Respect: A Simple Word

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Originally Posted by Ralos

Your "lesson" (so to speak) is lost on Laeore, and unfortunately much of the community, but it heartens me to see some players now and then such as yourself who understand the importance of social behavior in an online setting. I can only hope some will read your post and walk away with some form of personal growth.

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Gimme a freakin' break. This thread, like the numerous other ones like it is pointless. You're going to run into nice people and not nice people. This is present in every culture, and the idea that Americans culture is somehow different and fostering of crappy behavior is insulting. It is a personal decision to be a nice community participant. I'm sorry if I don't feel the need to high five the fanboys for a spotlight on how nice and tolerant I am, while frowning out Americans like that demographic is even remotely homogenous enough to lump together anyways.

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Originally Posted by Diavolo

That's not to say every American acts that way. I've got quite a few good American friends who don't, but these same friends will tell you the self-entitled attitude and 'Murrica > you attitude is pretty rampant.

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It's easy to fall into that type of thinking. I have to remind myself that the people who act that way are the loudest and the brashest, and the ones most likely to go around thumping chests and proclaiming how righteous everything they love and believe is. Really that's true of just about everything said by Soldowner, but it's really easy to become disheartened and feel like that's the default when the truth is that most reasonable people are just trying to get through their day and avoid conflict with the aforementioned types of people.

Anyway, I'm glad you said what you did, OP. If even only one person reads it and thinks "maybe I have been a little ridiculous" then you've accomplished your goal, in my opinion.

Unfortunately OP, the dislike of American behavior and subsequent dismissal of American 1st world problem whining is quite warranted. You're actually the one making the gross generalizations. Very, very few people make comments like "All Americans are children." But when people see bad behavior from an obvious American, there's nothing wrong with acknowledging it. America has a reputation among the rest of the world as being the rudest country for a reason. Because there are more than enough Americans supporting the stereotype. If you want to be angry with anyone, be angry at our fellow countrymen who only continue their ignorant behavior (though luckily I have the good fortune to have left the country and have the unique perspective that allows me to see that the stereotype is more than warranted).

Your post has some good points in it, but it mostly comes off as apologetic, a bit arrogant, and naive. It's never a good idea to lecture about morality to people. If you feel like trying to teach, do it by example, not by lecture.

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Originally Posted by Tule

Maybe you would have turned out better if he did.

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How astute! I must be a horrible person because I don't agree with OP's happy-feel-good message of contempt for 3/4 of a continent.

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Originally Posted by Xenogias

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It's your opinion that it's ignorance. You can't say what people are basing their opinions off of. For example, if I held the opinion that Americans in general are ignorant or used the phrase, "typical American," it's because my experiences are based off the thousands I've interacted with whether it's via gaming, real life encounters via tourists or when I lived there. I've met many different types of people from different parts of the world due to my travels and I can say that Americans are the worst when it comes to ignorance and lack of manners/respect. Why? Well, when questioning my friends and girlfriend about this, it's because that's how a good deal of them were educated growing up. That America is the best and f**k the rest. You seemed to ignore the part where I said not every American is like that. Learn to read something in its entirety before replying.

How ironic that a thread titled 'Respect' ended up causing a flamewar.

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Originally Posted by Laeore

How astute! I must be a horrible person because I don't agree with OP's happy-feel-good message of contempt for 3/4 of a continent.

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No, you're a horrible person because you responded horribly. Instead of making a point you sarcastically insulted him. Not that I did much better, but at least I responded to someone who was only being sarcastically rude, and not someone trying to make the community better.

But if you curse a lot, insult people, and show how much angst you have, you get street cred. Which you can eventually cash in for mindless sheep followers.

Come on man. What could be better then your own little cult of personality.

Respect is a two way road.

You cannot expect someone to respect you if you've already insulted them. Especially at the height of emotion.

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Originally Posted by HoroBoro

But if you curse a lot, insult people, and show how much angst you have, you get street cred. Which you can eventually cash in for mindless sheep followers.

Come on man. What could be better then your own little cult of personality.

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Then again, this worked fantastic for me so whatever works best for you.

I think it basically boils down to the golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated yourself. That should transcend culture and continents really. Also, we could use a little more positivity in these here forums. Anyone have any ideas how to make something like that come about? Appreciation threads? Say something nice threads? Let's talk about super fun stuff in a civil manner threads?