- 03 Sep 2015 00:27
#14595900
OK guys, I know this topic might sound strange to some of you, but please hear me out.
I am a citizen of Saudi Arabia (I am not fond of the Saudi regime, I was just born to a Saudi father and hence, I have the citizenship.) And I went to America first time when I was 21 in order to study in college.
Back then, I knew nothing about America, and I had never been to any country other than Iran- where I was born and raised till I was 10- and Saudi Arabia- where I spent the rest of my years growing up.
(For more information regarding my life, refer to my other thread: "The Daily Life of an Unemployed Saudi" viewtopic.php?f=4&t=162665)
So coming to America was very exciting to me. I was sooooooo curious about everything! And I cannot tell how I was amazed by the experience. My experience with the Americans was nothing less than AMAZING! I really liked it there.
It is not because of the booz that was now available to me, or the hot girls that were everywhere- both banned and forbidden to me here in Iran and Saudi Arabia. What amazed me the most is how people treated me as if I were one of them.
I don't know how to describe this, every American I met was so nice to me. Everybody treated me as an "equal", EVERYONE. They didn't see me as an outsider, or somebody from a different country or culture. They treated me as if I were an American myself. Or rather, they treated me as a human.
Please consider the fact that I am from Saudi Arabia, a country where 14 people out of the 19 hijackers came from. And yet, nobody in America treated me any differently when I told them I was from Saudi Arabia. I think it is just that people in America just prevent themselves from jumping into judgements and conclusions about you based on you're background. They really don't care where you're from or what is your religion. They just care about what they see, and that is how you act. Which is AMAZING by the way. I think people everywhere should be treated that way. I think that is part of your human rights.
So what I was wondering is: are Americans alone in this kind of treatment? Or are people everywhere so nice to each other and I just happen to be raised in a shitty neighborhood :P?
I mean, if were to go to Europe, for example, would Europeans be just as nice and welcoming to me as Americans? Would they treat me as if I were one of them? (This question, obviously, applies to people of other countries and continents as well. Are the people of Japan friendly to foreigners and strangers? Could you marry a Japanese woman? And what about India, or China? I am just really curious.)
But there is one even deeper question that requires an answer. This question is even harder and more mystifying to me (and it kind of deserves its own thread to be honest):
If American people are so nice and friendly, how come their politicians are so rude and mean? How come in the political arena it is completely the opposite?
This is such a paradox to me, I can never understand it.
When I came back home, nobody believed me when I told them that Americans are nice. I mean some did (those who have been to America or who have heard similar stories) but I could never explain to them why American politics sucks so much.
And when I talked to my American friends about this that didn't help either. They are either in full support of their government's policies- no matter how obnoxious or ridiculous they are- or they are in full denial of their government's policies, as if the government is ruled by some upper hand or the Illuminati, and not real genuine Americans. What the hell! How does that make any sense?
What do you guys think?
First: Why are Americans so nice and friendly on the personal level? Are they the only people like that?
Second, and more importantly, why do they suck so much in ruling the world? Can't they be nice and fair? Can't they treat other countries just as equally and friendly as they treat strangers on the personal level? (This just really doesnt not make any sense to me.)
I am a citizen of Saudi Arabia (I am not fond of the Saudi regime, I was just born to a Saudi father and hence, I have the citizenship.) And I went to America first time when I was 21 in order to study in college.
Back then, I knew nothing about America, and I had never been to any country other than Iran- where I was born and raised till I was 10- and Saudi Arabia- where I spent the rest of my years growing up.
(For more information regarding my life, refer to my other thread: "The Daily Life of an Unemployed Saudi" viewtopic.php?f=4&t=162665)
So coming to America was very exciting to me. I was sooooooo curious about everything! And I cannot tell how I was amazed by the experience. My experience with the Americans was nothing less than AMAZING! I really liked it there.
It is not because of the booz that was now available to me, or the hot girls that were everywhere- both banned and forbidden to me here in Iran and Saudi Arabia. What amazed me the most is how people treated me as if I were one of them.
I don't know how to describe this, every American I met was so nice to me. Everybody treated me as an "equal", EVERYONE. They didn't see me as an outsider, or somebody from a different country or culture. They treated me as if I were an American myself. Or rather, they treated me as a human.
Please consider the fact that I am from Saudi Arabia, a country where 14 people out of the 19 hijackers came from. And yet, nobody in America treated me any differently when I told them I was from Saudi Arabia. I think it is just that people in America just prevent themselves from jumping into judgements and conclusions about you based on you're background. They really don't care where you're from or what is your religion. They just care about what they see, and that is how you act. Which is AMAZING by the way. I think people everywhere should be treated that way. I think that is part of your human rights.
So what I was wondering is: are Americans alone in this kind of treatment? Or are people everywhere so nice to each other and I just happen to be raised in a shitty neighborhood :P?
I mean, if were to go to Europe, for example, would Europeans be just as nice and welcoming to me as Americans? Would they treat me as if I were one of them? (This question, obviously, applies to people of other countries and continents as well. Are the people of Japan friendly to foreigners and strangers? Could you marry a Japanese woman? And what about India, or China? I am just really curious.)
But there is one even deeper question that requires an answer. This question is even harder and more mystifying to me (and it kind of deserves its own thread to be honest):
If American people are so nice and friendly, how come their politicians are so rude and mean? How come in the political arena it is completely the opposite?
This is such a paradox to me, I can never understand it.
When I came back home, nobody believed me when I told them that Americans are nice. I mean some did (those who have been to America or who have heard similar stories) but I could never explain to them why American politics sucks so much.
And when I talked to my American friends about this that didn't help either. They are either in full support of their government's policies- no matter how obnoxious or ridiculous they are- or they are in full denial of their government's policies, as if the government is ruled by some upper hand or the Illuminati, and not real genuine Americans. What the hell! How does that make any sense?
What do you guys think?
First: Why are Americans so nice and friendly on the personal level? Are they the only people like that?
Second, and more importantly, why do they suck so much in ruling the world? Can't they be nice and fair? Can't they treat other countries just as equally and friendly as they treat strangers on the personal level? (This just really doesnt not make any sense to me.)