OT (or is it?): American Imperialism

[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.

[Ragnarok-X]

dogscoff said:


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.

Your point is only partly right. It has been scientificly -PROVEN- that certain integrints within mcdonalds, burgerking and fast food products in general are indeed addictive as well. Just watch the movie i mentioned, SuperSize Me, afterwards you will know a few things you didnt want to. Whats happening is amazing, on the entire line unbelieveable.

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

More evident WORLDWIDE. So far, North Korea hasn't been that much of a worldwide influence. The US HAS. Now, I say again, I have nothing against American people in general; but it is the American government and their policy that I detest.

As said before, by someone:
In under four years' time Bush's term will have ended, and then the world can celebrate.

[TerranC]

StrategiaInUltima said:
So far, North Korea hasn't been that much of a worldwide influence.

That's because Nork nukes have a limited range. But there are about 2 billion people and some influential countries who are directly or indirectly affected by the North Korean Crisis. If North Korean nukes could reach Europe, you wouldn't be saying that.

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

"Islamic terrorism" and the "justification" of it are both bull****. I've talked with a Muslim about it once, and he says that those terrorists are NOT "good Muslims", just like a Christian killer is not a "good Christian". The Koran says that it is a sin to kill people, like the bible does, and the person I talked with about it said that those terrorists will most likely end up in Hell.

To say that the Islamic terrorism is justified by the Koran is total nonsense. Those who claim it isn't need to talk to a Muslim about it once.

[Fyron]

Holy scriptures can be used by those looking to twist them as justification for anything... It is all a matter of interpretation and which parts you stress over the others.