The World According To America

[dave32]

Thanks, but that's not my quote. That's Steve. I said that our culture was young on the world stage. And it is.

 

I also agree with what Steve was saying. You can cite specific dates that current geographical boundaries were formed, but nonetheless Europe carries centuries of tradition and culture influencing the population's direction and defining who they are. Those influences are more defined and rigid than here, for both better and worse America is a mess culturally, constantly shifting. Part of the reason that the pop movements of jazz, blues, rock, hip-hop, etc took off here. On the darker side you have cultural vacuums where Disneyfication steps in.

 

.02

[unit731]

Of course, I stand (sit) humbled (again) !

 

 

[Old Hippie]

Well, one of the "Born again" christians at work has assured me the rapture will be occurring soon, he says in less than 5-7 years...

 

I asked him to narrow it down, as there was a lot of sinning I want to do before then, and then recant on my death bed just in case he was right...

[Flashermac]

I think it was composer Franz Liszt who screwed his brains out, fathering who knows how many bastards. Late in his life, he became a devout Catholic and a Franciscan monk ... just in case.

 

 

[dave32]

At ego adulescens miser ualde, miser in exordio ipsius adulescentiae, etiam petieram a te castitatem et dixeram, 'Da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo.'

-Saint Augustine

 

[Flashermac]

Good grief, I remember more Latin than I thought I did ...

 

 

[Steve]

Two years of Latin in HS and I thought I'd remember more but didn't. Got the gist of it but Mr. Weaver, my old latin teacher, would be mortified at the amount I forgot. At the risk of bragging, I was his star student :nahnah:

 

Unit, you are right that there are countries younger than us. Add both the USSR and the present Russia and half of europe given what happened after WW2. However, these countries still had their culture, no matter who occupied them, for hundreds of years. The Italian states, the german nations, etc. all were basically culturally unchanged before and after formation. But I suspect you were being a bit pedantic on purpose though

 

America does have its pluses. No doubt. Look at how Jews were perceived and treated in the U.S. originally and now? Even moreso blacks. Women as well, although admittedly we were a little late to the game with the fairer sex. We change as a nation because we were made up of not only of various cultures but I think were a nation that were made up of those who ran from the status quo of their home nations. We got the rejects or the ones that never fit in for a variety of reasons (class, relgion, race, etc.).

 

Still think we're done though. We're toast as we say here. We're Rome in its final century. A gilded power, gold paint on lead tubing. Rome was done long before the barbarians stormed the gates.

 

 

[Old Hippie]

Ah yeah, me too...but for the benefit of others, why not tell everyone what this says...?

[Steve]

Well, one of the "Born again" christians at work has assured me the rapture will be occurring soon, he says in less than 5-7 years...

 

I asked him to narrow it down, as there was a lot of sinning I want to do before then, and then recant on my death bed just in case he was right...

 

My mom and my aunts (her sisters) were one of those 'the end is near types'. Not uncommon in deeply baptist black american families. However, their making me read the bible also made me question them.

 

Jesus said even he doesn't know when the end is coming. The bible is specific and adamant about being wary of those saying the end is near. When I pointed that out to my mom and suggested it was 'not biblical' to keep preaching about it, I shouldn't have been surprised when I got a slap on the back of my 9 year old head and not a thank you.

[cavanami]

I just tell 'em, let me know when the end of the world is upon us and I will leave town