As Katye says, America is isolated geographically from the rest of the world. But also, the USA was built on an ideology of a new beginning; a fresh start; a land of opportunity. Therefore the country supports a mindset of detaching itself from the rest of the world, and of focusing purely on itself. As a result the country has a kind of national pride and celebration that few others possess. So certainly there seems to be no reason for the education system in the States to prioritise any other part of the world in its history and geography lessons over itself. This isn't to say that Americans don't know anything about other countries, but that there is a certain amount of 'cultural isolation' as well as being geographically isolated - their very culture is based on the idea of being a 'new world'.
There is nothing wrong about this. However I think it does spark frustration in many other countries because American culture is still forced upon them. Certainly this isn't any fault of the individual citizens of America. Despite this though, I get the impression that the media takes out this annoyance on Americans - accusing them of being ignorant about anything outside of America. The fact that there are many Americans that do undoubtedly have a good knowledge of the world is beside the point as far as the media are concerned.
Perhaps the rest of the world just wants America's attention a bit more - tugging at its hand as if to say "hey, we exist too y'know?". We get a lot of America but America doesn't seem to get a lot of us. The hype of the American elections all over the world certainly exemplifies this.
CULTURAL ISOLATION! Yes, that's what I wanted to say! I agree, well said Lukey whose boat is painted green.
How is American culture forced upon you? I was so surprised when people were naming their favorite TV shows, that most of them were shows from the US. I figured every country would have their own great shows.
Is it mainly the TV and film industry at fault? You get our images, then you get our movie stars, then music and fashion follow and before long it just becomes a tidal wave of stuff?
I was also surprised that everybody cared so much who our next president was going to be. Does it really affect you that much? Because sometimes I don't think it really even affects us much. ;o)
When I was an exchange student in Germany it was a relief to not be in country that was in the spotlight 24/7. The newspaper was about more than just Germany!
You could argue a lot of the eternal spotlight is the US's own doing (and I won't disagree with you) but I'm just saying that, even as a citizen of the United States, sometimes it gets tiresome.
Also, I think some people "over here" are just very pissed about Bush's politics. I mean, what people here actually SAW from American politics during the last years WAS mostly horrible.
But now that SO MANY people here watched the American elections, I think there might even be a chance that French and Germans will forget about the whole Freedom Fries and Liberty Cabbage re-namings once Obama is really moving into the White House ;p We will probably go back to tugging at your sleeves ;p
[please do not take everything serious, I've just studied Spanish for 2 hours ;p - oh god, I think now Mónica will be after me ;p]
btw, Mónica: how would you translate "self-fulfilment"? Can I say "realización personal"? And could you say "realizar mis sue~nos?"
Oh AND then I have another question: Was the "Ley de Igualdad" actually passed in parliament? Or is it still in the making? I'm so confused by all the texts I read...
CULTURAL ISOLATION! Yes, that's what I wanted to say! I agree, well said Lukey whose boat is painted green.
How is American culture forced upon you? I was so surprised when people were naming their favorite TV shows, that most of them were shows from the US. I figured every country would have their own great shows.
Is it mainly the TV and film industry at fault? You get our images, then you get our movie stars, then music and fashion follow and before long it just becomes a tidal wave of stuff?
The American movie/tv industry has a lot of $$ and therefore a lot of power. Thus, it is widespread throughout the world.
Also things like McDonalds, Starbucks etc are pretty much taking over.
Recently on the Daily Show (comedy news show for those who don't know)Jon Stewart said something like, "wow, I just had déjà vu. Oh wait, that's French. I just had a freedom memory!"
I got some pretty dumb questions when I lived in Germany as well. I know most of it was because they had the TV and marketing version of the US as their point of reference.
One weird one was how many McDonald's there were in the US. And then was there one on every block.
I too got the "Do you know Joe Smith? He's from America" question as well. But once I actually did know the girl someone asked about!
That was not totally shocking because in German class (in Texas) we had pen pals and I was visiting mine and so it was someone who was that girl's pen pal.
I was also surprised that everybody cared so much who our next president was going to be. Does it really affect you that much? Because sometimes I don't think it really even affects us much. ;o)
Well, I think it really was Bush becoming President and then especially his second term and the Iraq war that made people here realise how much we all depend on the U.S.'s "goodwill". I believe it affected our view on the States massively, especially in Germany, because usually I guess people here were more "pro U.S." with history since 1945 and all that...
I can only speak of what I saw in Germany (or for Germans I know), of course, but when Bush's troops started invading Iraq, things here ...like...froze, in shock. I think people started to get scared of the idea that the U.S. under Bush will probably do anything they want everywhere they want, independently, without the "o.k." of Europe or even the United Nations.
And suddenly there was all that insecurity, you know. and the questions - "why can no one IN the U.S. stop them?", etc etc.
We're used to having many countries as neighbours, we're close to other cultures, languages and ideas, so for example in the European Union many contries come together, discuss and try to find a compromise. Germany can't do anything alone, really. We depend on others. (EU-regulations are CRAZY stuff sometimes, they can be completely bonkers!)
What happened in the U.S. during campaigns and elections, especially the high voter turnout, was so refreshing to see, so ... I don't know... I just thought: "oh my god, FINALLY!!!" (and watched elections on TV until 3 at night when I fell asleep ;) )
People I've talked to about this are still kinda sceptical (I guess that's how my generation in Germany was raised and educated), but hopeful, too.
So we'll sit over here and watch you ;D Small Brother is watching you or sth like that ;)
Also, you have to realise that with your powerful economy every crisis your country faces (like now) affects not only you, but (I dare to say) the whole world. So yeah, we all care who runs your country and if they know what they're doing.
I got some pretty dumb questions when I lived in Germany as well. I know most of it was because they had the TV and marketing version of the US as their point of reference.
One weird one was how many McDonald's there were in the US. And then was there one on every block.
I too got the "Do you know Joe Smith? He's from America" question as well. But once I actually did know the girl someone asked about!
That was not totally shocking because in German class (in Texas) we had pen pals and I was visiting mine and so it was someone who was that girl's pen pal.
LOL, that asking about people stuff is just... well, a LOT of Germans just LOVE the "do you know XY" question, and (as happened to you) strangely enough VERY often they get a "OMG, YES!" as an answer. No idea why. Creepy...
Haha, the McDonald's thing is funny ;p
I read that the McDonalds with most visitors in the year 2007 is actually in Munich, Germany (my little city, I know the McD and I can imagine why it's got so many visitors: it's the only fast-food restaurant within miles ;D).
Hm, I seem to meet a lot of Americans who tell me: "OMG, your name is Lil(l)ian? That's my GRANDMA!" Seriously, I talked to three American guys last year (on different occasions, and they were about the only young Americans I met AND talked to in person last year) about their grandmas, because all the ladies had my name ;)
I love the idea of Liberty Cabbage, it sounds delicious ;D and I'm sure it lost the annoying "digestive helpfulness" when it was renamed, too ;D
But did that actually work? I mean, do people actually USE the words "Freedom Fries" and "Liberty Cabbage"?
Also, you have to realise that with your powerful economy every crisis your country faces (like now) affects not only you, but (I dare to say) the whole world. So yeah, we all care who runs your country and if they know what they're doing.
exactly. I didn't want to mention the crisis, because there are so many factors playing a role in the whole thing, but you're right, of course.
Also, the Kyoto-dropout of the U.S. (in 2001, was it?) did not help...
