If you don’t know less than 50% of Americans have a passport. The ones who don’t, I really see the limitation in their thinking. They never saw that most of the world is in fact freer than them, has a better system in place for their people, and doesn’t have some of the major problems that America has. I’m currently in a country where over 90% of items are made in that country. America (made in China) can’t comprehend this efficiency. P.S. I’m American

The thing that gets me though is how dangerous many Americans say other parts of the world is without having ever been there lol. I travel and I’ll tell you America is the MOST dangerous country outside of warzones. Yes even more dangerous that Arab countries for women. Lol I know that propaganda is in a lot of Americans minds.

OK so who’s actually been outside the country and can talk geopolitics and actually know from experience what they are talking about?

  • hansolo@lemmy.today
    1·
    3 hours ago

    100% yes.

    I am privileged to be able to travel for fun, but also live in and get immersed in other cultures thanks to work.

    The Americans that spend 5 days in Cancun, an all-inclusive in DR, or “went to Africa” by touching Morocco on a day trip from Spain…ugh. Y’all look bad saying box-ticking is anything else than that. It’s not a competition; what did you actually personally gain from the experience? What makes you grow as a person with greater understanding of our world? Sometimes the answers surprise you, but largely, it’s about saving money and being a dick to people you wrongly assume don’t speak English.

    • shawn1122@sh.itjust.works
      1·
      1 hour ago

      Agreed. I’d add that I don’t think experiencing a diaspora culture in the US is the same as going to another country and experiencing a culture on it’s home turf. The latter requires a sense of humility that I think the vast majority of Americans struggle with (or shy away from for other reasons). Overcoming those holdups leads to oppurunities to have a more complete sense of the world and self.

      I genuinely think many in America (also generally the West and wealthy people) see the world as a commodity that should offer a degree of “user/customer experience” which leads to some problematic world views and is part of why they may treat travel as a checklist. They want to go as far as possible without actually leaving home and wear it as a status symbol.