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How Many Of You Hate America?
The common view of things is often different from the reality. They can be twisted, beautiful images that shield us from the truth. Sometimes people should think of it not as a shield, but as a blindfold. Because a world superpower is taking steps too far. By consuming more fossil fuels than is necessary, by standing still and making no military progression when it was needed, and by waging war on a country and attacking soldier and civilians over a mere dispute for oil. This “great” country, is America.
Many people look to America and sigh with envy at “the American Dream” . However, that dream cannot last long, while America is guzzling up precious resources left on a rapidly crowding planet. These figures speak for themselves about the evident greed of America:
Coal > Production
531,822,000 ton
Coal consumption
1,060,000,000
Commercial energy use
8,148.38
Electric power consumption > kWh
3,920,613,000,000 kWh
Electricity > Consumption
3,892,000,000,000 kWh
Gasoline prices
0.77
Geothermal power use
5,640
Natural gas > Consumption
652,900,000,000 cu m
Natural Gasoline > Production
12,275,000 ton
Nuclear electricity generation
780.1 terawatt-hours
Nuclear energy consumption
821.1 terawatt-hours
Nuclear reactors operable
104
Oil > Consumption
20,680,000 bbl/day
Oil > Exports
1,165,000 bbl/day
Oil > Production
8,457,000 bbl/day
Oil imports > Net
10,400,000 barrels per day
Oil reserves
22,450,000,000 barrels
Usage per person
8.35 TOE per person
Wall plugs > Voltage
110 V
Wind energy installation
6,740 MW
These crimes are forgivable, as other nations are guilty of many similar crimes, such as Brazilians chopping down the Amazon. But global warming is not the most important aspect that we can hold against America. America has extorted countries beyond the point of recovery. Equador, for example, was reduced to a poor scrabbling wreck once America dealt out loans to them. Now Equador only has 5% of its national budget to spend on public services, whilst the rest of the money goes into paying off foreign aid, almost all of which goes to America. Is this right? Is it fair that Americans can bully nations? Furthermore. America threatens, assasinates, and then goes to war with the presidents of countries who refused to run their countries as they like. The war with Iraq is a simple example. America wanted oil. Iran refused to give for no good reason. Why should we just let them do this to us? Us as a world?
Oh yes, because they have guns!
The U.S.A government is a trigger-happy collection of murderous power figures, They do so much to the world, and yet they have nuclear arms and their military to point at other nations, and say “give me your money!” They succeeded for so long due to pure fear, but now other countries have the chance to strike back. America doesn't have all the power anymore. A single grain of rice can tip a scale. Somehow, America has set in a system which everybody likes. A system where people don't think. Where they impulsively buy items that will break very soon. In America, only 10% of items bought for a house are kept for more than a month, and only 5% of those remain for 6 months. America designs products to be made so they break as soon as possible, but will still leave the client with faith in the product, enough so to buy themselves more.
But who benefits from this system?
The aristocrats do. Right up in their trees, lording over us. There are bankers who awarded themselves millions of dollars in bonuses whilst creating a recession that would cripple thousands of struggling individuals around the world. This doesn't cause stress for people living on government benefits, but for the people who are just above the poverty line. America makes those people struggle and work every day. It does so by enforcing a system where the elite (namely money-posessing) people take hold. Can nothing be done to create a fair and happy world?
Well, there is something you can do. You can be fair. You can be smart, and you can think before reaching for your credit card while watching an auction channel. You can PAUSE and WAIT before buying that “wonderful new shave”. We have to know our limitations, and stretch them. Whoever is reading this, YOU are the workforce. You are the people economically enslaved. There is hope. You can work together towards goals such as Project Venus, Save The Forests, Oil Conservation, and Fairtrade. These small lifestyle changes will help you sleep at night. How can we sleep after reading this, knowing that we are only here through the turmoil and suffering of potentially hundreds of other men, women and children.
When a child reaches to the future, who will have the heart to say, “we've used it up, son.”
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JOIN THE DISCUSSION
This article has 392 comments.
What about countries like Sweden and Norway? They are considerably better then the U.S. on any of their days. The best or the worst.
America has had their downs. But we have still had our up as well.
America is an amazing place, and we are our OWN country, of a wide varity of people. So basically, your kind of critsizing the whole world.
I don't agree. America rocks! :)(:
To 'Don't Hate':
Very nicly said, you obviously know what it is ur trying to say. I also picked up up on several flaws in this essay but you already had them pinpointed. You're a good critic.
To the author:
I see what it is that you're trying to get across to people and I'm not enraged by what you had to say. My only advice is that you should re read this yourself and perhaps create a better one? Many could be enlightened by what you have to say if you get it across correctly. Several sources are required for a piece such as this.
First taking a look at this essay, it's a rough draft. If you wish to get anywhere with the power of persuasion in this topic you have to make it perfect.
American's, I can tell you because I'm one of them, arenot all perfect. Of course we have our flaws. Especially our government, but is that the people's fault? 'Don't Hate' was correct in saying that you seem to be targeting American individuals throughout this whole piece. Is that really fair?
So my simple advice, if you wish to pursue this topic, is to do tons of research. You need proof, facts. And to turn this rough draft into a final one. Fix your grammar, your fragmants, make it proffessional looking.
Don't be discouraged though, you have a talent, it just needs adjusting. This is a very broad topic and you'll always get nasty responses. If you want to get people listening and thinking about your opinion you have to give the effort.
good luck and keep writing
Your right. We're not perfect.
People- I know a lot- are greedy. We end up doing wrong things. And our 'American Dream' isn't exactly black and white. But then again, nothing is.
But I don't think it's fair to judge all of us. I'm American, first generation from a third-world country.
I can't honestly judge you. I can't insult you back. I don't think I can change your mind. But remember, it's not fair to judge a freck'n 1 BILLION POPULATION by their crappy goverment & political leaders.
To begin with, America is not perfect. It is completely childish to point out all of America’s flaws and none of her beauties. This type of strategy suggests that one is trying to escape criticism themselves. I will admit that SOME people spend too much or pollute etc. Furthermore, America is a free country with good people in it, just like everywhere else. In the past few years alone, entire debates have been brought up about issues not only like financial/health care but even about animal rights and college tuition/scholarships. How can you say that people are ignorant, simple-minded, and gullible when there is so much competition to get into American colleges of prestige and creative/open-minded activists working day and night to change the world? This author brings up our supposed ignorance yet when I read this essay, I find countless grammar mistakes, fragments, scattered thoughts, contradictions, and plenty of over-generalizations about the people of America as a whole even though she states her essay is targeted toward the corrupt politicians, businessmen, and others like them.
Second, in the first paragraph, she states that America makes “no military progression” but exactly afterwards declares “waging war on a country... dispute.” Obviously, the writer herself does not know what she is talking about. She is like a child who doesn’t know what she wants or what to complain about. Is she mad about America’s inactivity or hyperactivity? She brings up multiple times that other countries are bad too. This shows us that she is pessimistic, snobby, and judgmental because of the way she thinks no country is “good enough.” I agree that all countries have some flaws, but raging against everyone is not going to mean that your country is any better.
Later on, the author says that Ecuador is worse off because America gave them too many loans. No one can predict the future, and it suited both countries interests at the time to have such a transaction. It was NOT a case of America stealing money. At least half the blame should fall on Ecuador for getting themselves into such a mess. After all, if a person trips on the sidewalk, is it the property’s owner’s fault for not noticing that blemish, or is it the fault of the person for not looking where they were going?
Next, the author tries to make America out as a bully with nuclear weapons and armies. I would like to make the case that America is not the only country with nuclear weapons, so how could that have affected the other country’s decision? If anything, America’s wars were brought about because other countries would not be “bossed around.” In fact, the author states in paragraph 3, “The war with Iraq is a simple example… Iran refused to…” Believe it or not, both countries are mentioned in the same breath. This shows the author’s contempt seeing as she cannot even distinguish between the two or which one is going to be talked about. The terrible grammar makes it even more difficult to read.
My final and perhaps most important point is that there are no sources for ANYTHING in this article. I cannot bring myself to believe in simply the words of an over-enthusiast and biased author. Without sources, I will not and cannot accept her facts. I have a personal grudge against her statistic that “only 10% of items bought for a house are kept for more than a month.” I am certain there are no statistics even existing that could back this up. Also, I would like to make the point that since this author does not live in America, she would not be able to know this or anything about the way anyone lives. Expanding upon that, she declares that America’s products break easily. This is absolutely not okay. I myself know that if I pick up nearly anything in a house supply store, it will read “Made in China” or “Made in Taiwan” on it. When I buy anything that says “Made in USA” I keep it for years before it wears out.
What I believe is that America is an extremely flawed nation, but I do not think it is as foul as you perceive it to be. I just gave you one example with the whole "trying to save a country from oppressive rule" spiel. To say the people of America are as wrecked as the government is wrong. The normal folk, or as some call them the 99%, just want jobs and a stable home life. That's just like everyone else in every part of the world. The qualifications that you listed out that make us a bad nation most people know nothing about. The average joe would know nothing about how much energy resources we use. The average joe would not know about the situation in Ecuador. We are more guilty of ignorance than arrogance. Because of our ignorance of the dirty things the U.S government has done, we are lead to be ensured in the propaganda that we are the greatest nation on Earth -- with some flaws of course. The average joe does have a suspicion we entered the Middle East for gas and know politicians are only out for themselves. So to bash the entire nation, I feel, is wrong.
Aside from all that, your piece was well written and thought out. Interesting read.
What I believe is that America is an extremely flawed nation, but I do not think it is as foul as you precieve it to be. I just gave you one example with the whole "trying to save a country from oppressive rule" spiel. To say the people of America are as wrecked as the government is wrong. The normal folk, or as some call them the 99%, just want jobs and a stable home life. That's just like everyone else in every part of the world. The qualifications that you listed out that make us a bad nation most people know nothing about. The average joe would know nothing about how much energy resources we use. The average joe would not know about the situation in Ecudar. We are more guilty of ignorance than arrogance. Because of our ignorance of the dirty things the U.S government has done, we are lead to be ensured in the propaganda that we are the greatest nation on Earth -- with some flaws of course. The average joe does have a suspicion we entered the Middle East for gas and know polticains are only out for themselves. So to bash the entire nation, I feel, is wrong.
Aside from all that, your piece was well written and thought out. Interesting read.
I don't understand why you use 'fat and ignorant' in the same phrase. Is being fat relative to being illiterate? Are you actually comparing being overweight to being imprudent, homophobic, discriminatory, and shallow?
Anyway, I partially agree with the rest of your post, despite the bigoted comment above. I just don't understand why you are still in America if you think all these awful things about it.
great article!