The world's obsession with America

[sweetness]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/this-is-what-american-parties-look-like-around-the-world

oh man

Have any of the non-American forum members been to a party like this?

[Guest Len B'stard]

I don't think a themed party necessarily indicates an obsession young man, you can have a party themed around anything really, can't you? And no, i haven't been to one. I will agree that there is a certain degree of an obsession with America on an international scale though...and it's disgusting by and large, the death of culture.

Edited March 7, 2014 by sugaraylen

[sweetness]

I don't think a themed party necessarily indicates an obsession young man, you can have a party themed around anything really, can't you? And no, i haven't been to one.

Never mind how our politics and popular culture are constantly in the spotlight more so than any other country on the planet.

[Guest Len B'stard]

If you'd've read the rest of my post you'd see we don't disagree on that point, i was just saying American themed parties aren't exactly the best indicator of an obsession with American culture.

And y'know, it might be worth considering that there's as much of a promotional push of your culture from your end as there is obsession for it, it's an obsession that is essentially cultivated from your end, overseas markets and that game.

[shades]

I never knew that people threw American themed parties in other countries.

And Whats with the red cup thing? I suppose we do use red when we use plastic cups more than any other color, but it's not on purpose, or with a meaning of any kind attached.

[bran]

I never knew that people threw American themed parties in other countries.

And Whats with the red cup thing? I suppose we do use red when we use plastic cups more than any other color, but it's not on purpose, or with a meaning of any kind attached.

there is a meaning, it has to do with the free masons and knights templar

Edited March 7, 2014 by bran

[Guest Len B'stard]

I was talking to this guy once who spent a lot of time in America in the 70s and has been back since and he was saying how it's kinda been destroyed in terms of culture and the individual identity of places to where, OK, you could go to Arkansas and it'd have it's own kinda character and then New York'd have it's own and L.A. would have it's own and although certain things remain that way it's not the same insofar as the landscape has been altered, there are malls all over the place and there has become a kind of social standard of 'the american town' that everything is kinda aspired towards.

How true is that Americans? Although now i think about it i don't think any of you could answer unless you were around in the 70s.

[sweetness]

If you'd've read the rest of my post you'd see we don't disagree on that point, i was just saying American themed parties aren't exactly the best indicator of an obsession with American culture.

And y'know, it might be worth considering that there's as much of a promotional push of your culture from your end as there is obsession for it, it's an obsession that is essentially cultivated from your end, overseas markets and that game.

Hey, you edited your post and snuck that by me you Brit bastard

From my point of view as a US citizen I just think it's funny, we get talked about a lot.

[Guest Len B'stard]

If you'd've read the rest of my post you'd see we don't disagree on that point, i was just saying American themed parties aren't exactly the best indicator of an obsession with American culture.

And y'know, it might be worth considering that there's as much of a promotional push of your culture from your end as there is obsession for it, it's an obsession that is essentially cultivated from your end, overseas markets and that game.

Hey, you edited your post and snuck that by me you Brit bastard

No i didn't you illiterate American, look at the time my edit is and the time of your post is (you know i love you really!)

[bran]

[Georgy Zhukov]

Nuke them.

[sweetness]

If you'd've read the rest of my post you'd see we don't disagree on that point, i was just saying American themed parties aren't exactly the best indicator of an obsession with American culture.

And y'know, it might be worth considering that there's as much of a promotional push of your culture from your end as there is obsession for it, it's an obsession that is essentially cultivated from your end, overseas markets and that game.

Hey, you edited your post and snuck that by me you Brit bastard

No i didn't you illiterate American, look at the time my edit is and the time of your post is (you know i love you really!)

It takes me a long time to type these posts thanks to my illiteracy, no need to rub it in

I was talking to this guy once who spent a lot of time in America in the 70s and has been back since and he was saying how it's kinda been destroyed in terms of culture and the individual identity of places to where, OK, you could go to Arkansas and it'd have it's own kinda character and then New York'd have it's own and L.A. would have it's own and although certain things remain that way it's not the same insofar as the landscape has been altered, there are malls all over the place and there has become a kind of social standard of 'the american town' that everything is kinda aspired towards.

How true is that Americans? Although now i think about it i don't think any of you could answer unless you were around in the 70s.

I think that's a bit harsh. Sure, there are things you can find in every US city, and those same things you can also find in most citicies around the world thanks to globalization and corporatism. I wouldn't go as far to say it damages the local cultures though, thats a bit extreme. Driving through the bible belt, the mojave desert, the rocky mountains, appalachia, the mid west, the east coast, the west coast, the plains... all very different places for a multitude of reasons.

[Guest Len B'stard]

I talk to someone from Florida a fair bit and they were like, they don't have no like, independent stores of any kind, it's either big supermarkets or not at all?

[DieselDaisy]

It is modern American culture which is the big killer. At one time America used to produce some of the best films, music and products around. Now, everything from America is the same uninspired, plastic, processed, Macdonalds, dumbed down, cack. You can see this best in the films Hollywood produces these days. They are terrible.

Edited March 7, 2014 by DieselDaisy

[Guest Len B'stard]

To be fair though Dies', our estimation of America is second hand, you kinda get the idea of it off books and mags and films etc...how do you know the America in your head ever existed?

[Axl_morris]

What I really hate is when you hear american voiced actors advertising on radio. Piss funny when they announce whatever it is they are advertising in a near by scottish town. Its sooo out of place. I think there was a sky news advert which was american also.

I love american films, music, products, foods but... stay away from advertising.

[DieselDaisy]

But in the context of this discussion it is, how America is perceived abroad (i.e. in a country such as ours, Britain). I am merely stating that America now produces the worst kind of dross which arrives on British shores. There as been a definite failing in the quality of America's cultural exports.

[Axl_morris]

I went to america with the attitude off not stereotyping by films, tv etc... so I get out of the airport and into a taxi and the taxi driver is wearing a cowboy hat. Well, back to stereotyping it was from then.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Axl_morris

[DieselDaisy]

Here is an example of what I mean. Ask yourself why South Korea, Japan, China, Britain, France, Germany all produce films with infinite more variety, wit, sophistication and intellegence than what Hollywood produces? At one time Hollywood produced films like Wings, Gone with the Wind and The Searchers: now Hollywood produces turds like Iron Man 3. The whole system is addicted to bland cgied sugar-coated superhero cack. It is so devoid of ideas that it rips off old television shows and reboots franchises within the space of a year.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Yeah but you're judging America by Hollywood, you could say the same about English films too if you take British film industry film.

Edited March 7, 2014 by sugaraylen

[Axl_morris]

reboots franchises within the space of a year.

Transformers 4, the hulk and amazing spiderman being prime examples.

[Sixes]

I'm born, raised and still living in NY. My America is most likely quite different but also quite similar at the same time from other Americans' America. I live surrounded by people of all culture, race, religion and creed and it's always been that way for me. Whereas when I was young, it was mostly people of German, Irish, Jewish and Italian heritage, it has now expanded to include over 100 distinct nationalities and all proudly represent their own culture be it food, language, dress, etc. I find it beautiful that such a mix of people can live side by side and flourish. Granted, there's always going to be incidents regarding race that's rooted deep into people's souls.

If I walk within 10 blocks of my house, I will see 12 different religious places of worship. I myself am an Atheist and live proudly among everyone and we are all kind to each other and live in a thriving community. My landlord is from Italy and speaks nothing but Italian. But we get along swimmingly with never a cross word spoken on either side. My last landlord was from Poland. Before that, my landlord was from Honduras. I've worked with people from Ireland, Cuba, Honduras, Puerto Rico, British Guyana, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Samoa, the Virgin Islands, England, Poland, Russia, Estonia and more. And we've all been equals at work and helped each other and see each other as brothers. And we are all Americans.

I get the impression, false or not, that other countries see Americans as white, born here for the most part, kinda cowboy-ish, with a few black people here and there.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Sixes

[DieselDaisy]

Well that is because I am focusing specifically on Hollywood (as an example of, the decline of an American export).

[Sixes]

I don't really know what "American culture" is since to me it's a mixture of everything.

[DieselDaisy]

reboots franchises within the space of a year.

Transformers 4, the hulk and amazing spiderman being prime examples.

What the hell were they doing, rebooting Spiderman about a week after the Toby Mcguire series ended? Write a new film you cocks. God, I hate the state of Hollywood. Gets my blood boiled.