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Long Islanders try to believe they have an actual culture.
Truth is, LI's lack of culture is it's culture. Which I guess means it does have culture, but it's lack of culture is it's culture. I guess. Or something like that. Maybe. Or not.
Can rudeness be considered a culture? how about shallow and superficial?
LOL! I think 'hotkarl' is nearer the mark than some would want to accept. Long Island's culture is being changed from a rural, farming culture to the post-WWII suburbia blight culture that started on Long Island in Levittown.
The current Wikipedia entry states: "the word "culture" is most commonly used in three basic senses:
1) Excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanities, also known as high culture
2) An integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learning
3) The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group
I think Long Island culture, because of it's proximity to NYC and that many former NYC residents move to Long Island (especially in the formative post-WWII years) created no one "culture" but a number of competing cultures which have not been reconciled with each other over several generations.
For example, the most prominant culture is centered around the automobile (the suburbia culture) where most live, work, and play in the different communities among which they commute. These people may tend to change homes and jobs more frequently and, therefore, don't develop a loyalty or pride in any particular community. Attitude about home are more closely akin to being a renter...it's for a short time so long-term investments are not popular.
Then there's the less common "hometown" culture in which an allegiance to a particular community is stronger. I can't comment about the Long Island Hometown culture. Maybe someone else can give their take on it.
Then there's people like me whom are new to Long Island and are reluctant to give up the culture their used to. For me it's a more small town, Swedish culture. I will leave it up to the reader to Google the meaning of that.
Last edited by James1202; 09-04-2010 at 04:13 PM..
Reason: grammar error
The word culture defined is very relevant LIGuy,I appreciate your post and several others.
The culture of Long Islanders as it pertains to who they are,their ways and how they differ from other locations isn't what I had on my mind,so the responses regarding that have been of a whole 'nother level,thank you for your input!
I was thinking more of the posts on several threads that express a lack of culture as it pertains to the arts,including things to do regarding cultural growth let's say.
Just in doing a very quick search for art galleries,the Gallery North came up. It looks like a really neat place. They're having what looks like a really nice event on Sept. 11th and 12th,for children as well as adults. They'll be 150 artists and crafts people,food and live music.
I'm sure these will be local artists,who would def make up the culture of LI.
Another that came up is The Nassau County Museum,which looks like another really nice experience,with classes you can take,etc.
Point being,is it a choice that people make to be involved or not in this experience? and if they choose not to be a part of it,then can they really say,there is a lack of cultural experiences/events on Long Island?
Or rather,that they choose not to be a part of it,if even thru' just plan old complacency,the same ol' same ol'? We're all vulnerable to that by the way. I just wanted to say something about it since looking at the LI forum and noting that feeling from posts.
Culture.. depends on how you define culture... we are definitely not a rich culture, few have time to delve into the arts. For many of us, we are a child centered culture. For the childless there is, well, we have traffic, we have some who are skilled at cutting people off on the roads, we have more who feel they are entitled to make a left when only a right is legal.
I think taxes are just too high and traffic just too much for LI to indulge in the arts.
Just because our culture does not involve fancy 5 star world renowned restaurants and plays at the theater and glamorous nightlife...
Long Island is a foodie paradise. Just take a look at the New York Times Dining section or Zagat for fine dining options all over the Island. Plenty of nightlife too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nicholebydesign
I think taxes are just too high and traffic just too much for LI to indulge in the arts.
There's plenty of local, historical, pop, and high culture to indulge in. Here's a couple arts and culture organizations off the top of my head (mostly on the North Shore where I'm most familiar):
Huntington Arts Council - Wonderful organization that runs events, concerts, theater, and exhibits throughout the year.
Long Island is a foodie paradise. Just take a look at the New York Times Dining section or Zagat for fine dining options all over the Island. Plenty of nightlife too.
There's plenty of local, historical, pop, and high culture to indulge in. Here's a couple arts and culture organizations off the top of my head (mostly on the North Shore where I'm most familiar):
Huntington Arts Council - Wonderful organization that runs events, concerts, theater, and exhibits throughout the year.
I would just like to add some other "high culture" Long Island groups. We've got our own ballet company, The Eglevsky Ballet, as well as The Long Island Philharmonic, The American Chamber Ensemble, and dozens of other classical and jazz groups consisting of Long Island residents who play both in NYC and on Long Island professionaly. We've also got the Tilles Center. Check out the concerts and art exhibitions at the libraries. The Paper Bag Players and that other childrens' performance group (forgot the name) come annually to the Adams Playhouse at Hofstra. Hofstra also has an annual Shakespeare festival, as well as several symposiums, and lectures. Ellie Weisel gave a lecture at Adelphi University last spring. And don't forget that Obama and McCain held one of their debates at Hofstra 2 years ago. The children's museum is not as big as the one in Manhattan, but it's still pretty cool. We've got 2 aviation museums. There are a host of professional authors and children;s authors living on Long Island. Dee Dee Snyder and others are in the process of establishing a Long Island Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. There's tons of "litle museums" all over the island, Rock Hall, Herkimer's, Sands Point, Vanderbilt Museum, Cold Spring Harbor Fishery, the whaling museums, not to mention Old Bethpage and the Montauk Lighthouse. As someone else mentioned, we have a former presidential home as a museum, several botatancial type of gardens, including Old Westbury. We have as much, if not more "culture" as a mid-sized city. If you don't think there are cultural things to do on Long Island, then you must be spending all of your time in front of the TV.
There's also the Vanderbilt Planetarium!
And I was thrilled to find out that the former IMAC (Inter-Media Art Center) building is on it's way to re-open as a larger than before performing arts center in downtown Huntington! I was very sad to see it close last year - being able to see and hear star performers in such intimate environment was something you don't experience often!
Let's not forget the Theatre at Westbury, which is in Jericho ("Westbury, NY 11590" mailing address).
Probably one of the few theater in the rounds left.
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For things to do on Lawn Guyland ...
