me (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} thedreamgames) wrote,@ 2007-10-06 18:06:00 |
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Culture Shock and stereotypes
I started reading this old book from our bookshelves. Part of series called "Culture Shock!" Fun. Easy to read books.
They stereotype though.
And the way it's written.....
It reminds me of the books you get at the pet store. "Your Tarantula" or "Your Dalmation".
Except these are about humans.
Of course, I'm reading about Australia.
I'm learning what to expect from the Australian species of human and how to treat the Australian species of human.
Tim and I find the stereotyping both funny and disturbing.
It reminds me of when I worked at a Cystic Fibrosis camp. I mentioned something about morning to one of the counseler/nurses and she scoffed. "Cystics don't wake up before 11." As if every single person with CF had the same morning habits.
The books are fun to read, but you really do have to take them with a grain of salt. Well, especially since the book was published in 1992. Some of the stuff is already outdated.
BUT I'm guessing SOME of the stuff has merit. I doubted it at first.
Then I got out the USA culture shock book--thinking Americans are all so different. How can you generalize them? Yeah, some fit the Ugly-American stereotype. Loud, ethnocentric, ignorant, and overly patriotic. But I know very few people like that. We're all so different. Just like all Australians are different.
I opened the book and to my surprise....some of the stereotypes have more than a little merit. At least to me.
Here are some quotes from the American book:
1. "In point of fact, relaxinf is precisely waht Americans are not very good at. It doesn't fit in with our belief in progress."
2. (I LOVE this one) "It's not just that we work hard. Our lesiure activities are equally demanding. Besides the pursuit of health and fitness, any number of adult Americans are taking night classes, attending lectures, involving themselves in children's schools, leading scout troops, running churs groups, and redecorating. Weekends are full of camping, sports, and home improvement. Then when we get all stressed out, we take another course in yoga, meditation, or stress managemnent."
3. "Popular psychology has lined the bookshelves with volumes promising to bring happiness into individual lives." (so true! We're really addicted to self-help books. Wonder if we're the worst or are other cultures just as bad?)
4. "Despite evidence that at least 95% of the weight loss in dieting is regained, Americans remain irresitibly attracted to new diets and weight loss gimmicks" (so true! I was thinking about how all the women on my friend's list are so different. Different religions. Different races. Different careers, etc. But the one thing I see from almost all of us....DIETING. Or if not dieting, at least we're talking about how we're learning to accept our bodies and not diet. No matter how we're eating, not eating, exercising, or not exercising....we're THINKING about it. Our country is so obsessed with weight!
5. Obsession with youth... "Wrinkles are the great enemy and for their elimination, millions of dollars of dubious creams and potions are sold."
Well, that's it for now......
I guess if I had to sum up the American culture....I'd say the worship of youth, thinness independence, and self-improvement. Oh and the need to be constantly busy--or at least appear to be.
I started reading this old book from our bookshelves. Part of series called "Culture Shock!" Fun. Easy to read books.
They stereotype though.
And the way it's written.....
It reminds me of the books you get at the pet store. "Your Tarantula" or "Your Dalmation".
Except these are about humans.
Of course, I'm reading about Australia.
I'm learning what to expect from the Australian species of human and how to treat the Australian species of human.
Tim and I find the stereotyping both funny and disturbing.
It reminds me of when I worked at a Cystic Fibrosis camp. I mentioned something about morning to one of the counseler/nurses and she scoffed. "Cystics don't wake up before 11." As if every single person with CF had the same morning habits.
The books are fun to read, but you really do have to take them with a grain of salt. Well, especially since the book was published in 1992. Some of the stuff is already outdated.
BUT I'm guessing SOME of the stuff has merit. I doubted it at first.
Then I got out the USA culture shock book--thinking Americans are all so different. How can you generalize them? Yeah, some fit the Ugly-American stereotype. Loud, ethnocentric, ignorant, and overly patriotic. But I know very few people like that. We're all so different. Just like all Australians are different.
I opened the book and to my surprise....some of the stereotypes have more than a little merit. At least to me.
Here are some quotes from the American book:
1. "In point of fact, relaxinf is precisely waht Americans are not very good at. It doesn't fit in with our belief in progress."
2. (I LOVE this one) "It's not just that we work hard. Our lesiure activities are equally demanding. Besides the pursuit of health and fitness, any number of adult Americans are taking night classes, attending lectures, involving themselves in children's schools, leading scout troops, running churs groups, and redecorating. Weekends are full of camping, sports, and home improvement. Then when we get all stressed out, we take another course in yoga, meditation, or stress managemnent."
3. "Popular psychology has lined the bookshelves with volumes promising to bring happiness into individual lives." (so true! We're really addicted to self-help books. Wonder if we're the worst or are other cultures just as bad?)
4. "Despite evidence that at least 95% of the weight loss in dieting is regained, Americans remain irresitibly attracted to new diets and weight loss gimmicks" (so true! I was thinking about how all the women on my friend's list are so different. Different religions. Different races. Different careers, etc. But the one thing I see from almost all of us....DIETING. Or if not dieting, at least we're talking about how we're learning to accept our bodies and not diet. No matter how we're eating, not eating, exercising, or not exercising....we're THINKING about it. Our country is so obsessed with weight!
5. Obsession with youth... "Wrinkles are the great enemy and for their elimination, millions of dollars of dubious creams and potions are sold."
Well, that's it for now......
I guess if I had to sum up the American culture....I'd say the worship of youth, thinness independence, and self-improvement. Oh and the need to be constantly busy--or at least appear to be.
