"We're all living in Amerika, Amerika ist wunderbar!"
So the song by Rammstein goes, but what exactly does it mean? America may have the strongest army on the planet, but they have a force far stronger than that, their culture, and this is what the song is going on about.
How true is it? Well for one thing I can safely say that all the TV I watch is either American or English. Occasionally some Japanese, French or Spanish media comes my way, but the vast majority is from the United States.
Mickey Maus, Santa Claus, Coca Cola, Wonderbra the song goes on to exclaim. Just some of the American commercial products that have penetrated throughout the world. They have become so established that they seem like commonplace local products or ideas in countries the world over.
The song speaks the truth as the as we all know our McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, President Bush and a whole load of American culture and icons that has become like our own.
We all watch American TV, Listen to American music and a lot of us dress in American styled clothing. How many of us use words like dude and a huge variety of other slang that is dominant in the US. It becomes even more apparent when English (Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale) and Australian (Russel Crowe, Hugh Jackman) actors have to put on American accents to make a living. America is the home of all major media, and so even these individuals must appear to be American in order to get a big hit movie - of course the majority are all made in the US.
That kind of makes you wonder what the World would have been like if the Germans had won World War II...
We're all living in Amerika, Amerika... Amerika!
hmmm.... foxhound's post poses a dilemma to moi.
ReplyDeleteFirstly what is America? Unlike other countries that hold a big stake in world economics such as UK, Japan, Germany, France, China, Russia etc.
The USA does not and cannot boast of any form of historical or cultural sophistication?
So in essence American culture is pot pourri of the major cultures, religions, ethnicities that we find all over the world... some kind of special way theEast Europeans, the Japs, the INdians, the Chineese, the Brits and god knows who else have contributed towards making Ameircan culture what it is...
So in essence America represents in a slightly skewed but not entirely inaccurate way what the world would be if all culture and ethnicities were allowed to blend together without restriction.
Well..true we are living in Amerika i guess...n btw Rammstein kicks arse..heh..
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with Bawa here. While it's true American culture is built up from a range of other cultures, it has evolved over time to become it's own.
ReplyDeleteAlso Californian Surfer Talk like dude etc. originated from there itself.
Even people who migrate there, by the next generation, the original culture is strongly overridden by the American one.
hmmm... yes i agree that the original culture is over ridden by the American one..
ReplyDeletebut American culture itself is an amalgamation of many different cultures viz. a melting pot... for example American pizza comes from Ialy, Tacos etc, from Mexico...
well if the germans did win we'd all be slaves to a fascist dictator. thats precisely why they didnt win it i think. The yanks are very good at marketing themselves! they've got us all eating outta their hands. the minute they point their fingers at someone and tell us they are bad, the world is inclined to believe them.
ReplyDeleteBush has been overplaying it a bit though. they were a bit more subtle before lol. but the US has been quietly building a whole empire by impoting their culture and being a 'friend' (sarcastic tone) to many poor nations. evry empire must crumble though right? Hindi or Mandarin anyone? :)
Yeah...it could be Hindi or Mandarine..heh..mite as well be a huge contest for it(its happenin even now i guess)...
ReplyDeletewell Bawa, i think America is quite a blend of cultures true but not all that negative since its like the chief boutique or cafe in the global village..
ReplyDeletealso, i will always prefer Americans to the Germans!!!
the prominence of US compared to the other cultures, in this era, can be understood in relation to the capital and its nature. btw, the fact that US culture is an amalgamation of others does not deny its prominence. fundementally every culture can be analysed as an amalgamation as every existing culture, will make impact upon each other simultaneously, while they evolve together. and every change can be analysed as a cause effect relationship. i have no time to elaborate further on this. but i appreciate you all and your blog.
ReplyDeletewill write yu soon
American culture is a kaleidoscope reflection of many cultures, but in the gaps and overlaps are synergies that create new and original content from withing America itself. These new synergies are attractive not just to Americans, but to the many cultures that can see their influences in them.
ReplyDelete