I think you'll find that Americans are more humble than anything else. There ARE some real assholes, but compared to other countries that quotient is HORRIBLY high.

The reason most folks see an "arrogance" on our part, is that they assign some of our "standards" as being arrogant and carefree - like simply because our lives are better off than others that that immediately makes us stuck up pricks; a notion that is furthered by international media.

Simple fact of the matter is that most Americans would bend over BACKWARDS for other folks in other countries - how many folks from foriegn countries could travel abroad and REALLY have to worry about a viable threat to their lives than an American.

Long story short, you really have to live here (in America) to understand how little hubris we have, and simply read foreign news to see how mean-spirited folks can be to us.