Impression of the average American?

[Eddh]

I was listening to the radio on the way to work and on the way back yesterday (as I always do) and they were having an 'election special' which involved them speaking to the American public and asking them which way they were going to vote and why.

Now I would say that probably 8/10 of the answers given were absolutly retarded. Things such as this:

'I'm gunna vote for Obama because hes black!'

'I is gunnnnna vot fer Obama coz ma mumma told me to and I always listen to mer mumma'

'I'm gunna vote for McCaiiiin because Obama wants to get rid of guns'
Newsreporter: 'Do you have any guns?'
Redneck: 'Yeah I got 3 or 4'

'I'm gunna vote for McCaaaain because I don't like blaaaack people'

Christ and the election for the worlds most powerful man is in the hands of people like this?!

Is it just me or does anyone else find this slightly worrying? I know the whole steriotypical 'Americans are dumb' thing but I didn't realise people could be so god damn stupid!

[BOR]

You don't think that might have been selective editting for effect ?

All the Americans I've met in Europe, have been, without exception, intelligent people, whether democrat or republican. Very easy for the media to push a sterotype in any direction they want.

[HundredthIdiot]

Eddh said:

Now I would say that probably 8/10 of the answers given were absolutly retarded.

8/10 of the answers given, or 8/10 of the answers played on the radio?

[R4PID]

Most Americans I spoke to yesterday had all decided to vote, were not about to reveal who they were going to vote for but took more of an interest in each candidates policies than similar collegues I have in the UK ever do for UK elections. This election may have been the most expensive in history but maybe if we invested a bit more in education, voting and the democratic process then maybe when it came time to vote in the UK more people would get off their arses and vote the right candidate in.

American's queued to vote yesterday, never seen that kind of enthusiasn in this country.

[8Ace]

My impression is that the Average American is much closer to the lad portrayed in Soovy's thread than this one. Achievement seems encouraged and celebrated, to a much greater extent than in the UK.

Don't forget that we have a huge amount of cretins in the UK. Similar threads woudl be running on American forums if the Shannon Matthews news was widely reported over there too.

[Munter]

R4PID said:

American's queued to vote yesterday, never seen that kind of enthusiasn in this country.

I had to queue to vote in the uk. The other voter how was infront was unable to vote because the lead in the pencil had broken. It had not broken since the 1997 election so it took them a bit of time to find a sharpner.

[Hyperion]

Yep - selective reporting.
It's like reporters interviewing a bunch of Chavs hanging around a bush shelter and asking them their views on politics.
Sadly the world is full of dumb people and they're taking over slowly but surely- which is why McCain and Palin stood a chance...!

[spitfire-ian]

A friend of mine in America arrived at her polling station at 6am and queued for half an hour to vote. She's been following all the debates that have been on TV religiously. I have a feeling that there's not many people that would do that over here.

[Deva Link]

I didn't hear the clips the OP refers to, but I'm usually struck by how well the average American speaks when interviewed on the street, compared to the average Brit.

[Don]

Eddh said:

Is it just me or does anyone else find this slightly worrying? I know the whole steriotypical 'Americans are dumb' thing but I didn't realise people could be so god damn stupid!

"We" voted New Labour in three times. And you're saying Americans are stupid?!?!?

[tuffer]

Belch that's a typical American (well a typical Republican anyway)

[trumpet600]

[hugoagogo]

sorry, I don't do impressions....

[Heskey]

Eddh, Almost as retarded as England, where radio 1 asked a few people on the street who they were voting for, who actually answered

"Who're you going to vote for?"
"Obama, because that other guy doesn't seem to be too clued up"
"Uhuh-And can you actually vote in the American election?"
"Umm.. I'm pretty sure I can; yeah, I'm over 18, so definately."

That was someone my age, fer Christ's sake - And you think I'm stupid!

Edited by Heskey on Wednesday 5th November 10:02

[CedGTV]

You can close the thread now after watching this link !

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vlIm-riMN6Q&NR=1

[Don]

Hyperion said:

It's like reporters interviewing a bunch of Chavs hanging around a bush shelter and asking them their views on politics.

[Eddh]

Some people have replied saying that all the Americans they know have been smart, all the Americans I have met have been cleaver people who seem clued up! I was just concerned about some of the answers given!

[Eddh]

Heskey said:

Eddh, Almost as retarded as England, where radio 1 asked a few people on the street who they were voting for, who actually answered

"Who're you going to vote for?"
"Obama, because that other guy doesn't seem to be too clued up"
"Uhuh-And can you actually vote in the American election?"
"Umm.. I'm pretty sure I can; yeah, I'm over 18, so definately."

That was someone my age, fer Christ's sake - And you think I'm stupid!

Edited by Heskey on Wednesday 5th November 10:02

Yeah I heard that as well Heskey How can some people be so stupid?!

[OJ]

BOR said:

All the Americans I've met in Europe, have been, without exception, intelligent people, whether democrat or republican.

The ones that have passports tend to be a bit more world wise, its the 80% or so that don't have passports that tend to make up the vast proportion of cardboard cutout cretins.

I know its not representative of the American population, but those quotes on the Radio (who appeared to be Chicken George, and Cletus from the Simpsons) and some of the people on Borat a while later, its frightening that ANY of those sort of people exist and vote!

Hearing that old cowboy ranting about how he looked like a Muslim and should shave off his Moustache. And these people are allowed guns!!

[Eddh]

OJ said:

I know its not representative of the American population, but those quotes on the Radio (who appeared to be Chicken George, and Cletus from the Simpsons) and some of the people on Borat a while later, its frightening that ANY of those sort of people exist and vote!

Hearing that old cowboy ranting about how he looked like a Muslim and should shave off his Moustache. And these people are allowed guns!!

Thats the kind of people I was trying to portray