The term “The Ugly American” originated from the title of a 1958 political novel by William Lederer and Eugene Burdick. The book criticized American foreign policy and the behavior of some U.S. officials abroad, particularly in Southeast Asia. Ironically, the “ugly American” in the novel refers to a physically unattractive but culturally sensitive engineer named Homer Atkins, who genuinely tries to understand and help local people, unlike many of his fellow Americans who act arrogantly and ignorantly.
Over time, the term’s meaning shifted to describe Americans who behave arrogantly or insensitively when traveling abroad, often disregarding local customs and cultures.
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