Thu 6 Jul 2006
It's been a long while since I spent any significant amount of time in the US. As I settle in for three months at Georgetown University's Center for Peace and Security Studies , I wrote down my thoughts on returning to American culture. Care for a read?
July 9th, 2006 at 3.15 pm
Hi, Sam
Interesting to be “in” America but somehow not “of” America, isn’t it? I have always felt a little outside the mainstream of American culture as I was raised in a foreign culture - the Navy. And in a succession of different cultures in all the countries where we lived (Canada, France, Japan) plus the more subtle but no less remarkable cultural differences between, say, Omaha, NE and Arlington, VA!
I think a part of what you are seeing is that this country truly was founded on the “Pursuit of Happiness,” an extraordinary idea for its time and one that we are truly realizing daily in America - and that’s both good and bad! How one defines “happiness” is interesting.
I read recently that America is no longer seen as beacon of hope in the world and that we are perceived as a vulgar, money-obsessed society led by a corrupt government. Sadly, it’s easy to see why that perception exists when we are busy building walls on our southern border and even have troops there now when we were founded on open immigration, while we have this particular crew in the White House, and while what we export in the form of movies and music is, indeed, vulgar and money-obsessed.
I’ll be interested in reading more of your observations while you’re here.
Cheers,
Pam
July 12th, 2006 at 7.45 pm
Well, Sam, certainly sounds like you're having a bit of a fish out of water experience. Just a few comments as I've been without a good debate in a while. Your use of the word culture and the connotations that surround it actually equates less with culture and more with a specific type of culture, that being a collectivist culture. This is not surprising as most of the world technically functions as a collectivist culture. However, it is not the true meaning of culture. Culture is a set of norms and behaviors that are learned as a result of being part of a group of people called a society. Consequently there are many different types of cultures and America does have one. The American culture is unique, as is every culture. But, it is distinctly different from most cultures that exist throughout the world. It is characterized by a low power distance, a high emphasis on individuality, monochronic time, and a middling to high tolerance for uncertainty. This creates the feeling of a society that lacks a "culture" and is based on what some feel is an almost obscene informality. For many early British perceptions on this, read 1776 by David McCullough, if you haven't already. For greater information on cultural differences and the measurement of them see www.gert-hofstede.com. Some social scientists believe unique culture formed because America is a nation of immigrants. Something, some drive or "inner ADD" as my mother has said, caused our ancestors to leave everything behind. They left security, family, possessions to start a new life in the wilderness on some off chance that things might be better in the new world. Many people thought they were crazy. Many people still do. Some suggest that it's a genetic predisposition. Others say that it was due to the cultural trends and individual nurturing of the people who left. No one knows and it doesn't really matter. Either way, the result is the same and that result is this bizarre culture that the US has. I would also disagree with you on the subject of choice. It is not the degrees of choice that matter. Whether you have two options or an infinite number of options is not the issue because the variety of choices does not define the choice. It does not infuse the choice with value. One can choose foolishly (for lack of a better word) just as easily with two choices as with an infinite number if one does not exercise free will and does not think. Rather it is the action of choosing, of reasoning a decision, that demonstrates the exercise of free will. This is what gives choice its value. And finally, carefully chose that cup of coffee. Your choice is not defined amidst a collective culture. Rather it serves to define you as an individual. People around you are gleaning information on your individual nature based upon where you order, what you order, and how you order. In the US, the object of your choice is outward evidence of you as an individual. So it does matter whether you chose a certain style of house or a specific type of olive. That object of your choice is what helps to define you as an individual to the outside world, which is a very unique aspect of American culture.
July 13th, 2006 at 2.12 am
After a hard day of work, I seem to have the commenting feature sorted out on my Journal blog. Sorry for everyone that posted there earlier - your posts should actually be visible now!!
July 15th, 2006 at 4.53 pm
Ok, I lied. It looks right now you can add a new comment to the posts, but you can't reply to a comment already posted. I'll try to fix that tonight…
July 17th, 2006 at 11.27 pm
Right. I was trying to implement a snazzy new threaded comment feature (so I could reply to comments right below the original comment rather than all the way at the bottom of the page).
It didn't work. I've resorted to the standard comment system, so let the conversation continue!