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I've never left the U.S. in my life and I'm 27 years old. Hopefully someday I can visit other countries. I just watched tons of tour videos of other countries across the world, and I beg to ask the following: Is it just me, or does the U.S. seem very bland and boring compared to numerous other countries?
Other countries, such as France, Italy, China, Egypt, etc, have unparallelled scenic/natural beauty with stunning architecture that nothing in the U.S. can compare. But the U.S. seems to severely lack in these things. It's almost as if the layout and urban/suburban design of the U.S. is designed for a capitalist system where the primary concern is business and economics. We have tons of cookie cut-out neighborhoods from the 1950's. But other countries seem like they are more designed for beauty and leisure.
I mean, yeah, the U.S. has great scenic beauty in itself, but it seems flatter and blander compared to the rest of the world. And it seems like the U.S. has TONS of suburbia compared to other countries and heavy reliance on interstate highways and a more rural feeling in general.
Is there truth to this assertion? Hopefully someone who has traveled to other countries can confirm or deny this for me.
What have you been reading
I'm from Australia and have really enjoyed visiting the US. The US might not have the "old and historical culture" of Europe, but I found its "here and now energy" more to my liking. Culturally, for me it was not particularly different to home, but that kind of made it a lot more accessible and relateable than say Asia or Europe.
Perhaps try exploring some more of European countries via Google Maps Street View before declaring the US to be bland in comparison, or that other countries are designed for beauty, but not the US. Tourist promotional videos are only going to show the best of the best of ANY country. By and large anything built past 1945 in any European country is going to be fairly bland. New European suburban home construction is anything but designed for beauty. It is all function over form. It's all very basic design unless you are super rich.
Besides the historic city centers, monuments, cultural institutions and historically significant neighborhoods of European cities, there are a myriad of bland, utilitarian style apartment buildings, shopping centers, row houses and single family homes all over the place. Most homes are made of concrete and covered in white stucco with a minimal number of small industrial style windows, and the homes are a perfectly rectangular or box shaped without any architectural detailing whatsoever. The most (or perhaps only) interesting aspect of this modern European home design would be that most have a tile roof, usually red or black. There are many beautiful areas in Europe, but they are mostly very old.
On the same token, in the US there is far more to America than bland suburban tract developments. Small town Americana Main Streets are charming, any historic, tree-lined street kind of neighborhood near a university in any city across America has character. Any city center of a major US city is going to be fairly interesting and exciting with the exception of some sunbelt cities. Even the plains states can be very charming, rolling hills, old red, tin-roofed barns, and expansive sunsets. That isn't even getting into the immense diversity of landscapes and climate zones we have in America.
Beauty is everywhere in America, you just need to open your eyes to it more. I think we tend to get jaded wherever we live after a while in our mundane routines and forget just how much the area we live has to offer. Maybe travelling to Europe will give you an appreciation for the high standard of living we have in the US.
Last edited by PGC Native; 06-10-2013 at 04:41 AM..
Reason: *Meticulously critiqued and edited my post to adhere to the highest of standards this time!*
I've only read the OP. I was born British, I grew up moving around Europe for the most part. I've also lived in the US for a short time and I live in Canada now.
As many things as I disliked about the US, being bland wasn't a problem. You think you know what to expect from the states from watching American tv and movies, but the culture shock is like a text book to the head.
I've never left the U.S. in my life and I'm 27 years old. Hopefully someday I can visit other countries. I just watched tons of tour videos of other countries across the world, and I beg to ask the following: Is it just me, or does the U.S. seem very bland and boring compared to numerous other countries?
Other countries, such as France, Italy, China, Egypt, etc, have unparallelled scenic/natural beauty with stunning architecture that nothing in the U.S. can compare. But the U.S. seems to severely lack in these things. It's almost as if the layout and urban/suburban design of the U.S. is designed for a capitalist system where the primary concern is business and economics. We have tons of cookie cut-out neighborhoods from the 1950's. But other countries seem like they are more designed for beauty and leisure.
I mean, yeah, the U.S. has great scenic beauty in itself, but it seems flatter and blander compared to the rest of the world. And it seems like the U.S. has TONS of suburbia compared to other countries and heavy reliance on interstate highways and a more rural feeling in general.
Is there truth to this assertion? Hopefully someone who has traveled to other countries can confirm or deny this for me.
Yes this is an old thread, but I would like to add my points.
We live in a very large nation. Everything that can be found somewhere else can be found here. I don't think that the OP has traveled much especially if this land is considered flat and bland. I see mountains everyday of my life. I see an amazing ocean with islands off of the coast. I have lived mostly in California but also a couple years in Iowa. I have travled around the nation and see so much beauty here. Just can not imagine not loving this land or getting excited about all the things that we can see and do here in the United States.
America has SO much to offer and see alongside other countries.
The Tetons for one.. GORGEOUS!!!
Yellowstone (you want to talk about a LOT of foreign tourists - yeah.. that's where they go)
The Rockie Mountain region (in particular)..
The Grand Canyon
Yosemite
Glacier National park
I took a trip to Charleston and was just blown away by the beauty, the history, the fun I had.. wow.. fantastic.
I grew up in Wyoming and it has some absolutely beautiful areas, but again I grew up there and can go *yawn* overall... but if you look at their tourist books, website, videos you will be astounded at the wonderful nature and all that it has to offer.
But, what is your definition of bland and boring? I think your post (OP) is based on "the grass is greener on the other side" with a lack of understanding and information about America.
- This is the byproduct of being an immigrant country and especially one only 300 years old. Most of what the USA culture and society has to offer is a second hand version from an immigrant
- The other issue is being bordered by 2 huge bodies of water and allowing your culture to be manipulated by the media. This creates a general public ignorant to the world off the Island.
USA is mostly split into 2 areas. First being big city life that is usually over run by violence and crime. Second being suburbia which is sterile and cookie cutter. There isn't much in between.
I spent a couple decades in the USA and felt I had experienced everything there was offered. I couldn't imagine spending another 20 years, because ultimately USA culture is very young, shallow and lacking depth.
I'm from England and have lived in Atlanta for the last 8 months - it is probably the dullest place I have ever had the misfortune to live in - I cannot wait to get back to the UK for some decent food! Apologies to all Americans, I have been to other parts of the U.S. that are slightly less dull than Atlanta
i'm from england and have lived in atlanta for the last 8 months - it is probably the dullest place i have ever had the misfortune to live in - i cannot wait to get back to the uk for some decent food! apologies to all americans, i have been to other parts of the u.s. That are slightly less dull than atlanta
LOL.
Atlanta has tons of great restaurants. Did you eat at Olive Garden and Outback and then declare there's no good food in Atlanta or something. Try Yelp.
- This is the byproduct of being an immigrant country and especially one only 300 years old. Most of what the USA culture and society has to offer is a second hand version from an immigrant
- The other issue is being bordered by 2 huge bodies of water and allowing your culture to be manipulated by the media. This creates a general public ignorant to the world off the Island.
USA is mostly split into 2 areas. First being big city life that is usually over run by violence and crime. Second being suburbia which is sterile and cookie cutter. There isn't much in between.
I spent a couple decades in the USA and felt I had experienced everything there was offered. I couldn't imagine spending another 20 years, because ultimately USA culture is very young, shallow and lacking depth.
You did not see to much of the country then. There is more to this country then a big city and their suburbs. I bet you never been to WA.UT. WV. NC. TN.MO.TX. or the southwest.
I'm from England and have lived in Atlanta for the last 8 months - it is probably the dullest place I have ever had the misfortune to live in - I cannot wait to get back to the UK for some decent food! Apologies to all Americans, I have been to other parts of the U.S. that are slightly less dull than Atlanta
Hmmm- bored in Atlanta, the unofficial capital of the South.
Well, get out of town. The beach is just a few hours away; so are the north GA mountains. You can be in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in less than four hours.
Or go up the road to Chattanooga, and sample the attractions, scenic, historic, and cultural, atop Lookout Mountain: Rock City. Ruby Falls. The Battle Above the Clouds. See Echota, the last eastern capital of the Cherokees en route on the way - it's just off I-75. Fort Mountain State Park, a short distance east of Dalton (also along I-75) is well worth a visit, too. Gorgeous mountain scenery, good trails, cabins, and more.
Right there in Atlanta, visit the Aquarium, Stone Mountain, Six Flags, the various museums and parks - have you been to the Botanic Gardens, and seen the colorful poison dart frogs which inhabit the giant conservatory?? Have you checked out Meet-Up groups for like-minded acquaintances?
Finding fault with such a city and geographic location makes me think the fault may lie elsewhere than in your surroundings.
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