For Example---I posted my honest impression of the average New Zealander on a NZ Chat Forum when asked and the following is my impression. Over the past 30 years that I have had face to face contact with New Zealanders both in the United States as well as New Zealand. I have found both male and female to be polite, considerate & kindly. I wish I could say the same for my fellow countrymen who I know present a far different impression. Reply Report Edit
Haughtiness is easily found in the U.S., beyond a doubt. IMO, this stems from our great size, enormous natural resources, tightly-bound governmental control, and the historical fact that U.S. citizens were self-taught in many ways from the very beginning. One seeks little solace or help from another, if he or she became self-reliant of necessity. Frank
I just spent a week in south Georgia. I have to say that southern people are still the kindest, most generous and caring of any I have met in the USA.
That depends on where you go in the US, @Lon Tanner . I think most Americans are good people but in some areas, they are not. If they visited the ravaged cities, they might think that we are barbarous, murdering people.
I should have been more clear. By others I am thinking of foreigners in other countries and foreign tourists first visit to the U.S.
I imagine that some visitors to the USA are disappointed that we are not like characters in major motion pictures.
I'm a foreigner but have never met an American nor been to the US. The Americans I know I know from movies, documentaries, and interviews both in the street and in the studio, well, and from SOC. I don't think there is an "average American",though. That would be a stereotype and I would not allow myself to think along those lines. Every person is an individual and every encounter would be individual or "case-specific" . I guess Americans are just as varied as people of different cultures are. Judging from what I have learned here on SOC the differences between Americans and Europeans don't relate to basic human behavior like being polite, considerate, and kindly, as you say, but way more to values, perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes and many other related aspects.
I wouldn't be disappointed Beth - I'd be pleased All countries have good and bad, especially today - too much 'influence' going on that I have to say I'm ashamed mostly at the way my people portray themselves, but - all countries are the same now, if not - let me know and I'll move there
To me and my wife, folks from India, living here in the U.S., are much friendlier than folks here in the U.S.. Also, from our experience, farm/ranch/rodeo folks are more friendly than big city folks. But, then again, we'd rather be around those farm/ranch/rodeo folks than big, or little, city folks. We have more in common with them and I can still talk about farm equipment, crops and livestock.
Perhaps it has to do with the types of Americans who travel outside the country. Then again, I saw some of the same kind of thing from Winter Texans in the Rio Grande Valley, where, while it is within the United States, the native language is Spanish and always has been, yet I have heard some of these people complaining because people at the table next to them at a restaurant were speaking to one another in Spanish, and they viewed that as rude. My Spanish was never that great, yet people I worked with would speak Spanish when we were sitting at the same table, and I didn't think it was rude unless I realized they were talking about me, or intentionally trying to exclude me. Mostly, it was just natural for them to speak Spanish.
When traveling internationally, I went to great lengths to be genuinely courteous whilst also paying strict attention to their laws. That said, I have always had the feeling that I and the rest of Americans are kind of like visiting in-laws. We are heartily greeted coming in the door and liked for a time as long as our stay is limited to a short period of time.
My friend Harry from India owns the local beer store. He much prefers small town Americans to city folks.
When I have traveled abroad and observed some American tourists with loud brash,demanding mannerisms I hoped it was not typical.