I’m non-American myself but I am an Asian who immigrated to Europe. The news and social media here show the US imploding under Trump regime. My cousin immigrated to the US, but I am surprised that he doesn’t know about the wanton ICE arrests and harassment of anyone who is of foreign origin, even white foreigners and tourists. Initially, he said that “only illegals are getting arrested”, but was equally surprised or nonplussed when I told him about what is happening. Well, he’s already there, and I did tell him to be careful just in case.
Maybe I should not be surprised because news in my home country generally put the US in pedestal. Since the end of World War II, people feel like we owe the US a lot after being liberated from Japanese occupation, even though we ourselves were formerly a US colony. So, the local media tend to portray the US as a pristine and perfect society. But my compatriots residing in the US say it is overrated, depending where you are, because of rampant homelessness, no social welfare and worsening cost of living crisis. Now, that I think about it, the local media never really portrayed those about the US when I was growing up. Of course, US is still miles ahead than any given developing country in terms of standard of living, but still overrated I understand.
Like others, I’ll skip over social media, because it’s a bit ill defined in English. Maybe it’s different when you restrict it to a national language.
Kind of the same, although in Canada we’re so close to them a lot of the nuance comes through in the news, as well.
That part couldn’t be more different. We legitimately have been doing better on a lot of social measures for decades, but don’t really have a distinct culture, other major trading partners, and are just a lot smaller. All that adds up to a weird, resentful inferiority complex that colours everything, even when we’ve been close and interdependent.
As far as I can tell, even Western Europe falls into the trap of romanticising America pretty often. Hollywood has been no joke.