Why Do British People Laugh at Americans Chanting “USA! USA!”?

The other day, I watched a YouTube video in which people from various countries made fun of the United States.

“Americans are arrogant.” “They think they are the center of the world.” “They know nothing about other countries.”

It was a fairly merciless assessment.

The part I found especially amusing was when they mocked that distinctive American habit of raising a fist and chanting, “USA! USA!”

Admittedly, few people so confidently chant the name of their own country. Japanese people might shout, “Nippon! Nippon!” but usually only during an international sporting event.

The video explained this behavior through the idea of American exceptionalism.

Put simply, it is the belief that the United States is not an ordinary country, but a special one.

From a Special Country That Saves the World to One That Saves Itself

The United States once saw itself as the guardian of freedom and democracy.

After World War II, backed by overwhelming economic and military power, it supported the international order, protected its allies, and acted as the leader of the world.

The Vietnam War and the Iraq War show that other countries did not always welcome this sense of mission. Even so, the stated principle was at least admirable.

“We are a special country, so we must fulfill our responsibilities to the world.”

Recently, however, the situation seems rather different.

As symbolized by the slogan “Make America Great Again,” attention has shifted away from the world and toward the country itself.

There is inequality at home, society is divided, and Americans no longer have the capacity to take care of other countries’ problems.

“We help the world because we are special” has become “We put ourselves first because we are special.”

Whichever way things turn, America is apparently special.

It is an impressively convenient idea.

A British Man Chanting “USA! USA!”

The video reminded me of an English conversation teacher I once had.

He was British, and whenever America came up, he would often laugh and chant an exaggerated “USA! USA!”

He was not cheering for the country. He was plainly making fun of it.

Britain and the United States speak the same language and are historically and culturally close. So why was he so scornful?

The relationship between Japan and South Korea briefly came to mind.

Precisely because two countries are culturally close, the other’s behavior can become strangely irritating. We can laugh off the unusual customs of a distant country, but the actions of a close neighbor are more likely to get under our skin.

Moreover, Britain was once the country that held global supremacy. Today, its former colony, the United States, reigns as a world power.

From a British perspective, an old colony has become enormously important and now shouts at the top of its voice all over the world.

It is understandable that this might invite a sarcastic remark or two.

The Americans, meanwhile, probably pay no attention to British sarcasm and continue cheerfully chanting, “USA! USA!”

A Country Where You Do Not Need to Know the World Map

The discussion of American indifference toward other countries reminded me of another YouTube video I once watched.

In it, Americans on the street were shown a world map and asked questions such as, “Where is Japan?” and “Where is Russia?”

Some placed Japan near Australia, while others confused Russia with China. The audience could hardly stop laughing.

But it made me consider something else.

Perhaps Americans can go through life without knowing much about other countries.

Their country is vast, and its economy is enormous. They can spend a lifetime traveling domestically, and their own country produces more than enough movies, music, and television.

On top of that, English is understood around the world.

When Japanese people travel abroad, they struggle when they cannot make themselves understood. Americans, however, can travel to another country and expect the people there to speak English.

They have much less need to learn a foreign language or adapt to another culture in the first place.

A street-interview video can always be made entertaining by collecting unusual answers. Still, a huge domestic market and the advantage of the English language undoubtedly create conditions that weaken interest in other countries.

Japanese people see American news almost every day, while Americans can live perfectly well knowing almost nothing about news from Japan.

That asymmetry is significant.

People at the Center of the World Do Not Need to Know the World

Come to think of it, what people call American arrogance may be a side effect of decades of success.

Their language is understood around the world, their culture is consumed everywhere, and their politics can determine the fate of other countries.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world anxiously watches every move the United States makes. A single remark from its president can move stock prices and exchange rates, and even force countries to reconsider their foreign policies.

Americans can afford to know little about other countries, but people in other countries cannot afford to know little about America.

Now the United States is gradually trying to step away from the troublesome role of “leader of the world.” Yet it is not giving up its belief that it is the greatest country on Earth.

It does not want to take care of the world. But it still wants to remain at the center of it.

Apparently, American exceptionalism is an idea that works both when accepting responsibility and when escaping it.

I began to understand why a British person might laugh and chant, “USA! USA!”

Then again, a country that remains the center of attention while people around the world criticize it must be quite remarkable after all.

Perhaps a truly exceptional country is one that can know nothing about the world while the entire world knows about it.