Ask an American
Hopefully this doesn't come across as obnoxious and narcissistic in any way (given the fact that most Americans wax poetic about freedom, eagles, and democracy most of the time), but since it's the Fourth of July, I thought it'd be interesting if I were available to answer questions about America, from the most mundane and irreverent to the serious and political. I'm really fascinated by how other nations perceive the US so I thought I'd try this out. If it's too obnoxious, then nevermind!
Are the British actually portrayed as spending their time eating Scones and Tea, or is this something broadcasters just do as a Stereotype (this was particularly apparent before the Royal Wedding, when they gave tutorials on American News channels on how to understand the idiolect, and how to host a British Tea party)?
What is really the most popular sport - football or baseball?
Hmm, that's a really interesting question. I'd say they're equally popular. Baseball runs from April to October, and Football from September to February, so there's not much overlap. The NFL Superbowl is essentially an unofficial national holiday, and High School Football games are significant social events in rural areas. However, in terms of cultural impact, (team rivalries, baseball game customs, etc.) I'd say baseball has contributed more to the American pop culture than football.
Why is it those who claim to fight for and defend "freedom" and "liberty" are usually the first ones to deny it to others?
This is perhaps the most frustrating aspect of American culture, to the extent that is has made me question whether or not I want to stay here after my education. I think many Americans are blinded by patriotism to the extent that they fail to see the major problems within our society (huge income inequalities, brash foreign policies, etc.). Conservatives hold the "American Values" of independence and freedom to be the cornerstones of American society, yet they interpret this as being ways of justifying selfish and ignorant behavior. Conservatives complain about "high taxes" (not by European standards!) that come out of THEIR pocket to fund social programs that are "abused" by OTHERS. It is this mentality that has starved America of a robust social welfare program that we need. I wouldn't mind paying higher taxes to get more European-style services. It is my duty as a member of society to pay taxes to help the greater good. Unfortunately, many of these people are too concerned with their own selves to see how their selfishness starves others of a means to live their lives without fear of poverty. The rise of the far-right here is terrifying, and just seeing how selfish a large proportion of this country is has given me doubts about the future of this country.
When's the best time to visit San Francisco?
I've never been. Many people complain about the weather there, but it is my understanding that it's more similar to Western Europe (cloudy, mild weather) than the rest of the US (New York is essentially arctic in the winter, and sub-tropical in the summer. I hate it.). Wikipedia's weather charts for San Francisco show that it's drier in the summer, so I'd assume June-September would be good.
Hmm, that's a really interesting question. I'd say they're equally popular. Baseball runs from April to October, and Football from September to February, so there's not much overlap. The NFL Superbowl is essentially an unofficial national holiday, and High School Football games are significant social events in rural areas. However, in terms of cultural impact, (team rivalries, baseball game customs, etc.) I'd say baseball has contributed more to the American pop culture than football.
Why is it those who claim to fight for and defend "freedom" and "liberty" are usually the first ones to deny it to others?
This is perhaps the most frustrating aspect of American culture, to the extent that is has made me question whether or not I want to stay here after my education. I think many Americans are blinded by patriotism to the extent that they fail to see the major problems within our society (huge income inequalities, brash foreign policies, etc.). Conservatives hold the "American Values" of independence and freedom to be the cornerstones of American society, yet they interpret this as being ways of justifying selfish and ignorant behavior. Conservatives complain about "high taxes" (not by European standards!) that come out of THEIR pocket to fund social programs that are "abused" by OTHERS. It is this mentality that has starved America of a robust social welfare program that we need. I wouldn't mind paying higher taxes to get more European-style services. It is my duty as a member of society to pay taxes to help the greater good. Unfortunately, many of these people are too concerned with their own selves to see how their selfishness starves others of a means to live their lives without fear of poverty. The rise of the far-right here is terrifying, and just seeing how selfish a large proportion of this country is has given me doubts about the future of this country.
When's the best time to visit San Francisco?
I've never been. Many people complain about the weather there, but it is my understanding that it's more similar to Western Europe (cloudy, mild weather) than the rest of the US (New York is essentially arctic in the winter, and sub-tropical in the summer. I hate it.). Wikipedia's weather charts for San Francisco show that it's drier in the summer, so I'd assume June-September would be good.
How many of your fellow countrymen share this view? Given that, for the most part, the view we have of the USA is a construct framed by Fox, CNN, ABC and CBS News, do you think a substantial percentage of You The People have the same mindset, or is it really as cynical and black/white as Roger Ailes and Ted Turner would have us believe?jsm wrote:Why is it those who claim to fight for and defend "freedom" and "liberty" are usually the first ones to deny it to others?
This is perhaps the most frustrating aspect of American culture, to the extent that is has made me question whether or not I want to stay here after my education. I think many Americans are blinded by patriotism to the extent that they fail to see the major problems within our society (huge income inequalities, brash foreign policies, etc.). Conservatives hold the "American Values" of independence and freedom to be the cornerstones of American society, yet they interpret this as being ways of justifying selfish and ignorant behavior. Conservatives complain about "high taxes" (not by European standards!) that come out of THEIR pocket to fund social programs that are "abused" by OTHERS. It is this mentality that has starved America of a robust social welfare program that we need. I wouldn't mind paying higher taxes to get more European-style services. It is my duty as a member of society to pay taxes to help the greater good. Unfortunately, many of these people are too concerned with their own selves to see how their selfishness starves others of a means to live their lives without fear of poverty. The rise of the far-right here is terrifying, and just seeing how selfish a large proportion of this country is has given me doubts about the future of this country.
Also another question: do you like Craig Ferguson?
Are the British actually portrayed as spending their time eating Scones and Tea, or is this something broadcasters just do as a Stereotype (this was particularly apparent before the Royal Wedding, when they gave tutorials on American News channels on how to understand the idiolect, and how to host a British Tea party)?
I think it's just a stereotype. Hollywood movies seem to portray movie villains as having British accents, but I don't think anybody truly believes that everybody in the UK speaks like the Queen. The media here are quick to jump on any event like the Royal Wedding and milk as much out of it as they can, hence the absurdities in the coverage.
I don't know if this is specific to New York, but I've noticed that many British films and television shows are popular among people my age. Shows like The IT Crowd, Dr. Who, Torchwood, Skins, and Misfits are wildly popular, as are dramas such as Sherlock, Downton Abbey, and Wallander. I think part of this is a backlash against the awful shows we make, such as Jersey Shore and CSI. The only American shows I watch are 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation.
I think it's just a stereotype. Hollywood movies seem to portray movie villains as having British accents, but I don't think anybody truly believes that everybody in the UK speaks like the Queen. The media here are quick to jump on any event like the Royal Wedding and milk as much out of it as they can, hence the absurdities in the coverage.
I don't know if this is specific to New York, but I've noticed that many British films and television shows are popular among people my age. Shows like The IT Crowd, Dr. Who, Torchwood, Skins, and Misfits are wildly popular, as are dramas such as Sherlock, Downton Abbey, and Wallander. I think part of this is a backlash against the awful shows we make, such as Jersey Shore and CSI. The only American shows I watch are 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation.
I'm not sure I completely know what you're asking, but I think many people have the view that the (limited) welfare system we have is only made for people to abuse. There is often a racist undertone to this. The media here isn't very balanced, due to the elimination of the FCC Fairness Doctrine towards the end of Reagan's presidency. The man who orchestrated the elimination of that doctrine was no other than Roger Ailes himself. I think too many people fall hook, line, and sinker for Fox "News", and the fascist political agenda that it promotes. For news, I try and stick to NPR and PBS. NPR is regarded as having a liberal bias, but in all honesty I think this is because they don't pander to the right, and the majority of the audience are liberals from the cities. I really think if you guys listened to NPR, you'd have a better view of the actual issues the US faces, issues that the networks don't always cover. I recommend the show All Things Considered, or just the hourly news summaries.Alexia wrote: How many of your fellow countrymen share this view? Given that, for the most part, the view we have of the USA is a construct framed by Fox, CNN, ABC and CBS News, do you think a substantial percentage of You The People have the same mindset, or is it really as cynical and black/white as Roger Ailes and Ted Turner would have us believe?
Also another question: do you like Craig Ferguson?
Craig Ferguson is probably the funniest late-night comedian on right now (far better than Jimmy Fallon!), but I don't get to see him very often, as it's on CBS pretty late.
I think NCAA basketball and football are popular because many of the universities with teams are state-run, wig large student bodies, so people feel an allegiance to support them. College football plays on Saturdays, while NFL plays on Sundays, so it might be because of that. I'm not a huge spots person, so I don't really know, sorry.Malpass93 wrote:Why are college (NCAA) sports so well-followed?
Does it not strike you as an absolute joke that your telephone providers expect you to pay for incoming calls as well as outgoing?
To be honest, I didn't even know this was strange until a few weeks ago. In the past ten years, most landline telephone coverage has been unlimited-I can call all 50 States, Puerto Rico, and all of Canada for ~$30 a month.WillPS wrote:Does it not strike you as an absolute joke that your telephone providers expect you to pay for incoming calls as well as outgoing?
The US cell phone companies are absolutely awful, though. In addition to charging for incoming and outgoing calls, one is also charged for incoming as well as outgoing text messages, with high overage fees. For example, 500 texts a month costs $10, but it's in effect ~250 texts, since responses take away from that allotment.
I wish there was something we could all do about it, but it has become the norm across all 4 (soon to be 3) major networks. I suppose that's what happens in a country when there's barely any framework for regulation to protect the consumer.