I did the following journeys by train.

New York - New Orleans
New Orleans - Los Angeles
Los Angeles - San Francisco
San Francisco - Chicago
Chicago - New York

As well as of course staying in the aforementioned cities.

Trains allowed you to talk with and meet a pretty complete cross-section of Americans. At times, admittedly, by the forced interaction that Amtrak does.

I really love the United States, especially before 9/11, before it promotes 'One out of many'. It allows unity in diversity, and everyone from the Arab Americans to the Jewish Americans all seem like one people in one united nation, even accounting regional differences from the Old South to the rainy and liberal Pacific Northwest.

Now I still love the United States, as I grow older and learn more about the achievements of standing strong even after various wars and regional conflicts... However, my view slightly changed. I discovered that the United States are actually messed up from within... There are a few who wants to be the world's police and a few others who wish to return to the old isolationist America of yore. There are a few who cheered for 9/11 and a few who are really disgusted. It is still a strong and free country, but it is currently at crossroads --- should US look more to Asia and strategically compete with China/India/Russia, or should US just concentrate on regional American affairs?

I long to have think of this for a long, long time. I dream of visiting Washington D.C. by train from NYC to examine this --- because I want to see how knowledgeable Americans think of the world. As for rural Vermont or partially/newly urbanized states like suburban Hampton Roads... I also hope to visit them, because they look like different worlds...

I live in the U.S. and there are still many states I want to see.

The cost of travelling is so expensive though...