As you have probably noticed, unless your are an ostrich with better things to do than ponder world relations, not everyone in the world likes Americans. In fact, it may be safe to say that we are the only ones who like ourselves. And sometimes even we don't like ourselves.
I have a theory about why this is. (Yes, I know, so does everyone else, but they're wrong.) It is well known that many non-Americans get their viewpoint of us from TV. And as even an ostrich is aware, the lives of ordinary Americans no more resemble the lives of TV characters than, well, ostriches. That is the whole point of TV. Why would we want to sit around watching people who act just like the people we live with, work with, and yell at on the freeway every day? No, TV was created to take us away from those people, at least in 30-minute intervals.
But my point is not about what's on TV. It's about what's not on TV. Specifically, cowboys are not on TV much anymore. At least not in this country. You can flip through all 573 channels of cable and see nary a cowboy. Yet, to judge from the way the rest of the world talks about us, American cowboys must parade across the screen day and night in their countries. Naturally, this is what they think we must be like, tobacco-chewing and all.
I don't know which cable version all the rest of the world is watching, but I think for the sake of America's image and, ultimately, to bring world peace, they really need to upgrade. Imagine how much more people would like us if they could watch "Lost" instead of John Wayne! It's much more realistic.
And it would only cost $69.95 a month. You won't find a better deal for world peace anywhere.
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