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Comment by atemerev | Hacker News Reader

Such things are to be memorized, not analyzed. Just don't do it, and you'll be fine. Many Americans don't actually think that America is the greatest country is in the world in all regards, but this is simply not a topic for foreigners to discuss.

And well, you in France also have your share of quirks. When I am in the US, and my English is less than perfect, everybody is still happy to continue conversation with me, encouraging me to speak, and generally very friendly and helpful. While if I am in France, and my French is less than perfect... well, usually I am getting a different treatment. (And heavens forbid me to start a conversation with anything else than bonjour or bonsoir!)

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> but this is simply not a topic for foreigners to discuss.

For any "outsiders" lurking here... discuss it! You'll take a social hit from certain types of people but future generations will thank you.

Having lived in various countries that seem to be able to handle critique quiet okay, it'd be a really pitty to just shy away from it in the US. A boastful bully often needs to hear that they are not the most fantastic person in the world. I mean, good self estime is great but so is some humility, even when it comes from the "outside". Actually it's often the person from the outside that is the only one to see the difference starkly enough.

The weird thing is I often get asked what I think of the US by Americans whenever I go over (I'm British).

Now I have a very positive impression of the US overall, but it seems strange to ask a question in casual conversation might not like the answer to.

People ask what I think of my host country everywhere I lived. I think we all can't help but to ask. When I'm asked by locals in EU countries I lived most ask with so much humility and uncertainty I'm worried of my answer. But in the US and the Israeli Territories the locals tend to ask with little humility. They are both politically muddy countries so I guess I understand why they would be defensive. And often when I'm asked by EU nationals about my time living in the US it's to reaffirm their sense of moral placement in the world ("well at least we aren't as bad as the americans"). And when EU nationals ask about my time living in the Israeli Territories, they hide all opinion and motive lest they be called anti-semetic.

Anyway, asking these things I guess is pretty universal.

> this is simply not a topic for foreigners to discuss

Heavily ironic when this applies in the country of freedom.

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