Dear friends in Colombia and Argentina, we are very excited to have the opportunity to work with you on this intercultural exchange project. Through this blog, we will get to know each other, improve our language skills (Spanish for us, English for you), but most of all, we hope to increase our level of intercultural competence and sensitivity, as well as debunk stereotypes about our cultures.
We would like to begin by reflecting on both our own culture, and what what we know about other cultures, so here are a few questions that we would like you to answer. Please do so by commenting to this post:
- In your opinion, is there such a thing as "US culture? How would you define it?
- What do you know about US culture?
- How do you know what you know about US culture?
Now that you have answered those questions, please watch this
playlist from YouTube; it is a sequence of clips from TV programs that are or have recently been popular in the United States. This video will last about 10 minutes. After watching, please answer a few more questions (it might be helpful to refer to the our previus post : "
A Definition of Culture").
- Has your view of US culture changed or has is been confirmed now that you have watched the video?
- What are some of the Products, Practices, and Prespectives of US culture that you see reflected in this video?
- Do you think that popular TV programs such as the ones you have seen depict an accurate image of US culture? Why or Why not?
Thank you in advance for your comments and your thougts; we are looking forward to reading them soon.
Your friends from Simpson College
Certainly, US culture exists and is a strong one, in the sense that it’s been widespread throughout the world for years, exerting an important influence on many countries. This probably has to do with Latin American countries’ deep interest in American TV programmes, as well as in their music and cinematographic industry. If I had to define US culture, first I would have to make it clear that I do this as an outsider. I’ve never been to the country and the contact I have with it is mainly through media. What first comes to my mind when I think of US culture is multinational fast food chains, high obesity rates, exacerbated patriotism, consumerism, multiculturalism, plastic surgeries, economic power, Hollywood, realities, racism, among others. Most of these characteristics I attribute to the US have to do with a partial view, because as I said, television has been my main contact with the culture.
ReplyDeleteI only have vague ideas about US history. Most of the things I learnt were taken from films, TV series or novels I’ve read. I’m aware that slavery was a major issue in your society, exerting a major influence on racial discrimination, even today. Some people told me that racial discrimination is still a problem, although it’s changing for the good. I also have an idea about how your educational system works. I believe Americans are really patriotic (in general terms, of course) and I do agree with this idea that Americans believe their culture is superior to others (probably because nowadays we tend to take economic power as a parameter of success).
As I said before, what I know about US culture comes from TV programmes, commercials, music videos, Hollywood films, etc. In my opinion, it’s unfortunate that these depict US culture as worldly, consumerist, superficial, ignorant, etc. Certainly, it would be unfair to judge on the basis of what media chooses to transmit. These representations should not stand for Americans as a whole. However, for people whose contact with US culture comes from mass media, it is difficult to see things differently. The problem is, mainly, that whatever serves to provide entertainment is productive in financial terms, and it is not a matter of question whether these programmes transmit undesirable values or not. On the other hand, I’ve read a few novels contextualized in the US of the 18th and 19th Century, which has contributed to consider the richness of your culture. North America is not only what others choose to show us. There’s much more behind.
After I watched the video, I confirm my view of US culture, simply because, as I said before, my perceptions are strongly influenced by the media. Some of the products and perceptions portrayed are sex, physical beauty, luxury, vulgarity, private life made public. I believe North America is not just that, but, for some reason, is what we get to see. We shouldn’t overgeneralize by thinking every American follows and celebrates the values these programmes transmit, yet certainly they represent a large part of American society.
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ReplyDeleteAlthough every country or community has its own particular culture, there are particular features of the US culture that have been widespread all over the world, thus making it stand out from and influencing other cultures. So whenever I think of the American culture the first feature that comes to my mind is influence on different aspects of other cultures. Some features that are widely known of the US culture, according to what I know, have to do with eating habits: too much fast food and no much elaborated meals; routines: long working hours, little time for rest, for family life; education: children spend a lot of hours at school, they do not have lunch at home; obsession with physical appearance; war and terrorism; security system. My knowledge about the US culture comes from films, TV series, news, people from there, people who has visited the country, some features applied to our society, for example many factories work with the American schedule "Horario americano" that is they have three eight-hour shifts: night, morning and afternoon.
ReplyDeleteI think the videos show one part of the American culture - the one we know: rich people partying, wasting their money on senseless things such plastic surgeries so as to satisfy their obsession with beauty. On the other hand, they also show obese people trying to lose weight, which is not surprising since US unhealthy food is famous as well. However, I think this kind of TV programs, which are also common in our country, show just one part of a culture because it is what sells the most. Their aim is not to show a fair picture of a certain culture but to make as much money as possible. Of course they are popular because people like them but it doesn’t mean people follow them because it is an accurate picture of what goes on in society. Hence, I personally do not pay attention to these programs neither from the US nor from my own country. There sure is much more about a culture in the everyday life of common people! So I think it is important to be aware of the media's influence on our perceptions and be critical about the media’s content especially about these types of TV shows.
In my opinion each town, city, province and even each country has a particular culture which makes them different from others; so, the US must have its own. I would define it by the way people live there, the view they have on the rest of the world, their costumes, the aspects of life that they value, their habits, their language, their art, the way they express themselves, etc.
ReplyDeleteI cannot say that what I know, or what I believe I know about US culture is true because it is impossible to know a culture just from what one sees on TV or what is said about it since, in that contexts, the worst things are generally highlighted or paid more attention to. The perceptions I have, come from movies, series, and TV programs that I’ve seen, pieces of news that I’ve paid attention to, books that I read, and from what I’ve been told. Therefore, I am sure that they are just general appreciations that do not fit with all the population or maybe they just fit with the minority of people, but that is what I know. What comes to my mind when I think about the US and its culture is that people there live a very busy life, always working, and eating fast food in a hurry so as to come back to work as soon as possible. I think they pay so much attention to material things and are always looking over the things other people have in order to be in equality. I think they do not care so much about other cultures, people from other places, or other languages because they have everything they need in their own country so that is useless for them to study others. I consider that they really care about education and about being “someone in society”. In relation to adolescence, I think that after high school everyone tries to enter university for that same reason, and that’s ok. However, I have another image of US adolescents: boys and girls in brand-new cars, drinking alcohol and having big parties. Besides, from what I’ve seen in movies, I think that there’s a really big problem in relation to racism among adolescents; people disliking each other just for their skin colour or their nationality.
My view of US culture has not changed after watching these videos; they represent what I said in relation to it.
What I saw reflected in these videos was:
Products: alcoholic drinks, expensive cars, sexy clothes, electronic music.
Practices: parties, protests, marriage, going to the gym.
Perspectives: materialism, so much importance to external beauty.
I don’t think that these programs depict an accurate image of US culture; I believe that they give an image of only a part of the culture, in order to entertain a specific audience. But, surely, there are people who appreciate education, arts, spiritual values, etc.
Facu: I think every country has a culture, and of course there is a US culture, which will inevitably vary trough time, because people change. By US culture, I mean the way people from the US conceive the world around them and how they relate to it, fellow citizens, foreigners, environment, market, etc. As I see it, people living in the USA try to make the most of their lives not matter what. They try to get the latest technological devices, the best clothes, the most expensive cars, and the greatest party and so on; it is only in that way that they belong to US culture. Besides the generalities, US culture is a mixture of cultures, a multiculturalism where every country in the world has its representatives. All I used to know about US culture, I learnt it from TV series, films, and music videos. Recently, I’ve been learning about US culture from other sources, less frivolous, and I now understand that there is always more than meets the eye.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the playlist on YouTube, I have confirmed what I thought about US culture. Competitions, cosmetic surgery, the importance of physical beauty and material things, are only a few of the products and practices that can be seen in those TV shows. These programs clearly depict only an aspect of US culture, but it is an aspect which is shown throughout the world. People on these TV shows become celebrities, children and adolescents admire them and will in future try to get the same their idols did.
I think that there is such a thing as the US culture, since people's behaviors, beliefs, etc, are not exactly the same as in any other country. Each country has its own culture and practises different things, consumes different products. In the case of the US, I think that, in some cases, it is a little bit extreme how people behave. But, the worst part is that it seems to be that everyone is ok with that. I always hear the famous phrase "it's a free country", and it certainly is, but in some cases, it seems to be that everything is allowed and that, not always is fine. I really do like some of the US practises, and I think that Americans have a great sense of patriotism that is worth to be admired. But, their sense of consumerism leads American to be more materialistic and, also, leads them to be more inactive. That, plus the junk food consumed, is what makes that many Americans gain a lot of weight. I've learned what I know about the US culture, mostly throughout TV programs or movies and, also, throughout some literary novels that I've read. But again, I do believe that the US has many things to be proud of, but, there are some others that could be changed, for its own benefit.
ReplyDeleteLaura D: I completely agree with you, especially when you say that American behavior can be " a little bit extreme." However, as you most likely already know, the majority of Americans, in my opinion, do not act out like the Jersey Shore cast does. I also agree with you after watching the YouTube playlist that Americans are perceived as mean, rich, fat drunkards. Being an American does mean having freedom, but I think that there are different kinds of said "freedom." Many Americans take being "free" as having equality among men and women, having the right to say what they want to say knowing someone out there won't agree with them, and living in a just environment. Others take being "free" way beyond that and, mostly, to the worst extent possible. You said, "I do believe that the US has many things to be proud of, but there are some others that could be changed." That was very well said. There are many things that Americans do well, and proudly, our patriotism is what I believe to be the best and most "American" attribute.
ReplyDeleteLaura D,
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you are keeping an open mind as to what our culture is actually like. The playlist that you watched consisted of the extremes in our country. These shows make all of America look like self-centered, over-weight drunks that have no conscience. We do have problems with our egos, obsiety, and alcholoism, but our country is more than that. Many people are just trying to live the "American Dream." They want a good house, a good family, and a good job. Sometimes things such as money and vanity get in the way of this dream. The media tends to show a negative side in every aspect. There are many times when the good goes unseen.
Laura D,
ReplyDeleteI do agree with what some of what you said about Americans some people can behave on the extreme side. Most Americans do not behave that way, at all. I've never met anyone who acts like the cast of Jersey Shore,which is a TV show purely for entertainment. For most Americans life is about going to school and getting and education, so you can get a good job and provide for your family. We do value entertainment as a group which can lead us to be a bit materialistic. The media definitely portrays America in a negative way, as you saw in the playlist. Hopefully people can see America is not a bunch of fat,selfish,drunks, but as a bunch of hardworking people trying to live out the "American Dream".
Belén,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your idea of what culture is. I also agree that you can't tell a full culture just by what is shown on TV or in any of the types of media out there. After watching the videos that were shown to you, as well as us, it is easy for me to see how you could get these perceptions about what the US culture is really like. In reality, the majority of Americans act nothing like what you have seen on those clips. A lot of us value work, yes, but we try not to overdo it. People for the most part value family and spending as much time with them as possible. We are not all hung up purely on material objects. We try the best we can to make good lives for ourselves as well as our families. After high school, the main reason for most students to enroll in college is not to get drunk and party as you seem to think. Many students do so to get a good education to be able to get a good job and create a life for themselves. As it also may seem, most college students do not come from extremely wealthy families, so many of us are unable to drive fancy, expensive cars. I am one of those people that is not wealthy, and I drive a car that is several years old. In high school, as well as college, we are encouraged to take foreign language classes to get a sense of what other cultures around the world are like. And we are encouraged to learn as much as we can so we don't create stereotypes that are not at all true. Many Americans care about other countries. We are one of the first countries to try to send help when disaster strikes. There are always exceptions. Some Americans really don't care, but the ones that do try to show it as much as we can. We want to show the world that we are not all like the characters you may see on Jersey Shore. That's only what a small percentage of people are like.
Belen:
ReplyDeleteI am very glad to hear that you think that way. Yes our culture is very different in different places of the country just as it probably is in different countries. We Midwesterners have different values and ways of life than people who live on the coasts. We are also very different than people who live in bigger cities. I think that it is very sad that the only view others get of our culture is through false images. I think reality television is the worst possible thing to watch if one wants to learn more about the US culture. Yes, it may be called "reality," yet it is the farthest thing from what most Americans live like. I think that this playlist shows American teenagers as selfish, corrupt people. That is not the case in many different places. Yes, I’m sure there are some teenagers in the US that are actually like that, but in reality most teenagers are good people with good morals and values. I personally don’t think that there is an issue of racism with teenagers. I believe that we are more open to different races because American is evolving to house many different people. We have grown up around different people and not lived through the slave era. I think the way you are viewing the US culture is very mature in the fact that you realize what you see is not the case for everyone. You don’t automatically assume all Americans live the way ones may live on reality television shows. I appreciate your openness to learn the truth about the US culture and not judge us from what the rest of the world is seeing.
I can understand how people have an altered view of the United States after watching this playlist. Being from the United States gives me a completely different view though. I agree when you say that you believe people in the United States want the biggest and best everything. This can be generalized though as most people want the best. Nobody wants something that isn't classified as "the best". I realize that this playlist, as you said, also makes it seem as though "competitions, cosmetic surgery, the importantance of physical beauty and material things" are shown to be what all Americans want. I must say that these shows are not true to all Americans and cannot be generalized. Not everyone can be related to the Real Housewives or the cast of Jersey Shore. Very few people where I'm from, which is the midwest, are like this that I know of. A few people here may admire people like that, but many Americans are embarrassed by how we are reflected on by the media.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletecamarguito:
ReplyDeleteI can see why you think the US culture is that way. Most of the media displays the US as having unhealthy food, only worried about physical appearance, spending money, and partying. Not everyone in the US is that way though. There are tons of people who are not obsessed with all of those things. There are a lot of people, however, who do work many hours, go to school all day and don't always have time for family. I do respect your choice not to pay attention to the TV shows that depict all of these types of activities because it is not really how the US is. It is a good idea that you are aware of the media's influence and making your decisions not only based on what you see.
Laura D,
ReplyDeleteAmericans do have a lot to be proud of. Our freedom is a big part of it, but most American's use their freedom more resposibly than celebrities and TV characters. Many people use their freedom to choose a path of education, hard work and establishing a family. The perseption of American's being weathly and able to waste their lives away with parties and materialistic things is merely a form of entertainment.
Hi Facu,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you acknowledge the fact that the US culture consist of a mixture of different cultures. I also like your definition of the US culture. I agree with you when you say that there are general things that define the US culture but there also exist the multiculturalism. I would say that it is really hard to get a complete understanding of a given culture since all we see in the media are always not all the time accurate. It is true some people value materialistic things, competition and the way the importance of physical beauty is highly valued by most people but it would be unfair to conclude that all those in the US practice this. I am not originally from the United States, I have been here for only three years, I had a lot of misconceptions before coming but those misconceptions have changed as I interact with different people. I have come to realize that what the media is to some extent true but doesn’t really apply to everyone.
I do think that there is a US culture, however it is not just on culture. Its a mixture of different cultures. There is a lot of different misconceptions from that youtube playlist. Most people in the United States do NOT act like that. The "stuff" that you saw in the youtbue playlist may be true for a small portion of the citizens but should not be a generalization of everyone.
ReplyDeletecamarguito,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that we, in the US, tend not to have time to spend with our families and we work and study many hours, mostly to 'get ahead'. Also most of the media in the US is, as you say, created to make a profit so it shows little about our true culture. Finally, your comment on how we should be aware of the media's influence on our perceptions is correct and we should spend more time in our culture than watching it.
Belen, I think you have a good realistic approach to what americans are like. Our culture is sprinkled with a lot of bad influences but not all of us flock to those bad influences. We are a very "thing" oriented people and work a lot but the negative thing is that a lot of what you saw on tv-the plastic surgery, big houses, and big attitudes are all from being money and thing driven.
ReplyDeleteBelen,
ReplyDeleteYo pienso tienes un buen enfoque de que "Americans" ser. Nos cultura es salpicado con los influencias malo y no todos personas gustamos los influencias malo. Estamos un sociedad de los cosas mejor y trabajabamos muchos para los cosas mejor. Es un mal y buen movida pero muchas que tu veas en el televisor-los caras de plastico, casas grande, y los posición gran son de tener muchas monedas y queren cosas grande y mejor. Es un falta de los principios de sus sociedad. :(