How americanized Europe is

[Estro Felino]

I think that Europe as notion hardly exists...
because it's a continent which is so americanized, that it has become a sin to claim a European heritage.

Europeans love the US... and I have always wondered if they have noticed it.
Please discuss.

 

[Estro Felino]

I was watching this interesting video... about it.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

I think that Europe as notion hardly exists...
because it's a continent which is so americanized, that it has become a sin to claim a European heritage.

Europeans love the US... and I have always wondered if they have noticed it.
Please discuss.

I'm a little skeptical, but would need time to research it and think about it. Thanks for giving me something to think about, though.

That being said, I think that sometimes people from other countries, who haven't been to America, sometimes get slightly distorted views of America. And I don't think that burden falls on just one person, but is more of a general problem

 

[Estro Felino]

I'm a little skeptical, but would need time to research it and think about it. Thanks for giving me something to think about, though.

You're welcome.

That being said, I think that sometimes people from other countries, who haven't been to America, sometimes get slightly distorted views of America. And I don't think that burden falls on just one person, but is more of a general problem

Of course. But if Americans visited Germany, for example, they would realize how americanized it is.
It's a term which exists and is broadly used.

 

[ChristineM]

Europeans love the US.

Here you go again painting everyone with your personal view

it has become a sin to claim a European heritage.

Bull. I'm proud to be European, more so than British and... I atheist so i cannot commit a sin anyway

 

[Estro Felino]

Bull. I'm proud to be European, more so than British and... I atheist so i cannot commit a sin anyway

That's good.

Sin in metaphorical sense.

 

[ChristineM]

That's good.

Sin in metaphorical sense.

Nicely edited to remove the bit you don't like.

So you redefine sin to suite yourself?

 

[Estro Felino]

So you redefine sin to suite yourself?

My mothertongue is very metaphorical.

 

[ChristineM]

My mothertongue is very metaphorical.

Not my problem, definition is definition, you want to change the definition then speak to the dictionary compilers.

 

[Stevicus]

I think that Europe as notion hardly exists...
because it's a continent which is so americanized, that it has become a sin to claim a European heritage.

Europeans love the US... and I have always wondered if they have noticed it.
Please discuss.

It may be a bit of a mutual love, since many Americans seemingly love Europe. They might see it as their ancestral homeland, or others might be fascinated by the history and culture. It's a popular destination for Americans to travel to.

Historically, the continents of North and South America have been fully Europeanized, as they were centuries ago. Every country in this hemisphere has, as its official language, a European language (mainly English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and a few Dutch colonies which remained). Their governments and political systems were formed from the European colonial governments from which they sprang. Even the continent itself, "America," is named after a European navigator and mapmaker.

In many ways, one could say that America is an extension or outgrowth of Europe, even if separated by 3000 miles of ocean. So, if Europe becomes "Americanized," then it's process referring to a country which has already been "Europeanized" and continues to be so.

If the whole world became Americanized, we could all become Americans - one big happy family.

 

[Estro Felino]

It may be a bit of a mutual love, since many Americans seemingly love Europe. They might see it as their ancestral homeland, or others might be fascinated by the history and culture. It's a popular destination for Americans to travel to.

Historically, the continents of North and South America have been fully Europeanized, as they were centuries ago. Every country in this hemisphere has, as its official language, a European language (mainly English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and a few Dutch colonies which remained). Their governments and political systems were formed from the European colonial governments from which they sprang. Even the continent itself, "America," is named after a European navigator and mapmaker.

In many ways, one could say that America is an extension or outgrowth of Europe, even if separated by 3000 miles of ocean. So, if Europe becomes "Americanized," then it's process referring to a country which has already been "Europeanized" and continues to be so.

If the whole world became Americanized, we could all become Americans - one big happy family.

I think that it deals with the same culture...which is based upon a mutual exchange of ideas, and upon the same scientific progress.


Yet, the US, from a cultural point of view has an enormous influence on the Europeans' way of thinking, especially the young generations.
To the extent...that some don't even wonder what America looks like, because they already feel like they are in the US.
Especially Scandinavia...or Germany. Very americanized.

 

[Stevicus]

I think that it deals with the same culture...which is based upon a mutual exchange of ideas, and upon the same scientific progress.


Yet, the US, from a cultural point of view has an enormous influence on the Europeans' way of thinking, especially the young generations.
To the extent...that some don't even wonder what America looks like, because they already feel like they are in the US.
Especially Scandinavia...or Germany. Very americanized.

It makes it sound like Americans are the "cool kids" of the world. Everyone wants to be like the cool kids. A lot of aspects of American popular culture, much of it driven by media and the entertainment industry, makes things look so hip, glamorous - and it makes pop culture seem somewhat flashy, narcissistic - where "I'm so wonderful and everyone should want to be like me."

Of course, technology makes it possible to partake of whatever culture one wishes. Thanks to the internet, I can communicate with and hear the opinions of people from lands I wouldn't ordinarily communicate with in the pre-internet days. I can get news from all corners of the world.

American pop culture seems driven towards the lowest common denominator, so that may be part of its appeal.

 

[Estro Felino]

It makes it sound like Americans are the "cool kids" of the world. Everyone wants to be like the cool kids. A lot of aspects of American popular culture, much of it driven by media and the entertainment industry, makes things look so hip, glamorous - and it makes pop culture seem somewhat flashy, narcissistic - where "I'm so wonderful and everyone should want to be like me."

Exactly.
It's emulation. Just think that most EU technocrats want to push for a USE (United States of Europe). The first step was the creation of the common currency.

Of course, technology makes it possible to partake of whatever culture one wishes. Thanks to the internet, I can communicate with and hear the opinions of people from lands I wouldn't ordinarily communicate with in the pre-internet days. I can get news from all corners of the world.

Even before the Internet era. Just think that in most EU countries American movies and TV shows are not dubbed. Just subtitled.

 

[Estro Felino]

Europe has a soul...and I am glad it is superbly represented in this movie.
Small villages are still like that. Kinda.

 

[PureX]

Hmmm ... you do realize that's an American commercial idealization of "European village culture", right? Fat Disney executives sat around a board room smoking cigars and discussing the profit potential of producing this absurdly nostalgic and fantasized imagery.

 

[Estro Felino]

Not my problem, definition is definition, you want to change the definition then speak to the dictionary compilers.

I didn't know figures of speech were prohibited in English.
Shakespeare should be outlawed. It's outrageous they teach it.

 

[Estro Felino]

Hmmm ... you do realize that's an American commercial idealization "European village life", right?

Very realistic representation, though.
There is a soul of the village...that is perfectly evident, in that song.

 

[PureX]

Very realistic representation, though.
There is a soul of the village...that is perfectly evident, in that song.

You seem to have fallen into a morass of nostalgia, lately. First the 'pretty pedophile priest' and now the 'Disney cartoon village'. I hope you don't get lost in there.

 

[Estro Felino]

You seem to have fallen into a morass of nostalgia, lately. First the 'pretty pedophile priest' and now the 'Disney cartoon village'. I hope you don't get lost in there.

LOL

 

[ChristineM]

I didn't know figures of speech were prohibited in English.
Shakespeare should be outlawed. It's outrageous they teach it.

Misrepresentation and distortion dont go down particularly well in general discussion