tjdee
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Tue Sep-27-05 03:13 PM
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How would you define American culture? |
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Edited on Tue Sep-27-05 03:18 PM by tjdee
Whilst watching rewatching Swades (an SRK film :loveya: ), there's a scene where SRK's character, who has been living in America for years, has a conversation with some Indian villagers about America. It's an interesting conversation, and someone says to him something which is kind of like "America will never be better than us because we have our culture and tradition." SRK's character says that's not fair, that America does have a culture and traditions.
Which made me think. America is largely a culture of all different cultures. One of the things that makes me proudest is that our country's Olympic teams are one of the few that have people of all different colors and beliefs.
Maybe because I am an American and not seeing it from the outside, I don't see things that are "American". Obviously there is a lot of music that is American...but what else is "American"? (Other than Thanksgiving, being loud and thinking the world owes you something just because you're American--which is what I've heard from non-Yank friends.)
Also, I love Shah Rukh Khan. :silly:
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Beware the Beast Man
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Tue Sep-27-05 03:15 PM
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Edited on Tue Sep-27-05 03:15 PM by Beware the Beast Man
we have not had the opportunity to harvest as much of a "culture" as other nations because the US is relatively young. And because we are such a diverse nation in terms of race and origin, we have several mini-cultures, if you will.
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tjdee
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Tue Sep-27-05 03:17 PM
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I was glad SRK's character was sticking up for us, and I went, he's right, we have....umm... I thought maybe I was just forgetting stuff, LOL.
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Nicholas D Wolfwood
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Tue Sep-27-05 03:17 PM
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3. Well, the fact that we are an almalgam of different cultures is itself |
TheMightyFavog
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Tue Sep-27-05 03:48 PM
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tjdee
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Tue Sep-27-05 06:32 PM
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15. Eww, but I don't like that! |
Splatter Phoenix
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Tue Sep-27-05 03:50 PM
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5. A must see link for this. |
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http://www.ishkur.com/editorials/america.phpBe sure to turn down your speakers, it gets LOUD.
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La Lioness Priyanka
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Tue Sep-27-05 04:53 PM
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6. ofcourse america has culture |
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Edited on Tue Sep-27-05 04:54 PM by lionesspriyanka
on edit: its hard to define indian culture too
culture is hard to define methinks
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tjdee
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Tue Sep-27-05 06:38 PM
Original message |
Especially when the country is so large. |
La Lioness Priyanka
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Tue Sep-27-05 06:39 PM
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19. so why do you have a shah rukh obsession |
tjdee
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Tue Sep-27-05 06:52 PM
Response to Reply #19 |
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Edited on Tue Sep-27-05 06:59 PM by tjdee
I saw Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge a while back and thought he was really interesting. He definitely left an impression, but they don't carry that many Bollywood films at the Blockbuster (actually only Asoka and Lagaan), and I couldn't remember the name of the film nor the star, so....
Years later I got Netflix, got Veer Zaara on whim, wanted to see anything but a Hollywood film, and there he was again. Same interesting guy. Hmm. Before the film ended I was in celeb luv!
I could go on, embarrassingly, for a very, very long time about much I adore him and his films. He's such a pleasure to watch, he's ridiculously sexy, and he also seems to be a smart, nice guy.
He also got me interested in the larger world of Hindi films, which I enjoy very much.
:blush:
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La Lioness Priyanka
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Tue Sep-27-05 07:09 PM
Response to Reply #22 |
23. i can suggest a few good hindi movies for you to watch |
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parineeta sirkar hazaron quaishay aisi iqbal
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tjdee
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Tue Sep-27-05 07:22 PM
Response to Reply #23 |
24. I've not heard of Hazaron Quaishay Aisi... |
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what's that about? I tried googling with no luck.
Parineeta's been sitting on my Netflix queue for a while now, I think it releases (from Netflix anyway!) on Friday.
Thanks for the recommendations, I'm always glad to get them...there are a lot of films out there, and none of my "real life" friends watch Hindi films (though I'm trying to get them started). I kind of stumble onto people I like and try to see their films, where I see other people I like, etc.
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La Lioness Priyanka
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Tue Sep-27-05 07:24 PM
Response to Reply #24 |
25. this is the correct spelling |
tjdee
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Tue Sep-27-05 06:38 PM
Response to Reply #6 |
18. Especially when the country is so large. |
skygazer
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Tue Sep-27-05 05:01 PM
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Seriously, this has been something I've thought about a lot. My SO is first generation Italian and he retains a lot of his parents cultural identity. Many of my friends are not too far removed from their cultural origins. However, I am a product of 17th century Puritan settlers - what is my cultural heritage? I look at people who seem to know who they are by their folk songs, customs and traditional clothing and arts - who am I?
I really don't know.
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tjdee
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Tue Sep-27-05 06:40 PM
Response to Reply #7 |
21. That's exactly what I mean. |
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I think, as I'm reading this thread, our cultural heritage is just newer.
So when the kids of the future look back at us, they'll sing ye old "Hit Me Baby One More Time" instead of a simpler tune.
I'm kidding...I hope!
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Dora
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Tue Sep-27-05 05:03 PM
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8. Oh, come on. You can answer your own question. |
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What constitutes culture? Diet, entertainment, politics, community...
American food: fried chicken, corn bread, green beans and bacon... American dance: square dance and breakdance... American humor: Mork & Mindy, Happy Days, The Daily Show... American dress: Hot pants and halter tops. Sports jerseys. The baseball cap. American music: MTV. Britney Spears. REM. Joan Baez. Green Day. American rituals: The $50,000 wedding. The Vegas wedding.
I'm certain there's more.
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tjdee
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Tue Sep-27-05 06:34 PM
Response to Reply #8 |
16. Sure, American music was easy. |
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That was the easiest. I did think of blue jeans, as I've heard a number of stories over the years about eastern Europeans paying gobs of money for them... hmm.
What you say makes sense. American humor? Everyone doesn't find The Daily Show funny? Whaa?
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fishnfla
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Tue Sep-27-05 05:07 PM
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9. Remote control + fast food drive thru |
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=lazy, sedentary,obese and intellectually bankrupt culture.
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Ivan Sputnik
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Tue Sep-27-05 05:09 PM
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10. Hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet? |
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Our culture is largely a commercial one, I think.
There's baseball, jazz (but you said other than music), the Hollywood style of film-making, and the (stereotypical) American "character": a certain openness and informality, materialistic attitude, valuing the individual over the group and extroversion over introversion, anti-intellectualism.
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Deja Q
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Tue Sep-27-05 05:19 PM
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11. Money, ungodly rapid, money, disposable commodities, disposable people... |
Redstone
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Tue Sep-27-05 05:27 PM
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12. The only "universals" I can think of are: |
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Selfish and lazy.
The quotation marks around "universals" are because both apply to about 70% of the population, and the individual words alone to about 80% (accounting for overlap).
Just one example: When gasoline prices go up, do the majority of Americans react by thinking about ways to use less gasoline? No, they don't. They piss and moan and bitch and complain, and expect the Government to do something to make the price lower, as if low gasoline prices were written into the Bill of Rights.
Redstone
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Mojambo
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Tue Sep-27-05 05:58 PM
Response to Original message |
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Edited on Tue Sep-27-05 06:01 PM by Mojambo
And I mean that in the slutty, accessible way.
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Rabrrrrrr
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Tue Sep-27-05 06:01 PM
Response to Original message |
14. "Artless Fatties Who Celebrate Ignorance And Have No Understanding |
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Of the World Around Them Let Alone Outside Their Boundaries"
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tjdee
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Tue Sep-27-05 06:36 PM
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17. Artless Fatties would be a kick ass name for a band. |
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But it is not very cool for an identity! :cry:
Should I tell Shah Rukh when I meet him that I'm a Canadian?
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Rabrrrrrr
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Tue Sep-27-05 07:42 PM
Response to Reply #17 |
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I think you should say you are Canadian.
It's too fucking embarassing to be American right now.
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HEyHEY
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Tue Sep-27-05 06:40 PM
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20. I always laugh when people say there is no culture in the US |
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Are they the same as any other nation? no... different means they have a culture.
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