Leave it to an outsider to nail what it is that makes America so wonderful. Many great thoughts in here, the most powerful being the power of sincerity. Embrace the absurdity and cartoonishness of American culture, and you’ll find a lot of sweetness underneath.
Everywhere else in the anglosphere is too busy being depressed, Americans are so stubbornly optimistic for potential it's refreshing. It sometimes results in anger toward one thing or another but it's almost like a righteous anger because they KNOW things will be better. Canadians just sit here and go "Oh ok :( "
The best way to understand American culture is to talk to someone who isn't from America who visits or works here. It will provide a unique perspective, just like you've done. I work closely with people from India, Israel, the Philippines, the UK and Canada, a great mix. After some time, I ask them all the same thing: why the US? They invariably all answer the same -- opportunity. There is no other country in the world that provides the potential for success with no ceilings or strings attached than ours. And with that comes the absurdity. Everything is "big" here and Texas is the king of big. We are allowed excess, and that makes some folks angry. How dare we "live big" with so much suffering in the world? Never once do these people stop to think that living big has allowed us to contribute an insane amount of innovation, technology and resources to the world. Some of those big people are giving back to humanity in big ways.
Unfortunately, the next GAN will be nearly impossible to write because the spirit required to do so is being replaced by shame. Why should anyone rise up from the ashes and become big? No, we should all live in mediocrity so no one person can achieve that thing so unforgivable as greatness. We all must be prosperous or none should be prosperous. This will be the destruction of the American dream. The best I can do is teach my kids to reject that ideal and from what I understand, Gen Z is doing so in force now. It's possible they'll have something to teach us, and maybe they will surprise us with the next GAN.
My kids are both gen alpha and by observing them and their friends it gives me a lot of hope. There's always doom and gloom about "the kids these days" but I really do believe the kids will be alright. They're a hell of a lot smarter than what adults give them credit for and I think this generation is going to be doing a lot of rejection of the guilt conditioning--or they'll find their own voice to contribute to the legacy of literature. I see a stagnation of culture because we're stuck looking backwards. It's the sincerity we miss and it's bound to return. The adults walking around right now need to realize this, too.
Are there flaws in American culture? Of course, just like everywhere else, and we shouldn't ignore it, because that makes for crappy literature, too. But wallowing in collective self-pity isn't going to bring on the next GAN or even a new wave of genre fiction. We should all be unapologetic about what we write.
Thanks for posting this, Lisa, I forgot to say it was a great piece! I think the boat has rocked too far in both directions and we might finally be centering the ship so to speak. Your kids and my kids generations are going to make it more possible and I have hope for them as well.
Also, thanks for visiting! There's so much to see and even living here, I've so much yet to discover.
Leave it to an outsider to nail what it is that makes America so wonderful. Many great thoughts in here, the most powerful being the power of sincerity. Embrace the absurdity and cartoonishness of American culture, and you’ll find a lot of sweetness underneath.
Everywhere else in the anglosphere is too busy being depressed, Americans are so stubbornly optimistic for potential it's refreshing. It sometimes results in anger toward one thing or another but it's almost like a righteous anger because they KNOW things will be better. Canadians just sit here and go "Oh ok :( "
My favorite series growing up, was Kung-Fu. David Caridine played a chinaman who journeyed through the American West, kicking arse with his Kung-Fu.
How much more Western can you get?
Right?!?
Im a Canadian Born NZer… USA citizen ! And I totally get all the things you said.!!!! The kids are allright~~
They really are!
The best way to understand American culture is to talk to someone who isn't from America who visits or works here. It will provide a unique perspective, just like you've done. I work closely with people from India, Israel, the Philippines, the UK and Canada, a great mix. After some time, I ask them all the same thing: why the US? They invariably all answer the same -- opportunity. There is no other country in the world that provides the potential for success with no ceilings or strings attached than ours. And with that comes the absurdity. Everything is "big" here and Texas is the king of big. We are allowed excess, and that makes some folks angry. How dare we "live big" with so much suffering in the world? Never once do these people stop to think that living big has allowed us to contribute an insane amount of innovation, technology and resources to the world. Some of those big people are giving back to humanity in big ways.
Unfortunately, the next GAN will be nearly impossible to write because the spirit required to do so is being replaced by shame. Why should anyone rise up from the ashes and become big? No, we should all live in mediocrity so no one person can achieve that thing so unforgivable as greatness. We all must be prosperous or none should be prosperous. This will be the destruction of the American dream. The best I can do is teach my kids to reject that ideal and from what I understand, Gen Z is doing so in force now. It's possible they'll have something to teach us, and maybe they will surprise us with the next GAN.
My kids are both gen alpha and by observing them and their friends it gives me a lot of hope. There's always doom and gloom about "the kids these days" but I really do believe the kids will be alright. They're a hell of a lot smarter than what adults give them credit for and I think this generation is going to be doing a lot of rejection of the guilt conditioning--or they'll find their own voice to contribute to the legacy of literature. I see a stagnation of culture because we're stuck looking backwards. It's the sincerity we miss and it's bound to return. The adults walking around right now need to realize this, too.
Are there flaws in American culture? Of course, just like everywhere else, and we shouldn't ignore it, because that makes for crappy literature, too. But wallowing in collective self-pity isn't going to bring on the next GAN or even a new wave of genre fiction. We should all be unapologetic about what we write.
Thanks so much for your comment, Brian!
Thanks for posting this, Lisa, I forgot to say it was a great piece! I think the boat has rocked too far in both directions and we might finally be centering the ship so to speak. Your kids and my kids generations are going to make it more possible and I have hope for them as well.
Also, thanks for visiting! There's so much to see and even living here, I've so much yet to discover.
Like you said, it's a biiiiiig place! No shortage of things to be inspired by.