America the Popular
12/10/11 17:52![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
dv8nation.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
talkpoliticsAnti-Americanism. How often does it come up around here in one form or another? Fairly often, from where I sit but that's admittedly subjective. And while it's easy to grumble about America and make jokes, just how many people out there honestly don't like the United States?
Turns out, not as many people as you might think.
Of the countries surveyed, 18 hold predominantly positive views of the US, seven hold negative views and two are divided. On average , 49 per cent of people have positive views of US influence in the world--up four points from 2010--and 31 per cent hold negative views. The poll, conducted by GlobeScan/PIPA, asked a total of 28,619 people to rate the influence in the world of 16 major nations, plus the European Union.
In 2007 a slight majority (54%) had a negative view of the United States and only close to three in ten (28%) had a positive view; America was among the countries with the lowest ratings. Views began to rise in 2008, with positive views rising to 32% on average, and now the USA is in a middle tier position, ranking substantially higher than China.
A 49% approval rating would be pretty good for most politicians. Just under half the world thinking America is a positive influence in the world is great given that we were led by a bungler of legend for eight years who excelled at making Americans traveling overseas start sewing Canadian flags onto their clothing.
*ahem*
But let's look at these numbers a bit more.
As views of the USA continue to improve globally, the upwards trend is also apparent in Muslim countries. For the first time, a majority of Indonesians are now positive about the USA's role in the world (58%, a rise of 22 points over the last year). Negative views of the USA in Turkey have dropped sharply from 70 per cent to 49 per cent, while negative views in Pakistan of the USA have also fallen slightly, from 52 per cent to 46 per cent.
Wow, even Muslim countries are generally cool with us. That is *fantastic* given recent history.
So what does this all mean? IMO, in spite of all the snide jokes that get tossed around people seem to think that America is out there doing good. We blow it sometimes, sure, but we do try. And in this day and age it's good to know that not everyone is down on the place you call home and that America still means something good to a lot of people.
(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 11:24 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 14:02 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 14:29 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 20:17 (UTC)This whole thing reads a little like privileged whining.
(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 22:00 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 22:00 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 15/10/11 15:54 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 22:02 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 11:40 (UTC)They are...
Date: 12/10/11 17:05 (UTC)Re: They are...
Date: 12/10/11 17:26 (UTC)Re: They are...
Date: 12/10/11 18:11 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 18:44 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 18:51 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/10/11 08:38 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/10/11 16:49 (UTC)Re: New official slogan when you enter our country
Date: 12/10/11 13:34 (UTC)Re: New official slogan when you enter our country
Date: 12/10/11 18:45 (UTC)Re: New official slogan when you enter our country
Date: 12/10/11 22:26 (UTC)"We're a soverign nation! Let's put the British queen on our money!"
Re: New official slogan when you enter our country
Date: 12/10/11 22:52 (UTC)Re: New official slogan when you enter our country
Date: 13/10/11 08:37 (UTC)Re: New official slogan when you enter our country
Date: 13/10/11 09:34 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 12:16 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 13:58 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 16:01 (UTC)Now, what *I* hear quite a bit, both in this community and outside it, is how the US couldn't care less what other nations think of it, and *shouldn't care two tosses either.
Making a f*****ng huge poll about it does send pretty bipolar signals when it comes to this legendary indifference.
(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 16:15 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 16:55 (UTC)Unfortunately, there is too much of that among we Yanks. And, meaning no offense to anyone, in my experience the kind of people who express such things are the kind who slavishly watch reality TV, subscribe to People Magazine, and know everything there is to know about who's doing what in Hollywood these days, but who can't be bothered to vote and only watch the news for the sports and entertainment segments. These folks don't even know what's going on in other American states, to say nothing of other countries.
What sucks is that all too often it's them who folks from other countries see as "typical Americans."
(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 22:02 (UTC)So you missed the big BBC logo at the top of the page and the part of the article that said they had the survery done?
(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 22:16 (UTC)Which means that
a) there are a *lot* of countries which don't participate
b) the poll is not about the US, the US is about as popular as Brazil and the UK is much more popular - according to this poll.
A bipolar reaction is still a bipolar reaction. The level the articles on google are yapping on about the US, when in fact it is not about them primarily at all.
(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 22:28 (UTC)Which means that
You complained without reading the article?
(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 22:51 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/10/11 08:35 (UTC)What a difference a presidency makes!
Date: 12/10/11 17:09 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/10/11 17:23 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/10/11 08:32 (UTC)Re: What a difference a presidency makes!
Date: 12/10/11 18:47 (UTC)Re: What a difference a presidency makes!
Date: 13/10/11 08:34 (UTC)Re: What a difference a presidency makes!
Date: 13/10/11 15:30 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/10/11 04:43 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/10/11 08:30 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/10/11 06:33 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/10/11 08:32 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/10/11 15:19 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/10/11 23:33 (UTC)