Explore BrainMass

Perceptions of American Culture

I think that we have been called 'ugly Americans' by people in other countries because some Americans at times do portray that, but also because other cultures misinterpret the American culture at times. Many countries see Americans as greedy, industirous and self indulgent which can come across as ugly to other cultures (Adler, 2008, p.82). This doesn't neccessarily mean that we are 'ugly Americans' but without knowing us I can see how we could be viewed as ugly at a first glance. I also think that the media in different cultures can portray America, and other nations, however they choose to. If a news company wants to make a story appear against America, then they easily can. Overall, I don't think that the American culture is rude, but I do think that some Americans are rude and do lack proper manners. Maybe it's because our culture isn't as traditional as other cultures, or maybe it's because we are generally very busy and in a rush so forget to use our manners at some times.
Adler, N. J. (2008). International dimensions of organizational behavior (5th ed.). Cincinnati, OH: South-Western College Publishing.

Please provide a peer review for the response.

Solution Preview

The quality of the answer explains why Americans are thought of as "ugly." It is true that Americans can be misunderstood due to the ones that have been ignorant and greedy. When a person of another culture is subjected to Americans who are rude and not proper, they acquire a bad taste for them. The idea that Americans are "ugly" may very well be explained by the idea that American culture is ...

Solution Summary

The perception of the American Culture is provided. International dimensions of organizational behaviour is analyzed.