Perceptions of American Culture
I think that we have been called 'ugly Americans' by people in other countries because some Americans at times do portray that, but also because other cultures misinterpret the American culture at times. Many countries see Americans as greedy, industirous and self indulgent which can come across as ugly to other cultures (Adler, 2008, p.82). This doesn't neccessarily mean that we are 'ugly Americans' but without knowing us I can see how we could be viewed as ugly at a first glance. I also think that the media in different cultures can portray America, and other nations, however they choose to. If a news company wants to make a story appear against America, then they easily can. Overall, I don't think that the American culture is rude, but I do think that some Americans are rude and do lack proper manners. Maybe it's because our culture isn't as traditional as other cultures, or maybe it's because we are generally very busy and in a rush so forget to use our manners at some times.