When asked whether negative views of Americans held elsewhere in the world affect their overseas travel plans, First (American) Globals are the most likely of any (American) generation to say that their travel plans are unaffected. 75.1% of First Globals claim that the negative perceptions held by others “doesn’t make a difference” in their international travel plans, while 61.9% of the remaining generations express the same sentiment. Conversely, older people are more likely to respond that negative views of Americans make it less likely they will travel internationally, with 33.3% of older generations and 20.6% of First Globals expressing this view.
Why would young Americans be least likely to change their travel plans as a result of negative views of Americans held abroad? Are young Americans more likely to believe that they can change the perceptions of those abroad, or perhaps less likely to care that other people hold negative views of Americans?
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6 comments:
As a First Global, my hope is that I would be able to show those with negative perceptions that their impressions of Americans are not necessarily accurate. I definitely do not think it is true that First Globals are less likely to care that others have negative views.
This is a good point - I wonder if people who travel abroad more frequently (regardless of their generation) are more likely to say their plans are unaffected by negative perceptions of Americans. Maybe those who travel abroad frequently are more likely to believe that they can change other people's opinions of Americans.
I think that the big part of the problem are the official representatives of America in foreign countries - that is, American ambassadors. Though nobody in the US has a clue about who they are, in foreign countries they parade on TV, hector governments and, in general, behave like czars. In fact, some of them stay abroad after their careers are over precisely because of this status. I doubt that First Globals will change this.
I think it is important for young Americans to try and change the perceptions of those abroad regarding feelings about the American people. The current leaders of the U.S. have ruined the respect many foreigners had for the U.S. and it's citizens. I doubt our next president will be able to restore that respect. Thus, it is up to the young people of this country, to work hard and long to restore the respect we've lost abroad.
as an American first global living abroad- I think about this stuff all the time.
I think it is great it doesn't impact our decision to travel, however I can only hope that while first global Americans travel abroad they remember that they are a guest in the country- I see both sides of this coins everyday.
However the major question is where does this negative perception come from. I think it is several factors.
1- the most obvious our current administration. A whole generation of people around the world lived the entire adolescent life with GWB as president. Politics aside, they don't remember the days of Clinton who was far better as a diplomat (I don't think anyone can deny this fact).
2- For those who have not been to the U.S., hollywood unfortunately has a major impact on their view of what Americans are.
3- Especially in Europe- a very linguistically diverse area, Europeans, and especially now with EU laws that have gotten rid of borders for traveling and work migration, Europeans have a wonderful opportunity to take the languages they learn in school and actually practice- it's as easy as a weekend trip! Contrast that with the states- not nearly as easy. Our limited language skills (generally speaking) is a simple result of geography. So when a lot of us go abroad we are seen as stupid because many of us speak mainly English.
But like PMZ said- first global Americans should make a good impression. And I have done my best being mainly a listener when I discuss issues and reminding people about the positive aspects of first globals in every country.
I guess I'm a First Global, so let me summarize what my own travels and what I've heard of those of my friends and acquaintances suggest: First Globals travel without worry about negative perceptions of America because they have the experience the world over of people loving America and Americans even if they happen to despise America's leaders and American foreign policy. When that's combined with the presumption that most Americans, particularly young Americans, don't have any control over America's foreign policy, there's much less reason to avoid traveling somewhere that someone might have a poor impression of America. By being the curious, intrepid, tolerant segment of our generation, First Globals are quite likely to tame some negative perceptions even without trying. Meanwhile, we'll shake our heads in frustration right along with our foreign interlocutors at what most of us perceive as the worst tendencies of American culture.
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