3 ms·
>In contrast, American culture almost prides itself on not participating, and "forging your own path", non-conformity is the new conformity, etc. IMHO, this is
by WalterSear 11y ago
>In contrast, American culture almost prides itself on not participating, and "forging your own path", non-conformity is the new conformity, etc.
IMHO, this is mostly a presentation of non-conformity. In my experience, having lived half my life in the US and half of it elsewhere, non-conformity is punished much more severely here than in western europe. You even get ostracized here for having a different concept of what non-conformity involves.
- TheOtherHobbes 11y agoThe US has a very limited concept of individualism, which seems to overlap significantly with "success" defined purely in financial terms, or as some form of force projection - either charismatic and persuasive, seductive, violent, or all three. If you look at the US media, there's almost no coverage at all of other ethical systems and other forms of individuality. The closest thing to a break was the drop-out culture of the late 1960s. But even that burned itself out and turned into a business opportunity. It's so incredibly pervasive, it possibly seems like the only possible world view - even though it isn't.
- WalterSear 11y agoThe drop-out culture occurred because, for the first time in history, the adult children of the middle class were able to be supported by their boomer parents, for a time. I wonder if, and it is a long if, we are able to throw off the shackles of our financial masters, we might see a similar, only larger, cultural explosion.