Douchebags who think it's the USG's job to save them (Ukraine Edition)

[Joe in PNG]

I've seen my share of the more obvious and classic version Ugly American, and I've also seen the more Woke and condescending version- those people who believe that their cosmopolitan and internationalist political views will somehow provide a protective shield when they go wandering off alone, often inappropriately dressed, into the know bad parts of town late at night.

[Mark D]

Man, "Russia T-Shirt Dude" was begging for an educational beatdown. Not gonna lie, I was hoping the cops would tune him up. They showed amazing restraint.

As noted elsewhere, our erosion in social decorum roughly began when people stopped being worried about being punched in the mouth for being an asshole.



(*Yes, I'm aware that in certain subcultures in the US, being a jackass will still result in a beating. But I'll wager that "Russia T-Shirt Dude" has never been socked in the face. More's the pity.)

[WobblyPossum]

My favorite part was when he said “Russia’s a great country. First country into space. Do you know the history of Russia?” Trust me buddy, these Ukrainian folks probably know a lot more about Russian history than you, and they probably don’t remember it too fondly.

[VT1032]

You know, back when I was in university we had a visiting professor from the university of Pennsylvania teaching a course on US domestic politics at the 400 level so naturally I took the class, which was excellent.

Partway through the semester he had to book a lecture hall for some reason or other, I forget why, but I remember it went sideways due to some administrative issue and he was apologizing to the class (well, by his standards at least; naturally we judged his apology by Canadian standards but he was doing his best) and explaining that he'd tried to get the hall but couldn't, and he had always been able to do it by XYZ at Penn but here there was some other process and even though he really tried to convince them, he just couldn't get it in time.

"Well hang on," I said, "did you try standing up really straight, pointing your finger in the person's face and shouting 'I'm an American citizen!'?"

And everybody laughed, including him, because that is so common in movies etc, you end up seeing people seriously do it in real life. He obviously wasn't that type but you know, I've seen it done.

I'm not saying there aren't clueless Canadians as well, there totally are, maybe in equal or greater proportion. But there's a specific sense of entitlement that's very common in Americans, this "I don't need to know your bullshit rules, I'm protected by the god damn CONSTITUTION!" thing that is far from universal, of course, but it is definitely something you really see when that type of American goes abroad.

I could list many faults with my own countrymen as well, it's not a slight on America. But the same way obnoxious french people are obnoxious in a really french way, obnoxious Americans are obnoxious in a very American way.

About the only other people I've encountered a similar attitude from ironically are French Canadians. I worked retail for a bit right after college and I remember one family that came in and insisted on speaking french to us. When it became apparent that none of us spoke french they magically remembered they spoke fluent English. They also got pissed that we would not accept Canadian cash. This was like 2 hours south of the border too, not like right across the way. They were just very entitled and acted like we should adapt to them.

I had the exact opposite experience with English Canadians when I did an exchange program with the Canadian air cadets while in college. I stayed with a few families in Ontario and they were all fantastic people.

[Kyle Reese]

I am effortlessly not wearing a russian-themed shirt in Ukraine, not enjoying my airbnb in Kabul, while also not touring the North and South Korean border.

I am crushing it, apparently.

You’re probably not hiking on holiday along the Iraq-Iran border either, like the Americans who found themselves in the custody of the latter about 12 years ago.


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[TGS]

You know, back when I was in university we had a visiting professor from the university of Pennsylvania teaching a course on US domestic politics at the 400 level so naturally I took the class, which was excellent.

Partway through the semester he had to book a lecture hall for some reason or other, I forget why, but I remember it went sideways due to some administrative issue and he was apologizing to the class (well, by his standards at least; naturally we judged his apology by Canadian standards but he was doing his best) and explaining that he'd tried to get the hall but couldn't, and he had always been able to do it by XYZ at Penn but here there was some other process and even though he really tried to convince them, he just couldn't get it in time.

"Well hang on," I said, "did you try standing up really straight, pointing your finger in the person's face and shouting 'I'm an American citizen!'?"

And everybody laughed, including him, because that is so common in movies etc, you end up seeing people seriously do it in real life. He obviously wasn't that type but you know, I've seen it done.

I'm not saying there aren't clueless Canadians as well, there totally are, maybe in equal or greater proportion. But there's a specific sense of entitlement that's very common in Americans, this "I don't need to know your bullshit rules, I'm protected by the god damn CONSTITUTION!" thing that is far from universal, of course, but it is definitely something you really see when that type of American goes abroad.

I could list many faults with my own countrymen as well, it's not a slight on America. But the same way obnoxious french people are obnoxious in a really french way, obnoxious Americans are obnoxious in a very American way.

I regret that I have but one like to give for this post, to my northern anti-monarchist brother.

[RevolverRob]

I regret that I have but one like to give for this post, to my northern anti-monarchist brother.

I swear I read that as "to my northern anti-anarchist brother".

My first thought was, "Well, while @Maple Syrup Actual has never directly stated he is anti-anarchist: I guess I've never thought of him as "pro-anarchist". Can a misanthrope be an anarchist? Definitionally aren't anarchists all misanthropes? But aren't most misanthropic people more dedicated to...OH he wrote anti-MONarchist...That makes way more sense."

--

I've managed to not get arrested or in trouble in multiple foreign countries somehow. I guess I have a hidden talent for generally avoiding trouble. And despite being an asshole, I have at least partly mastered the art of not being an asshole when I'm in someone else's country. Or state. Or city. Or culture.

[trailrunner]

When I was in my late teens and early 20s, I used to go to Mexico a lot. Before I turned 21, my friends and I often went to the bars in Tijuana, Rosarito, and Ensenada. I did venture further afield to go camping in the back county and the beaches. I knew even at that young age that I was on my own. We had a lot of fun in the bars down there, but we were always careful to keep it tame. Every now and then a San Diego newspaper would run a story of some nice American boy or girl who spent the weekend in a Tijuana jail, and what a horrible experience that was.

[rob_s]

And we wonder why the rest of the world thinks we're a bunch of d-bags. Honestly, I was hoping he'd get tuned up a bit more.

Ironically, at least when inside their own countries, the rest of the world is seemingly FAR more dependent, acquiescent, and subservient to their governments.

[TiroFijo]

Being a D-bag in a foreign country is a gift some people apparently are born with...

I remember a scottish friend in South Africa who got drunk after a tour of the wineries near Stellenbosh, and while eating lunch started bragging loudly to his english mates that "we did them all in good 'ol colonial times" in an area still keeps fond memories of the Boer War... and while sorrounded by a bunch of 2 m tall afrikaners