Why do Americans sell themselves short??

It's the way Americans are raised if they can't do something then sooner or later somebody else will do it for them

there are exceptions but not very many

I don't think your characterization is true of all or even most Americans. There are always some people who will give up too easily, but you find such people in every culture.

Many people in America work hard, persevere through difficulty, and overcome obstacles in the pursuit of better circumstances for themselves and their families.

I will grant that some Americans are looking for instant answers to their problems. Quick weight loss, instant gratification, etc. etc. We also get frustrated when our efforts to change things do not work instantly. I'm thinking Iraq, Katrina. We quickly start bashing our leaders if everything isn't resolved in time for that night's news. We tend to think if something doesn't work right away, it must be what we're doing is wrong. But again, I'm not sure that's unique to our culture.

Why do many non-Americans love to think that a few Americans represent the entire country?

Please look at a population map. The US is a very vast country! We're one of the largest in the world. There are all kinds of people, and we prefer not to be boxed into a category by minds that do not expand with confronted with new information.

I haven't really come across this situation.

Most Americans I know work damn hard to succeed despite all obstacles. In fact, America is a country built mostly on grit, by people who gave up everything to do or die in a new land.

I don't know. Maybe you are just around the wrong type of people. There are all types. You have ones that give up, you have the ones that don't even want to try, you have the ones like myself that will not quit trying until they reach their goal.

Not all of us are selling ourselves short. Try looking around more and meeting more people and you will know what I mean :)

Not everyone does, just some. it's like this around the world.

I don't know any quitters.

Why is everybody pickin on Americans tonight.

who says this is true you