Ahh the French

[Dinner]

Because we like it?

That is a distinct possibility.

[rah]

I do have to laugh sometimes when a really bad movie does better internationally than it does in the US. Our standards are sometime higher.

[Dinner]

I have a sudden desire to have coq au vin for dinner tonight.

Yes, I'm sure someone will turn that into a sex joke.

[rah]

Not me, I was wondering who she was

[Fake Boris]

The key words there are comes out of the US. In truth there is a rather large amount of what could more genuinely be called American culture--arts, crafts, music, food, and more, all with a long pedigree--which simply is not exported. And there's a wide variety of it, too, and more continues to be made. Calling McDonald's "American food" is a lot like calling a McDonald's Happy Meal toy "Chinese craftsmanship." It's broadly correct, but still rather misleading, and if you compare the one to roquefort cheese or the other to stained glass, both will inevitably be found wanting.

I have already addressed this.

I explicitly said that French culture is less diluted, which is what makes it more interesting.

[Fake Boris]

Another generalization. And in this case, I tried to not discuss what you consider the baser side of our populism culture. People like you just like to point that out and discount anything where there are actual comparisons.

I'm not discounting anything.

[Egbert]

The key words there are comes out of the US. In truth there is a rather large amount of what could more genuinely be called American culture--arts, crafts, music, food, and more, all with a long pedigree--which simply is not exported. And there's a wide variety of it, too, and more continues to be made. Calling McDonald's "American food" is a lot like calling a McDonald's Happy Meal toy "Chinese craftsmanship." It's broadly correct, but still rather misleading, and if you compare the one to roquefort cheese or the other to stained glass, both will inevitably be found wanting.

Seems true. We get the formulaic Hollywood movies, the singers that all sound the same, McDonalds and Krispy Kreme. The mass market garbage.

A lot of cultural stuff seems more niche market than mass market and perhaps harder to export? (and yeah, this is a risky and debateable generalisation).

[Elok]

I have already addressed this.

I explicitly said that French culture is less diluted, which is what makes it more interesting.

"Less diluted," huh? Tell me, have you ever encountered anything genuinely American, or are you basing your judgments of our country solely on the cheap crap we hock overseas? For example, have you eaten gumbo in Louisiana, or Maryland crab cakes? Listened to Appalachian folk music? Admired some Shaker-made furniture? Note that these are all Eastern phenomena; I know there's a whole lot out there I've never seen and probably never will.

EDIT: Actually, I don't know the extent of Shaker "colonies," maybe there are some out west as well.

[Elok]

I do have to laugh sometimes when a really bad movie does better internationally than it does in the US. Our standards are sometime higher.

In all fairness, are the profits measured against the size of their potential audience? Because the pool of all moviegoers overseas is a lot bigger than the one in just the U.S.

[Hauldren Collider]

It's actually not as much bigger as you would expect. Depends on how many languages the movie is dubbed in, and remember that the US market alone is enormous.

[giblets]

Enormous is relative.

[OzzyKP]

American culture.

And while we compare quite favorably with the rest of the world in the arts, in literature, in architecture, in movies, in theater, in poetry, in music, in cuisine, and any other form of sophisticated, high culture, I don't see anything wrong with popular culture. That is the whole spirit and ethos of America. We are a nation built on the common man, on democracy. We don't have nobility here. We are a self made land.

So while McDonald's in particular is crap, no debate there, I see no reason not to be proud of the burger, the hot dog, pizza, and other common, popular food. And sure, those foods may have been first created elsewhere, or are rooted in foods from elsewhere, that is the genius of America. We take the culture of the world and make it uniquely our own.

Think of all the influences that created Jazz, or Blues, or Rock, or Country, or Rap. You're welcome. And do I care whether or not the Earl of Windsor appreciates a good Tupac or Brad Paisley album? No. Screw elitism. That's what's great about American culture. It is more than just American culture, it is the culture of the common man the world over. Contempt from international elites for American culture is contempt for their own common people.

That being said, we do just fine with more sophisticated or refined culture as well. This country is so big and diverse, we've got something for everyone.

USA.

[Elok]

While I wouldn't go as far as Ozzy, his post did get me thinking. There are a lot of problems with the French attitude towards preserving culture, but one of the biggest is that it assumes that any foreign "contamination" will invariably degrade or diminish French culture, when the opposite is far more likely to be true. If the British of the late fifties had been guarding their heritage as zealously as the French would no doubt like to guard theirs, they would have brushed off all manner of noxious American influences--and the world would have missed out on the Beatles, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin...

Rock & roll, of course, would not be around at all if we Americans hadn't allowed black people to intrude on our white-bread national consciousness. Much like the French language wouldn't be around if some Germanic barbarians hadn't picked up and hopelessly mangled Latin. Cultural protectionism is little better than economic protectionism; in the long run, you're just depriving yourself of the food you need to grow. And that's why the Academie Francaise can lick my Balzac.

[C0ckney]

It is more than just American culture, it is the culture of the common man the world over.

[Dinner]

Yes, he laughs but even in a slum in Brazil I'd bet there are plenty of signs of American culture.