What are Americans?

[Riverwolf]

Oh, I think it's a far greater number than what appears on the surface, the reason being that the myth is hard-wired into the sub-conscious, and operates under several different guises.

I've not only been here; I'm indigenous, and raised Catholic to boot, so I know what the myth looks like from the inside-out.

I was born here, and I've only rarely seen the Christian American patriotism.

Outside of Christianity perse, our children are spoon-fed the Hero Myth every single day via cartoons, toys, school, etc.; even clothing and food items transmit the imagery. This is how we indoctrinate the next generation so they are ready in the event of war (or preemptive strike) with 'The Evil Enemy'. Again, Persona and Shadow hard at work. The Myth is carried forward into teen and later years via such media events as 'Star Wars', maintaining a powerful 'we-they' mentality.

Just like in the rest of the world. Haven't you ever seen an anime?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

For a long time the descendants of the British have held the upper hand in most of American society. And American society has shared most of the traits and beliefs of those first comers.

Suspicion of central Government
A preference for fundamental Christian religions
A belief in individualism.
A fear of the power of collective responsibility.
The need for personal defence.
A desire for universal social mobility through wealth and power.
a fear of the highly educated and the academic.
The belief that charity is local.
A tendency to prefer anarchy over fedral governance.
Almost no empathy toward the criminal or underdog.
No empathy or respect for the wishes and rights for the people of other nations.

Where other European peoples have a majority or large influence, Those differences are emphasised beyond what one might expect.

Americans abroad are instanty recognisable by their conversation.
If they seem reasonable we think them Canadians.

 

[PamelaGip]

Americans are people like everyone on this world!!

 

[godnotgod]

I was born here, and I've only rarely seen the Christian American patriotism.

They constantly clamor for recognition of America as a 'Christian Nation'. Of course, this is only a facade for their ulterior motive.

Just like in the rest of the world....

Which is my point: though the same, they think themselves different, in the sense of being somehow better: Persona and Shadow. Read Jung.

 

[godnotgod]

Americans are people like everyone on this world!!

"All animals are created equal, but some are created more equal than others"
Animal Farm, George Orwell

 

[Riverwolf]

They constantly clamor for recognition of America as a 'Christian Nation'. Of course, this is only a facade for their ulterior motive.

That doesn't really negate what I said. They're not the majority.

I've only ever heard the whole "Christian nation" thing on the internet, never in real life.

Which is my point: though the same, they think themselves different, in the sense of being somehow better: Persona and Shadow. Read Jung.

I hear Jung is quite tricky. I'm going to need to read a few primers, first, but he's already on my list.

 

[Revoltingest]

No empathy or respect for the wishes and rights for the people of other nations.

Why should we care about them?
It ain't like they're grateful for our pulling their bacon out of the fire in WW2.
(That's why we only pursue useless wars which destroy both sides since then.)

 

[godnotgod]

That doesn't really negate what I said. They're not the majority.

They don't need to be. The Christian element is just one part of the Hero Myth, but it's all the same myth.

I've only ever heard the whole "Christian nation" thing on the internet, never in real life.

There's a difference?

I hear Jung is quite tricky. I'm going to need to read a few primers, first, but he's already on my list.

I had also decided to do just that at one point. Try going to a local bookstore and you will be overwhelmed just by glancing. Take my advice. Buy a copy of an excellent synopsis/overview of both Freud and Jung by both their students. It's called 'Freud and Jung', by Storr/Stevens. Read esp. the section on Persona and Shadow. Your jaw will drop. Here is a link to the book:

Freud & Jung: A dual introduction / [by] Anthony Storr ; [by] Anthony Stevens: Anthony Storr: 9780760709399: Amazon.com: Books

Used copies from .01 cents + Shipping.

 

[godnotgod]

Why should we care about them?
It ain't like they're grateful for our pulling their bacon out of the fire in WW2.
(That's why we only pursue useless wars which destroy both sides since then.)

That's one of the problems with the Hero Myth: it expects something in return for services rendered. No free lunch/ulterior motive, ya!.:slap:

It's called 'Every which way but loose', and 'Got'cha by the cajones, sucka!' For example, we can NEVER repay Jesus for his 'sacrifice'; we can NEVER repay the dead soldiers for giving their lives in all the wars; it insures a fresh supply of willing youth going to their deaths on the great altar of The Moloch Game.

 

[Revoltingest]

That's one of the problems with the Hero Myth: it expects something in return for services rendered. No free lunch/ulterior motive, ya!.:slap:

It's called 'Every which way but loose', and 'Got'cha by the cajones, sucka!' For example, we can NEVER repay Jesus for his 'sacrifice'; we can NEVER repay the dead soldiers for giving their lives in all the wars; it insures a fresh supply of willing youth going to their deaths on the great altar of The Moloch Game.

You mean "ensures" (not "insures"), bub!

 

[Riverwolf]

They don't need to be. The Christian element is just one part of the Hero Myth, but it's all the same myth.

Then again, I fail to see anything inherently wrong with that myth. I'm not even Christian. After all, the beauty of myth is applicability: what it means to you is more important than what it means to others.

There's a difference?

The internet relays to us information and beliefs from people a thousand miles away. What is found there may OR may not reflect the people who live in the vicinity of the user.

In my case, they do not.

I had also decided to do just that at one point. Try going to a local bookstore and you will be overwhelmed just by glancing. Take my advice. Buy a copy of an excellent synopsis/overview of both Freud and Jung by both their students. It's called 'Freud and Jung', by Storr/Stevens. Read esp. the section on Persona and Shadow. Your jaw will drop. Here is a link to the book:

Freud & Jung: A dual introduction / [by] Anthony Storr ; [by] Anthony Stevens: Anthony Storr: 9780760709399: Amazon.com: Books

Used copies from .01 cents + Shipping.

Online shopping is out of the question for me, ATM. Expert-made youtube videos would work better for me.

And in case you're going to recommend him, too, I'm already fairly familiar with the works of Joseph Campbell. ^_^

 

[Riverwolf]

OH! This talk of myth has revealed to me metaphorical represenations of "America."

America as it sees itself:

And this is America as the rest of the world perceives it:

 

[LemonGrenade]

Agreed. Pretentious foreigners have no clue what it means to be American. They just jump at any opportunity to feel superior to the barbaric Americans, regardless of the fact that many of the same things they put down Americans for are common in their own countries.

Yeh, I tend to see that as a backlash against the self-aggrandizing propaganda that seems to be American mainstream's wont.

Both - pro-American and anti-American views - are founded upon complete ********.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Both - pro-American and anti-American views - are founded upon complete ********.

I'm with you.

 

[godnotgod]

OH! This talk of myth has revealed to me metaphorical represenations of "America."

America as it sees itself:

And this is America as the rest of the world perceives it:

Excellent! I think you clinched perfectly what I was trying to get across.

 

[godnotgod]

Then again, I fail to see anything inherently wrong with that myth. I'm not even Christian. After all, the beauty of myth is applicability: what it means to you is more important than what it means to others.

So...nothing wrong with Hitler's myth of a superior German race and that of Jews as untermenschen? Or Christians and Jews as 'chosen' as compared to those who are condemned? How about the myth of white Anglo-European racial and moral superiority compared to the 'inferior' American Indian? Currently, American Christians are busy trying to wipe out Hinduism in India to replace it with Christianity. They go to Hindu cremation ceremonies and shout obscenities in the faces of grieving Hindu families because their gods are 'demonic'.

The internet relays to us information and beliefs from people a thousand miles away. What is found there may OR may not reflect the people who live in the vicinity of the user.

In my case, they do not.

What I meant was that the internet has a life of its own.

Online shopping is out of the question for me, ATM. Expert-made youtube videos would work better for me.

And in case you're going to recommend him, too, I'm already fairly familiar with the works of Joseph Campbell. ^_^

The Jung/Freud book was originally a Barnes and Nobles bargain book. Probably find it in a local used bookstore.

Yes, Campbell. One of the few really enlightened men of our times.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Actually, this is how I view America:

The "hero" image means absolutely nothing to me, or most of the people I know. It's more about what we can do for ourselves. Saving the world is a complete non-issue, and many Americans are against the whole "world police" concept.

 

[sandandfoam]

Besides American citizenship, is there any defining characteristic that the vast majority of Americans possess?

I think that belief in the individual is a very a American trait

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

I think that belief in the individual is a very a American trait

Tell that to the yuppie Commie liberals.

 

[sandandfoam]

Tell that to the yuppie Commie liberals.

I'm not getting your point