What is it like to live in a country that was bad?

[kevin1gamer]

What must it be like to live in a country that was an enemy of freedom and democracy (United States of America) in a previous (or current) military conflict? What must it be like to see popular culture always depicting you as the bad guys (with the exception of Valkyrie, which was about the German resistance)? For instance what must it be like for Germans, Italians, and Japanese for World War II movies (Inglourious Basterds, Valkyrie, Saving Private Ryan, etc.)? Or for Vietnamese people to see Vietnam War movies (Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter, Tropic Thunder, etc.)? Well, the British are good now, but they used to be evil in the American Revolutionary War and War of 1812, so they are an exception to the rule, but still, they do have movies about them being bad (The Patriot, etc.). They are also depicted as bad in video games (Battlefield series, Call of Duty series, Company of Heroes, Medal of Honor series, Soldiers at War, and tons of other games), books, etc. If anyone here is a citizen of a country that was bad, what are your thoughts on your country and people always being depicted as the bad guys?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I don't know what it must be like to live in a country where my rights weren't protected. I don't know if I would have the courage to resist or flee.

As for what other people think of my country? Meh. I could give a damn. A lot of people hate Americans right now, but it doesn't bother me.

 

[kevin1gamer]

A lot of people hate Americans right now

They are just scared of us because we are so much better than them.

Us (United States Air Force B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber):
http://www.worldinterestingfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/B2-Spirit-most-expensive-plane.jpg


Them (terrorists):
http://northcoastcafe.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/09/terrorist_2.jpeg


Please don't post images unless you own the site. Photobucket and Imageshack are among two of the free alternatives. Posting images located on another site steals bandwidth. Thanks

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I don't know what it must be like to live in a country where my rights weren't protected. I don't know if I would have the courage to resist or flee.

As for what other people think of my country? Meh. I could give a damn. A lot of people hate Americans right now, but it doesn't bother me.

They are just scared of us because we are so much better than them.

Actually I think it's more because of the Ugly American stereotype. We do tend to behave like Assholes of the Sea when we go abroad. I try not to be like that. Of course I've only been overseas once (and that was to a resort in Mexico, for my brother's wedding, and I think most everyone else there was American as well) but when I go to New York on vacation, I try not to act like a tourist. In fact I have had people with New York accents ask *me* for directions, and I admit that does feed the ol' ego.

 

[T'Baio]

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I just realized that my last sentence in my previous post proves that I *am* an Ugly American.

 

[JonathonWally]

. In fact I have had people with New York accents ask *me* for directions, and I admit that does feed the ol' ego.

Whenever someone asks me for directions, I politely, in a nonchalant way, tell them "Sorry, you can't get there from here" And then I walk away.

 

[Count Zero]

Well, if I stop to think about it, it is sort of depressing to always be the bad guy, but historically, it's sort of true. But even in the case of Germany, not all movies/tv shows set in the era of WWII or WWI depict all Germans as evil. I mean, there are even movies like "Cross of Iron", where German army officers are depicted as honourable. Generally, I'm used to the clichés and I have developed a thick skin, I suppose.

So, what's it like to live in Germany? Pretty nice, actually. Although I often complain (as is our favourite national pastime), it's really quite good. It's one of the wealthiest nations in the world, safe, liberal, democratic and with a social security net.

I spent part of mich childhood in the GDR (East Germany) and thus I (both personally and via conversations with my parents, extended family and friends) also know a thing or two about living in an unfree society. But it's a way too complex situation to describe.
On the one hand, living in an unfree country is pretty much like living anywhere else, i.e. people go about their businesses, living their lifes just like everywhere else. They're fine as long as their lives aren't directly negatively affected by the regime, and for many average people, that was more or less the case.
On the other hand, there is a certain awareness of the limits of your personal freedom nagging at you. That's why so many people tried to leave the country, even risking their lives. There's also a certain distrust among people because you don't know who might be spying on you or you suspect certain people of it. So, not very pleasant.
I'm glad we emigrated to West Germany and that the GDR ceased to exist soon thereafter. I don't think I would have lasted long there with my big mouth. I'm generally quite outspoken, which would have landed me in a lot of trouble. The thought of not being able to freely speak my mind is unbearable to me.

 

[Canadave]

"Good" and "evil" are relative terms, you know. The United States of America, for example, was the aggressor in the War of 1812. The world isn't as simple as you paint it.

 

[Commander Rabbit]

A lot of people hate Americans right now

They are just scared of us because we are so much better than them.

Sorry, but that kind of arrogance is exactly what a lot of people dislike about Americans.

 

[Shikarnov]

A lot of people hate Americans right now

They are just scared of us because we are so much better than them.

Sorry, but that kind of arrogance is exactly what a lot of people dislike about Americans.

This.

There are pluses and minuses to living in America, but the average American is no better than folks in other parts of the world. In fact, in many parts of the country, people are far worse (Young Earth morons, paranoid "patriots" that couldn't read the Constitution, much less defend it, and others). Americans have no leg to stand on when it comes to claiming superiority.

 

[Shaytan]

What must it be like to live in a country that was an enemy of freedom and democracy (United States of America) in a previous (or current) military conflict?

It's so pretentious

 

[Roger Wilco]

They are just scared of us because we are so much better than them.

I considered writing a serious reply, but I don't see how putting 5 seconds of thought into answering to someone like is worth the time.

 

[Count Zero]

I would have liked to read your thoughts, Roger Wilco.

 

[JB2005]

What must it be like to live in a country that was an enemy of freedom and democracy (United States of America) in a previous (or current) military conflict? What must it be like to see popular culture always depicting you as the bad guys (with the exception of Valkyrie, which was about the German resistance)? For instance what must it be like for Germans, Italians, and Japanese for World War II movies (Inglourious Basterds, Valkyrie, Saving Private Ryan, etc.)? Or for Vietnamese people to see Vietnam War movies (Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter, Tropic Thunder, etc.)? Well, the British are good now, but they used to be evil in the American Revolutionary War and War of 1812, so they are an exception to the rule, but still, they do have movies about them being bad (The Patriot, etc.). They are also depicted as bad in video games (Battlefield series, Call of Duty series, Company of Heroes, Medal of Honor series, Soldiers at War, and tons of other games), books, etc. If anyone here is a citizen of a country that was bad, what are your thoughts on your country and people always being depicted as the bad guys?

British are evil? How dare you sir? You gits rebelled removing a perfectly good colony from our empire because you didn't like our tea taxes. And you call us evil?

 

[Count Zero]

I think he's referring to the fact that the British (or more precisely, the English) are often depicted as the villains in US movies and that villains often speak with a distinct British accent.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Mhm. Hoping that there is a core of honest inquiry in the OP (even if the wording of it makes me doubtful about it), I have no problem with the US picturing Italians as the bad guys in WWII movies. We were the bad guys in that conflict (well, kinda goofy and ineffective bad guys, but still), so no complaints from me. In fact, even our war movies usually depict the Allies / Italian Resistance as the good guys, while the Nazi-fascist forces play the bad guys. The regular Italian Army is usually depicted in grey terms, dutiful soldiers fighting a war wanted by their power-crazed leaders.

Truth to be told, I get more huffy about national stereotyping, like the grease-haired, pizza-stained, mafia-connected Italians that plague a whole bunch of American movies, even good-natured ones.

 

[JB2005]

I think he's referring to the fact that the British (or more precisely, the English) are often depicted as the villains in US movies and that villains often speak with a distinct British accent.

Be that as it may, I object to our being described as evil...

Where the hell were you guys in 1939? In 1914? When Russia was threatening the Indian Subcontinent in the Crimean War? When Napoleon was slowly absorbing Europe? When the Argentinians were invading the Falkland Islands?

Or would you like me to bring up the fact that you were supporting Colonial France in Indo-China...supporting the corrupt regime of the south vietnamese because of a fear of communism?

Britain isn't a saint, but America isn't in any position to criticise.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I think he's referring to the fact that the British (or more precisely, the English) are often depicted as the villains in US movies and that villains often speak with a distinct British accent.

The SW movies seem particularly guilty of this. Apart from Darth Vader, is there any Empire official who does NOT speak with a British accent? (Conversely, most British actors in the SW films who play rebels/good people, don't use their real accents.)

 

[Pingfah]

As a British man I can honestly say that we are represented by the entertainment industry probably better than we deserve on balance. Sure there are loads of films about British wankers, but only Brits ever watch them.

Generally I find that people view us with a strange romanticism more than they view us as the mouthy yobs, or sexually repressed prudes that we occasionally get portrayed as. If we are bad guys, we are usually pretty rockin'.

So i'm fine with that.