I do detest the Culturally ignorant

Xerxes · 23rd September 2000, 13:32

I was in my college art class today.
The teacher likes to play different types
of music during the 2 hour drawing period of the class. Once he turned it on the KRTH oldies station, once he turned it on KROQ
rock station. The whole gamut of music
we have been listening too. It hasn't
bothered me, even if one day it isn't my
favorite genre.

Today he brought in a Sousa
"Stars and Stripes Forever" March CD instead
of a normal radio station. About one track
of that plays and then this real obstinate girl says in a louder than normal voice "Like, uh, what is this? President music?" The girl next to her- "Yeah, um this stupid parade music sucks big time... i'm gonna switch it" And so she does. It just
burned me up inside like few things do. Not
only does she overtly declare her stupidity
and ignorance with her speech she forces the
rest of her class to listen to her choice
of music.

I am not one of those crazy overly patriotic
Captain America ******* at the same I do have a bit of feeling for all of
the old patriotic marches.

I am from a military family sorta- my grandfather was in the CIA working on early spy satelites, and I have a lot of my family in Military Aerospace. SO maybe I get that part of me from growing up around that.

I tell you though rarely have I ever wanted
to seriously cuss off someone in public...
no can't do that now. Sigh... who do people
think they are? I am fully sympathetic with
Europeans who don't respect Americans much-
sometimes there is truth to a stereotype.

A group of intelligent people can
be called an intelligentsia - can
Americans collectively be called an Ignorantsia?

Xerxes

It's Rant-a-mania 2000

Winsane · 23rd September 2000, 16:06

Well, I've got a little sympathy for those girls. Sure, they probably should've known it was Sousa. But Sousa is one of my least favorite composers, and I'd have a hard time putting up with that in the background as well. Methinks there are other types of music with less potential for being perceived as obnoxious, that would be better at pleasing some the most while offending the others the least. Just my opinion, though.

Mulefire · 23rd September 2000, 17:04

Bartok anyone?

Mule
(who believe it or not was listening to some Tod Dockstader whilst reading this post..heh try bringing some of that in

)

iomegajaz · 23rd September 2000, 23:10

If 50 million people say a silly thing, it is still a silly thing.
-direct quote from a person whose identity escapes me atm.

Make that 250 million. Not that I think ALL Americans are stupid, I know that at least, oh, 100 of them aren't. Not a bad ratio, 1:2,500,000.

ElChevelle · 23rd September 2000, 23:29

Get some sleep, Jaz!
I better be in that 100 you speak of

RJ · 24th September 2000, 00:02

I can sympathize with you Xerxes; I am currently living in Europe and listening to the Europeans talk about Americans as if we were dirt bothered me at a time. Then one day I started sitting back and watching how Americans interacted with the locals and was quite shocked. The majority of the Americans expected, no not expected but demanded the locals to bend over backwards just because they are Americans. Some Americans even go as far not even trying to learn the local language, but instead expect the locals to know English.
Those Americans that act in this immature and unrealistic manner gives the rest of us, who are trying to integrate into the community, a label "The Ugly American" that is very hard to overcome.
Up in Germany, around Ramstein, Americans are frowned upon because of the way we act. In that particular area it is commonly referred to as "Little America" because the local Army personnel have conformed the community into their perspective of what a European city should look like and what should be in it.

[This message has been edited by RJ (edited September 23, 2000).]

ReDVsion · 24th September 2000, 00:16

Hey, a lot of americans are just dumb shits. Get over it. It IS appaling that many americans would be nieve enough to not learn the language of the country they are visiting. But that's just the way it is. A lot of americans just think that the US is the most prominent, important, influential, and best country in the world, and if you don't like it, fuck you. We got to the moon first, dammit! That's not the kind of attitude we should have going into a foreign country. And people who do simply ruin the image of other's who may visit & do not think along those lines.
Speaking of culturally ignorant, a lot of people, after finding out I was going to chile, warned me about guerilla (sp?) groups down here. there aren't any. People don't do any real research about the country, they just take what they hear on TV and apply it to that entire area. Hell, if people down here used that logic, they'd think that school shootings happen ALL THE TIME in the states. Jeez, sometimes I wonder if I want to go back.

Xerxes · 24th September 2000, 04:00

Guerilla Groups in Chile? So Central America
and South America are not big jungle battlefields just like Tom Brokaw says?

How could you not like Sousa? It's a classic sound.

Oh well I hate Stravinsky - everyone has their tastes.

Xerxes

We may be stupid but we got helluva GNP

[This message has been edited by Xerxes (edited September 23, 2000).]

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

23rd September 2000, 13:32	#1
Xerxes Capitalist Alumni Join Date: May 2000 Location: my 4 Houses on Park Place Posts: 8,687	I was in my college art class today. The teacher likes to play different types of music during the 2 hour drawing period of the class. Once he turned it on the KRTH oldies station, once he turned it on KROQ rock station. The whole gamut of music we have been listening too. It hasn't bothered me, even if one day it isn't my favorite genre. Today he brought in a Sousa "Stars and Stripes Forever" March CD instead of a normal radio station. About one track of that plays and then this real obstinate girl says in a louder than normal voice "Like, uh, what is this? President music?" The girl next to her- "Yeah, um this stupid parade music sucks big time... i'm gonna switch it" And so she does. It just burned me up inside like few things do. Not only does she overtly declare her stupidity and ignorance with her speech she forces the rest of her class to listen to her choice of music. I am not one of those crazy overly patriotic Captain America ******* at the same I do have a bit of feeling for all of the old patriotic marches. I am from a military family sorta- my grandfather was in the CIA working on early spy satelites, and I have a lot of my family in Military Aerospace. SO maybe I get that part of me from growing up around that. I tell you though rarely have I ever wanted to seriously cuss off someone in public... no can't do that now. Sigh... who do people think they are? I am fully sympathetic with Europeans who don't respect Americans much- sometimes there is truth to a stereotype. A group of intelligent people can be called an intelligentsia - can Americans collectively be called an Ignorantsia? Xerxes It's Rant-a-mania 2000

23rd September 2000, 16:06	#2
Winsane Moderator Alumni Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: U.S. (eastern time zone) Posts: 2,598	Well, I've got a little sympathy for those girls. Sure, they probably should've known it was Sousa. But Sousa is one of my least favorite composers, and I'd have a hard time putting up with that in the background as well. Methinks there are other types of music with less potential for being perceived as obnoxious, that would be better at pleasing some the most while offending the others the least. Just my opinion, though.

23rd September 2000, 17:04	#3
Mulefire Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Portland, Maine, USA Posts: 256	Bartok anyone? Mule (who believe it or not was listening to some Tod Dockstader whilst reading this post..heh try bringing some of that in )

23rd September 2000, 23:10	#4
iomegajaz Balled and Chained Alumni Join Date: Jun 2000 Posts: 4,700	If 50 million people say a silly thing, it is still a silly thing. -direct quote from a person whose identity escapes me atm. Make that 250 million. Not that I think ALL Americans are stupid, I know that at least, oh, 100 of them aren't. Not a bad ratio, 1:2,500,000.

23rd September 2000, 23:29	#5
ElChevelle Moderator Alumni Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: the MANCANNON! Posts: 22,430	Get some sleep, Jaz! I better be in that 100 you speak of

24th September 2000, 00:02	#6
RJ Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Italy Posts: 38	I can sympathize with you Xerxes; I am currently living in Europe and listening to the Europeans talk about Americans as if we were dirt bothered me at a time. Then one day I started sitting back and watching how Americans interacted with the locals and was quite shocked. The majority of the Americans expected, no not expected but demanded the locals to bend over backwards just because they are Americans. Some Americans even go as far not even trying to learn the local language, but instead expect the locals to know English. Those Americans that act in this immature and unrealistic manner gives the rest of us, who are trying to integrate into the community, a label "The Ugly American" that is very hard to overcome. Up in Germany, around Ramstein, Americans are frowned upon because of the way we act. In that particular area it is commonly referred to as "Little America" because the local Army personnel have conformed the community into their perspective of what a European city should look like and what should be in it. [This message has been edited by RJ (edited September 23, 2000).]

24th September 2000, 00:16	#7
ReDVsion Major Dude Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 1,426	Hey, a lot of americans are just dumb shits. Get over it. It IS appaling that many americans would be nieve enough to not learn the language of the country they are visiting. But that's just the way it is. A lot of americans just think that the US is the most prominent, important, influential, and best country in the world, and if you don't like it, fuck you. We got to the moon first, dammit! That's not the kind of attitude we should have going into a foreign country. And people who do simply ruin the image of other's who may visit & do not think along those lines. Speaking of culturally ignorant, a lot of people, after finding out I was going to chile, warned me about guerilla (sp?) groups down here. there aren't any. People don't do any real research about the country, they just take what they hear on TV and apply it to that entire area. Hell, if people down here used that logic, they'd think that school shootings happen ALL THE TIME in the states. Jeez, sometimes I wonder if I want to go back.

24th September 2000, 04:00	#8
Xerxes Capitalist Alumni Join Date: May 2000 Location: my 4 Houses on Park Place Posts: 8,687	Guerilla Groups in Chile? So Central America and South America are not big jungle battlefields just like Tom Brokaw says? How could you not like Sousa? It's a classic sound. Oh well I hate Stravinsky - everyone has their tastes. Xerxes We may be stupid but we got helluva GNP [This message has been edited by Xerxes (edited September 23, 2000).]