Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 1, 2016 11:00:19 GMT -5
I tried creating a thread like this back in the old CBR community forum and within days it had descended into a viper's nest of arguments and negativity, mostly centering around American foreign policy, and it was unceremoniously locked by the mods. That has always bugged me, because, just like here, I'm not usually one to start a thread and I only had the best intentions at heart. Of course, we here at the CCF are a much more cultured lot, on the whole, so I'm gonna give this thread another go and I hope that it won't again descend into chaos and nastiness. Myself, I'm a total yank-o-phile. I have loved American culture, music, history, films, literature, comics (obviously) and people since I was a little kid. Growing up in semi-rural England, the world that American TV shows and films showed me seemed so incredibly exotic and bursting with potential. As I grew older and began to read about the country and actually meet Americans that were over here studying or holidaying, I began to realise that they are some of the most friendly and enthusiastic people on Earth. Sure, you get ignorant and unpleasant Americans, just the same as you get those sorts of people anywhere, but as a rule of thumb and as a huge sweeping generalisation, I think that Americans are the most friendly and sincere people that I've encountered. In fact, they are sometimes so enthusiastic and friendly, that us jaded, miserable, rain-beaten Brits often suspect that they might be taking the mickey, until we realise that they are, in fact, genuine. Surprisingly, given my lifelong love of the country, I've never been to the U.S., but it is one of my greatest dreams to one day do so. I have about five different road trips all planned out, each one taking in different parts of the country (number one on my hit list is a musical pilgrimage to the south - starting off in Tenessee and then heading down into Mississippi and across into Alabama and Georgia). I'm also ashamed to admit that my geographical knowledge of North America is far, far better than my geographical knowledge of Britain. Some other things that I love about America include, but are not limited to, vintage American cars, diners or luncheonettes, American Football (the only sport I even vaguely follow - I'm a Jets fan BTW), American people's patriotism for their country, the incredible variety and beauty of the landscape, 24-hour shops, delicatessens and pharmacies (pretty much on every block), NASA, and American girls! Man, the American accent on a woman is as sexy as hell to me.  Also, I love the U.S.'s ability to really change and to sometimes surprise itself. 50 years ago, Afican-Americans were fighting the civil rights struggle and today there's a black president. So, come on, list or discuss anything and everything that you love about the home of the brave and the land of the free, whether you're an American yourself or you live somewhere else. But remember: only the positive side of life is to be reflected in this thread, so please check your negativity and cynicism at the door. God bless the USA! |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Mar 1, 2016 11:11:07 GMT -5
I love the American Ideal of a meritocracy -- where anyone can make it if they work hard enough. Also the ideas of due process, checks and balances, all the cool stuff we learned about in History class.
That being said, we're very far from those ideals, and I feel like we fall farther every day. There are many countries in the world that lack America's ideals and yet surpass its reality. That strikes me as tragic.
Sorry, was that too negative?
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Post by DE Sinclair on Mar 1, 2016 11:26:31 GMT -5
Confessor, thanks for such a positive message about the USA. Being mired in the current political sideshow, it's sometimes hard to focus on the good things. Among the many things you mentioned, one of the greatest things is the way the country was initially setup. We were free from monarchy (no offense) and the founding fathers were dead set on ensuring that certain rights would be specified and protected from the start. We've often abused and ignored the truths there, which brought us into some very dark periods which we are still suffering the ramifications of. But the spirit of the country has been to try to do better. We're still dealing with offenses like racism, homophobia, abuse of governmental authority, fear of other religions, among others, but the people have the ability to stand up and speak against them and to affect change, where some other countries that would get you "disappeared". As Shax rightly notes, we aren't always living up to our ideals, but we as a whole are trying to do better. Not counting Trump.
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Roquefort Raider
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Mar 1, 2016 11:32:41 GMT -5
So much to love, from the geography to the people. I would be hard pressed to name the one aspect I like above others, but if I really had to it would be
E pluribus unum.
It is quite politically correct in Canada to vaunt the model of multiculturalism and to compare it (favourably, of course) to the American melting pot. But that's a deeply flawed and borderline deeply stupid attitude. The American melting pot is the way to go. That's what leads to people building a common culture while preserving their own identity; that's what leads to the idyllic Star Trek concept of Infinite diversity in infinite combination.
When we arrived in the US, my family and I were welcomed with open arms. We weren't the suspicious "strangers in our midst" that we might have been in several other countries; we were treated like part of the family. Our strange accents weren't a cause for scorn, and if our strange grammar was gently corrected when necessary, it was not a cause for a disapproving *tsk* *tsk*. We had neighbours from India, Bengladesh, Pakistan, Korea, Poland, Russia, France as well as native-born Americans; all of our kids played together in the park or swam together in the public pool. We each had our own language, our own traditions, but lived together as one because we had this shared American way of life respecting individuality (and a common, second language).
Far from being an individual culture-crushing operation, the American melting pot is enriched by its adoption of all that its citizens can bring it. That is an ideal I find very heartening, very encouraging for the future, and it pains me to see certain politicians try to score points by trying to undermine it and foment an intolerance that is at 180 degrees from the real American dream.
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Post by DE Sinclair on Mar 1, 2016 11:41:38 GMT -5
So much to love, from the geography to the people. I would be hard pressed to name the one aspect I like above others, but if I really had to it would be E pluribus unum. It is quite politically correct in Canada to vaunt the model of multiculturalism and to compare it (favourably, of course) to the American melting pot. But that's a deeply flawed and borderline deeply stupid attitude. The American melting pot is the way to go. That's what leads to people building a common culture while preserving their own identity; that's what leads to the idyllic Star Trek concept of Infinite diversity in infinite variation. When we arrived in the US, my family and I were welcomed with open arms. We weren't the suspicious "strangers in our midst" that we might have been in several other countries; we were treated like part of the family. Our strange accents weren't a cause for scorn, and if our strange grammar was gently corrected when necessary, it was not a cause for a disapproving *tsk* *tsk*. We had neighbours from India, Bengladesh, Pakistan, Korea, Poland, Russia, France as well as native-born Americans; all of our kids played together in the park or swam together in the public pool. We each had our own language, our own traditions, but lived together as one because we had this shared American way of life respecting individuality (and a common, second language). Far from being an individual culture-crushing operation, the American melting pot is enriched by its adoption of all that its citizens can bring it. That is an ideal I find very heartening, very encouraging for the future, and it pains me to see certain politicians try to score points by trying to undermine it and foment an intolerance that is at 180 degrees from the real American dream. And seriously, with all these folks from so many different places, the food choices alone are amazing. Whatever you have a taste for, it's probably nearby. Except for French food in Wisconsin for some reason. The only place you can find it is in a few uber-expensive restaurants, and then it's Americanized. The Milwaukee area has many ethnic festivals during the summer ranging from African World fest to Irish fest to Polish fests to Scottish Highland Games (my favorite due to the only really identifiable part of my heritage), though again the French themed Bastille Days was a bit of a disappointment. Went downtown one year hungering for French cuisine and all I could find was brats and burgers. |
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Post by Rob Allen on Mar 1, 2016 12:03:49 GMT -5
I think Roquefort Raider hit on the aspect that makes the US unique - our attempt to have a society that's both heterogeneous and egalitarian. Most other countries are either culturally and ethnically homogenous, or pretend that they are, or they're stratified, with one group on top keeping the others down. We still have vestiges of the latter in our culture, but it's not the way most of us live now.
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Post by Arthur Gordon Scratch on Mar 1, 2016 12:16:13 GMT -5
I found the question quite disturbing : the stuff I love about the USA probably is the same I love about other countries. The notion that one nation would be more prompt to quality doesn't work for me : The greeks had at one point the best country to live in worldwide, and then, in the 60ies-80ies of the past century, during the dictature, it may have been one of the very worse. The USA might be one of hte worst places to live in within the next 10 months, who knows, yet, they'll still have amazing geography (as has China, Brazil, France, Sweden, Spain, etc) and amazing art (as in most countries). That part about ideals, that really is up for debate though, as the substance of those ideals always is shifting, as is prime exemple the current stance of those so called "originalists". Hailing from France, I never felt I came from a culture lacking of htose, and multiculturality is core to the way of life there too. Food, I will have to agrre and disagree with Sinclair : If you seek real quality food, you might be able to find it in the US, probably very high quality, but it's the only land in the world I visited I happen to barf just for the smell of some of the local traditionnal food served there  . But I'm spoiled, I come from France, hahahah. Sports, I'm not even gonna get into that as every current specific US sport has now only become an excuse for advertising... I gues the one unique thing about the USA that I might love more then many of the other's country own variations is the language, especially in written form. French is a very interesting and gratifying language to master, but I really enjoy realizing how much I understand from hte english language, especialy in its american variation. I loved the fact that the very first time I read IIRC or "wadaya sayin?", I instinctivly managed to get it. So all in all, the greatest satisfaction I get from the USA is its tongue in all forms, from sophisticated to "ghetto". |
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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Mar 1, 2016 12:48:17 GMT -5
I've never lived anywhere else, so I guess to some degree, I can't say what is good about America without a contrast. I mean I've lived a life free of crime (though not my wife). I've lived relativly easy, as compared to reports and what media tells me about other countries. But I'm sure there are people from many other countries on every continent that have the same relative experience that I have had in life. I don't think of America as great, I think of it as a place I have lived thus far, and would like to have some variety before I die.
As far as culture when it comes to fiction, we might all like what we see. John Steed was my first role model. Emma Peel was my first crush. 90's anime made me want to move to Japan. It seems a human trait to find something that is not everyday to you, fresh and new as oppose to someone who it is everyday to. So in that respect, American culture in fiction is pretty "meh" to me.
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Post by DE Sinclair on Mar 1, 2016 12:50:33 GMT -5
I found the question quite disturbing : the stuff I love about the USA probably is the same I love about other countries. The notion that one nation would be more prompt to quality doesn't work for me : The greeks had at one point the best country to live in worldwide, and then, in the 60ies-80ies of the past century, during the dictature, it may have been one of the very worse. The USA might be one of hte worst places to live in within the next 10 months, who knows, yet, they'll still have amazing geography (as has China, Brazil, France, Sweden, Spain, etc) and amazing art (as in most countries). That part about ideals, that really is up for debate though, as the substance of those ideals always is shifting, as is prime exemple the current stance of those so called "originalists". Hailing from France, I never felt I came from a culture lacking of htose, and multiculturality is core to the way of life there too. Food, I will have to agrre and disagree with Sinclair : If you seek real quality food, you might be able to find it in the US, probably very high quality, but it's the only land in the world I visited I happen to barf just for the smell of some of the local traditionnal food served there . But I'm spoiled, I come from France, hahahah. Sports, I'm not even gonna get into that as every current specific US sport has now only become an excuse for advertising... I gues the one unique thing about the USA that I might love more then many of the other's country own variations is the language, especially in written form. French is a very interesting and gratifying language to master, but I really enjoy realizing how much I understand from hte english language, especialy in its american variation. I loved the fact that the very first time I read IIRC or "wadaya sayin?", I instinctivly managed to get it. So all in all, the greatest satisfaction I get from the USA is its tongue in all forms, from sophisticated to "ghetto". As a clarification, I was referring to the huge variety of different cuisines available here. As to quality, it ranges from 5-star restaurants to some truly gut-churning places. As a result of some of our travels and trying different restaurants that my wife assures me "look fine", I now enjoy unilateral veto power when a restaurant just seems too sketchy (ever since the Wisconsin Dell seafood buffet debacle of several years ago). |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 1, 2016 12:56:55 GMT -5
I found the question quite disturbing : the stuff I love about the USA probably is the same I love about other countries. The notion that one nation would be more prompt to quality doesn't work for me : But...but Arthur, my original post and the entire point of this thread was not to say that the U.S. is better than another country. Where did you get that from? And what the hell has Greece got to do with anything? This thread is a place to celebrate and discuss what it is that people love about the United States. And that's all it is. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 1, 2016 13:02:20 GMT -5
As far as culture when it comes to fiction, we might all like what we see. John Steed was my first role model. Emma Peel was my first crush. 90's anime made me want to move to Japan. It seems a human trait to find something that is not everyday to you, fresh and new as oppose to someone who it is everyday to. So in that respect, American culture in fiction is pretty "meh" to me. In think that's very true. It's a typical "grass is always greener" kind of thing. But personally, I still love England and I'm proud to be English (although I'm also healthily suspicious of national mythology). I think it's perfectly human to look out of your window at the place across the way and think, "wow, it sure looks good over there", as I do with America, but looking for the beauty or worth in your own home is also important. |
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Mar 1, 2016 13:10:59 GMT -5
We can deep fry anything.
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Post by Arthur Gordon Scratch on Mar 1, 2016 13:17:45 GMT -5
I found the question quite disturbing : the stuff I love about the USA probably is the same I love about other countries. The notion that one nation would be more prompt to quality doesn't work for me : But...but Arthur, my original post and the entire point of this thread was not to say that the U.S. is better than another country. Where did you get that from? And what the hell has Greece got to do with anything? This thread is a place to celebrate and discuss what it is that people love about the United States. And that's all it is. Yes, And I answered I find this somewhat strange, since what I'd love about the states probably would be the same things I love about any other countries, which is why I feel weird about the question, I feel it has implicit conotations, that's all. As for what Greece has to do with this is just giving an exemple on how all this is relative to time and space as nothing about anything that big is constant, even the tinest of things, as the "Things I used to love as a kid" thread seems to indicate... |
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Post by Arthur Gordon Scratch on Mar 1, 2016 13:18:49 GMT -5
We can deep fry anything. That is true, but that is indeed one of the things we should all hate about the states  |
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Post by Arthur Gordon Scratch on Mar 1, 2016 13:32:50 GMT -5
Sorry, he, it's just that I've always had trouble with the concepts of nation/love/pride... history isn't kind with those... But at least, Rob Allen talked about abstract concepts, which might be the only positive exemple in my opinion. If I look at myself in a brutal and honest way and ask myself the same question about France and Sweden, I will only come up with abstract character features, not things.
Patriotism can be a very positive value at certain times, but it is often mistaken for what actualy is nationalism, which is the plague of the world.
Anyways, sorry for the inarticulate thoughts...
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. But I'm spoiled, I come from France, hahahah.
