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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mr L F Braun [mailto:braunli1@pilot.msu.edu]
> Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2000 8:50 AM
> To: lugnet.loc.au@lugnet.com; lugnet.off-topic.debate@lugnet.com
> Subject: Re: Pax Americana (was Re: Where did you lot spring from?)
>
>
>
>
> Bruce Schlickbernd wrote:
>
> > In lugnet.loc.au, David Low writes:
> > > In lugnet.loc.au, Benjamin Whytcross writes:
> > > > Strange isn't it how 'international' now seems to mean • 'US and maybe
> > > > elsewhere if you're lucky', isnt it.
> > > >
> > > > [Maybe it's the way I was brought up, but I can't stand • the way that
> > > > american spelling [and culture (or lack of :) )] is • replacing the Australian
> > > > [and probably most other nations]].
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > <snip>
> > > > > As a whinging pom, I don't feel particularly • 'alienated' by US references
> > > > > though, how about you Aussies? :)
> > >
> > >
> > > The main reason we don't feel alienated by US cultural • dominance is because
> > > we're raised on it. When 75% of our world view comes from • America, and has
> > > done so for the past couple of generations, it's not • surprising that we are
> > > fairly comfortable with their culture -- even if our own • perspective is
> > > narrowed as a consequence. For a brilliant exposition of • the Australian
> > > postcolonial predicament read "The Unusual Life of Tristan • Smith" by Peter
> > > Carey (the guy who wrote "Oscar and Lucinda").
> > >
> > > On the other hand America gives us:
> > > a) some measure of military security (allegedly)
> > > b) technology like Lugnet
> > > c) some worthwhile entertainment
> > >
> > > Still, I'm not sure how deeply we want to go into • geopolitics, when we can be
> > > distracted by a cool (non-American) toy.
> >
> > Ahhhhh! Cultural imperialism. It's good to be king! Now • forgive me while I
> > drive home in my Mazda and play Nintendo games on my • Panasonic TV and play
> > Pokemon cards with my son. :-O
>
> That's the root of my rant about Americanism--it's actually a
> hybrid culture
> that's gravitated towards the US because of economic power
> and demographic
> strength. The insidious part of Americanism is actually its
> functioning--its
> corporatist nature. 'Tis not the Americanisation to me, 'tis
> the Disneyfication
> that's new. Americanisation has been around since the 1890s,
> after all--the idea
> that the new and odd is American, but the traditional and
> wholesome is entirely
> home-grown. The equations both that American=New/Alien and
> American=Degenerate/Inferior is a venerable bugaboo.
>
> And, of course, calling it "Americanization" makes it an easy
> target for local
> conservative nationalists (witness France). It's much harder
> to admit one's own
> people's complicity in its creation and advancement.
>
> By the way, for the .au folks, have you heard any of these
> awful "Outback
> Steakhouse" commercials they have up here in the eastern US?
> The supposed
> "essence" of Australia--Paul Hogan, wallabies, and Men at
> Work, mostly--has been
> canned and parleyed into a good-sized STOW-restaurant
> (STOW=Stuff* Tacked On
> Walls) empire up here. It's depressing, and IIRC it was
> started by an Australian
> emigre catering to US myths about Australia. Perhaps it's
> indicative that there
> aren't any in Australia, but there's one in Guam and a bunch
> on the Pacific
> Rim--and they have a partnership with NASCAR, a US stock-car
> racing syndicate
> usually associated with country bumpkins.
Sounds like the 'Lonestar steakhouses' [or something similar] over here,
although they are designed to represent america's outback area [I think]
[Due to possible censoring, I won't give my opinion of this :) ]
Unfortunately, at least in my opinion, too many places are trying to appear
'american' [or worse...being taken over by americans (nothing personal)],
and contributing to the americanisation of the country. [The reason this is
unfortunate, at least in my opinion, is that they portray america as being a
perfect role-model, and try to force everyone to be involuntary americans.
This is generally emphasised by the telly shows over here...most of it is
american [and in my opinion not very good], and this emphasis has the result
of making people [espesially children] think that america is the centre of
the world, instead of being happy with their own country, and their own way
of life.] I also have a dislike of the way that the american language [note:
not english] is taking over...but that's probably just me :)
>
> http://www.outback.com
>
> I weep for the future.
me too,
> best,
>
> Lindsay
Benjamin Whytcross
BWhytcro@PacificAccess.com.au
Ph: (03) 9856 5282
Directory Technology Pty Ltd
1/436 Elgar Road,
Box Hill, 3128
Growing older is compulsary..Growing up isn't :-)
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