Welcome To The New Cold War

Well I just think that's selective when making a broader generalization as this article, and Rifkin and the other guy, does. Agree that I would like to see the US go up in these categories for sure.

 

Capitalism also breeds unhappiness. The view of Europe may be slightly romanticized, but admit it- as a culture, we are unhappy.

We're hopelessly "driven" to succeed at all costs, and most of us don't make it. Not everyone gets to be a millionaire, or even an upper-class citizen.

As Americans, we evaluate the worth of a person in their monetary value. To be successful here, you don't raise a good family, or live a decent life. You make as much money as humanly possible from the time you're 16 until the day you're forced to retire.

Think about that. Forced to retire. There comes a day when we actually have to tell people that they've spent their whole lives trying to make money, and it's time to step back and focus on the important things.

I detest capitalism and competition. They're tearing our nation apart. And we're not even completely capitalistic. The FDA is a testament to that, and I think we can all agree that there should be some check placed on business and pharmaceutical companies.

In a truly capitalist society, the idea would be that we don't need an organization to check the safety of medicine, because if a pharmacy sold you bad drugs, and it killed you, then people would simply stop going to that pharmacy and it would be forced to close. Survival of the fittest, business style.

But you and I don't want to take that risk. I don't want to be a martyr in the closing of a bad business, and I don't believe you do either. To prevent this, we've allowed a government control over business.

Capitalism isn't completely good, and socialism isn't completely bad.

The problem is that you're looking at this from an economic standpoint, and I think we should be looking at it culturally.

We are without culture. Our only culture is money, and that is absolutely pathetic. Forget all that business about human rights and decency and the fight against oppression everywhere. America is synonymous with money now. Our soul has been stolen, and capitalism is the culprit.

 

we are without culture?? and yet the world laps it up. they lap up Hollywood...they lap up blue jeans...they lap up US pro sports...they lap up our celebrities.

watch the first two minutes of Jerry Maguire.

i'm not patting our culture on the back...it's bankrupt in many aspects. but every people has a culture...some shared set of priorities and values...and how it entertains itself.

 

It sounds like you personally are unhappy. Please don't generalize that to the rest of us.

 

I know that we have a "culture", where culture means a shared set of values. I was saying that these shared values mostly center on money, and I was complaining of our lack of interest in the arts. I claim that our only source of culture now is money, which is pretty much in line with the examples you gave of our culture. We're all flash and no substance.

I'm not talking about happiness as in "Boy, what a great day, I'm so happy today", I'm talking about the fact that we work ourselves to death, and that this is encouraged.

We laugh at other nations when they take hours off for lunch, to laugh and relax. We call them lazy and write them off. How do you think they view us, who can spare no more than 45 minutes for lunch because our work is just so "important"? Or the people that spend more time at the office than at home with their families?

So yes, I am unhappy. And you should be too. You should all be. No sane person would want this, normally. But since this is the culture you've grown up in, you somehow think this is alright.

We've become a greedy, money-hungry, soulless nation, and I'm not sure how anyone can be ok with that.

 

outstanding post

 

You just have a misguided view. I know plenty of people that have made 'lifestyle' choices so they didn't have to 'spend all their time at work.' Most of them are college professors that spend their time waxing philosophic about the 'alienation and unhappiness inherent in capitalism,' lol. I don't know what your background is but I'm a first generation American and I can tell you straight up there is nothing wrong with an emphasis on hard work. Khan is correct that what you get otherwise is inferior effort and inferior results. What made this country great is an emphasis on rugged individualism and hard work, and your simply misguided if you think that's a bad thing. I'm not sure where you get off calling us greedy and soulless either, as if creating a society on the dole is somehow more karmic or valuable ...

 

This post misses the mark by a significant margin.

 

Outstanding post.

 

I guess that would depend on how you define the arts. I think movies are a form of art, and America probably makes more movies seen by more people than the rest of the world put together. I think television is art. America generates more television than anyone else. Music is certainly art, and I am pretty sure America generates more music than anyone else. I don't know what arts you are concerned with, but the rest of the world can't get enough of the art that America is producing.

 

I think movies can be a form of art. Bad Boys II isn't really an art piece, though.

I agree that the things you mentioned are part of what people latch onto for America. But it doesn't define Americans the way that culture defines other nationalities. Maybe TV does to an extent.

But if you look at French Culture, you can think of various regional foods, writers, philosophers, painters, etc. Spanish culture also has food, dance, music, and art that are associated with the fabric of Spanish life. Those are connections that are associated with the French people or Spanish people. I don't think all Americans feel unique and have a connection because of Vin Diesel. The world doesn't see us as Unique because of John Travolta's art, or the Garfield Movie.

They might see as a TV society. I think that would probably count as American Culture. We've also had Jazz, and Hip Hop, but they are all too knew to make the same impact.

 

Our movies and music might be a part of our culture, but by no means would I call them an "art".

It all depends on how you define art. I define it as a means of expression.

You can't tell me that "The Last Action Hero" was expressing anything.

We have a society of quick satisfaction and low attention spans. We can't make cinematic masterpieces, because no one would want to see them. So instead we churn out movie after movie of explosions, shootouts, and sex. If these are the things that you all want to define our culture, then fine, but I prefer to think that maybe Americans have the potential to be more.

And just because the world loves what we produce doesn't mean it's good. In the Hangout, in the thread about the stabbing at the Vibe awards, just about everyone jumped in to call rappers in general "no talent ass clowns". Yet you go to one of these "ass clown" concerts and see thousands of people.

Just because people like it does not make it quality.

 

ok...so you took a summer movie and used it to define an industry. do you watch the oscars??? those summer movies are not honored. you're ignoring all the excellent films that have been produced here in america by american minds to try to make a point

 

A lot of the ones at the Oscars aren't really that artistic either. I can't remember how many nominations Jerry Macguire got. Ghost was even nominated before. Rainman won an Oscar. It was a good movie, but I think it just fit the category of what a good movie should be. It was not an exceptional, best of the best type movie. Did Titanic win a best picture also? James Cameron did . Most of what comes out from our movie industry is mediocre-bad.

Our movie industry puts out some really entertaining movies, plenty of run of the mill low quality movies with high budgets, some real stinkers, and occasionally some top notch, quality films.

 

you're right..it all sucks.

let's adopt the views that everything we do sucks. that life here is a horror. we're without culture...without joy...my whole life, as is all the rest of yours, is about nothing but money and work. you're right....i'm going to sit in a dark room all day and reflect on how miserable i am...and how miserable we all are. nothing is good. sweet death, release me!!!!

 

lol as darkly romantic as that sounds, I don't think that is what anyone, or at least I was saying. I said we do have some culture, but I don't think movies really qualifies. I mentioned Jazz, television, and Hip Hop before, but I also think blue jeans qualify. These are things that are a fabric of America in general and it's traditions etc. I also wasn't saying that it was anything to be overly upset or depressed about. I also think the culture we do have is fragile and weak. That isn't because it isn't worthy, but because our country is new in comparison with other nations. Canada doesn't really have a strong definable culture as well. I think Texas does have a strong culture. It has it's own dances, music, foods, etc.

I will never agree that Hollywood puts out a large number of good movies, or even that there is one style of movie that really dominates from hollywood now.

 

here's an interesting and relevant article from sunday's times magazine:

What Is an American Movie Now?
By LYNN HIRSCHBERG

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/movies/14HOLLYWOOD.html

 

this is what was posted earlier, FB:

So yes, I am unhappy. And you should be too. You should all be. No sane person would want this, normally. But since this is the culture you've grown up in, you somehow think this is alright.

 

Hey SamFisher, can I email you? You can send me your address through my email or on this bbs if you like. I just thought you might be able to help me with some advice.