by Ibon » Sat 04 Jul 2015, 17:10:54
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On the plus side, I do think a lot of intelligent Americans who have been to Europe do understand that the American way of life is shit, along with the built environment and the media.
I myself have no desire to ever visit America. What would be the point? I already know what it's like. If I want to see a Starbucks or a McDonalds I can do that here.
Withnail, I am from the US and have lived 30 years out of my country. 10 years in Europe. I don't need to defend my country of birth as I don't live there even today but I will enlighten you on one of the basic mistakes that Europeans often make in reference to America. They see the stupidity of the masses from far away, actually from the very media that they say we are obsessed by, and then stereotype this as typical American. I recall a number of European friends and colleagues that have traveled to the states, rented a car, driven thousands of miles purely for the pleasure of watching obese Americans at the mall and reinforcing this stereotype of the clueless American consumer. The European will then go back home and tell all his buddies funny stories of these warped out Americans. And therein lies the problem that always arises with stereotypes. You miss out completely on the vast numbers of Americans who have checked out of this reality, who are living unplugged lives no longer connected to consumption or the media and who you never get to connect with if you superficially drive around the country or watch the US from the other side of the pond.
You would be surprised on how many Americans have stepped out of this stereotype. I would say that Americans have an easier time jumping out of their consensus reality of consumption culture than the average European has of jumping out of his consensus reality.
I am thinking right now of my road kill eating cousin who shoots squirrels from his back yard when they eat his tangerines, of course he eats the squirrels grilling them with their heads on as he would never waste meat. He lives in Florida, is 60 years old, and never installed an air conditioner in his home. He is a funny combination of liberal and red neck, a very colorful personality and not very much beholden to society at large. You probably are already forming a stereotype of who this cousin of mine is. But what if I told you he has a PHD. Which he does. Europeans rarely can break out of their social conditioning in this kind of way.
But I wont argue that the European is definitely better socialized at living at a reduced consumption levels than Americans are. That is worthy of respect.
Patiently awaiting the pathogens. Our resiliency resembles an invasive weed. We are the Kudzu Ape
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