Difficulty explaining American culture
This is from a discussion I tried to have to explain that America has a wholly unique and separate culture from the implanted cultures brought in by immigrants. See if you can figure out the logical fallacies and irrational conclusions on the part the other individual (I've removed the person's name for obvious reasons):
GoatMan (11:34:37 PM): We are responsible for inventing the first fire department (thank you Ben Franklin), women's rights, civil rights for all races (which still doesn't exist even in Africa), telecommunications...
GoatMan (11:35:28 PM): and a variety of time and effort-saving devices that normally under the British or any other culture, would be available only to the nobility, while we made them available for everyone.
GoatMan (11:36:39 PM): Our culture involves pioneers, explorers, innovators, cowboys, scientists, the best of mankind who chose to live and prosper here, rather than being burned at the stake for wanting to make life better for their fellow man.
_____________ (11:37:30 PM): so we are responsible for an aspiring democratic culture.
_____________ (11:37:37 PM): nifty
_____________ (11:37:54 PM): it is
_____________ (11:37:56 PM): admit it
_____________ (11:38:00 PM): women's rights
_____________ (11:38:02 PM): civil rights
_____________ (11:38:07 PM): equality
_____________ (11:38:08 PM): is
_____________ (11:38:10 PM): democratic
_____________ (11:38:20 PM): available for the public
GoatMan (11:38:35 PM): Yes, but there are other cultural aspects are inherently our own, and ONLY our own.
GoatMan (11:38:44 PM): The modern concept of Christmas was invented by US
GoatMan (11:38:51 PM): Thanksgiving- that's us again
_____________ (11:39:04 PM): well, considering it's our history, no s***.
GoatMan (11:39:21 PM): That's part of our culture, then! That's not having "no culture"
_____________ (11:39:37 PM): so our culture is making up holidays
_____________(11:39:42 PM): that let is miss school days
_____________ (11:39:53 PM): that don't really have a purpose
GoatMan (11:40:01 PM): Excuse me?
_____________(11:40:24 PM): we have to have a special dinner to thank God?
_____________(11:40:28 PM): shouldn't we do that every night?
GoatMan (11:40:35 PM): We celebrate the sheer survival of some of the first colonists in New England.
_____________ (11:40:38 PM): and considering you're atheist this is mildly entertaining
GoatMan (11:41:05 PM): Just because I don't believe in God doesn't mean I don't recognize the importance of religion in our nation.
_____________ (11:41:12 PM): really?
_____________ (11:41:18 PM): you seem to be quite ignorant of it
GoatMan (11:41:34 PM): Separation of Church and State was a bad judgment call made by a judge in the 1930s, and was poorly misunderstood.
GoatMan (11:42:28 PM): Religion, whether it be Judeo-Christian, or based on Ancient Greek and Roman mythology (which is clearly manifested in our government), is a part of our government, and makes democracy possible.
_____________ (11:42:43 PM): ...
_____________ (11:42:53 PM): so we would end up with religious wars
_____________ (11:42:58 PM): and those tend to be nasty
GoatMan (11:43:00 PM): How else are you supposed to explain that all men are created equal in the eyes of their Creator if there's no Creator?
_____________ (11:43:25 PM): So you think that all men are not created equal?
To summarize the end result, this person claimed I was completely ignorant, and I needed to sort my thoughts before I could speak. I love how idiots think they validate their "intelligence" based on how many short, mis-spelled sentence fragments they can get out in under a minute. It's not really to show they are quick-witted, but simply to interrupt the other person long enough to think the other person has nothing to say.
If anyone has the brains to shut up, read what I wrote, THINK about it for a couple minutes BEFORE responding, and maybe crack open a pre-1992 college textbook on modern history (1803 and on), they'd realize my argument: that America's culture is based on our own, unique history, technological as well as civil achievements (which led to improving the lives of ALL citizens, not just the upper class), and pioneering spirit. This is something not available in any other nation, not even Western Europe.
You can't tell me we stole the history of cowboys, mountain men, and ranchers from Spain. If anything, Mexico and Latin America stole it from us, and perverted it. You can't tell me the "posh" British developed the culture manifested in Chicago during the Roaring 20's. Do I also dare mention we are the first to invent the concept of broadcasting? No one before Marconi had ever thought of it before, or FM radio for that matter (which was invented back in the 30's).
Who landed on the moon? Americans did. Who brought environmental concerns to the attention of the world? Americans did. Who improved agriculture to make feeding massive quantities of starving people in Africa possible? Americans did. Who brought the rest of the postwar world into the 20th Century at our own expense? Americans did. Finally, who INVENTED the United Nations? Americans did!
If you can't accept this, get out of my country.
Re: Difficulty explaining American culture
Hmm... nice history lesson. But isn't this really journal material ;) ? Furthermore you shouldn't allow yourself to become so upset by someone else's stupidity, next time just end the conversation if it's so apparent that they can't comprehend what you're trying to tell them. Oh, and just in case -
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...9058/IBTL1.gif
Re: Difficulty explaining American culture
I think i would have to agree with it being Journal material not to mention the amound of times you have insulted members who are from Spain and Britian....
So I will be closing this thread as it will only just get Flamed.
~Closing~