OT (or is it?): American Imperialism

[dogscoff]

Then go complain to the people that purchased them and quit blaming America for an "arm-twisting" that didn't occur. In order for something to sell, there needs to be a market. (I shake my head everytime I see one, too!)

Ah yes, market forces. The sacred democracy of the wallet. Unfortunately, it's all hogsh!t. A company with enough money can generate any demand it wants out of thin air- it's called marketing. I mean seriously, what possible reason could there be for anyone (anyone not planning to invade something, anyway) to actually want a Humvee other than for image? It serves no other purpose that couldn't be served cheaper, cleaner and more efficiently by a smaller vehicle. It's a false demand, resulting from the culture of excession in my previous post.

[Ragnarok-X]

Slightly OT, but did someone watch "SuperSize ME" ? I think it pretty much fits the topic. In my opinion the USA are trying to force their way of life onto everyone else, weiter it be by force or without. Just recently i read that america has deposit 180 !!! nuclear weapons over military bases in germany, france, spain and great brittain. The reason for this is because in a condition of war, those missiles can reach targets in europe faster than when launched from north-america. Just imagine this...now, about their various wars against islamic countries...now that korea announced they have nuclear weapons, how will bush react to this ? Didnt he promised he would make america "safe" and keep the people "safe" ? All i can is that both bush, the administration and EVERYONE who voted for bush in the last election of a stupid **** and should care for this children or whatever may come after him.

A lot of people will agree with me, weither they openly say so or dont.

[Renegade 13]

As a matter of fact, the terrorists are succeeding right now. I dont' see how the American gov't doesn't see that they are playing into the hands of the terrorists right now. All their 'security' is costing untold billions of dollars. Economic terrorism, at it's best. Eventually, the US will hit the point of no return, and collapse economically.

[geoschmo]

It's not a plague Dogscoff. I might be convinced that it's an addiction, but it's not a disease. It's not the Borg. People sucumbing to rampant consumerism aren't losing their free will. They aren't being made to do anything they don't want to do. I won't argue it's not healthy, but I won't try and complain that it's McDonalds fault I'm so overweight either. I've eaten a lot of cheeseburgers in my life time. And I can honestly say that in every case the hand stuffing it in my face was attached to my own arm.

Where is your nations responsibility in this discussion? Why are you here protesting the evils of American greed and our prosteltyzing form of consumer excess, instead of preaching to your own countrymen for taking part in the very activities which are the real cause of you afflictions. Supply follows demand D, not the other way around.

It's nothing person though D. I'll be the first to admit that Americans are just as bad at this sort of attitude of victimization. We meddle in Latin American political affairs telling ourselves we are trying to stop the flow of drugs into our country when the flow would stop if we simply stopped snorting the drugs in the first place. And of course, the whole Middle East would be nothing to us but a bunch of sand if we didn't need the oil to satisfy our own excesive desires.

But really, how would you take it if we started complaining that the reason we drive SUV's is because the Arab countries keep supplying us with so much cheap gasoline? The argument doesn't really work does it?

[dogscoff]

Geo, I'm not trying to take away free will. People do have the power to make their own choices about what they want, but most of the time they don't bother. And of course capitalism is only too happy to capitalise on this all-too-human laziness and desire to conform and tell people what they want. You want a humvee. You want macdonalds. You want to pay £200 for a pair of shoes that cost $2 to make. You want to pay Malboro to give you cancer.

It's all screwed up.

Finally, I would be more than happy to discuss this with my countrymen if met anyone who would actually listen. I discuss it here not because there are lots of americans here to ***** at, but because there are intelligent people here who I can have a discussion with.

[Slynky]

Sorry if I come off upset when I hear that people of their own free will purchase stupid items (whether it be American or not). Before we got "international" with this kind of finger-pointing at "evil" America, I got just as upset when I heard (yet another) complaint from the black communities that tobacco and alcohol manufacturers target them--as if humans didn't posses a free will to refuse to buy things simply because they saw a picture of it.

So, to ANYONE, of ANY nationality who uses their money to buy something that's either stupid, over-priced, or bad for them, go look in the mirror and quit blaming others. People need to take responsibility for their choices. I used to smoke. If I get cancer later, it's my fault. I used to eat fast food / McDonalds. If I never return to a healthy state again, it's my fault.

I just get a little tired of everyone lumping in all their unhappiness about their lives into a big rotten tomato to throw at America.

[dogscoff]

So, to ANYONE, of ANY nationality who uses their money to buy something that's either stupid, over-priced, or bad for them, go look in the mirror and quit blaming others. People need to take responsibility for their choices. I used to smoke. If I get cancer later, it's my fault. I used to eat fast food / McDonalds. If I never return to a healthy state again, it's my fault.

People who get fat eating burgers and try to sue mcdonalds are losers, I agree. I think the smokers might have a point, given some of the highly addictive crap in cigarettes, but that's an aside. It's the people who suffer from these products and *don't* complain about it that cause me the greatest worry.