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

Yes, but these types of threads always get messy.
Do you know that there was a suicide in a thread called "Whats Wrong With americans?"
I would hate to be responsible for something like that, just because I started a discussion about americans.
This essay contest is dumb anyway. Nobody is going to change their views on americans no matter what I write. I'm only hoping for that free trip to Italy, because deep down, below my insular american self, I really would like to see the rest of the world.

Dragging thread back to topic: Why are Americans perceived to be insular?

1. In percentage terms, few of them leave the US to experience other cultures.
2. They justify this through the incredible diversity of cultures and environments available within the US that they don't *need* to travel abroad.
3. The huge cost of travel is also a factor.
4. Of the ones who do get to travel abroad, not many of them get to experience the local culture.

RF

*reminds self never to use the word insular ever again as it gets picked up and chucked around out of context*

I have a feeling that number four is not just an American problem. But anyway...

*sighs loudly and hits reply*
The topic WAS NOT American isularity, BTW!
And number four is definitely NOT just an American problem. How many Brits do you suppose go to Majorca to soak up the local culture?

Thing that gets me, on the whole insular thing and merkins never travelling, what about Mexico? I mean, I know that Canada is often seen as basically the odd relative you meet at parties and stuff, but I never understood how the US sees Mexico? I get the impression that Texas is a bit of a disputed territory between the two. And I know (or I think I do) that Mexico is a very different culture to the US. Is there much tourism to there? Or is it just considered a poor backwater not worth bothering with? Cos if you reallyu want different culture on your doorstep surely you could just drive south and keep going? Come to that you could then get into South America?

>> Caught ya! <<

Glad it makes you happy, Mugwump.

Yes, I agree, 4 is a problem; not least, as I posted elsewhere (but I think related) bout Brits abroad in Mediterranean resorts.

When I lived in Belgium, I met American soldiers who *had not left the base*. It was a "little America" to them. It provided all their American needs. Why go outside, where the natives "talk funny"?

RF

And I would like to suggest that every responsibly minded person who doesn't want to get stuck in a downward spiral of mudslinging that wont accomplish anything anyway,
Please unsubscribe.

For those who enjoy mudslinging and spirals of violence,
Please start a thread:
What is wrong with the French?
(at least THAT is something Both Brits and Americans agree on )

Good bye, I have a job to go to.

Oh, and my parents visited Mexico on their honeymoon.
I wuld go there. Funky culture. And it would be nice to see where all those illegal aleins working at the grocery stores over here come from.

>>What is wrong with the French?<< That thread already exists. And it's about as illuminating as this one. And no, not everyone agrees on it at all.

The cost argument is a complete fallacy. Yes it's further from the US to Europe than it is from the UK to Spain, but it's a lot less far than from Sydney to London, or Tokyo to Paris. More to the point, the cost of a ticket from NY to Europe represents a year's wages in some parts of the world. The idea that the citizens of the world's most affluent country don't travel because they can't afford it is nonsense.

*blinks* there was a suicide on the whats wrong with americans thread? is that true?

Yes... *sigh* there are some VERY affluent people in this most affluent of nations. But they are all busy buying ipods and gaming computers and sending that money to Germany when they buy a lexus. Oh yes, many of them DO stop by Europe, and there they cause all those nasty "Americans Abroad" stories that make us so hated and and make us back at home wonder who raised them anyway.
PS: Not everyone owns a multibillion dollar corporation in the USA.

That's bizarre! Plus....well...how does anyone ever know if you've committed suicide? Or just left the site...or left the thread...or...vanished to Paradise...

I thought you'd unsubscribed...

STOP USING BIG WORDS!!
cheers
ford

Yes, I didnt get to read the whole thing, but Count Zero says so, and I beleive him. It was a VERY moderate and freindly post for quite a while, and then someone obnoxious joined, and everyone's latent obnoxiousness came out, and the first jerk disapeared, and several posts later his sister announced the sad news.
Then again,
a guy so full of hate might be suicide prone anyway. I doubt the thread caused too much of it.

Ford, how old are you? Is Bizarre a big word?
Sorry, but dont give us Americans a bad name.
And I'M LATE FOR MY JOB AND NOW I REALLY AM GOING!!!

That's bending information. The suicide wasn't DUE to the thread.

Thats........Arrrgh thats stupid, my boyfriends American, I love him very much, theres nothing wrong with him, he still a human being, but people often seem to thing everything to do with america is his fault... and ask him stupid things about america as if he has all the answers.... grrr... oh and yeah, I guess how do they know, did someone come on and say?

>> OK, so here's why.
I'm writing an essay for a Vanity Fair contest, the point is to "introduce the American to the rest of the world," since everyone seems to hate our guts, and if they hate us they cant possibly know us very well, right?
One of the complaints I've bumped into when I did some research here on H2G2 was that Americans dont travel enough, dont care enough to see the rest of the world. <<

So, I said Americans were insular. I was paraphrasing you a bit there, Alpha, but it is the basic gist of this conversation, no?

Yes, there's a WWW thread for Americans, and the French, and H2G2 Researchers. This thread seems to be addressing a specific issue, though, and some of the defences put forward seem to be flimsy, to say the least.

RF