Americans are rude and arrogant
Of course, I know better. Not all Americans are rude and arrogant, right? Americans get a bad rap overseas as being arrogant, ignorant of other cultures, and frankly just plain rude.
Or do we? Is some of this stereotyping and prejudice actually more close to an accurate perception than a farce?
The other day I went to one of my favorite places to eat in Taichung. It’s near my gym and my branch and they serve healthy American style food. For example, I always order the chicken sub sandwich on wheat. However, I always point to it on the menu and make a point to say “Wo yao zhe ge” or “Ji ro”. The first being, “I want this one” and the second being “Chicken”.
The point is that I’m making an effort to learn Chinese. Although the young Taiwanese man behind the counter might very well understand me if I spoke in English, I find it someone presumptive to force my language on him. It wasn’t very difficult for me to learn a few simple phrases in Chinese so why not use them?
I sat down waited for my “ji ro” when I couldn’t help but notice a very loud and obviously American man sitting next to me.
The sight was somewhat disruptive. He was sitting with a Taiwanese girl and yelling at her in English. Although, to him, he was simply talking.
“Ugh, this song is TERRIBLE! Just horrible. Hey, KILL THE MUSIC! KILL THE MUSIC!”, he screams to the Taiwanese man behind the counter.
The man working behind the counter looks puzzled but eventually changes the station.
“Oh, god that song is awful. It’s a Chinese version of a Linda Ronstadt song from the 1970′s. She sung it with Chris Christopherson. Horrible song and even worse in Chinese”
The waiter then brings him his drink and he says, “Thanks!”… However, when greeted with a blank stare he continues to say, “Thanks!” over and over until the poor waiter finally says “Xie Xie” or thanks in Chinese.
I’m sitting there wondering if I should have gotten my “ji ro” sandwich to go. I really enjoy my quiet times in this restaurant. I watch the news in Chinese and try to pick up some words that I know. I listen to whatever they play on the radio and I make sure to say “Xie xie” when I leave.
I exit and proceed to work where I begin a conversation with a fellow teacher about how he find Americans to be very arrogant, rude, and ignorant to other cultures. I defend America and say that “Well, not everyone is like that… I mean, sure, some are but…”
I find myself thinking about my recent experience with the American at the nearby restaurant and I actually change my opinion mid-conversation.
After relaying my story to my British friend, he replies, “Well, that’s exactly what I’m talking about”.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot. I make a special point to try my best to use the language of the country that I’m in. I don’t know many words but I will try to utilize the ones that I do and I attempt to learn new ones all the time. It is true that many Taiwanese people can understand and speak some English but honestly, why should they be expected to? The pressure should remain on the foreigner to try to adapt to their current living environment. I hold an American passport and to that I will hold true. However, when does being proud to be an American end? When does it simply become blind arrogance? I’m not sure but I hope that I can change some Taiwanese people’s minds about foreigners and Americans. I know I can’t destroy a stereotype on my own but maybe if I try hard enough then I can change just one person’s mind.
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It’s always amusing to hear Brits talking about how rude Americans are, considering the trail of destruction left by British colonialism across the globe. Even at the individual level, I’ve been here 15 years and I can tell stories on individuals from any country. The real division is not between countries, but length of stay in Taiwan — the longterm expats tend to be much better behaved. Time tends to weed out the [edited by Heidi].
Also, you singled the fellow out because he was American, but what was specifically American about his behavior? Nothing. I’ve been in plenty of places with Taiwanese yelling at owners about music and trying to impress g/fs with their behavior. That’s a human failing, not an American one. What you really did was use him as a justification for a false stereotype that you used to find common ground with the British person….shame on you for sucking up to the snooty Brits!
The language issue is a complex one, and it is not necessarily right to always speak Chinese. I tend to demonstrate that I can speak it and then let the other side decide how they want to go. Frequently Taiwanese enjoy the opportunity to practice English with a real live foreigner. Plus there are certain situations where one is MUCH better off speaking Anglais (like with cops).
Besides, everyone knows the real problem are those &@*&@^#$ Canadians…..
Michael
Heidi’s response: I was hardly sucking up to a Brit. I was just seeing his point that Americans can tend to be rude. But I don’t agree that Americans are rude and arrogant on a whole. Especially being that I am American and most of my family, friends, and those that I love dearly are American.
The man in question was very American by his references to American pop culture. He was rude simply by the fact that he was rude. He serves only as an anecdote to a much larger question or issue that I have no yet come to terms with. This is definitely not a definitive post on the matter and should not be perceived as such. It is merely my thoughts on a small moment of my day.
And actually, he was a veteran of Asia and Taiwan and had lived here upwards of a decade. I didn’t include this in my post because I found it irrelevant and still do.
Heidi, to tell you the truth, I agree with Michael.
Actually, if I had to pick the worst nationality to ever be abroad with, it’s the Brits. There are some unbelievably cool Brits, but unfortunately, there’s something incredibly degenerate and base about their culture in general. Australia is like a Mecca for every British backpacker who wants to drink and shag his way across a continent (not to mention South East Asia en route). Likewise, having spent a fair amount of time in Eastern Europe, I also had to endure wave after wave of Lads’ Nights each weekend descending on whichever city I found myself in courtesy of cheap flights out of Britain. Brits have a horrible reputation in Europe. While I was living in Bratislava (Slovakia), the European Cup was on in Portugal. 2,600 passports of known soccer hooligans were seized by British authorities to prevent them from hitting Portugal and tearing the place up. The whole situation was best summed up by a banner draped from a Portuguese bridge: “English: if you can’t behave yourselves, go home!”
Okay, so obviously not every Brit is that bad. However, after having been through 34 countries on five continents, I can easily, and I do mean EASILY, rate them as far, far worse than Americans on the whole. Americans can be loud and rude, but Brits tear stuff up too.
Anyhow, regarding breaking the stereotype of Americans abroad, go for it. Too many cool Americans skulk in the shadows (or worse, pretend they’re Canadian). As such, people only tend to notice the bad Americans. Make it your mission to single-handedly prove how cool many Americans are.
Caleb
P.S. During my travels in the U.S., I found Americans to be some of the most friendly and helpful people I’ve met.
Caleb, I don’t disagree with you or with Michael. I just think that my initial post may come off as anti-American but it is far from it. It is more like an outrage at the fact that many Americans are giving us a bad name abroad. I don’t think I can single-handedly do anything to change this but I will try to do whatever I can.
I don’t have as much experience abroad as you so I will take your word for it.
In conclusion, I do love America and Americans and I think we’re a great bunch. Just in case that wasn’t clear.
Virginia native, resident of Paris for six years. Just left Paris metro where I heard two Americans make fun of me as I was talking to a girlfriend and then criticize French people. I turned to them and called them on it – they promptly called me a bitch. One of the two, a young woman, has been in Paris for 10 months and cannot speak a word of French. I shared with them that this arrogance is an embarrassment to the US – where tourists think they can mock people (right in front of them) and that know one understands what they are saying. Just sickening.
PS – Michael’s comments rock