Americans and Our Lack of Culture

[sean miguel]

I agree with Mariah on this. Growing up a military dependent, I've lived all over the U.S. and also in several countries overseas for years at a time so I really got to experience other cultures. Being a typical american teenager I guess, I didn't fully appreciate it at the time and was constantly homesick for the states. But looking back on the experiences I had, the friendships forged and just the things I've seen, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

One of my interests is World War II, and I got to see key historical places from that conflict that most just read about in history books, if that.

 

[Mr. Daystar]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Jagger69 again.

Exactly right again.

...and without a hint of confrontation or condescension, no less.


Imagine that.

I hit him up, once again he proves to be very logical...he's like our own version of Spock!

 

[Rey C.]

I'd like to thank Jagger for that fine post. And I'd like to thank the FreeOnes system for (FINALLY!) letting me give him rep again.

Even when I've not agreed with something he's said, he presents his points in such a way, that I still make sure that I carefully read what he's said.

As to the OP, I agree with Jagger. I really don't know what percentage of Americans have traveled to say, Europe, vs. what percentage of Europeans have traveled here. I'm not even sure where I would find that comparative data. But as with most things in life, I'd say that money (including exchange rates and how the travel percentages would change based on those fluctuations) and time are major, if not deciding factors. Most of the traveling that I've done has been for business. And what other traveling I've done has largely been for auto races - because that's what I enjoy most. Ancient cultures interest me. Modern cultures, for the most part, do not. But maybe I will travel in a few years, once I go into wind down mode. And then maybe I'll see if I can't meet a whole new set of people that I can dislike.

 

[Jack Davenport]

Buzz Aldrin scoffs at Mariah

 

[BusterLoads]

I find it sad that so few americans have experienced other cultures and even more sad that they have no desire to.

Unless experiencing a different culture or visiting a different city is in direct result of making me money, I don't find any interest or necessity in them.

 

[MMMariah]

The reality is that there are MANY americans who wouldn't travel even if they could. they see no value in it. my point being that in other countries nearly every has a passport. my mother has never had a passport. she thinks my travel is silly and a waste of money.

Im not saying that if you dont travel you're stupid, I'm saying that americans and their lack of culture or even their lack of interest in culture is a negative about our society.

 

[MMMariah]

Unless experiencing a different culture or visiting a different city is in direct result of making me money, I don't find any interest or necessity in them.

and there you have it. Not even realizing that expanding your experiences and opening your mind could make you extra money some day.

 

[ThatRedWing]

When did traveling start equaling culture? Silly me, I always thought that arts & literature were cultural. If you are in Europe you almost have to have a passport. If you go from one state to the next depending on where you are might be the same distance as traveling through three or four European countries. Heck going from one end of some states to the other is the same thing. I live in Michigan and the west side of the state is completely different from being in Detroit and the U.P. is a whole different ball game. As far as culture goes, New York has a different culture from say New Orleans. Every region in the U.S. has a slightly different culture. Some can be quite striking. Appalachia has a different culture from the Pacific northwest. Besides visiting somewhere doesn't mean that you have really experienced the culture. To do that you need to see how everyday people live their lives not hit a few tourist traps. Go to where the locals go to get away from the tourists.

 

[MMMariah]

When I travel I avoid tourist locations at all costs. The slogan of my travel series I do is "Be a traveler not a tourist!"

There are different definitions of culture. I don't mean the culture pertaining to the arts. I mean the culture of other societies. People who speak different languages and live differently than we do. Places that date back thousands of years as opposed to hundreds. I drove from Paris to the southern coast staying in B&B's the entire way and stopped in a village that had a blacksmith and glass maker who's families had been doing this since the 1200's. I went to a restaurant that raised their own cows and pigs and its said that the bloodline of their pigs goes back over 1000 years. I stayed in a hotel that was built in the 1400s.

People in France for example don't stockpile food filling up their freezers, they shop for food as they need it. They don't have monstrous refrigerators, they have small ones to hold essentials like milk, everything else is bought daily as needed. Many Americans buy in bulk and freeze everything.

Until I started traveling I didn't know how to cook, at all. I had no desire. I also wasn't very tolerant of things in my life and people. I learned so much from experiencing the way other people who were different than me lived.

 

[Jack Davenport]

I travel, I don't have to stop in the middle of my vacation and shill for somebody's eyeglasses website or their mediocre restaurant.

What's next? You going to start wearing flashing signs?

 

[MMMariah]

when did I stop my vacation to do any of those things?

Sorry dude but an attorney chastising me for what I take money for is hardly taken as an insult. Here's a question....why are you keeping tabs on the videos I post? hmmm? That 1 minute promoting glassesusa took me all of 4 minutes to do and I got paid more than you make in 3 or 4 hours of backbreaking lawyerin'. So who's the dummy?

And forgive me if I don't take your classification as "mediocre restaurant" seriously either considering you have openly admitted to not trying new things and only eating what you already know you like. I'm in a much better position to decide what's mediocre and what isn't.

 

[MMMariah]

maybe you should try and insult me on filming at a grocery store....like the Locale Market video I posted. Considering that the 2 owners are celebrity chefs from San Francisco who own several very successful restaurants and Emeril is the ONLY other show that they have allowed to be filmed there, you would once again really hit me where it hurts.

Why can't you just admit that you're IN LOVE with me and stop the little schoolyard crush nonsense.

Can I get an amen from anyone else? Am I the only one who sees how this dude is jocking me so hard?

 

[Jack Davenport]

Am I in love with the other posters that
I have long drawn out arguments with?

There have been quite a few lately and none involved you. In fact, they may have been nastier than our exchanges

I just don't like radicals and will challenge them anytime they start spewing their crap. Be it,you or anyone else. It just so happens that you are the number one shit slinger here. How many threads have I started in the past 2 weeks?

 

[MMMariah]

Yes but are you as trivial in those exchanges? Do you investigate their youtube channel and keep tabs on the things that they do away from those threads? Do you pounce on every post they make and take each of their posts as if they were intended to target you and you alone?

You are in love. You just can't admit it because I have an opinion that you didn't give me.

 

[Jack Davenport]

Yes but are you as trivial in those exchanges? Do you investigate their youtube channel and keep tabs on the things that they do away from those threads? Do you pounce on every post they make and take each of their posts as if they were intended to target you and you alone?

You are in love. You just can't admit it because I have an opinion that
didn't give me.

I don't know anything about your YouTube channel other than what you post here.

15 threads by you alone on the first page of P&R. I have 1.

All of them were created to get a response from conservatives and more than likely I am your number 1 target because not many others are willing to engage you

I think that speaks for itself. lol

 

[MMMariah]

I never posted the glassesusa promo video on this board. I post relevant things that I find newsworthy. You don't need to start new threads because your agenda is to beat past due things to death.

 

[Jack Davenport]

I never posted the glassesusa promo video on this board. I post relevant things that I find newsworthy. You don't need to start new threads because your agenda is to beat past due things to death.

Post #2506 on your Foodie thread.

The eyeglasses promo is one of 2 videos within that post.

 

[MMMariah]

Yeah ok, I didnt realize that I had posted it. I stand corrected.

But I think it's kind of fucked up that you take shots at how I make a living. It might not measure up to your standards but it's an honest living, I provide a service to businesses and I am doing something I enjoy and can be proud of and not ashamed to have people I care about see, especially my son. Of all the things that can be said about me, I think criticizing how I am making a living these days wouldn't be one of them, but it's a cheap shot and if that's all you've got then that's fine. I didn't grow up rich and get to go to college to become something else, those things were never options to me. I am doing the best that I can and I'm doing pretty fucking well considering.

 

[Jack Davenport]

I found the eyeglasses promo to be strange. Other than that I don't really care how you market yourself. When I saw it, I thought maybe I should post one of our disability spots. lol

 

[MMMariah]

I get paid to do product promos and paid VERY well. Not only do I get 5 free pairs of glasses I got a fat check to do it. All for a 1 minute video. I also got a $400 pressure cooker, an electric whisk, shoes, makeup, clothing, new aftermarket leather car seats, a GPS/Depth Finder for my boat and other things. That was all in July by the way and I got paid for doing each promo as well as the free items. Some things I dont even have to do a video for, I just get paid to use them or wear them. So if you wanna say something that's fine, but I would bet that just about anyone you asked would agree that ain't a bad way to make about $7500 (in a month) as well as all the free items that came with it.