American mentality

Jay Pentatonic

.I just saw an interview with Landon Donovon & when he was asked about a U.S. goal being disallowed, he said something like,

"you can either moan about not getting something you want or you can just get on with it."

I've always admired the American mentality, it's such a "can do" & positive thing to have.
So I was wondering, on the other side of the pond, why are us Irish (& the Brits) so negative & moan so much more (look at us with all this France lark).
And it's not just in sport, seems to be in every aspect of life.

Anyway, I'm gonna stop going on about this now, & just get on with it!!!

My name is URL

You've got to grab life by the horns.. and shoot it 7 times in the face with a legally held firearm

4zn76tysfajdxp

No blood for oil.

Sofa King Great

Its easy to say that when you've topped your group and are through to the next round. If the disalloed goal had knocked them out of the world cup it might be a bit different

ejmaztec

They've got a lot of moaners in the US, and unlike us they have guns.

Fighting Irish

I agree, the irish made a show of themselves when france got through and ireland didn't

And people thinking that an irish player wouldn't do the same thing to help their team win, lol

kuntboy

Because anyone who tries to "get on with it" gets slagged and criticised to death.

PeterIanStaker

kuntboy wrote: »

Because anyone who tries to "get on with it" gets slagged and criticised to death.

sure I knew him when he had nothin'

Demonon

So the mentality of 1 American soccer player represents the mentality of the other 300 million of them ? I've been to the states and this is definitely not a common attitude amongst them.

AnonoBoy

When life gives you lemons make lemonade and then supersize the lemonade for only 25c and then put some sugar in it and then deep-fat fry it and then go out for lunch afterwards.

AnonoBoy

Demonon wrote: »

So the mentality of 1 American soccer player represents the mentality of the other 300 million of them ? I've been to the states and this is definitely not a common attitude amongst them.

It's a common attitude in everyone out there except the people that you met personally or have heard expressing a different opinion on television, on radio, on the web or in newspapers.


Let's see you prove that one wrong......

orourkeda

Landon is a big hitter on offense in the end zone. Awesome

deisedude

I actually agree with the OP ven if it is a big generalisation. I'm just back from the US after being there for 9 months and they don't tend to bitch and moan as much as we do. All the bitching about the recession here would make you suicidal

parker kent

deisedude wrote: »

I actually agree with the OP ven if it is a big generalisation. I'm just back from the US after being there for 9 months and they don't tend to bitch and moan as much as we do. All the bitching about the recession here would make you suicidal

Did you see the bitching and moaning by Americans over the disallowed goal against Slovenia?! All the comments about where the referee was from etc. Americans moan just as much as everybody else. A winner in anything always says things like Donovan said.

Find an interview with a losing American or anything Landon Donovan said in one of his many bitching/moaning sessions about David Beckham (even if is correctly bitching/moaning!)

Sonnenblumen

Fighting Irish wrote: »

I agree, the irish made a show of themselves when france got through and ireland didn't

And people thinking that an irish player wouldn't do the same thing to help their team win, lol

Disagree, the French got through, and what then? Shameful performances on and off the field, and culminating in the arrogant refusal by Domenach to shake the hand of his South African counterpart at the end of a humiliating and eliminating defeat.

Also some weeks ago Sarkzoy made fun of Irish Gov displeasure with the whole affair, and dismissed Brian Cowen's attempts as spurious and not a political matter. This week Mr Sarkozy (on an ignominious backfoot) is politically engaging to sort out a humiliating disaster caused by France FA etc!

The Americans do have a very positive can do attitude but also contrasts starkly with how they can swiftly and sometimes harshly deal with dissent eg Rolling Stone's interview with the US General.

Azure_sky

The Americans have the Protestant work ethic, we have a victim complex.

Latchy

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

sure I knew him when he had nothin'

Last I heard he was living on the streets

dr.bollocko

Bob Dole don't care what you think about Bob Dole. Bob Dole's still trying to kill Ralph Nader.

Joe Cool

Elian Bumpy Hand wrote: »

No, blood for oil!

FYP

PandyAndy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

When life gives you lemons make lemonade and then supersize the lemonade for only 25c and then put some sugar in it and then deep-fat fry it and then go out for lunch afterwards.

Do you want fries with that?

Donkey Oaty

As much as negative attitudes can grate, there is such a thing as a healthy disrespect for people who crow about their success.

InTheTrees

I've been in the US for 20 years and there's certainly truth to the US being a more "optimistic" place.

But there's drawbacks, its no accident that there's a brit judge in most american reality shows. Americans avoid negativity at any cost, even to their disadvantage. It can hinder self analysis and growth and learning. They'll be "can do" even when they cant.

On the other hand they're a cheerful positive can-do bunch and we work together well. American enthusiasm plus european cynicism.

Overheal

InTheTrees wrote: »

I've been in the US for 20 years and there's certainly truth to the US being a more "optimistic" place.

But there's drawbacks, its no accident that there's a brit judge in most american reality shows. Americans avoid negativity at any cost, even to their disadvantage. It can hinder self analysis and growth and learning. They'll be "can do" even when they cant.

On the other hand they're a cheerful positive can-do bunch and we work together well. American enthusiasm plus european cynicism.

You don't watch much political punditry then?

sagat2

Man you want to live here. There's plenty of yanks today spending more time moaning about the disallowed goal in today's game and the one in the last game then actually celebrating the win. The players weren't moaning, fair enough but the general public hasn't shut up about the goal that never was all week.

Killer Pigeon

War,
Fast food,
High levels of obesity,
It's color, not colour!
... poorly educated,
Europe's a country,
Only watch Fox News,
Uphold the second amendment to the US constitutions.
God Bless America,
Joe Colemans everywhere (with an Alabama accent)

bonerm

What I like most about Americans is that they're all the same.

InTheTrees

parker kent wrote: »

Did you see the bitching and moaning by Americans over the disallowed goal against Slovenia?! All the comments about where the referee was from etc. Americans moan just as much as everybody else. A winner in anything always says things like Donovan said.

Find an interview with a losing American or anything Landon Donovan said in one of his many bitching/moaning sessions about David Beckham (even if is correctly bitching/moaning!)

Its because in American football plsy stops, they wheel out a video booth (i'm not kidding), and the referee and various umpires and interested parties will review the tapes. It can take a while, and in case you thought it was in the interests of fairness think again; it provides hugely valuable commercial breaks in the TV coverage.

The concept of one guy making a call and not even having to specify why is pretty alien.

Killer Pigeon

bonerm wrote: »

What I like most about Americans is that they're all the same.

Yeah, it's a bit like the way all Chinese people look the same except with Americans they all have the same mentality.

Killer Pigeon

Azure_sky wrote: »

The Americans have the Protestant work ethic, we have a victim complex.

Protestant work ethic ... pfft, pffffffffffffft, PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFT.

InTheTrees

Overheal wrote: »

You don't watch much political punditry then?

LOL!!

A good point indeed. But then look at the change thats happened, when I first arrived I was quite confused by the whole concept of "bipartisanship" that US politics required to get anything done. Congress works best when both parties work together; weird.

Back home I was used to "opposition" parties not happy happy joy joy working together crap.

But that was 15 years ago and more. Now the republicans are acting more and more like an opposition party in their negativity. And I dont know that its a good thing for the country.

parker kent

InTheTrees wrote: »

Its because in American football plsy stops, they wheel out a video booth (i'm not kidding), and the referee and various umpires and interested parties will review the tapes. It can take a while, and in case you thought it was in the interests of fairness think again; it provides hugely valuable commercial breaks in the TV coverage.

The concept of one guy making a call and not even having to specify why is pretty alien.

I am well aware of American football and the crass commercialism associated with it

(This post has been brought to you by Bud Light...ahh the refreshing way to relax mid post on Boards.ie).

Doesn't change that they are just as capable of moaning as anybody else.

Killer Pigeon

Typical American family;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXZjkW3TqTk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO6G6_hndbk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFMs2w9Qexg

InTheTrees

parker kent wrote: »

Doesn't change that they are just as capable of moaning as anybody else.

Just not as much.

Nothing will get them moaning more than an injustice perpetrated on an american (or worse America) by a gasp Foreigner.

But then they moan in a constructive way. For instance, rather than just bitching about the referee from mali, i've heard numerous calls for an invasion of Mali. Now thats proactive. Lol.

Prof.Badass

The stereotypical highly-aspirational American attitude is a double edged sword imo.
While it's great to dream and really try hard for what you want, I can't help but feel that one side effect of this emphasis on hard work and aspiration is that American workers allow themselves to be taken for a ride moreso than the more realistic/pessimistic Irish workers.

FruitLover

Jay1989 wrote: »

I've always admired the American mentality, it's such a "can sue"

Fixored.

df1985

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Typical American family;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXZjkW3TqTk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO6G6_hndbk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFMs2w9Qexg

serial killer in the making! lunatic!

Chorcai

PandyAndy wrote: »

Do you want FREEDOM fries with that?

FYP

ScumLord

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Also some weeks ago Sarkzoy made fun of Irish Gov displeasure with the whole affair, and dismissed Brian Cowen's attempts as spurious and not a political matter. .

Well I'd kind of agree with him, it's not a political issue.

The Americans seem to value the rights of the individual more so than we would in Europe but that's a bit "every man for himself" they've done allot for the individual over the course of their country and I thought they had little community spirit but I've also heard volunteering is very popular especially in smaller community's.

The vast areas their community's cover can't be all that good for community spirit though.

Overall they must have been doing something right to become the most powerful country in the world I just think they've been going to far as of late.

Wazdakka

Jay1989 wrote: »

.
I've always admired the American mentality

AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa


Wait.... Your serious?

20goto10

They have to be really careful about what they say over there or someone might sue them.

Fighting Irish

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Disagree, the French got through, and what then? Shameful performances on and off the field, and culminating in the arrogant refusal by Domenach to shake the hand of his South African counterpart at the end of a humiliating and eliminating defeat.

Also some weeks ago Sarkzoy made fun of Irish Gov displeasure with the whole affair, and dismissed Brian Cowen's attempts as spurious and not a political matter. This week Mr Sarkozy (on an ignominious backfoot) is politically engaging to sort out a humiliating disaster caused by France FA etc!

The Americans do have a very positive can do attitude but also contrasts starkly with how they can swiftly and sometimes harshly deal with dissent eg Rolling Stone's interview with the US General.

you disgagree and then argue a diff point :rolleyes:

AnonoBoy

The refs have been pretty hard on the US.

Take it to State guys!

Take. It. To. State.

AnonoBoy

Wazdakka wrote: »

Wait.... Your serious?

Wait his serious what?

Truley

ScumLord wrote: »

Overall they must have been doing something right to become the most powerful country in the world I just think they've been going to far as of late.

It seems to me they have been doing alot of wrong to become the most powerful country in the world

AnonoBoy

Truley wrote: »

It seems to me they have been doing alot of wrong to become the most powerful country in the world

I know....All those unnecessary remakes of fine European movies.

Ugh. Just ugh! :mad:

Howard the Duck

Azure_sky wrote: »

The Americans have the Protestant work ethic, we have a victim complex.

American's don't moan enough! It shouldn't be the case that a lot of them have to work two jobs get hardly any holidays and can't get proper health insurance.
But they are told by their lazy corrupt politicians that it's "The American way" to work two jobs.

They need to use the "can do" attitude to improve their labour laws.

As for the football team.. they are plodding along with their self belief but Ghana will correct that. They are a very mediocre team.

Manic Moran

My name is URL wrote: »

You've got to grab life by the horns.. and shoot it 7 times in the face with a legally held firearm

I'm not sure quite how far apart life's horns are, but if they're anything like a bull's or a cow's, you need both hands to hold the two horns, leaving you no hands free to wield a firearm..

Of course, you could always grab life by just one horn, but that could be a bit dangerous as it could then swing around with the other horn.

NTM

AnonoBoy

Howard the Duck wrote: »

American's don't moan enough!

I have an ex-girlfriend from Texas who *ahem* blows that theory clean out of the water let me tell you!

Sonnenblumen

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I have an ex-girlfriend from Texas who *ahem* blows that theory clean out of the water let me tell you!

Hard to satisfy those girls from Texas !

Howard the Duck

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I have an ex-girlfriend from Texas who *ahem* blows that theory clean out of the water let me tell you!

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Hard to satisfy those girls from Texas !

Or else she was being over satisfied ... if there is such a thing

Overheal

Manic Moran wrote: »

I'm not sure quite how far apart life's horns are, but if they're anything like a bull's or a cow's, you need both hands to hold the two horns, leaving you no hands free to wield a firearm..

Of course, you could always grab life by just one horn, but that could be a bit dangerous as it could then swing around with the other horn.

NTM

http://www.deviantart.com/download/107097619/Machine_gun_mouth_by_SD_Designs.jpg