Americans Are Convinced That China Is The Most Powerful Economy In The Worl

[Götterdämmerung]

Also, to be fair, many Germans speak French. In Europe, to be considered educated, you'd have to speak at least 3 languages, correct?

Correct, I speak German, English and French (with a good understanding of Dutch, Spanish and Italian). Nowadays, more people speak Spanish as well, but there are also quite a lot of people who speak another European language such as Italian or Russian. Outside of European languages, Japanese used to be the most favourite language till the 1990's and from then on it's been Mandarin.

Your kind of European petty one upmanship is usually tolerantly smiled upon by Americans. We know why and we understand the need for it.

And I see you getting your panties in a twist.

 

[PITA]

Correct, I speak German, English and French (with a good understanding of Dutch, Spanish and Italian). Nowadays, more people speak Spanish as well, but there are also quite a lot of people who speak another European language such as Italian or Russian. Outside of European languages, Japanese used to be the most favourite language till the 1990's and from then on it's been Mandarin.

Wow, I had no idea that Mandarin is becoming popular there. I would've thought Arabic would be more popular since there tends to be more immigrants from that part of the world than China, correct?

 

[Götterdämmerung]

Wow, I had no idea that Mandarin is becoming popular there. I would've thought Arabic would be more popular since there tends to be more immigrants from that part of the world than China, correct?

We don't have that many Arabic immigrants, but we have a large popupation of Turkish origin who ar not Arabs. Mandarin is becoming popular because of the economic incentives, so was Japanese. Our problems are that we can't find enough qualified Mandarin teachers for our high schools.

 

[gambit]

Also, to be fair, many Germans speak French. In Europe, to be considered educated, you'd have to speak at least 3 languages, correct?

Not true. I met plenty of Germans, Italians, French, Brits, Spaniards, and Turks who speaks either one or two languages. Being multilingual is in no way definitive of being educated. I trained Turks who can barely speaks English. I played war games alongside Germans who spoke only German and a smatter of English. What you need to understand is that in the Continent, countries can be reached within a couple days' car or train rides, so being multilingual is important if a person need to travel a lot, in other words, being multilingual is a necessity if one's lifestyle calls for it. Whereas in the US, it once took me nearly three days drive from Idaho to Florida for a family emergency. How long would it take to cross Canada?

And I see you getting your panties in a twist.

Actually, when it comes to US, it is usually YOU who gets his panties in a twist. You waste no opportunity to display your Eurosnob attitude. The funny part is that for any real Eurosnob, and I met plenty, they usually keep their snobbery to themselves. Kinda like how we Americans tolerate insecure Eurosnobs like you.

 

[PITA]

Mandarin in high school? That's quite impressive. You guys certainly know how to set the bar higher than here in Canada.

 

[Götterdämmerung]

Actually, when it comes to US, it is usually YOU who gets his panties in a twist. You waste no opportunity to display your Eurosnob attitude. The funny part is that for any real Eurosnob, and I met plenty, they usually keep their snobbery to themselves. Kinda like how we Americans tolerate insecure Eurosnobs like you.

Oh really, so cool and aloft? Why then the big letters and the long text?

Mandarin in high school? That's quite impressive. You guys certainly know how to set the bar higher than here in Canada.

Yes, but only in the Gymnasiums. German high schools is a conplicated matter for outsiders. We have a separated high school system depending on your ability.

 

[gambit]

Oh really, so cool and aloft? Why then the big letters and the long text?

To twist your panties...What else? Buddy, I have far more respect for Germans and Germany than you do for US. So I do know your kind...

 

[PITA]

I once did the Ontario to BC road trip and it took about 7 days with regular stops and sleeping. To the east of me, a friend of mine goes back each year to pretty much the furthest point in eastern Canada and says it's about 16 hours non-stop. So all together, probably 9 days. That's assuming that I'm still stopping and sleeping of course.

 

[BigDaddyWatch]

Am shocked...Shocked...!!! I say...

You have any idea how much American soldiers -- or any soldier from any country -- like to toy with journalists? When I was stationed at MacDill AFB in Florida, since the base is an F-16 training base, sometimes we host foreign pilots who have their countries' journalists covering their countrymen in America, so we often tell those foreign journalists -- in low voices -- that we have F-16N where the 'N' stands for 'nuclear' propulsion.


Stale sh1t. I doubt that most Chinese can do the same. I bet the Chinese workers for ASUS or for Walmart cannot find US on the map.

But China hasn't been waging a war in Iraq or Afghanistan for the past 10 year's either.

 

[Götterdämmerung]

To twist your panties...What else? Buddy, I have far more respect for Germans and Germany than you do for US. So I do know your kind...

You are in dire need of that, really!

 

[gambit]

But China hasn't been waging a war in Iraq or Afghanistan for 10 year's either.

Why should that matter? Contrary to what you may ignorantly believe, we are more aware of foreign countries than you think. American soldiers are often well traveled. So are American businessmen. So are American religious missionaries. So are American humanitarian organizations. You think they do not return home without telling their circles what they saw? Calling Americans stupid is more to stroke your fragile egos than it is about insulting US.

You think Jobs or Gates gives a sh1t if they can speak Chinese or German?

 

[BigDaddyWatch]

Why should that matter? Contrary to what you may ignorantly believe, we are more aware of foreign countries than you think. American soldiers are often well traveled. So are American businessmen. So are American religious missionaries. So are American humanitarian organizations. You think they do not return home without telling their circles what they saw? Calling Americans stupid is more to stroke your fragile egos than it is about insulting US.

You think Jobs or Gates gives a sh1t if they can speak Chinese or German?

The fact that America has over a 1000 bases around the world and has been waging war against other countries over the past decade on a permanent bases doesn't speak in America's favour. All those you mentioned are only a very small proportion of the general population. The fact that only a third of the people polled knows America has the world largest economy is telling of the knowledge of the average American about the world and their own country.

 

[gambit]

The fact that America has over a 1000 bases around the world and has been waging war against other countries over the past decade on a permanent bases doesn't speak in America's favour.

That is not the issue, which is how ignorant are we of other countries.

All those you mentioned are only a very small proportion of the general population. The fact that only a third of the people polled knows America has the world largest economy is telling of the knowledge of the average American about the world and their own country.

Misconceptions abounds in every country, especially if aided by popular media with a slant. What if China's media shows mostly of American ghettos? Actually, that did happened with the Soviet press. MIG-25 pilot/defector Viktor Belenko at one point was convinced that the entire city of New York was a CIA construct specifically for him. According to Soviet press, every famous American city was in decay with Americans either living in hovels or in the streets. Belenko could not believe that a package of beef had an expiration date as mandated by law. Supermarkets with all those choices were stripped from ordinary Americans and stocked in fancy displays just to convince him that such was the norm.

So how much of America does the average Chinese really know?

 

[TruthSeeker]

This is not surprising when you consider that Americans elected Barack Obama for a second term. Only very ignorant, or stupid, people could have done that ......

 

[Götterdämmerung]

Misconceptions abounds in every country, especially if aided by popular media with a slant. What if China's media shows mostly of American ghettos? Actually, that did happened with the Soviet press. MIG-25 pilot/defector Viktor Belenko at one point was convinced that the entire city of New York was a CIA construct specifically for him. According to Soviet press, every famous American city was in decay with Americans either living in hovels or in the streets. Belenko could not believe that a package of beef had an expiration date as mandated by law. Supermarkets with all those choices were stripped from ordinary Americans and stocked in fancy displays just to convince him that such was the norm.

Are you telling us that the US media and government is using similar tactics to brainwash its citizens like the former Soviet did? I mean, quite a number of Americans have a distorted perception of China just like most Soviet citizens had a distorted perception of the US.

Interesting, indeed!