Why Do Others Dislike Us Americans?

Take a look at these two graphs from a Dutch Professor from over 100,000 IBM employees around the world. USA is on the left and Scandinavia the right. The web is
http://www.geert-hofstede.com/geert_hofstede_resources.shtml

The far left Triangle is Power Difference or how Submissive people are. The USA is a little higher. The second is Individualism and both are high but the USA is the highest in the world, scoring 91 out of 100. The third is crucial to why so many Europeans find us unlikable. It is Masculinity and we are very high but they are very low. They see us as "Cowboys" with guns and big talk. When we say that we will "Kick terrorists out of America" they cringe and want to "negotiate". They saw Saddam's capital punishment as awful as his murders.

Most media folks have never studied the psychology of perceptions nor have they looked seriously at the large differences in people cross culturally. Whatever our cultural is seems to be THE ONE RIGHT WAY all cultures should be.

Will Rogers was asked after he returned from a tour of France what he thought of Paris. He mused for awhile and replied, "They have the smartest people in the world. Every one of them, even including the children, can speak a foreign language." Rogers was pointing out that Americans see every other language and culture as unnatural.

While Europeans are much less Masculine in preference than Americans, most Middle Eastern Muslims are even more Masculine. They see America as "The Great Satan" because of our loose sexual mores, alcohol and drug consumption, disrespect for parents and leaders as well as God. Why do they hate us? Because of our "sinful ways and our lack of courage". That makes both evangelism and foreign policy quite a challenge. They ask, "Why would I choose a religion and a government that promotes immorality? We punish sinners but you coddle them."

When I travel and minister overseas I always listen a lot. I try to understand the local culture and how to communicate accurately. For example, most cultures are much quieter than we in the USA. We speak loudly and laugh like donkeys to quote a man from Europe. We tell people how they should run their lives and countries and we seem to know it all. They cannot get the good news of Christ if its meaning is distorted by my clumsy style of talking and laughing.

At a retreat in Norway Steve was teaching and I interrupted him to tell a story. This was our natural and normal style of being a tag team and helping each other out. However, since I was the "Boss" my interrupting was seen as very rude and crass. Both Steve and I had a lot of explaining to do. It was a terrible faux pas on my part.

Please pray for us as I go to Prague for a week and join Steve in Moscow for ten days. We need the wisdom of Solomon and the patience of Job. One of the key values in the Eastern bloc is PATIENCE and that is not an American or a Sweeten virtue. (Steve is much better than I.) We are going to be very busy so we do need physical, emotional and spiritual strength.

January 15-20 Gary to Prague
January 20-30 Steve and Gary in Moscow