America... from an American point of view

[Übereil]

This is obviously inspired by the "America... and the rest of the world." discussion. Now, I haven't had time to read that one, unfortunantly, so this might be a completely reduntant thread. It's also inspired by a discussion with Xox on Christianity where I claimed that it wasn't so much Christianity as it was American culture that turns loads of American Christians into bigots.

I then realized that since I live in Sweden I might not be the most qualified person to say that. Sure, I've seen movies. And I've encountered loads of Americans online. But I've never been there, let alone lived there. So, how do Americans precieve America. What is it really like there? What are Americans like?

Note that this isn't really a debate thread. It's a thread for learning about the American pepole and the American culture. If someone brings up something you disagree with, then bear in mind that pepole's different points of view is highly relevant in this thread. Don't try to prove that person wrong, instead write how you precieve it.

[sabelmouse]

this is a really good idea.

[Dann]

Thing Uniquely American

- Jazz Music
- Monster Trucks
- Court TV
- Choppers
- Pick-up Trucks
- Hot Dogs


feel free to keep adding

[Matt]

Haha, monster trucks.

Sunday, sunday sunday! Big effin trucks! The GRAVE DIGGER! This SUNDAY!

ahhh... I've never been to one of those things.

[Stephanie Steadfast]

I went to a monster truck rally once.
It was kind of cool, if a little repetitive and pointless.

[Matt]

Well, I'm sure it was repetitive and pointless, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't go and kick back a few brews. I mean, what else is there to do when there isn't really any kind of strategy worth watching for and all you're seeing is big trucks crush smaller cars and leap over them?

[Her-mee-own]

i love all those things:)

[Matt]

Well, I mean, obviously we're like the greatest country evAH! I mean, we like, totally pwn you's guys.

Hah, I don't really know what you want me to talk about. List some examples perhaps? I mean... what's it like here.. Well, we get up every day, put our pants on one leg at a time, go to work, pay bills, and try to have fun and share love with our friends and family, through different ways depending on our interests and our friends and family's interests.

I'm not sure exactly what you're going after here.

[Elsie]

I love your reply!!!

[VT100]

As an American....

There are about 300M of us. You might as well ask "What do women think?". or "What's up with teenagers?" You will find pockets of America that are horrified that Obama won the election. You will also find loads of Americans that were horrified by Bush. I am one of the latter. I have been horrified by Bush for quite a while, but now that seems to be a pretty common view. A year ago, I drove into Texas where I saw an official state sign that said "Texas, proud home of G.W. Bush" and almost drove into a ditch. Be that as it may, there are many America's, each with it's own assumptions and ideals.

I grew up in the west. To us, the most important thing that happened in American history was westward expansion, and the way you divide up the country was east-west, along the Mississippi. Then I lived in Virginia for a while, where the most important event was the civil war, our nation divided along the Mason-Dixon line into North and South. Other friends have grown up in Boston, where history meant the Revolutionary war, and the divide was the original 13 colonies and everything else. I could go on. My point is (and I do have one) is that we are quite divided, and can't even agree on how we are divided.

Having said that: Americans generally don't think much about the rest of the world. When I went to school, history was pretty much a straight line from the Fertile Crecent to America right now. Huge swaths of the world and it's peoples were not considered interesting enough to discuss. Geography was brief at best. We are generally immersed in a "America is the best" bath, with little or no critical thinking of why that may or may not be true. I am generally skeptical of such concepts, but even I am regularly amazed to see other countries blow by us in areas of longevity, education, human rights, environment, etc. Are American's bigots? not what I would call "hard" bigots, by and large. Sort of "soft" bigots. We believe our country is best, and don't really think about it. And assume that everyone has the same problems we have. Because if we didn't solve a problem, then of course no one else can. We don't really say it, we just sort of assume it is true and don't think about it. We asume Europeans are unhappy with the choices they have made around taxes, health care, etc. We don't really think about it, we just assume they aren't happy.Because if they are, then we should consider some of their choices for us. As opposed to "hard" bigots, where we would talk constantly about how we are better. I'd call Nazi Germany hard bigots.

In Catch-22, an old Italian man needles a U.S. serviceman. The American is saying that America is the best, and will last forever. And the Italian says something like "Frogs are 200M years old. Will America last as long as the frog already has?" Mental gear grinding. But, but, America is the best! I highly recommend the book, if you are looking for books. It won't really tell you about America, because I think the author was somewhat subversive. But a great read!

[Matt]

Maybe you're trying to get me to say this.

[Alan]

I agree with a good amount of this. So add most of this to my oppinion also. (I would have tackled the self esteem one differently, but it was an interesting idea.)

[hey matt, for all that disagreeing I have done with you. Your a cool guy with some good opinions. I don't think I ever told you that. I tend to forget to say stuff like that over the interwebs... I just assume people know that if I discuss things with them and don't get upset with them, that I usually like them. So keep up the posting, because your gonna always have 1 reader atleast.]

[Matt]

No worries. I'm the same way. Actually whenever I see the face palm, I always read the comment. So, you've got one too. :D