Is America culturally arrogant?

[redsamurai]

oh. . .and the "average middle class guy" in all those other countries was born into the middle class and has a better chance of getting hit by lightening than escaping the bonds of middle-classdom. . .here, you can be born into the middle class (or even the lower middle class) and wind up being president of the united states. . .ask bill clinton. . .NO ONE HAS THE FREEDOM THAT WE DO. . ..PERIOD. . .and freedom is expensive. . .the cost in both money and lives is, at times, significant, but if there's a better way, i haven't seen it yet. . .

There are exceptions, maybe more so here in the U.S than anywhere.........but you gotta understand, Bill Clinton became a crook to get where he is. I can say that even though I wish he was still president. But I think you're kidding yourself if you think there isn't a glass ceiling EVEN for the average middle class white guy........at least the honest ones. To get to the level you're talking about, the personal ethical compromises you have to make are so staggering nobody wants to even hold the thought for more than a few seconds........otherwise we'd have to take a good long hard look at our system and who's running it and to what end. But that's another discussion entirely. But I will hold fast to the assertion that to become wealthy, not rich, but "wealthy".....in this country, means to make so many compromises to your personal integrity that to me at least........it's unfathomable.

 

[digimon7068]

There are exceptions, maybe more so here in the U.S than anywhere.........but you gotta understand, Bill Clinton became a crook to get where he is. I can say that even though I wish he was still president. But I think you're kidding yourself if you think there isn't a glass ceiling EVEN for the average middle class white guy........at least the honest ones. To get to the level you're talking about, the personal ethical compromises you have to make are so staggering nobody wants to even hold the thought for more than a few seconds........otherwise we'd have to take a good long hard look at our system and who's running it and to what end. But that's another discussion entirely. But I will hold fast to the assertion that to become wealthy, not rich, but "wealthy".....in this country, means to make so many compromises to your personal integrity that to me at least........it's unfathomable.

like i said. . .i love you man. . .maybe it's because you weigh 270 pounds (and i only weigh like 220). . .but who cares??

 

[gjohnson5]

That's very flat and un-inclusive point of view. Especially in terms of music. Those musics which have evolved here in America should be considered American even though they have Europeak or African influences. So folk , jazz , blues , R&B , funk, country, pop, rock&roll , metal, rap, hip-hop and the histories or musicology as we call it associated with those is also American

The city of New Orleans in itself is a repository of culture (well I hope people are still trying to preserve it) from music , art, dance , cooking, clothing and costumes to language and histories.

I think the problem with most Americans is that they do really spend any time looking into their own ancestory. So being separated from their own cultures , it's easy to overlook or simply ignore other cultures. I believe this is the nature of this post

America has little culture , everyone except the native americans came from somewhere else.

Well I guess the usa has elvis , rock'n'roll ,breakdancing some junkfood and some pop cultural icons.

 

[gjohnson5]

LOL

Canada is America Light...half the Calories and none of the flavor....

 

[redsamurai]

like i said. . .i love you man. . .maybe it's because you weigh 270 pounds (and i only weigh like 220). . .but who cares??

psssst.......I should be about 250-255.......'tween you and me nigga!

 

[gjohnson5]

Yeah but what's his bodyfat %?
That one cultural thing we can attribute to America

we're all fat

like i said. . .i love you man. . .maybe it's because you weigh 270 pounds (and i only weigh like 220). . .but who cares??

 

[digimon7068]

Yeah but what's his bodyfat %?
That one cultural thing we can attribute to America

we're all fat

amen. . .i look forward to fall each year so i can put my shirt back on. . .and tie on the damn feed bag!

 

[gjohnson5]

Size matters unless you need oxygen everytime you take a few steps, LOL

Just fuckin' with ya Red

amen. . .i look forward to fall each year so i can put my shirt back on. . .and tie on the damn feed bag!

 

[redsamurai]

Size matters unless you need oxygen everytime you take a few steps, LOL

Just fuckin' with ya Red

Hey, I admitted I should be about 15 pounds lighter.

 

[Tatyana]

oh. . .and the "average middle class guy" in all those other countries was born into the middle class and has a better chance of getting hit by lightening than escaping the bonds of middle-classdom. . .here, you can be born into the middle class (or even the lower middle class) and wind up being president of the united states. . .ask bill clinton. . .NO ONE HAS THE FREEDOM THAT WE DO. . ..PERIOD. . .and freedom is expensive. . .the cost in both money and lives is, at times, significant, but if there's a better way, i haven't seen it yet. . .

No offense hun, but I think you are demonstrating the 'cultural arrogance' that this thread is about.

Just a few things:

Is grass decriminalised or a minor drug infraction in the US?

Is prostitution legal?

Can you drive at any speed limit you want on the motorways?

Are steroids 'legal' or not criminalised?

Do you have nudity on television, normal magazines, daily newspapers?

Do you have 24 hour liquor license laws?

This is an odd 'freedom' but anyone over the age of 60 in the UK gets a free bus pass, and they have the freedom to roam anywhere in the country.

Similarly, if you like outdoor pursuits, there are so many footpaths in the UK, you have the freedom to roam across a lot of private lands and through farms etc.

There are also some issues around healthcare, but I know that is opening up a can of worms.

These are only a few things off the top of my head, I am sure there are some areas where the US experiences greater freedom, but other countries also have areas of freedom that are not in the US.