Why did the Europe and American media always show negative images about third world countries?

Because the media is full of sensationalism and most people here have never been anywhere else. Ratings=revenue and influence. Conversely, I have met many Europeans who when visiting here are shocked that the east coast is so lush with vegetation and there are not people with guns walking all over the place. They are also relieved to find out that there are not bands of cops going around beating people up or gangs doing drive by shootings….

Ignorance…

I would have to point out context. Most of what I have seen of Brazil was during coverage of the Olympics. It was beautiful.

When I see Africa on the news it usually is about pirates or poachers, and those people tend to be from very poor areas, so that’s what we see.

By contrast, I see a lot of reporting in the US involving areas which are not pretty.

I have seen the man made islands of Dubai, and abeautiful upscale airport in China.

Beauty is shown when a beautiful place does something newsworthy.

Clearly that 99.9% is silly exaggeration. In fact the great preponderance of the documentaries I have seen on most of those places are about the natural wonders and aspects of their civilizations which draw millions of tourists to experience them. I would be willing to bet that the documentaries on the ills afflicting Europe and America exceed by far anything devoted to the rest of the world’s land masses. But the complaint has its validity and assists mightily in reinforcing the xenophobia over the ever growing pressures of migrants from the places listed on the borders of Europe and North America. But the public perception in the basically White world of the 3rd world as uniform basket case is all but impossible to kick. I don’t believe the average person yearning to get into the United States or Europe has any idea regarding the levels of ignorance attributable to the inhabitants of “heaven.”

Maybe you need to change the sources from whence you get your news.

There is a lot of poverty in the 3rd world. Sometimes documentaries are about the cultures that are more primitive. The developed areas of those countries are more familiar and not as interesting.

The Democrats portray Latin America as unsafe to get sympathy for people who want to emigrate to America, because of the political environment right now. The Republicans portray the third world as uncivilized to reinforce their idea that the people won’t be a cultural fit for America or Europe.

I might add that my friends who visit America from Europe right now, who love America, they have friends who won’t come to America right now because the media is all about gun violence, Trump deporting people, racist Americans, and they are afraid America is terribly dangerous and unwelcoming, which is ridiculous.

I’ve heard a lot of Europeans think America has many more black people that we do (not that it matters, I’m just talking about how countries are represented) they think Americans are stupid and happy, and some seem clueless about our national parks and how much undeveloped land we have in America. Vast open spaces.

99.9%

Really?

But having said it and having been there
Brazil = slums
Somewhat true
Índia = slums
Generally true
Africa = Poverty
Generally true
canibalism (sic) Get serious!
Bangladesh = slums
Generally true
El Salvador = slums
Generally true
México = drug cartels
Very true
Europe and United states = All beautiful and rich.
Maybe not always rich but certainly beautiful.

Same reason I talk shit about the trailer park Josie lives in. I feel better about myself when I do it.

The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan… He travels to those shitholes and finds out that they are not as bad as we would be led to believe.

@johnpowell has a point. I’ve said many times America used to feel proud of our large middle class. We held that up as making us better than the third world. More than pride it was bragging. Now, Americans seem to be forgetting that, I don’t get it. They don’t give a damn if people are poor, they just think those poor people did it to themselves and that it has no impact on society at large. It’s crazy.

Brace yourself. It’s only going to get worse.

I’m not so pessimistic. I think it will get probably better.