I too must add my comments on experiences with Americans. Whilst I have met a number of very nice Amercians (apart from the amount and volume of their voices), they do seem to very somewhat ignorant of the world around them, including their own country. Yes, one poster compares it to 17th century England, but we arent in the 17th century now, we have all sort of avenues of information available to us.

Whilst I dont believe that Australians know intimate details about America and its history or geography, most would have a reasonable general knowledge. And whilst perhaps not being able to place capital cities on a blank world map, would be able to match capital cities with country names, even for a number of countries that dont feature as prominently in our lives as the US.

Overall though, I feel that the gist of many of these posts (and indeed the article itself), is not so much annoyance or incredulation at the lack of knowledge of Americans, but that they as a nation (and it seems to be a belief held my a very large number of individuals, not just the state) feel that the rest of the world should be as America is, despite their lack of knowledge of the rest of the world. Their belief that their way is the only way (despite them knowing no other) is what rankles with the rest of the world - after all, its not that much different from Islam demanding that the whole world be Islam, just not in a religious context.

Was it Dylan who was apologizing (we do spell this differently) to Joe in the U.S.? There is abso-bloody-lute-ly no reason to apologize. As I mentioned in my first post this is a large country with many different points of view. What was posted, unfortunately, represents the views of a large percentage of Americans and no apology is necessary. It disgusts many Americans, as well, that many Americans think that anything that is not American has no value. We can and should learn much about all aspects of life - cultural, political, health care, environmental concerns and more from countries throughout the world. Not all of us are in an isolated cocoon not open to new ideas even though the ideas may not originate in the U.S. At age 79, I saw an ugly American in action when I was in my early twenties and visiting a night club in Mexico City. A very well-known movie actor who was obviously inebriated, stood up and said, "No, I don't speak Spanish!" And as he waved paper bills in the air, he said, "This speaks for me". This type of behavior is not what America is all about. But we still have a long way to go.

Demos,

Apologise the typos. My mind races ahead of my fingers and I am usually online for a few minutes only. Albeit, West III [three] is intended. It is a civiisationalist's term.

Guess what I was saying, and Gore Vidal didn't [he spoke about his life, not much on History], was separationism is a hand-maiden to insular attitudes. That said, the Manifest Destiny was (is?) expansionary and missionary.

I know the history you present down to the small pox infected blankets, as gifts to the Indians. Not so sure about how you would pull these threads together? A concluding paragraph would have been beneficial.

In the early decades of the US Republic, the definition of property was important [Van Doreen]. I think Madison may written an essay about? Just land and goods? Ownership in rights?

The anchronism of the Electoral College demonstrates that once only the powerful property class voted. With the French and Russian Revolutions there were class changes and demographic upheveal, but not so with US Revolutionary War

Having been born and raised in the USA, migrating here in 1965, and having to return to visit my aging parents, sadly, I feel this article is spot on. Of course, as tonykevin says, there are exceptions, in selected areas of the country, Americans who are world citizens and informed, and who are, in many cases, embarrassed by the insulation and ignorance of many of their fellow citizens, and by the loud and 'ugly' American. The longer I've lived in Australia, the more aghast I've been, seeing how many Americans and their culture was exactly what the author has described.

However, I have also been aghast to see many Australians taking on the worst aspects of Americans and their culture, especially in the past 10 years. It's upsetting to see that what I migrated to get away from has followed me down here 30 years later, and has become progressively worse each year of the last 10 years.

To me, this article is a perfect example of a difference in mentality varies between Anglo-Saxons/Celts dispersed and residing round a globe in countries of different political systems.

What I really liked is ”In Australia we try (I said try) to pay people properly. We don’t expect them to beg.” Welcome to after-sunset-Melbournian-streets (and, eventually, not Melbournian only), W. Sydney-based theoretic, welcome to world of reality in which I hardly met 80% of the US-trip-linked descriptions.

t's unfortunate Mr. West chooses only to look at the worst of America. Every country has its warts. True, we don't focus enough on foreign languages or world history as a whole; however, Mr West insinuates NO ONE in the US does. Is the ratio for 2nd language fluency that much higher in Australia? NZ? The UK? Mr West, the rest of the world uses cash machines and credit cards; maybe YOU"RE behind the times with traveler's checks. We are a country of immigrants like no other; our race problems are tackled head on, and we don't bring monkeys to the sports fields like our French friends to taunt African players. How are aboriginal relations Down Under? We eat too much fast food, but really, Mr. West, we are loaded with every ethnic restaurant known to man; you couldn't find a good Italian or Chinese one? And yes, we are proud of our all volunteer military, ready to defend Bosnians, Kurds, and others who can't defend themselves, including entering two World Wars to save our European and even, yes, our Australian friends. We're not perfect, but when you're on top, everyone wants to bring you down.