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i think americans are confused about what others actually are fascinated by. i think it's just hollywood but that's just a segment of culture. they are not interested in anything else at least from what i could see. not only that when they incorporate it, it's very idealistic. it's very flattering since they make it shinier than it really was and elevate it.
then, there is all the different fashion icons in the world which are not american. i've noticed other countries are not narrow about their cultural interests and seem to be open to a breadth of them. americans seem only interested in american culture and not even european. there is like a total disconnect. they may buy physical items but nothing culturally is picked up.
-Wembley Stadium has been sold out every year the NFL sends two teams to England to play a game. In fact, the ticket prices are comparable to the Super Bowl.
-Japan and Europe have their own professional baseball leagues.
-Every European country has a professional basketball team and some have their own leagues.
You mentioned the disdain for things that America is importing as though we, as a nation of 310,000,000, have been sending BigMacs all over the globe. All of the things that you list that Europeans turn their noses up at are a result of capitalism and free enterprise. That is what I see America importing and that is something that we absolutely should be proud of.
You have a palpable disdain for people who watch Access Hollywood and you talk as if we Americans are so foolish to be drawn to shows like this. Do I need to remind you that the word Paparazzi is an Italian word?
There are quite enough self loathing Americans on this board. They are a dime a dozen and they show their true colors with everything they say.
Once again--you make sweeping generalizations based on an element of my argument. Access Hollywood represents an aspect of pop culture that I use as an example to suggest that some who are absorbed by such might be limited in their outlook. If I disdain it (or BigMacs), that does not make me or anyone else unamerican or self-loathing. For your info--America is much more than these trivial aspects of pop culture. My point is that American pop culture is not widely appreciated as some think and it does not "fascinate' the world. if you disagree on that point-then argue it--with facts.
Yes--I know paparazzi is Italian. And that means what? That another country is also not perfect? Duh?
The average American isnt aware of foreign culture because we can't just up and drive our gas guzzling SUV, with a double whopper in hand or take a bus to the next country over. Sure some of us in Texas can drive a reasonable distance and be in Mexico. Sure some of us in Maine can drive a few miles and be in Canada, but the majority of us unfortunately live miles and miles away from the only two foreign countries bordering the US. I can drive 10 hours in any direction and still be in the US. Also, a plane ticket to Europe to experience all of Europe's ever so sophisticated culture costs an arm and a left testicle. A plane ticket from London to Rome probably doesnt cost as much as a ticket from New York to London, or anywhere in Europe for that matter. That's why most of us are't "in tune" with most of the world.
I think the world fails to realize how big the US really is, and how diverse our own culture is. We're almost like our own country, and each state has their own unique culture. The way I live is completely different from someone who lives, say, in Arizona. Our country is huge, you can't base big macs and hollywood on the whole country. People who've never been here assume that we all live like they do on 90210. So NOT true. I think it's cool though that so many people abroad watch our movies. I honeslty could'nt name many European movies I've seen, but I know a lot of Europeans have seen our movies. Crazy.
Once again--you make sweeping generalizations based on an element of my argument. Access Hollywood represents an aspect of pop culture that I use as an example to suggest that some who are absorbed by such might be limited in their outlook. If I disdain it (or BigMacs), that does not make me or anyone else unamerican or self-loathing. For your info--America is much more than these trivial aspects of pop culture. My point is that American pop culture is not widely appreciated as some think and it does not "fascinate' the world. if you disagree on that point-then argue it--with facts.
Yes--I know paparazzi is Italian. And that means what? That another country is also not perfect? Duh?
I apologize for lumping you into the self loathing American group on city data.
The average American isnt aware of foreign culture because we can't just up and drive our gas guzzling SUV, with a double whopper in hand or take a bus to the next country over. Sure some of us in Texas can drive a reasonable distance and be in Mexico. Sure some of us in Maine can drive a few miles and be in Canada, but the majority of us unfortunately live miles and miles away from the only two foreign countries bordering the US. I can drive 10 hours in any direction and still be in the US. Also, a plane ticket to Europe to experience all of Europe's ever so sophisticated culture costs an arm and a left testicle. A plane ticket from London to Rome probably doesnt cost as much as a ticket from New York to London, or anywhere in Europe for that matter. That's why most of us are't "in tune" with most of the world.
I think the world fails to realize how big the US really is, and how diverse our own culture is. We're almost like our own country, and each state has their own unique culture. The way I live is completely different from someone who lives, say, in Arizona. Our country is huge, you can't base big macs and hollywood on the whole country. People who've never been here assume that we all live like they do on 90210. So NOT true. I think it's cool though that so many people abroad watch our movies. I honeslty could'nt name many European movies I've seen, but I know a lot of Europeans have seen our movies. Crazy.
Hurley, I hear ya! Your place is feakin' HUUUUGE!! When we Amtraked from L.A to NOLA, we were told about a song to do with falling asleep on a train, and having breakfast and lunch the following day having been in Texas for the entire duration!
I've said this elsewhere on here I think, a fascination with Hollywood, Broadway, the Rockies, or the movie "Deliverance" does not indicate a fascination with "American culture". And soooo many people I know think of L.A, S.F N.Y.C (i.e. the larger cities) as being the sum total of that amazing country. Or the other extreme, all country folk are straight outta the aforementioned movie.
We really thought our cross country road trip, where we covered the south-west, deep south, east coast and north-east was like being in Europe, but without the differing languages. Lots of variations in the accents though.
I think if I move to the U.S., I may not travel abroad again, there's way too much to explore there!
While I'm ranting..let's not forget the good people of the U.S are not the only ones who may be ignorant of geography/politics/fashionable sock colors outside the U.S. An English co-worker thought Albequerqe (no doubt I've destroyed the spelling) was in Scotland.
And an Australian co-worker asked if Thursday Island is part of Australia.
"No" I replied "it's part of Tinky-Winky Land, y'know, your home planet".
(FTR, it is part of Aust, just not on the mainland obviously. )
Hurley, I hear ya! Your place is feakin' HUUUUGE!! When we Amtraked from L.A to NOLA, we were told about a song to do with falling asleep on a train, and having breakfast and lunch the following day having been in Texas for the entire duration!
I've said this elsewhere on here I think, a fascination with Hollywood, Broadway, the Rockies, or the movie "Deliverance" does not indicate a fascination with "American culture". And soooo many people I know think of L.A, S.F N.Y.C (i.e. the larger cities) as being the sum total of that amazing country. Or the other extreme, all country folk are straight outta the aforementioned movie.
We really thought our cross country road trip, where we covered the south-west, deep south, east coast and north-east was like being in Europe, but without the differing languages. Lots of variations in the accents though.
I think if I move to the U.S., I may not travel abroad again, there's way too much to explore there!
um, there is lots of huge places. what does that have to do with it? china is much larger than america. canada is huge, russia is huge. and?
The average American isnt aware of foreign culture because we can't just up and drive our gas guzzling SUV, with a double whopper in hand or take a bus to the next country over. Sure some of us in Texas can drive a reasonable distance and be in Mexico. Sure some of us in Maine can drive a few miles and be in Canada, but the majority of us unfortunately live miles and miles away from the only two foreign countries bordering the US. I can drive 10 hours in any direction and still be in the US. Also, a plane ticket to Europe to experience all of Europe's ever so sophisticated culture costs an arm and a left testicle. A plane ticket from London to Rome probably doesnt cost as much as a ticket from New York to London, or anywhere in Europe for that matter. That's why most of us are't "in tune" with most of the world.
I think the world fails to realize how big the US really is, and how diverse our own culture is. We're almost like our own country, and each state has their own unique culture. The way I live is completely different from someone who lives, say, in Arizona. Our country is huge, you can't base big macs and hollywood on the whole country. People who've never been here assume that we all live like they do on 90210. So NOT true. I think it's cool though that so many people abroad watch our movies. I honeslty could'nt name many European movies I've seen, but I know a lot of Europeans have seen our movies. Crazy.
the world does not fail to realize that america's landmass is large.
wow, the way you live is "completely" different from the way arizonians live? do you speak some different dialect? do you live in a spaceship?
the world does not fail to realize that america's landmass is large.
While they understand in an abstract sense that "America is big," in a practical sense, many do fail to realize it, fail to understand how it impacts American society versus European society, and fail to understand the very real differences within American society from region to region. I've heard it from a number of foreigners who didn't realize how diverse the U.S. was both culturally and geographically until they actually got here and had a look around.
A client of mine from England told me she and her boyfriend planned to come to the U.S. and drive from New York to Florida to San Francisco and back. I asked her how long they planned to be here. She told me, "oh, about a week." She didn't understand my laughter. Silly ignorant Europeans.
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...and another thing!
