[blurb]

I have heard this statement on occasion from many different people, especially foreigners.

Obviously, I am not as well-traveled as others are, so I would like others' developed viewpoints on this issue.

First, what is a culture or what constitutes a culture?

A way of life? Tradition? A way of doing things? Music? A common history?

If we take these into consideration, it seems that the South would be the only place that comes close to having a culture. Country music. NASCAR. Fried chicken. Southern cooking. Jambalaya.

On an interesting note, I have never heard this problem about a lack of "culture" from people who have traveled to Latin America. How did Latin America, whose history is just as young, if not younger, than the United States' history, end up having a "culture" while the U.S. does not?

Perhaps this culture vacuum is specifically Anglo in origin.

Do the British have a culture? The Canadians? Australians? New Zealanders? South Africaners?

[cibo]

The text book definition of a culture is a group's shared history, beliefs and values.

Americans have a culture. Part of it is believing they don't have one and everyone is unaffected by it.

[Batata]

America definitely has a culture. You can't compare it to individual states in Europe, however, as the US is much bigger population-wise and geographically. Go to NY, Southern California, and the South--you'll notice a definite culture there.

I'd say the only culturally androgynous place in America is the Midwest.

[Magnum]

America definitely has an economic culture that has spread to most western countries...that of anything goes capitalism and the motto that greed and consumption are virtues.

[joehoya]

Yes, several in fact. I would go so far as to say that America may have such a rich culture that it is hard to see. In effect, people are missing the forest for the trees.

Here are the reasons why folks think that America has no culture:
1) Our country is so huge and diverse that it is hard to pick one aspect and call it "American". So in effect, we have hundreds of regional cultural traditions (that may be in some cases richer that the cultures of many countries) as opposed to one, monolithic, American culture.

2) As a primarily immigrant country, our culture is heavily influenced by the other countries our ancestors came from.

3) Often times our culture is so dominant that it has spread and been co-opted by other countries. So, someone in Paris speaks of Americans not having culture while eating a Hamburger and listening to Jazz.

4) Some folks are just pretentious snobs, and for decades (centuries?) it has been popular to claim that Americans have no culture.

[speakeasy]

Of course it has a culture. Any place on the planet that is inhabited with people has a culture. The only place with no culture is Antarctica.

America has one of the most influential cultures on earth.

[Pilgrim37]

It has loads of culture and genrously spread it's culture over much of the world...for a fee of course ,that's part of American culture after all:

Literature
Art
Music
Film
General way of life and standard of living

It is a HUGE cultural phenomenon since the early part of the last century!

Just think music alone from scratch : Jazz,Country,RocknRoll,Rap completly transformed the world music scene

I'm a huge fan of so much American culture.

It's just that with the rise of massive conglomerates it can seem blanded out. ,

But even the big corporations helped the culture :think of Hollywood studios or music labels like Columbia ,Motown,Stax

Like whoever it was said "The business of America is business" and that's part of American culture too!

People from abroad might winge but I guarantee they've suckled on the tit of American culture somewhere down the line...and loved it!

There's a huge amount of dross too...but have you watched French sourced Tv or Italian .......garbage with very few exceptions is too good a word.

[Gunner]

As a foreigner and social sciences enthusiast:

America has a culture it's just not an "old" culture, when people (incorrectly) talk about culture they refer to ruins, history and stuff like that.

Mexico had Mayans, Aztecs, Olmecs and a whole bunch of old civilizations.

Peru had the Incas that ruled a big part of South America.

Also the Spanish conquista had a big influence on all Latin America.

The United States, being a immigrant new country has a "new" culture, a culture of immigrants, brands and a way of life.

I like the American culture: Power, capitalism, wealth, rock'roll, Elvis, Marilyn, Sinatra, New York, Chicago, soul music, etc. etc etc.

[vinman]

American culture, for better or worse, has influenced the world. It's looked down upon in the elitist circles because our most popular influences come from the bottom up. Meaning Blacks, and the poor.

[Chad Daring]

I always hate it when I hear liberal hippy Euro fetishists say this.

America has a great culture, its just very steeped in negative stereotypes. Just look at Nascar, that has huge cultural significance that most people dont bother to learn about. Same with rap music. Rap is very American, and regardless of your opinion of current rap, its roots come from black history. Look the song "The Science" by Murs.

Our culture is simply different then th rest of the world.

[Magnum]

One fundamental part of the American culture I like is the idea that you can rise to the top no matter what circumstances you were born into.America probably has more rags to riches success stories than anywhere.Originality and Ingenuity are really rewarded...The problem is big business is making it harder and harder for independant guys to get their start now and those big business models flow on to the rest of the world.

[Pilgrim37]

(10-23-2011 01:17 AM)Magnum Wrote:  

One fundamental part of the American culture I like is the idea that you can rise to the top no matter what circumstances you were born into.America probably has more rags to riches success stories than anywhere.Originality and Ingenuity are really rewarded...The problem is big business is making it harder and harder for independant guys to get their start now and those big business models flow on to the rest of the world.

"I like is the idea that you can rise to the top no matter what circumstances you were born into"

Unfortunately,this is less and less true compared to a couple or more decades or so.
It still happens,but a lot less than it did.
Social mobility is probably near its' worst level for a long long time in the US.
If you were born to poor parents in the last couple of decades or so the likelihood is you're going to be on the poor side too.

[Magnum]

(10-23-2011 08:20 PM)Pilgrim37 Wrote:  

(10-23-2011 01:17 AM)Magnum Wrote:  

One fundamental part of the American culture I like is the idea that you can rise to the top no matter what circumstances you were born into.America probably has more rags to riches success stories than anywhere.Originality and Ingenuity are really rewarded...The problem is big business is making it harder and harder for independant guys to get their start now and those big business models flow on to the rest of the world.

"I like is the idea that you can rise to the top no matter what circumstances you were born into"

Unfortunately,this is less and less true compared to a couple or more decades or so.
It still happens,but a lot less than it did.
Social mobility is probably near its' worst level for a long long time in the US.
If you were born to poor parents in the last couple of decades or so the likelihood is you're going to be on the poor side too.

Yeah Pilgrim,I"m hearing you..Big business is running the world now.Got everyone including the polititians in their back pocket.Any small guy is either stomped down or bought out by a large company if he comes out with anything that may steal a little share of their market.It's capatilism gone bad and it's spread to all of the western world now.

[OSL]

SUSHI!

[Pilgrim37]

(10-23-2011 10:16 PM)youngmobileglobal Wrote:  

SUSHI!

I like this one by House before he became House

[Pilgrim37]

This is a funny Doc. by an English comic trying to cross America without giving his money to The Man.
Is it possible just using Mom and Pop stores,has that culture died and Corporate America blitzed everything in it's path?

[Luvianka]

Of course, they have. Actually they have the most influential culture nowadays. One which has soread all over the World.