Why do English people view Americans in a certain way?

Curious about this. I had some bad experiances with Americans when I was younger and declared that I hated all Americans. As I grew older I realised how irrational the above statement was, so I decided to go out in search for Americans I could get on with and give myself a new view on the country as a whole.

But, most of England seem to hate Americans but have no valid reason behind it. Discuss why there is this hatred and ways it could be avoided.

 

The media is one cause of this. It makes America look like a horrible place to live, I admit America's done things which they may regret, but no country is perfect.

 

Stop generalizing. I'm English and I don't hate Americans and i don't think anyone I know does, perhaps we all just hate your government however

 

This exactly! Just because you didn't like them, doesn't mean everyone doesn't!

 

Why is that? I'm no big fan of my government but it works just fine if you give it long enough.

 

I feel like people outside the US only see what our government does and bases their feelings towards us on that.

 

Well, honestly, there are a large majority of us who are really nice, but the small percentage of us that aren't give the rest of us a really bad reputation. They can tend to be dicks..

 

England is jelly.

 

Proof please.
Might I also add, stereotyping on the internet doesn't really count, as stereotyping is troll material generally.

 

The media makes America look horrible politically.

Also, America is generally a nicer environment - England is kind of bland and dull. Nothing really special about it.

America is extremely far in debt, and I guess everyone pictures them as idiots who only spend money, which is pretty true.

A lot of the world dislikes America for the same reasons.

 

English hate Americans for the same reason Americans hate English. Xenophobia prevents a lot of common people from understanding, or at least accepting the differences in culture and governments.

 

I'm English, I don't hate America or Americans.

 

Well obviously I can't speak for all English people but I'd say it was because America seems to have an aggressive foreign policy that we always seem to wet dragged into, of course that's not to say our government is any better. I don't think English people dislike American people because we aren't dissimilar to one another.

 

I never once stated that I hate Americans at this current point in time. Obviously I can't post proof of others hating Americans as spoken words from others written by me is not proof.

Glad to have started a nice debate though, shame on those that thought I hate Americans. To be honest, Sythe is the major factor in changing my views over the past few years.

 

The same reason why any nation of people hate the other, stereotypes.

There is no discussion here.

 

its the surrounding you grew up in. people around u while you were growing up influenced your way of thinking.

 

This is untrue, I've never seen someone grow up to have ever single same point of view their parents / guardians had. Most of the time it's the complete opposite. If you grew up around people who hate something, yea you will probably hate it too BUT that doesn't answer ops question in any way.

It's the general American stereotype, not influence. I dislike the American stereotype because they all seem to be spoiled brats, but I know that's far from the truth in most cases.

 

I've never met anyone who doesn't love the Brits since they talk so awesomely, to be honest.

 

100%, I hear ya SuF :b

 

I think all the English percieve the Americans as idiots and hate them because of the "Stupid" decisions and things they may do. And yes, it is the media that does this, for example, theres only one country that has an "America's Dumbest Criminals" TV show, which shows people to be really dumb. It's just things like that.