SOB's Collected Ramblings

Who am I?

I am a big, warm, kind but ferocious Bear (not a teddy bear). An equalist. Danish, well spoken, loyal, caring, history buff, spiritual, ACDF, socially anxious, musical, artistic, dog owner, married, and Jewish.

What am I about?

My life is dedicated to Tikkun Olam - Mending The World - if need be one being at a time. I don't have time for stupidity, I have no patience with arrogance, false humility, hypocrisy or intellectual dishonesty. If I think you are either of the above, I will call you on it. I will say that the Emperor is naked, even if the whole world says he is dressed and even if it hurts the Emperor's feelings.

I am very passionate about Human Rights, Children's Rights and Equal Rights, and chances are that if you are not, I am going to be up your rear with a chainsaw.

I believe that G-d, the Creator of all there is, meant us to be His hands, eyes and voice to each other in Life. That is the task we have been charged with, and that is what we are here to do. It doesn't matter to me what path you choose to do this on, as long as that is what you are doing.

In addition to being a Bear, I am also an Ogre - like Shrek - and like all Ogres I am bound to respond forcefully to kicks in the groin, burnings of my house, beating of my kids and friends. I am also VERY grumpy in the morning. I am true to myself, not to you or to social conventions. I have been through and seen so much bull crap and horse manure in my life, that I'll bet my last dime that I recognize both when they come across my path. If you poop on my floor, I will ask you to scoop it up and put it in the trash. If you do, that's the last you will hear about it, if you don't, if you don't, I'll come after to you till you do or one of us die, which ever comes first.

Here are all the blogs that I am allowed to link to on Care2:

Silly Old Bear/Ogre

powered by Care2.com • Care2 Home • E-cards & Fun • Shopping • Healthy Living • News Network • Petitions • Click to Donate

Europe vs. America - Two Mindsets Colliding

Jun 18, 2006

fetching data...

An American woman brought up a Topic for Discussion - she spoke about how the USA is perceived around the world - in her specific post to a Discusssion Group, the issue had come up in relation to Canada - but she opened it up for International opinions. She some gave examples of those perceptions and ideas about America

- that the world sees America as a bully nation

-the world sees the US as arrogant and hasty to start war, we helped Kuwait when they asked but not Rwanda (and we supposedly only help countries who have oil or other resources we can use,)

-we think Canada is a nation of *commies* because of their health care system

-we don't do enough to help other countries (we just gave something like 22 million dollars to a third world country hit by a flood)

-we only see the world as it relates to us

-that Americans have an arrogant attitude

-Etc.

Here is my answer:

"I think that it has to do with the US being such a young Nation in comparison with Europe. It's like looking a teenager. One day very confident and all mature like, only to next day being quite the opposite, throwing tantrums and being absolutely obnoxious about things.

I have learned over the last two years in Care2 that Americans in general are very different from Europeans. I call it the American Mindset vs the European Mindset, and it does seem that while it is quite ok to criticize other Nations for their flaws and failures - criticizing the US is almost always seen by Americans as Anti-American. Or it's called bashing.

In Sweden where I live, Americans do have a reputation of being loud, rude, arrogant, self-centered, egotistical and generally very demanding people, who are easily offended if they don't get what they want when they want it, the way they want it.

I have on more than one occasion had opportunity to witness American tourists drive clerks and waiters to tears over things that could easily have been solved, had there been just a little room for compromise on the tourists' part. Not a nice sight. And it doesn't do much to change the general perception of Americans.

I have seen the same happening here in Care2.

What I have wondered more than once is - if 1 person says that you are a donkey, you can brush it off, right? But if 100 people tells you you are a donkey, then perhaps you would do good to take a look and see if maybe you do have a tail and long ears...

So, what are the conclusions drawn by Americans when they here this criticism? Where do they think it comes from? Do they even HEAR it, or does it just peel off like water on a goose? What do you think is the reason that so many people around the world have the same perceptions of Americans?"

I think that what most non-American people are missing in the American approach is simple HUMILITY. You know the ability to say: "I don't know", "I am just one among others, and my country is just one among other countries..", and going about helping without blowing their own horn or demand that people are eternally grateful or accepting that helping others means helping them on their own terms, giving them the help they are asking for without a hundred strings attached. To ask for help and to receive help is not the same as being willing to sell one's soul or undying loyalty.

Or to simply take their place in humanity as humans, without fanfares and parades - paying their due to the Global Community without demading extra privileges or shirking their responsibility out of spite. The US as a nation, cannot one day demand to be given special privileges, such as immunity for their soldiers when they commit war crimes, and the next day refuse to pay it's member fee to UN. Nor can it demand a seat on the UN Security Council with a veto vote, and then the next day support nations that violate Human Rights, or even violate those Human Rights themselves...

This is not all that Americans are - they are a lot of good things too - but because the negative is SO negative, it's hard to see the good. Especially when the National Actions are hurtful to the entire world.

Shalom!

This article, including artworks and photos are � Henric C. Jensen aka Shadow Bear and are NOT public domain, unless otherwise specified.

Imported from external blog

comments (1) | discussion () | permalink |

send green star |

flag as inappropriate

Visibility: Everyone
Tags: humanrights, americans, americanmindset, europeanmindset, globalcommunity
Posted: Jun 18, 2006 8:09pm

fetching data...

Content and comments expressed here are the opinions of Care2 users and not necessarily that of Care2.com or its affiliates.

Author

's Tags:
freedomofexpression, cartoon, independence, genderpolitics, meat-eaters, judeophobia, Hypocricy, abughraib, yitzchak, nationalself-determination, OIC, lebanon, dicussions, domesticviolence, sexualabuse, *shadowbear*, god, ageism, promises, anncoulter, orange, homelessness, parashahaazinu, sexism, dogleadership, conspiracytheories, winston, myanmar, israeligovernment, churchill more»

get the feed

ads keep care2 free

SHARES FROM 'S NETWORK

No shares