Americans

[Kalli]

Ditto... with one qualifer.
In america you can sue for anything no matter how ridiculous. Winning is another matter completely. Though since here we also have to pay to defend ourselves from nuisance lawsuits, we all end up losing.

There are plenty of examples of ridiculous lawsuits that were successful - http://money.howstuffworks.com/8-out...s-lawsuits.htm (I realise this is not exactly a reliable source, feel free to check the validity of any of those stories, but it's not really important)

It's mostly the audacity that makes people think it's appropriate to sue for these trivial things that i'm talking about, not the outcome or the system that allows them to do it. So the outcome of the lawsuits are irrelevant to my point, my point is that people sue for stupid shit with alarming frequency.

[Slytovhand]

While as a general tendency I would agree with what Kalli said, I have one big reason not to.... the Americans I've usually had reason to be in communication with. It's been pretty rare that any of the above stereotypes have actually presented themselves in my sight or hearing(or, obviously, reading... as this board probably has the highest Yank content I encounter)! Sure, there are TV shows like the Chaser's War on Everything.. but I presume they edit out the one's that didn't make for a good laugh.

But, ah, you're media presentation, and government, really needs to be seriously looked at... and given a reality check.


Kalli - where are you??

[Wingates_Hellsing]

I honestly dislike the way media has gone in this country so far as the scare mongering, overt negativity and general whorishness. But Bad Boys 2 is a great movie for one reason, It's fun, and that's the cardinal rule of entertainment. So far as the government, yeah, we've got so many people throwing logic out the window and replacing it with raw passion that I'm surprised the whole thing hasn't collapsed yet.

That said, I really do love the basic tenets behind our government and therefore prefer it over most others. The problem is that law doesn't always stay true to those tenets.

A lot of the people *cough* idiots *cough* I've spoken to over here think that the entirety of Europe is "gay" and or snobby.

But as Slyt put it, those Europeans I've had a chance to talk to are anything but.

[Flyndaran]

There are plenty of examples of ridiculous lawsuits that were successful - http://money.howstuffworks.com/8-out...s-lawsuits.htm (I realise this is not exactly a reliable source, feel free to check the validity of any of those stories, but it's not really important)
..So the outcome of the lawsuits are irrelevant to my point, my point is that people sue for stupid shit with alarming frequency.

Not all of those suits were even successful. Also, there have been many suits that were justified but seemed on the surface to be silly. Should suits be thrown out based only on the title without even hearing them?

[Kalli]

Kalli - where are you??

Nowra, South Coast NSW.

Not all of those suits were even successful.

That would be why I pointed out that whether or not they were successful was irrelevant, the fact that people instigate these lawsuits is what's mind boggling.

Also, there have been many suits that were justified but seemed on the surface to be silly. Should suits be thrown out based only on the title without even hearing them?

Again you miss the point. I'm not saying they should be thrown out, I'm saying people shouldn't sue for stupid shit in the first place.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

GTA VC had a good quote

"in this country you can sue anyone, for anything, and you'll probably win "

If only so many people didn't work so hard to make that true.

[Nyoibo]

That would be why I pointed out that whether or not they were successful was irrelevant, the fact that people instigate these lawsuits is what's mind boggling.

That's a byproduct of a society that refuses to take personal responsibility for its actions, unfortunately we're seeing it more and more in Australia too.

[Flyndaran]

...
Again you miss the point. I'm not saying they should be thrown out, I'm saying people shouldn't sue for stupid shit in the first place.

Again you miss my point. Who gets to decide what is and is not a stupid lawsuit? I think it should be the courts.

[Kalli]

That's a byproduct of a society that refuses to take personal responsibility for its actions, unfortunately we're seeing it more and more in Australia too.

My point in a nutshell.

Again you miss my point. Who gets to decide what is and is not a stupid lawsuit? I think it should be the courts.

This is a thread of opinions. I can "decide" whatever I want, because I'm talking about my point of view of Americans. Don't turn it into an argument about whether or not my points of view translate into universal truths.