Jat

Originally posted by Vorkosigan

NOWHERE in this comment does it compare the US to any western nation. See what I mean about ideology? It's written all over your comments.

You're the one who brought it up as if volunteerism somehow made Americans special. You're the one with the ideology here.

Like I said, most people are clueless about the nature of our complex culture.

And many of them are Americans.

Also, I live in Taiwan, and I don't listen to talk shows.

If that is true than I would be in a far better position to understand American "culture" than you would. Afterall Canadians have to "sleep with the elephant..." so it is in our best interests to know and understand them.

Also, you're living in Taiwan explains why you throw around such meaningless terms like ideology and the like. You sound just like one of those cartoon Communists who keeps going on about how their dialectic shows that Communism is the right system. In this they are no different than fundamentalist theists.

LOL. Considering how badly you've misunderstood it here, I wouldn't go on about that....

Irrelevant, we're not speaking about Taiwan.

Evangelion

To be fair, Vork does indeed live in Taiwan. I can confirm that.

And although I believe his view of America to be indefensibly idealistic, I certainly accept that he's in a good position to know what "American culture" is.

Jat

Why, because so many of the products used in the USA are "Made in Taiwan"?

Evangelion

LOL! Good call!

No, because he's an American, and has spent most of his life there. (Horrible prospect, I know - but some people aren't lucky enough to have been born in Canada, Australia or NZ.)

Vorkosigan

You're the one who brought it up as if volunteerism somehow made Americans special. You're the one with the ideology here.

Nope. You read that into my comments. I simply identified it as one of our cultural traits. Lots of other nations have it too. But living in a nation with weak civil society (Taiwan) enables me to see America's strengths more clearly.

Like I said, most people are clueless about the nature of our complex cullture.

And many of them are Americans.

Quite true. And many of them are foreigners. That's neither here nor there.

If that is true than I would be in a far better position to understand American "culture" than you would. Afterall Canadians have to "sleep with the elephant..." so it is in our best interests to know and understand them.

Ah, being Canadian makes you an expert on America.....

Also, you're living in Taiwan explains why you throw around such meaningless terms like ideology and the like. You sound just like one of those cartoon Communists who keeps going on about how their dialectic shows that Communism is the right system. In this they are no different than fundamentalist theists.

Another non-sequitor. Living in Taiwan makes me use meaningless terms?

Vorkosigan

Jat

There is such thing as forest fore the trees, and nostalgia which tend to cloud one's memories. As you had said it was "indefensibly idealistic".

Jat

Originally posted by Vorkosigan

Nope. You read that into my comments. I simply identified it as one of our cultural traits. Lots of other nations have it too. But living in a nation with weak civil society (Taiwan) enables me to see America's strengths more clearly.

Asian cultures are much different in many regards to Western cultures. They tend to be more inwards towards family instead of outwards.

Ah, being Canadian makes you an expert on America.....

The average Canadian knows more about the USA than the average American does in comparison. Its a survival trait. Remember, we do have to sleep with an elephant and every unexpected twitch and movement could prove to be fatal.

Another non-sequitor. Living in Taiwan makes me use meaningless terms?

Apparently. Ideology is not really a commonly used term around here, that is unless you are one who uses it to denigrate your opponent.

Optional

I gotta side with Vork here in that you don't really understand American 'culture'. I agree somewhat and disagree somewhat with HIS definition, but it seems pretty clear YOU are wrong.

Why? Because if you say american culture is 'simple' or 'easy to understand' then you don't understand it. QED.

The one thing american culture is absolutely NOT is 'simple', for the simple reason that what american culture actually IS is basically a hodge-podge barely mixed stew of a thousand different competing cultures. I've lived on the west coast, the east coast, the south, the north, the midwest, in rural areas and in urban areas, in the city and in the suburnbs, and each and every place I've ever lived has had its own unique cultural flavor...

Sure, there are a lot of similarities, particular with the advent of the McCulture... And if you make the mistake of regarding these McSimilarities as the whole of american culture, it looks simple. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Even americans don't truly understand their own culture, from the POV of understanding the various sub-cultures of different regions. Witness here the big flap about the Georgia state flag... I talked to my parents over the weekend about that (they live in GA) and the entire viewpoint is just completely different than what I live with up here in Chi-town.

Anyway. That's all I wanted to say

-me

Animesh

American Culture is this odd notion that people from Philadelphia and people from New York and people from San Francisco share enough in common with the people from, say, Alabama or Texas, that the commonalities are enough to be called a "culture".

Maybe I'll start speaking of "American Culture" when I see people from, say, North Philly getting along with people from South Philly. Yeh, that'll happen.

Machiavelli

The adherance to various cultural identities is not condusive to succesful representation within a democracy. When people vote for the interests of a particular culture, they engage in divisiveness that is counterproductive to the interests of the nation as a whole. I believe as an American, one should disregard any cultural identity when voting and make their vote based on their individual needs or convictions. Why? Because it is not your culture that defends, taxes, and has authority over you, it's the US government.

We are a nation of individuals, and we are treated as such by our government. Therefore with regards to your own wellbeing, it is wise to pursue your individual interests.

Culture is reduced to menu's, party themes, hairdo's, and clothing. What is american culture? The culture of the individual. Or in other words, it is the absence of culture.