February 02 2008
America’s Global Image Problem
While attending this year’s PRSA conference, I sat in a workshop given by the notable pollster John Zogby. He discussed America’s global image problem, which basically boils down to our foreign policy, the way Americans act when they’re abroad, and our custom officials here at home. The world hates us and we have only ourselves to blame. The below image humorously illustrates how Americans view the world. Click on the image to get the full view.
I respectfully disagree. While I acknowledge that we have an image problem, much of it is not due to our foreign policy or the behavior of Americans abroad. The U.S. is the first country to respond to natural desasters around the world. U.S. residents donate nearly twice the average of 1st world countries to charity. I have traveled extensively and have had numerous conversations with individuals. Most were actually pro-American in private discussions, but were concerned about expressing those views publicly. Take a confidential poll of Europeans and you would find a significant number who would like to move to the U.S.
The major problem we have is the media and the entertainment industry. In most countries I have been to, the media is decidedly anti-American. Even when Clinton was in office, the media continually complained about everything American and the jokes about his extracurricular activities would make most American blush. Bush just turned things up a notch because the media – especially in Europe – are social progressives and hate anything seemingly conservative.
The second problem is our entertainment industry. Many people in foreign countries believe that the movies turned out by Hollywood are an accurate depiction of the U.S. Yes, there are people that believe that most white people live in Mansions and minorities are stuck in the projects. American soap-operas and movies slant the way we are looked at. Add to that Hollywood types to make outrageous statement about the U.S. that get printed in foreign newspapers and it is no wonder people are skeptical.
I have had the opportunity of hosting people from Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean. Some even commented on how different the U.S. is than they way it is portrayed in their country. All left with a decidedly different view of the U.S. than they get from our movies and their media.
The best way to overcome our image problems around the world is for Americans to travel more. Yes, I believe that we are No. 1 – but only because we have a people from everywhere else.