1441

Are we the baddies? (i.imgur.com)

submitted 7 months ago by SandbagTiara2816@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/memes@lemmy.ml

179 comments fedilink hide all child comments

top 50 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[-] Zehzin@lemmy.world 108 points 7 months ago

load more comments (3 replies)

[-] Arcturus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 59 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I like how some people are claiming americans are aware of this lol

If most americans were sufficiently aware and organizing against it accordingly (if they're not organizing, they're not aware enough) the imperialist gov would already have been toppled.

[-] Daft_ish@lemmy.world 15 points 7 months ago

I'm American and am aware of this. Explain that!

[-] Arcturus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 7 months ago

The One True American^TM^

load more comments (1 replies)

load more comments (6 replies)

[-] BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world 38 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

It's a not uncommon theme in anime: some large imperialist/war nation or one associated with fire or occupying Japan.

It's also worth noting that Japan had a history of imperialism and occupied a significant portion of the world around them not too long ago.

Japan has a pretty similar world view to us. I don't know a lot about Japanese culture, but I think a lot of its similarities contribute to anime's popularity in the US. We both have pretty rigid class structures, appreciate violence and capitalism and are enamored with technology.

I know that Avatar is American, perhaps I just wanted to air out a pet theory, however I think it's good for us to explore some of these assumptions with art and stories.

I think most of us aren't the baddies though.

[-] EvolvedTurtle@lemmy.world 19 points 7 months ago

To be fair Not all fire nation citizens are bad either

Usually when there's a imperialistic government it's very rarely every citizens fault

load more comments (1 replies)

[-] Wirlocke@lemmy.blahaj.zone 15 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Japan has a similar worldview to Americans because there's been multiple points in history where we brute forced our ways on them, conveniently at times where their old ways were losing faith.

Forcing Japans borders open while they remained isolated with outdated weaponry, and the end of WW2.

Capitalism was drilled into their culture until it's teeth sunk in and they had their economic boom.

load more comments (1 replies)

[-] trafficnab@lemmy.ca 12 points 7 months ago

The irony of a diverse set of people from around the world talking about an American cartoon and in the same breath saying that American only knows war is not lost on me

The US cultural victory'd so hard that it's hard to recognize it sometimes

[-] Tlaloc_Temporal@lemmy.ca 10 points 7 months ago

Avatar is American, but it had fantastic cultural consultants.

load more comments (12 replies)

[-] irish_link@lemmy.world 36 points 7 months ago

I disagree. Most Americans know we are the fire nation/empire from Star Wars.

Well at least most people I know.

[-] altima_neo@lemmy.zip 48 points 7 months ago

You forgot the important part

"And they're proud of it"

It's crazy how military families are so into being in the military, out how proud they are of being Marines, etc. They're literally doing the governments dirty work.

[-] Harbinger01173430@lemmy.world 10 points 7 months ago

The question is: why would they be proud of being marines?

I mean, marines are the cannon fodder in every alien invasion movie, so, with that knowledge, that military branch is composed of useless moving targets.

[-] conditional_soup@lemm.ee 12 points 7 months ago

Propaganda. Lots and lots and lots of propaganda.

load more comments (4 replies)

load more comments (1 replies)

load more comments (2 replies)

load more comments (34 replies)

[-] VinnyDaCat@lemmy.world 32 points 7 months ago

Surprised it's taken this long for people to grasp it.

We control the world's reserve currency, and hold the ability to fry any country's economy via economic sanctions whenever we want. We have the largest military in the world and that military is set up for the purpose of invasion. Yeah, China has a massive navy, but their ships are tiny, most likely for the purpose of defending their oceans and eventually taking Taiwan. We on the other hand have more carrier ships than anyone else, all for the purpose of being able to flex our might on anyone in the world.

People used to say that we attempted to police the world. I don't hear it nearly as much anymore, but it's accurate. We throw our weight around. We're the world's bully.

[-] Pilferjinx@lemmy.world 20 points 7 months ago

Yes, and to large extent NATO countries love to join in on the bullying. Britain and Australia jumped right in with the Iraq invasion for example.

[-] turkishdelight@lemmy.ml 29 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

America is everthing Americans claim China and Russia to be.

load more comments (50 replies)

[-] Arelin@lemmy.zip 26 points 7 months ago

Reminder that the empire from Star Wars is a stand-in for the US, while the rebels represent the Viet Cong.

US military playing 'The Imperial March' from Star Wars on a loudspeaker while heading to Gaza

[-] zbyte64@lemmy.blahaj.zone 19 points 7 months ago

Fox news calling the US an empire is not new. How old do you all think the moniker "Empire State" is? It's wild how it's in our language but we just don't think about it.