Texas

[ankietyjoe]

I remember being at Whitby Abbey and having looked around I found myself in the gift shop. An American lady was asking the tour guide whereabouts Dracula was buried. I didn't say anything but the tour guide's face was a picture.

When I tell people some of the things I was asked/told when I was in America they always think I made it up or misunderstood. I did neither, it was regular. Really, weird.

Even weirder, it wasn't shades of grey. My experience of Americans is either absolutely clued up and forward thinking or next level moron. There's very little in the middle. I'm not trying to be inflammatory here, it's in the spirit of this thread and the link I posted. These are my genuine experiences over a period of decades.

[AntsyVee]

When I tell people some of the things I was asked/told when I was in America they always think I made it up or misunderstood. I did neither, it was regular. Really, weird.

Even weirder, it wasn't shades of grey. My experience of Americans is either absolutely clued up and forward thinking or next level moron. There's very little in the middle. I'm not trying to be inflammatory here, it's in the spirit of this thread and the link I posted. These are my genuine experiences over a period of decades.

Imagine how it is going to Pennsylvania and people asking about where Dracula is buried there?

I'm going to have to agree with FMP here... Trump getting elected made crazy mainstream. There are parts of the US where it is very isolated. Only one type of people, of one type of religion, of one ethnicity, live there and they aren't exposed to other views, beliefs or other types of people. But now with the subscription TV and the internet and social media, you can also be "isolated" within an urban area. If all you read and watch are of a certain political view, then you're never exposed to the world.

[fishman65]

You're exactly right Vee. The American members on this site are all intelligent, educated people and my example wasn't meant to cast a bad light on you guys. The UK has its share who fall through the net when it comes to learning. My own family in fact who never seem to care what's going on in the world, rather its all soaps and gossip. To quote the Messiah himself (or so he thought) Tony Blair, 'education, education, education'.

[ankietyjoe]

Imagine how it is going to Pennsylvania and people asking about where Dracula is buried there?

I'm going to have to agree with FMP here... Trump getting elected made crazy mainstream. There are parts of the US where it is very isolated. Only one type of people, of one type of religion, of one ethnicity, live there and they aren't exposed to other views, beliefs or other types of people. But now with the subscription TV and the internet and social media, you can also be "isolated" within an urban area. If all you read and watch are of a certain political view, then you're never exposed to the world.

You're exactly right Vee. The American members on this site are all intelligent, educated people and my example wasn't meant to cast a bad light on you guys. The UK has its share who fall through the net when it comes to learning. My own family in fact who never seem to care what's going on in the world, rather its all soaps and gossip. To quote the Messiah himself (or so he thought) Tony Blair, 'education, education, education'.

What I have noticed over the last decade or so of interacting with a lot of Americans is that there is a vast culture of sophisticated thinking there. And this is cross cultural. Off the top of my head the amount of people I have been in regular contact with in the music world are lawyers, plumbers, lift engineers, barmen, scientists (a few actually), insurance underwriters, a gardener, an IT manager and at least two construction workers. This is an eclectic mix of people of all ages (around 30-60) that live all across the country. Again, these people are sophisticated and critical thinkers (this has been impressed upon me over the years) that for the most part can use logic and decency in the way they react to situations. The polar opposite is the ignorance, and that's just the thing. I have never once experienced a middle ground with people I've spoken with over they years. It's slightly different here in the UK. We also have our fair share of 'decent folk' (ok, who am I to judge right?) and morons, but we also have a vast swathe of in between too.

I suppose we have voted the Tories in and they are little more than Trumpists in disguise, but in a more sophisticated and devious way, as is often the case with UK politics. I just can't understand how Trump had so much support. Even if you are a flag waving right wing racist, can't you see the man is clearly one step away from being insane? Weird.

[AntsyVee]

You're exactly right Vee. The American members on this site are all intelligent, educated people and my example wasn't meant to cast a bad light on you guys. The UK has its share who fall through the net when it comes to learning. My own family in fact who never seem to care what's going on in the world, rather its all soaps and gossip. To quote the Messiah himself (or so he thought) Tony Blair, 'education, education, education'.

Oh, I know FM. I don't take offense. I'm on the "front lines" battling our ignorance every day.

I have never once experienced a middle ground with people I've spoken with over they years.

As inequality widens in our country, so does the gap in education. It's cyclical; that's why you never see those who fall into the middle ground much as our middle class lessens every year. And then you also have a portion of the very wealthy and education who use their learning to themselves in power.

[ankietyjoe]

As inequality widens in our country, so does the gap in education. It's cyclical; that's why you never see those who fall into the middle ground much as our middle class lessens every year. And then you also have a portion of the very wealthy and education who use their learning to themselves in power.

I'm not entirely convinced it's purely educational. I think it's more of a cultural thing in the States. I've noticed for years now how divisive the TV shows are, especially those geared at children. Not always aggressively, but it's regularly us vs them. It promotes segregation from a young age.

There's also the blindingly blistering military worship and constantly being sold the idea of US (in capitals for dual meaning) vs 'the enemy'. Constantly being sold the idea that a mysterious and invisible enemy is about to invade and destroy the American way of life. It must be hell living under that kind of persistent mantra. I think it promotes a certain way of thinking, because it has been used here to great effect too.

So many TV adverts here now proudly flying the flag and suggesting this is a 'great British product'. Ironically the most visible one being Vauxhall cars who were owned by GM for decades, until they were sold to the French a couple of years ago.

I did mention this on my own social media page recently, but national pride really should be seen as a mental health condition now.

[AntsyVee]

I'm not entirely convinced it's purely educational. I think it's more of a cultural thing in the States. I've noticed for years now how divisive the TV shows are, especially those geared at children. Not always aggressively, but it's regularly us vs them. It promotes segregation from a young age.

There's also the blindingly blistering military worship and constantly being sold the idea of US (in capitals for dual meaning) vs 'the enemy'. Constantly being sold the idea that a mysterious and invisible enemy is about to invade and destroy the American way of life. It must be hell living under that kind of persistent mantra. I think it promotes a certain way of thinking, because it has been used here to great effect too.

I think that this is true in more of those isolated areas...the rural, red areas in the last election particularly. But in the major urban areas, I feel like there is much less of this attitude of "us vs. them" because we've got people from all over.

[Lolalee1]

I remember a tv program called America It’s A Dangerous Place
On My travels over there I found the Bible Belt f...ing scary.

I honestly cannot believe that Texas and Mississippi are not wearing masks especially with new cases in both States.
My gawd DUMB and DUMBER
Oh Alaskan people are warped.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I said that mostly in jest, especially as Labour as a whole are still getting it in the neck over the alleged anti-Semitism scandal.

If it was Bozzer and Co involved in anti-Semitism most people would probably just laugh about it and shrug it off, but woe betide Labour, though I'm not condoning anti-Semitism in any way.

Same as whenever there's recessions, international conflicts or colossal tax or crime increases whenever Labour are in power, people seem to get far more indignant about it but seem to accept such things more under the Tories!

Perhaps it's because those in the right are generally more vocal and angry about certain political issues than those on the left these days, whereas in the past, especially before the 90s, it was mostly those on the left that seemed to do most of the shouting and anarchy, but seem a lot more blasé and apathetic nowadays.

Surely today's budget will no doubt be a 'damned if do, damned if don't' no-win situation.

Don't worry, LB, I knew you were

Right or wrong I think it boils down to this: Labour are the party of progressive rights for we common people. The Tories care less about that and more about their rich chums. So when Labour take a dump on we common people some of us may take it harder because they are supposed to care about us.

So they get held to a higher standard. I wonder if that applies the other way around? Do rich people and big bosses hold the Tories to a higher standard so are more annoyed when they don't do what's best for them but expect to take hits from Labour?

It's like when a police officer breaks the law.

The budget will always upset lots of people. But it's belt & braces time after this last year. Austerity may be looked on with nostalgia compared whilst we recover from all this. But I think myself lucky compared to previous generations who had to bounce back from big events. And certainly luckier than people in poorer countries who would be baffled by our moaning about cutting back on some Netflix or nice clothes when medical care and food are more their daily worries.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I think that this is true in more of those isolated areas...the rural, red areas in the last election particularly. But in the major urban areas, I feel like there is much less of this attitude of "us vs. them" because we've got people from all over.

I would expect that to be less the case for deprived areas too, Vee. They might be less inclined to think how great patriotism is but I would be surprised if they weren't insular in other ways. So maybe less Republican vs Democrat but plenty of us vs them at street level?

Plenty of that here. The more left behind the more axes to grind with those who aren't.

Go back far enough in history and foreigners were considered the next village down the cart road

I've always said one reason this site is great is because we have people from all over. There is always something to learn, good or bad, agree or disagree with, when you listen to others.