Monday, December 10, 2007

Yo Yanks, We Love Your Movies, But Your Food And Foreign Policy Is Bogus

Although the vast majority of Australians express a profound dislike of American foreign policy, we still thoroughly enjoy its movies and music, and admire its scientific progress. But we're not too keen on American fast food or its attitude to climate change.

Mored details here :

The survey of 1213 Australians revealed our love/hate relationship with US popular culture. "People and popular culture" ranked as both the thing Australians most liked, and most disliked, about the country.

...Undertaken by the University of Sydney's United States Studies Centre, the survey found 77 per cent of respondents were worried about US foreign policy while 71 per cent were concerned by its fast food culture.

Certainly, confidence in the US among Australians has slipped over the past 21 years, perhaps influenced by the Iraq war and the botched rescue and reconstruction effort after Hurricane Katrina.

While 62 per cent had a favourable view of the US system of government in 1986, only 49 per cent felt the same way in 2007.

In 1986, 56 per cent of those surveyed said they were confident the US could deal wisely with its social and economic problems. In 2007, 44 per cent of respondents concurred.