In 2003 I went to university and chose as one of my subjects 'American Studies', because I thought it would be interesting. It was and I graduated with a dissertation award for my study "Black Music and Resistance, a Discourse of Oppression from Slavery to Modernity", I chose this subject because I had become very interested in the evolution of America, from its colonial begins right up to the present day and especially how this was represented in culture.
I think I have gained a broad over view of America, of its history, its culture, music, literature and arts, broader than most in the UK. Though I am far from being any kind of expert. The United States of America is something that almost all none American's have an opinion about, sometimes informed often not. But most of what people know is based on some kind of stereotype or ideal both of which are pedalled in the cultural products of America. The stereotype or ideal may or may not be true to life but the fact persists they are absorbed and used to inform the world of what America is.
I think the best place to start with a generalised view of America and the stereotypes that we associate with it, is the computer games series Grand Theft Auto. Some Americans are probably going WFT? right now but this game is all about American stereotypes and generalisations. It takes inspiration from many many Hollywood movies and TV shows and its creators are unexpectedly Scottish and not American. If anything shows a more stereotyped perspective of America I can not think of it. GTA shows that America is a place full of violence, crime, guns, money and poverty. These stereotypes have been procured from films and TV, Vice City is basically a homage to Scarface and Goodfellas. San Andreas feels like it was heavily influenced by NWA and the reporting of the LA riots. Of course the stereotypes in the entire series run deeper and more complex than this. I would argue that some of them are truer than many Americans would admit but also others are but mere exaggeration. In my heart of hearts I know that the majority of Americans are not armed to the hilt with guns, but as I walked the the streets of New York it didn't stop me thinking as I looked at people "he looks like he might have a gun". I come from a country where most people have only seen a gun on the TV usually on an American TV show or film. Our life is majority gun free, yet as we sit down and watch a movie we see some actor or another running round California with a Smith and Weston. Worse still is when we get news of some shooting in a school or work place which has been rather common over the last decade and we see and here what guns can really do. The idea of America as a violent gun laden nation is a common notion amongst none Americans.
What many people forget is that America is not just the East Coast and the West Coast! There is all that stuff that surrounds Vegas! What we do see or here of mid America is usually related to religion, things like Westboro Baptist Church. Yes we know about them! unfortunately! But there must be more to mid America we just do not get to see it.
Politics well this is something else, the Election of the President is televised here in the UK, like its our own election. Amongst my own peer group and myself there is not much love for the Republicans, the Democrats a far more likeable. Obama is very popular here, as was Clinton but G.W. not so much but that's probably quiet an obvious statement. The idea and the reality that America is very divided down political lines is widespread and that many of the problems in the States is not helped by this polarised state of politics. The Republicans mostly come across as bigoted, greedy warmongers to me and many who I know. Democrats seem fairer and not bigoted but still to the right of any of our political parties. The institution of the Presidency and Presidents is very famous and I would bet most Brits could name as many if not more Presidents than our own Prime Ministers. Still you will not see the UK going Republican anytime soon...... We don't want to be like the French! In the modern times America walks a a horrendous tightrope of world opinion, in regards to how it acts in the wider world. Since the last world war it has been regarded as the policeman of the world by many western states and as such it has acted in that role. After the war America held a popular position in the world but subsistent conflicts and engagements have for what ever reason knocked back this popularity. But for me this was always inevitable, a superpower that can project itself across the whole world is surely going to piss people off from time to time and then the resentments build up. America has at times done the wrong thing in certain parts of the world but in general I think the US gets a hard press and is at timed damned if they act or damned if they don't.
American sports have a small but fanatic following in the UK and you can watch NFL, Baseball and NBA on TV, Indy Car/Champ Car is on sometimes and I am sure if you looked around the channels you could watch some NASCAR. The only American sport I have ever been able to watch regularly was Indy Car when I was a motor-racing fan. Other than that like most people here American sports are somewhat of an Enigma, very much like Cricket is to Americans.
I would liken Britain and Americas relationship to of a family. America being the rebellious teenager that spent alot of time in its room reading philosophy slowly getting annoyed with the rules of mother Britain. Finally egged on by its disreputable mate France running away from home to do its own thing. Though as often happens when America grew up and started to make it on its own it remembered it roots and made up with mother Britain who had mellowed in the time they were separated. I could get really elaborate with this analogy but I think this will be sufficient! We get on well now!
What many people forget is that America is not just the East Coast and the West Coast! There is all that stuff that surrounds Vegas! What we do see or here of mid America is usually related to religion, things like Westboro Baptist Church. Yes we know about them! unfortunately! But there must be more to mid America we just do not get to see it.Politics well this is something else, the Election of the President is televised here in the UK, like its our own election. Amongst my own peer group and myself there is not much love for the Republicans, the Democrats a far more likeable. Obama is very popular here, as was Clinton but G.W. not so much but that's probably quiet an obvious statement. The idea and the reality that America is very divided down political lines is widespread and that many of the problems in the States is not helped by this polarised state of politics. The Republicans mostly come across as bigoted, greedy warmongers to me and many who I know. Democrats seem fairer and not bigoted but still to the right of any of our political parties. The institution of the Presidency and Presidents is very famous and I would bet most Brits could name as many if not more Presidents than our own Prime Ministers. Still you will not see the UK going Republican anytime soon...... We don't want to be like the French! In the modern times America walks a a horrendous tightrope of world opinion, in regards to how it acts in the wider world. Since the last world war it has been regarded as the policeman of the world by many western states and as such it has acted in that role. After the war America held a popular position in the world but subsistent conflicts and engagements have for what ever reason knocked back this popularity. But for me this was always inevitable, a superpower that can project itself across the whole world is surely going to piss people off from time to time and then the resentments build up. America has at times done the wrong thing in certain parts of the world but in general I think the US gets a hard press and is at timed damned if they act or damned if they don't.
American sports have a small but fanatic following in the UK and you can watch NFL, Baseball and NBA on TV, Indy Car/Champ Car is on sometimes and I am sure if you looked around the channels you could watch some NASCAR. The only American sport I have ever been able to watch regularly was Indy Car when I was a motor-racing fan. Other than that like most people here American sports are somewhat of an Enigma, very much like Cricket is to Americans.
I would liken Britain and Americas relationship to of a family. America being the rebellious teenager that spent alot of time in its room reading philosophy slowly getting annoyed with the rules of mother Britain. Finally egged on by its disreputable mate France running away from home to do its own thing. Though as often happens when America grew up and started to make it on its own it remembered it roots and made up with mother Britain who had mellowed in the time they were separated. I could get really elaborate with this analogy but I think this will be sufficient! We get on well now!
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