Tourists asked to take up the slack

The US State Department has issued a 16 (god, I'm really hating that number) point memo on how Americans should act when in a foreign country. Here are the ones listed in the piece, with a bit of my own, very late nite commentary. Woohoo!

• Think as big as you like but talk and act smaller. (In many countries, any form of boasting is considered very rude. Talking about wealth, power or status - corporate or personal - can create resentment.)
  
  So can going into foreign countries and taking them over, then leaving them to swelter in a violence you are unwilling to do the work to remedy.

• Listen at least as much as you talk. (By all means, talk about America and your life in our country. But also ask people you're visiting about themselves and their way of life.)
  
  I think this would be better served as simply "Listen." To your generals, to your soldiers, to your entire constituency...

• Save the lectures for your kids. (Whatever your subject of discussion, let it be a discussion not a lecture. Justified or not, the US is seen as imposing its will on the world.)
  
  Wonder why...oh yeah. Never mind.

• Think a little locally. (Try to find a few topics that are important in the local popular culture. Remember, most people in the world have little or no interest in the World Series or the Super Bowl. What we call "soccer" is football everywhere else. And it's the most popular sport on the planet.)
  
  In other words, try to be a little less xenophobic. Other countries aren't out to get us. Read a newspaper or watch the local news. Don't act like you're a president and above such things.

• Slow down. (We talk fast, eat fast, move fast, live fast. Many cultures do not.)
  
  Invade too fast, plan on nuking too fast...

• Speak lower and slower. (A loud voice is often perceived as bragging. A fast talker can be seen as aggressive and threatening.)
  
  But not so slow that the other person falls asleep. And try to pronounce things in a way that they can recognize.

• Your religion is your religion and not necessarily theirs. (Religion is usually considered deeply personal, not a subject for public discussions.)
  
  Interesting. The State Department suggests this for visiting foreign countries, but here there's functionally only one religion, Bill of Rights to the contrary.

• If you talk politics, talk - don't argue. (Steer clear of arguments about American politics, even if someone is attacking US politicians or policies. Agree to disagree.
  

  And what if you agree?

Here's the mentality behind this list:

Keith Reinhard, one of New York's top advertising executives, who heads BDA, said: "Surveys consistently show that Americans are viewed as arrogant, insensitive, over-materialistic and ignorant about local values. That, in short, is the image of the Ugly American abroad and we want to change it."

We had problems with this before, sure, and those survey results existed before, but not to the level where we're at now. We've become outlaws, forcing our will on other countries. That a survey should say that we're "arrogant, over-materialistic and ignorant about local values" surely can't be surprising: We're imposing our will as God's will in foreign lands, we buy and buy and buy until we're gorged to the gills with "stuff", and we're ignorant about our own values and the fact they are as diverse as the people who have them. This mentality starts and is reinforced at the top.

Perhaps this list should be sent to Bush. Seems like he could use it.