Ronn Blankenship wrote:
>It is strange, though, that for all the anger expressed toward the arrogant
>Americans for forcing their culture on other counties, the people in those
>countries demand and will pay a high price to imitate American culture (the
>demand for blue jeans in Russia being a tiny example).
Oh, quite. But some of that is, well... hmmm. Odd. Jeans are popular over
here too, but they're mostly Australian or Chinese. And of course the
movies are American, and there are McDonalds, and so on... but one gets
the sneaking suspicion, after a while, that this isn't so much adoption
of our culture as for the sheer amusement value of the thing. Those
people who don't think we're arrogant and ignorant think we're arrogant
and ignorant but it's *funny*.
Let me explain with a few examples of actual questions I've been asked:
"In America are there *really* only very beautiful people?" (Actors on
local tv shows are actually normal-looking here!)
"Do American schools really have metal detectors? Did *your* school have
a metal detector?"
"Have you *heard* what your President just said?" (Over and over and
*over*- God, I hate Bush and even I'm sick of hearing his bloopers)
"Do people really keep tigers in their backyards in America? I saw a tv
show on it."
"Does everybody in America have three cars?"
"Why did you lot elect Bush?"
And my personal favorite: "Have you ever met a hardened criminal?"
They have a thing on tv here which people keep coming and getting me to
watch- it's called "Only in America," and it's a one-minute blurb between
the real news stories, about something really dumb America has just come
up with. If I don't see it, I hear about it. I think this is where the
tigers thing came from.
Oh, well, nice to know America is good for something... even if it's just
a steady source of amusement....
Kat Feete
P.S. Just out of curiousity, does anyone know of anything America
actually produces? I thought we produced stuff, but then I came here and
started taking classes and learned that America is actually a net
importer of most things- even things we export (like food). Are we a net
*exporter* of *anything*? Does anybody know?
--------------------
It's going to be fun to watch and see how long the meek
can keep the earth after they inherit it.
- Kin Hubbard
