So, I had more thoughts tonight in the middle of the night on the whole cultural differences, America vs. Europe blablablablabla stuff. I realize that ye poor Americans do get quite a negative attitude from Europeans quite frequently. Now, I'd be a hypocrite if I pretended that I haven't contributed my fair share in discussing the many things that rub me wrong in this country. And I'm not going to pretend now that those things have disappeared (for lo and behold - people still can't drive), but, I repeat, I see that I may have to change some of my ways. Well, really what I'm trying to say is that it is pretty lame and annoying to give Americans a hard time just because they are Americans (since none of us have chosen our birth countries that would just be a silly thing), and I think Europeans should come off their high horse a little. I know many Europeans are thoroughly annoyed by the constant suggestion of Americans that they are "the greatest nation on earth". Well, we can disagree with that, but if we are bothered by what we perceive as arrogance and then run around equally arrogant - well, that'd be a little hypocritical, right?
Where does all this come from? Recently, I've become more aware of certain comments, and since they were targeted at me, I realized how lame a lot of those things are. Let me elaborate:
When I was home in Germany this summer, I grabbed a plastic cup from my parents cupboard to drink some water. My dad commented on how American I'm becoming. I asked why? He said because I picked a plastic cup instead of a glass. Hmmmm, funny...especially since I at that point didn't have a single plastic dinner ware item in my own kitchen, unlike my parents (if plastic dinner ware is so American, and they are not American, what was that plastic cup doing in their cupboard???). Also, said cup was from Swedish IKEA. American? I don't know. I could give more examples of similar nature, but don't have enough time right now. My point is that there seems to be some idea that anything that's different from how I/you do it, and it may just be American, and usually those perceived American things aren't as good as my/your ways. That just rubs me wrong. I mean, why on earth does it matter so much what kind of cup I drink out of, and whether it's American or German or Swedish? Who flippin' cares? Why can't we just like/dislike things based on our own personal tastes and forget the whole culture crap? Obviously, I still struggle with this myself, and probably will continue to struggle for another while, but at least now I see how bothersome it can be and have resolved to do better. That doesn't mean that I don't sincerely still dislike things that I think are wrong/bad/distasteful/annoying.
I just think it's lame to constantly sort of look down on differences that are totally unimportant. It's lame to be arrogant. And it's lame to dislike something just because it's "American" (or whatever other nationality). So there...
Thursday, January 15, 2009
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6 comments:
I agree. I guess that means we shouldn't think that just because it's German means it's efficient either. That poor Aldi laptop doesn't work too well.
Henry
phhhh...I didn't have time to say that naturally everything German is superior. We just shouldn't rub it into anyone's face. :) (j/k).
I definitely agree with these sentiments. A rule that Todd and I try to live by is this: appreciate a place for what it is. Period. When we visit a different part of the US, we try not to like it better or worse than another place just because it is different. And the same thing when we visit Europe. We always try to focus our visit, or the time we are living in a certain place, on the great and different things that place has to offer.
Sometimes it is difficult to do that - like right now when the wind chill is this forsaken arctic wasteland is in the -30's and -40's and we're having three snow days from school in a row! But - that is our goal nonetheless. I've never been to a perfect place and everywhere has its negative and positive things. And sometimes things can just BE DIFFERENT and not necessarily better or worse. Why do we always have to compare everything as such? Sometimes we should just let things BE what they are. And the bottom line comes down to this - who are we to judge?
That's funny. I didn't know plastic glasses were American either. (:
I don't think your father was talking about the fact that plastic cups per se are American. I think he was talking about the fact that an environmentally conscious German would never, NEVER, except on special occasions, drink from anything but a re-washable, re-usable, re-cyclable glass.
So, I don't think he was saying that the cups are American, but that drinking from them is. He he, I know you hate it, but I have to say it: You have become more American. And before you come back to stone me, let me just say that it's a GOOD thing. You live there. And Americans are some of the greatest people on earth (really).
ahem Isabelle - it was a plastic cup that is re-washable, re-usable, and re-cycable (after all IKEA made it). I wasn't talking about an ordinary throw away plastic cup. I wouldn't use those just for a drink (since I'm German after all). It was a plastic cup for children...
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