Perceptions Across the Globe‏

Last night, I watched part of a show on Animal Planet called Whale Wars.  Basically, it's a show about a bunch of hippies that yell at Japanese ships for killing whales.  On occasion, they will throw a rock at the Japanese whalers to convince them that whaling is evil.

Like most people, the thought of a whale being slaughtered disturbs me.  They seem like such happy and friendly animals.  

Japanese people have really never made sense to me.  Their porn is ridiculous.  They love Pokemon and Hello Kitty.  Culturally, they are weird.


As I watched this show, I started thinking about how the rest of the world perceives us, Americans.  The Arabs are always complaining that we stick our noses in everyone's business.  Europeans call us fat.  And I suppose the Japanese aren't too happy about us throwing water balloons at their whaling ships.

Everyone is right; we are fat and we don't mind our own business.


Here are some recent obesity statistics per nation:

# 1	United States:	30.6%
# 2	Mexico:	24.2%
# 3	United Kingdom:	23%
# 4	Slovakia:	22.4%
# 5	Greece:	21.9%

Yes, we are indeed the fattest nation on earth.  According to these statistics, 30% of Americans have a Body Mass Index over 30.  In other words, 30% of our country is obese.

I'll break it down even more:  One-third of your friend list here on facebook is fat.

Statistics don't lie.


Just the other day, a couple in Georgia were arrested for child cruelty.  The couple's five year old daughter is 158 pounds; 90 pounds overweight.

We are fat and our kids are fat.

But on a brighter note, 70% of our country is not fat.

The number one TV show of all time in Germany is Baywatch.  David Hasselhoff is their hero.  Germany's perception of America is this:

While some perceive us as nothing but lazy, fat and arrogant Americans, others perceive us as all being beautiful.

As I was watching Whale Wars, I wondered what the Japanese whalers were thinking as the hippies were yelling at them and flipping them off?  Do they have cameras aboard their ship?  Are they filming a TV show from their perspective called FAT LAZY AMERICAN HIPPIE WARS?
 
America might be the only country that has reality shows based on judging other people, cultures and beliefs.  It's almost like we believe we are at the top of the evolutionary pyramid and everyone else in the world is sub-human. 

We definitely are arrogant in our approach with other people.  It's almost as if we are constantly being programmed to believe we know what's best for the rest of the world.  Maybe, it explains why we have been at perpetual war with nations since the early 1900's and very few people speak up.

Either way, our perceptions of other nations and their perceptions of us are rarely anywhere close to reality.