[OT] Americans I need your aid !

[Paladin]

Pleassseee!!!

No offense to anyone not willing to answer this poor persons questions due to the fact of their "unanswerability" factor, or the fact that they are "too general", or even the fact that you feel that you can't "lump people in America into one faction , race, culture, religion, or other group", but the fact of the matter is, people IN America (I'm not saying you) generalize other people in America all the time...It's some people's favorite passtime it seems. For example...Paladin and myself are both from Texas...people all over the world, when we were in the army and traveled, seemed to think we must have lived on a farm all our lives, knew everything there was to know about cows, horses, pigs, and chickens, always wear cowboy hats and boots (and possibly spurs and chaps), and apparently seem to think we only listen to country music, and feel that Texas must be like the old west...
Well listen up, it's NOTHING like this at all, in fact I've never lived on a farm, and only visited one once, I don't know a d*** thing about any farm animal, what-so-ever, I hate hats (I look stupid) and only rarely do I wear boots (like in the rain or dressing up), I do love country music, but I also love Aerosmith, G and R, and especially Motley Crew! And Texas is nothing at all like the old west.
On the flip of that coin though, if you get into a really small town (like the one I live in, now) you might think that a lot of Texans are big a** hicks! (You might be right!)
Anyhow, my point of this rambling, is that the teacher who made this assignment might be American and probably will use the information to highten the awarnesses of those in her class that aren't, so that they WILL understand what some of us who live in this great country don't...that we are all individuals going in different directions all the time, and our only truely common factor is that we all happen to live in America!

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Re: Pleassseee!!!

but the fact of the matter is, people IN America (I'm not saying you) generalize other people in America all the time...

I sdee your point, and I agree with much of what you said, to an extent. What's important to note about your examples is that relatively small subsections or groups are generalized. This is important because it points out what others, like Leopold, have touched upon - America has 280 million people, made up of every race, color, creed, and religion found on Earth. Some things can be generalized, I guess, but as I've grown older, I've found that what I used to be able to assume about Americans in general really doesn't apply across the board - except for things that can be assumed about people in general.

I'm not trying to be purposely uncooperative, I just find it difficult to honestly answer the questions as presented without adding a "but..." caveat to each answer.

I do, however, see what Ashtal and others have said - that it seems more revelatory of the person who answers than about Amercans in general. Maybe you could use what I wrote here as my answers? Probably not, I realize. Let me try to answer them as you want:

1. Americans are...a diverse group of people, made up of every other culture on Earth - which in turn has helped synthesize what is seen to be American culture.
2. They like...anything that other people like.
3. They don´t really...act the way they're portrayed in the media.
4. Most Americans feel...that they live in a good country.
5. They act...like people around the world act.
6. Most Americans believe in...personal freedom.
7. The United States is a country where...anything is possible.
8. The average American is...impossible to categorize.
9. Americans today are worried about...the things that worry everyone else - making a living and keeping themselves and their families safe.
10 The most important thing in life to most Americans is...

 

[Piratecat]

Thank you everybody ! I'v gotten enough responses by now. The responses as well as the criticism on the assignment are much appreciated. Moderators, feel free to close this thread.

Thanks,
Jeroen

You bet. Thanks!