"Stig, you are being sarcastic when setting out your reasons to love America, right?"

. . . er, no I wasn't actually. But I can see why you might think I was.

Truth is, the Americans think there is only their way to live life, and that's it. If you don't believe in capitalism, moneterianism, materialism, Christianity and militarianism then you are wrong and need to be 'corrected'.

This arrogance, coupled with an extremely insular way of looking at the world is what rubs people up the wrong way. The fact your country is run by people who have enshrined these principles as being central to the 'American Dream', the way of life all Americans aspire to.