h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I finally found your "rambling" at RCO. At first I thought you were German. Now I discover you're British with apparently an interest in German things, and a hundred yards of cornfield. The latter might explain your attitudes better than the former.

I wasn't so impressed with the truth of your assertions as with their revelation. It's valuable to know how the enemy thinks sometimes, whether his observations make sense or not. His views, conceptions and the like show something that might be predictive of his reactions to certain things like somebody else's cornfields.

Even when he asserts, as he often does, that his motivations are purely human nature, you can discount that and treat the modulations relative to his frame of reference.

Your frame of reference is interesting and I don't mean that to be in any sense condescending. I marvel how the victors seem even more sensitive to condescencion than the vanquished sometimes, provided it's directed at them and does not originate from them.

In the latter case, condescencion is identified with the altruism of the advanced directed at the primitive and is, therefore, not to be disregarded, correct?

Well, whatever, I thought it wise to visit you and let you know that your "ramblings" have jogged a few thoughts loose from the formations of my mind to join other thoughts on the slopes of mental debris forming a conceptual bajada of sorts that surround my center, wherever that might be. Such a bajada or apron is among the first things perceived when entering the territory, concealing as much as it reveals.

You're free to dig into it or ignore it at your discretion. Please visit us again sometime though. Your reactions are valuable, as I said above and your cornfield is something of an anomaly too in the context.

Have spent a while trying to work out if I am being referred to as the enemy

An enemy of who? I must admit some frustration in interpreting your ramblings. That why I was soliciting your further participation. If you're not comfortable with that, I understand.

I've been reading about David Livingston recently and wondering if my image of British people is too distorted by the historical happenings on this side of the pond. What do you think?

Hi !
I havent posted for a week or more because I had an exam, so had to think about other things, not because I wasn't comfortable with anything. Sweet of you to be concerned.

As I just posted on the free will thread, at any rate most of England is very multicultural and tolerant of others. Its where the reputation comes from of eccentrics. What other people do is nobodys business but their own. And we're terribly polite.

Other than that, its pretty difficult to say what we are like on the basis of the history books. Since the '50s people have changed so much. We are now not as liberal as many of our parents, which is a strange thing. Rebellious youths seem to settle into boring middle classes once they get to 30. Probibly the high cost of living is to blame. I think you would be pleasantly surprised by london anyway, It's mainly a fun and frendly place. (see my bit on Camden Market-A786404 )

I've read that London has actually replaced Paris as the cool place to be in Europe.

Never knew that Paris was even in the running !

Quite so! What do you suppose would be the typically Parisian answer? I understand they're taking holidays in your part of the world since the Chunnel was opened. Do they ever tell you?

Spend just a few hours pretty well anywhere in London and you will hear people speaking in swedish, french, german, italian, spanish, greek, russian.... Thats just the ones I recognise.
Or you won't hear it, but they'll be there.

Its quite a good game playing spot the tourist and geuss where they are from. They are often in groups. If they are mostly tall and blonde chances are they are scandinavian, if they are smartly dressed and not wearing socks - probibly french. Carrying rucksacks and wearing hiking boots - german. Dark haired and wearing sunglasses, waving arms about - spanish or italian. Looking like a film star with lots of jewellry - russians. Wearing hawaii shirts, huge, fat and loud - you can probibly guess that one.

Thinking about it, something you are spared - compared to us at least, Americans always seem to be shouting. If you are in a large resturant and there is a table of them, everyone will know about it. We han hear them talking from the other side of a busy street. Got a vague (and rather silly) theory that its something to do with the vast distances in america - like they are trying to shout across the great plains or something. It aint purdy. I have the feeling that if i ever go there I would need some sort of ear protection.

Yes, playing spot-the-tourist is a great game. in fact, if no-ones beaten me to it I think I may write an entry on the subject.

This probably won't surprise you but people yell at me all the time. It doesn't do any good just like it doesn't do any good to yell at a non-American speaker if she/he doesn't comprehend what the American is saying.

If I try to yell back, it probably makes things worse because my elocution leaves quite a lot to be desired I quite certain. This reinforces the notion that deaf people are brain-damaged or something similar. I've had hearing friends sign to me that I sound like an idiot, which tends to make me avoid "conversation". So then I'm "surly" or something. This may be similar to what non-American speakers experience in the company of American tourists.

It's rather like going to Spain and asking if anyone speaks English or French. The answer in most cases will be something like, "I live in Spain, therefore, I speak Spanish," spoken or written in Spanish of course. Doh!!

So if Americans really are louder than other tourists, it might be that they are simply trying to compensate for not being multilingual in most cases.

Incidently, I can yell in sign too, but then most people think I'm drunk or maybe Spanish or Italian. So, it's probably hopeless.

I can't confirm the phenomenon you cite has anything to do with vast distances. I think it's probably just as prevalent among urban dwellers as anybody else.

Americans love attention, probably as much as any people on earth. They shower it on their idols and withhold it from people they don't like and if they think they're being snubbed in the fashion that they snub others, the reaction is to shout probably, or otherwise draw attention to one's self.

I'm told that shouting on a plain is about as effective as shouting in outer space. No one can hear you scream. &;D

But "spot the tourist" seems like a very entertaining game and also a very entertaining entry. I think you do it, even if it already has been done. The parameters probably change with the venue and the times.