If I may reassure you...

2004-10-15T17:20:16+00:00

...that is not the way Europeans, at least, view Americans, no.

Sadly, many young Europeans look to America for cultural input. This mainly in the form of music, TV series and movies. I’m not attempting to belittle Hollywood or TV production companies, but they are what they are, good and bad, as we all know. What I find worrisome is the perception that American culture is hip, and as a result, European culture is not renewed on it’s own accord. Rather, it is polluted by American ‘shock-and-awe’ media influence. Unfortunately it isn’t the best of American media, which is presented to the European audience, since European media companies lean toward the type that’s ‘most bang for your buck’ – no content, but lots of effects, psychological and otherwise. Instead of nurturing the more traditional, more refined, intellectual programming, designed to make people more perceptive and grow as aware and thinking citizens, they are fed some of the worst pap that serves only one purpose: attracting advertisement money.

In many ways, the U.S. is viewed, at least by the adult Europeans, as coarse and extreme. It is probably the stark contrasts embedded in the American society, which lends it the power and dynamics, which has traditionally kept the wheels turning and the big bucks flowing. However, in a society where things are more well-balanced, if I may use such a snobbish term, the media blast may result in an effect bearing more resemblance to an elefant in a china store.

The above image may even reflect the views of quite a few Europeans – and probably, to a much higher extent, people from other parts of the world – when it comes to the United States on the global arena. As long as it’s somebody else’s china store, it’s not so bad. However, you wouldn’t want such a beast in your own shop.

Comments on "Lake Oswego" - Faerye Net

If I may reassure you...