Americans

19-02-2015 06:20PM #1

To any Americans or anyone who has lived in the US for a signifying amount of time, do you think the media accurately reflects your county, film, TV, news media.

I have only ever been on holidays in the US, the sense of familiarity is unsettling particularly in New York, in fact New York felt more familiar that the UK our nearest neighbour.

Generic Dreadhead · 19-02-2015 06:25PM

*Grabs Popcorn*

Boom_Bap · 19-02-2015 06:26PM

*Grabs Twinkie, Hot Dog and 7-11 Big Gulp*

Ghost Buster · 19-02-2015 06:30PM

Cormac... wrote: »

*Grabs Popcorn*

To stop an obese Yank from eating it on you?

bodice ripper · 19-02-2015 06:32PM

moaning mick bastards.

Cunny-Funt · 19-02-2015 06:34PM

Its a good question, we are bombarded by America via the media throughout most of our lives.

I've never been but often wondered if it'd feel like I'm on the set of some TV show.

One thing I've found odd was meeting Americans in person, they're accent always sounds more harsh and grating compared to what we hear on TV.

endacl · 19-02-2015 06:36PM

Nah. You're bombarded with media by the media.

How dafuq can a continent full of hundreds of millions of people be represented by a movie or TV show?

BoJack Horseman · 19-02-2015 06:40PM

That 70's show is somewhat like Wisconsin, even today.

Except that more people wear jumpers bearing a massive wolf head or something equally terrible, in an unironic way.

Aenaes · 19-02-2015 06:42PM

Pew pew?

StormWarrior · 19-02-2015 06:47PM

On TV they're skinny. I went to Florida about 12 years ago and they were all so fat that most of them couldn't walk.

Wompa1 · 19-02-2015 06:48PM

I'm living in the Southwest. Southerners are depicted as crazy, dumb, rednecks. Most are not. The comedian David Cross is from Georgia....he talks about it a lot. Billy Bob Thornton has talked about it too. Even within itself, the media depicts different regions of America in a certain light to it's own citizens.

It's a crazy place. But then again, every post about Ireland on here ends up in a p1ssing match between Dubliners and non-Dubs so maybe that's just everywhere.

I find the impression of Americans from people who have never been here to be pretty interesting. In reality. Americans are no different to anybody else in the world. The majority are just trying to work away, earn a living and live their lifes. Same problems, wants and desires as everybody else.

Adamantium · 19-02-2015 06:48PM

I lived there for a year recently, so not an American but I'll try to give my thoughts

First time I went to America I was shocked at how empty and vapid the culture is. It's like every city was thrown up overnight faster than a movie set, there's no sense of history, and the popular culture is inane. I'm not joking about being shocked. It disturbed me for days on end as I'd always secretly hoped something remained of the era of the Declaration. When I grew up in rural Ireland , years ago anything "big in America" was immediately cool, whereas now it's a millstone around the neck. For every 5 Americans I had meet, 3 are aggressively fronting a delusional self-image.

The GTA radio stations and coming true was truly the most surreal eerie dystopic thing I had encountered a long time. It was real and not just some absurd satire of the USA, that constant bombarding of advertising

Wompa1 · 19-02-2015 06:50PM

StormWarrior wrote: »

On TV they're skinny. I went to Florida about 12 years ago and they were all so fat that most of them couldn't walk.

In New York city there's a lot less fat people, ditto most major cities in the country. The fat people are in places like Florida, in which everybody drives, everywhere. Also, in Florida, everywhere is air conditioned. They don't even burn as many calories when idle than others from cooler climates. The body is not trying to keep itself warm or cold.

Wompa1 · 19-02-2015 06:52PM

Adamantium wrote: »

I lived there for a year recently, so not an American but I'll try to give my thoughts

First time I went to America I was shocked at how empty and vapid the culture is. It's like every city was thrown up overnight faster than a movie set, there's no sense of history, and the popular culture is inane. I'm not joking about being shocked. It disturbed me for days on end as I'd always secretly hoped something remained of the era of the Declaration. When I grew up in rural Ireland , years ago anything "big in America" was immediately cool, whereas now it's a millstone around the neck. For every 5 Americans I had meet, 3 are aggressively fronting a delusional self-image.

Which cities? Boston has a really cool vibe. Little Italy has a lot of history, ditto the harbor. Pennsylvania has a lot of history too. Ditto New York. The culture on the east coast is a mix of many different cultures. The culture where I am in the Southwest is very different. I'm living right beside a reservation. There's a bunch of Native American museums, restaraunts, concerts etc.

It's a big country...the culture differs depending on where you go...

Also, you could argue that popular culture in the developed world has been dictated by America, so if you don't notice a unique culture, it might be because it's not unique to America anymore...

Wompa1 · 19-02-2015 06:54PM

Adamantium wrote: »

The GTA radio stations and coming true was truly the most surreal eerie dystopic thing I had encountered a long time. It was real and not just some absurd satire of the USA, that constant bombarding of advertising

I'll agree with you on that one. It's almost impossible to escape advertising. I don't listen to the radio any more. Got rid of cable.

The_Valeyard · 19-02-2015 06:58PM

Boom_Bap wrote: »

*Grabs Twinkie, Hot Dog and 7-11 Big Gulp*

You forgot the M16

looksee · 19-02-2015 07:00PM

I have only been to New England (Vermont) on a couple of vacations. I think it is a lovely place, I really liked the atmosphere, the people and the culture.

American tv would drive me insane, except I don't watch much tv anyway. 7 minutes of program, what you are going to see when you get back, 5 minutes of ads, a reprise of what you saw in the first bit, another 7 minutes of program.

American politics utterly baffle me so I don't even try.

I doubt whether my experience, limited as it was to NE is very representative, but I liked it!

Tokyo · 19-02-2015 07:01PM

endacl wrote: »

Nah. You're bombarded with media by the media.

How dafuq can a continent full of hundreds of millions of people be represented by a movie or TV show?

I've lived in developing countries where the ONLY exposure they have to America is action movies or Beverly hills 90210 style shows.

As such, EVERY american is wealthy and has a swimming pool in the back yard, everybody drives a sports car, and all American girls are easy. The last one in particular has had disastrous consequences at times.

CrazyRabbit · 19-02-2015 07:05PM

Some of the most generous, friendliest and craziest people on earth.

What I find different about a lot of Americans is that there's little middle ground with them. Either very liberal or very conservative, despise certain politicians or worship the ground they walk on etc. They've a very black and white view of things generally.

Then again, I've only met maybe 2000-2500, so I am just generalising.

Karl Stein · 19-02-2015 07:08PM

I get all I need to know about the US from watching 'Diners Drive-ins and Dives'.

Why can't we have wonderful establishments in Ireland like they have in the US with their fried chicken, waffles, hash, stone-oven pizzas etc?

Electric Sheep · 19-02-2015 07:14PM

Cunny-Funt wrote: »

Its a good question, we are bombarded by America via the media throughout most of our lives.

I've never been but often wondered if it'd feel like I'm on the set of some TV show.

One thing I've found odd was meeting Americans in person, they're accent always sounds more harsh and grating compared to what we hear on TV.

Irish accents are neutralized on Irish TV, and are generally much more indecipherable when you meet real life Irish persons.

NYC2013 · 19-02-2015 07:29PM

I have lived in New York for the past 2 years and think the locals are sound. I remember the first thanksgiving I was here one of my co-workers invited me to his familys house for dinner becasue he knew I didn'nt really know anyone here

I lived in Australia for 3 years before that and didn't like the locals at all

Electric Sheep · 19-02-2015 07:33PM

Adamantium wrote: »

I lived there for a year recently, so not an American but I'll try to give my thoughts

First time I went to America I was shocked at how empty and vapid the culture is. It's like every city was thrown up overnight faster than a movie set, there's no sense of history, and the popular culture is inane. I'm not joking about being shocked. It disturbed me for days on end as I'd always secretly hoped something remained of the era of the Declaration. When I grew up in rural Ireland , years ago anything "big in America" was immediately cool, whereas now it's a millstone around the neck. For every 5 Americans I had meet, 3 are aggressively fronting a delusional self-image.

The GTA radio stations and coming true was truly the most surreal eerie dystopic thing I had encountered a long time. It was real and not just some absurd satire of the USA, that constant bombarding of advertising

Where did you live, and where did you visit?

I think that, coming from a small island, most Irish people are unaware of the great diversity of the US. Rather like the poster above who thinks he knows all about the US, having visited Florida:pac:

Wompa1 · 19-02-2015 07:33PM

NYC2013 wrote: »

I have lived in New York for the past 2 years and think the locals are sound. I remember the first thanksgiving I was here one of my co-workers invited me to his familys house for dinner becasue he knew I didn'nt really know anyone here

I lived in Australia for 3 years before that and didn't like the locals at all

Ditto. I've been invited over to co-workers homes for Thanksgiving and Christmas due to being here alone for the first 2 years.

ManofStan · 19-02-2015 07:37PM

I was hoping I would not have to start a new thread. This seems of topic, but I'l give a go. Fresh in from Buckhead, ATL. Missing my Queen of Spades. Any of these in Dublin?

danslevent · 19-02-2015 07:43PM

I was so bemused when I went to America. I lived there for three months on a J1. My friends and I were always so happy when we saw things from "tv land", like proper mail boxes and the yellow school buses.

mikom · 19-02-2015 07:57PM

Wompa1 wrote: »

The majority are just trying to work away, earn a living and live their lifes. Same problems, wants and desires as everybody else.

*Sammy from Somalia wonders why the new season of "Better call Saul" is buffering on his 50 inch plasma.

Menas · 19-02-2015 08:02PM

The USA we see on TV tends to be new York and LA. The real america is very different to that. More religious, more conservative....

Aircraft Freak · 19-02-2015 08:03PM

I tell you what pisses me off about New York, the bogs fill to the brim, and you have to shíte in that pond with your nads in the water, whilst a few sweet corn paddle around your penis.

Who, the fcuk invented this?

DarkyHughes · 19-02-2015 08:15PM

Ones who like the Daily Show & The Colbert Report (ending soon

) = good Americans.

Ones who like Fox News & the NRA = Bad

Ones who like Alex Jones & the Tea Party - Ugly (well more crazy than ugly)

Wompa1 · 19-02-2015 08:17PM

mikom wrote: »

*Sammy from Somalia wonders why the new season of "Better call Saul" is buffering on his 50 inch plasma.

Don't worry Sammy, it's worth it. The first episode is pretty slow but it's beautifully shot and the acting is great. It picks up by the latest episode too

Americans

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