Pre-judged

[pyoor_excuse]

It occured to me that I'm prejudice. Not in the racist/classist/educationist sense. I'm really kinda open about that stuff. But about America.

I've never been there, all the Americans I've met in person I've liked, but I still find it really hard to actually be nice about the place. And to admit that something there might be better than here? Gawd no.

So, in the name of personal knowledge I'm gonna try and over come ('we shall over come') - you'd think with my girlfriend being half 'merkian, my good friend Kate - my friend's Partner being 'merkian, I'd've got over it by now. But no.

I'm better than I used to be. But it's harder than you'd think to overcome a lifetime of believing that America is the root of all evil. I do, I'll admit, find it hard becuase I disagree really strongly with a lot of the culture over there - or at least what I *see* of the culture over there (seems very money orientated, environmentally irresponsible, consumerist and access to healthcare for the poor sucks). And obviously because they keep cancelling the shows I like (Dead Like Me, Wonderfalls), fucking with the ones they keep (The L Word does *not* need a straight fucking bloke), and yet manage to produce endless, endless Simpsons Episodes (it was good, now it just makes me want to scream (3 hours. 3 fucking hours. Almost every day. Bloody Sky) ;-)

Anyway, so I'm gonna try to be nicer and more open minded. And now I'm going to go to uni.

Comments

[chrisy-m-uk.livejournal.com]

Perhaps we can form a self-help group here, you know how bad I can be and I am honestly trying these days to have a positive attitude towards the good old US of A but by jove it's hard...

[lyric-splat.livejournal.com]

I think it's okay to hate the country on principle (for it's politics etc) but like it as a place. I mean, I make fun of it a lot and feel ashamed sometimes to be be a part of it, but at the same time it's a vast crazy land full of just about every type of person you could imagine, and if you think that you hate the entire country then you prolly just haven't travelled enough. Or, at all. *nudge/grin*

So! I'll take you to Alaska, eh? And New England and Oregon and...maybe Florida just so you an see the manatees. ;) And if you fancy making a trip to DC so we can piss on Bush's doorstep... well, I'm sure we can do that too.

:)

[loopback0.livejournal.com]

Personally I cant stand contemporary american culture, but then there are lots of cultures I cant stand. I still celebrate the diversity of the world. I do find myself wondering how much of what I think of as "American Culture" is how it is, and how muchis british media image, and Id love to head over, meet up with my American friends and see for myself.

Its OK to hate cultures, regimes, ideas, as long as you dont assume that everyone you meet from that ethnic group is a signed up banner waving member, or close yourself off to the idea that they might be right and you might be wrong.

Personally I cant imagine any of the Americans I know wearing a gun belt. Well actually theres one chap from missouri who I can, but hey it his choice, and he was a really nice guy. It doesnt mean I dont hate the culture that brought him and probably more of my friends up thinking guns are good.

There are plenty of really f*%$ed up cultures around the world. I dare say the bad points of our culture stick out to anyone from outside the UK. Growing up here Ive just kind of got used to them, and perhaps thats what its like for everyone.

[lyric-splat.livejournal.com]

Aye, there are a lot of things I grew to dislike about the UK while I was away from it, but also a lot of things I learned to appreciate more. And I mean, every country is probably screwed up somehow or other, right? so as long as you can love the good points of where you're at, and deal with/protest against the things you dislike... well, life's okay.


oh, and I've never had a gunbelt before but... I do lust after women in toolbelts. Does that count? :D

[loopback0.livejournal.com]

Heck I lust after women with gunbelts ;) But thats in the films not in real life. Mmmmm Milla.

[pyoor_excuse]

*nips out to buy a toolbelt*

*wonders if she can get a name label like the ones she sees American Mechanics having on their coveralls, but with Dyke on it, to put on her coveralls*

*'merkianates previous sentance by converting overalls to coveralls*

I think not being here probably gives you a way better perspective on what's good and bad about the UK. I wouldn't say that the UK is particularly perfect, it happens to suit me quite well, 'cos I'm quite British. And it's quite a quirky culture in a lot of ways; but mmm. Not sure where I'm going with this one. Uh. So I'll stop.

*wanders off again*

[frozendoll.livejournal.com]

Hmm, i absolutely love the Simpsons and while they haven't been as funny as they had been in say Seasons 5 & 6 and thereabouts, they still have their moments. However, the issues that you have with America are ones that I think you would find with any country that has lots of money intermingled with psychotic religious values. I think to judge a group as a whole, no matter what the group is, is incredibly prejudiced. That would be like me saying that all black people steal when indeed, they do not. I'm glad you're thinking to be more open minded, but it's sad to see that you were close minded about such things to begin with.

[pyoor_excuse]

I never disliked *Americans* (well, not 48.2% (or whatever it was ('s a joke, by the way))). Just America. Unfortunately, as I'm sure 'meriKate would attest, Americans I met, no matter how much I liked them tended to bear the brunt of my vitriolic attacks on America's consumerist culture.

[inspector-81.livejournal.com]

Don't feel bad. Americans hate Americans. We all hate each other over here. It's the REAL American Pastime. I don't know anybody who does not rip on the stupid stuff on TV, the politics of their neighbor, or how bad drivers from a different state are. The only thing we all like about each other, is that at least we are not French. ;)

"France is miserable because it is filled with Frenchmen, and Frenchmen are miserable because they live in France." - Mark Twain

[kittenarmy.livejournal.com]

Based on what I've been able to glean from people I know who live over there, people I know who used to live there, Canadians, and sites like Metafilter, here are my feelings on America:

US culture sucks. It's fucking awful, prejudiced, power-based, and shit.

US counter-culture and underground stuff is fucking awesome. Even stuff that starts out counter-culture and becomes mainstream, or evolves to include a bit here and there (like the Simpsons), is awesome. And anything that the USA produces that I get to see or hear about that isn't based on the assumption that the USA is as good as it gets and questions = death is pretty neat too.

It's just the mainstream of America that's shit. Rather like the mainstream here, which doesn't seem as bad to my eyes, but is still pretty awful. ITV/chavs, anyone?