Three American mysteries

[webcowgirl]

Living over here, I find there are a few elements of American culture that just haven't translated very well in England and are a bit of a mystery - high school, "the prom," and our race obsession being three of them.

Read about all of them in this article in the New York Times.

Class? In America, we're generally not concerned about it. Race is still our big problem.

Comments

[madda-gaska.livejournal.com]

I find it rather pathetic that some of the white students (who, let's face it, are the ones who are going to have to break this stupid racist tradition) are saying "Oh, we'd like it to be together, but we can't do anything about it."
Except that they could- they can go to the second prom instead of the first, or even as well as it. They can make new traditions, assuming they actually give a shit and aren't already starting to get the racist idiocy ingrained in their heads.

As for the class thing, surely you do have elements of that. Otherwise you wouldn't have the term 'trailer trash'. I will concede though that it doesn't seem to be as much of a popular concern.

The other major element I've noticed among many friends from the US in the past is the country's general fascination with the armed services. It's a little disturbing, to be frank.

As for over here, I think the general tradition from the vocal illiterati is one of xenophobia along with the whole lingering elements of the 'class divide' mentality.

Ah well- at least we find that most sensible and/or intelligent people don't care about skin colour, class, etc, but rather care about what the individual they're judging is like- and let's face it, those are the sort of people it's generally nicer to hang around with!

S

[wendolen.livejournal.com]

As for the class thing, surely you do have elements of that. Otherwise you wouldn't have the term 'trailer trash'. I will concede though that it doesn't seem to be as much of a popular concern.

I don't think T. was suggesting that class isn't an issue in the US. Class is a mostly-ignored issue in the US. It's all tied up with racism, because the wealthy and middle-class are disproportionately white.

[madda-gaska.livejournal.com]

Ah yes- sorry, on a re-reading I see I mangled the first reading slightly. I blame me entirely!

S

[webcowgirl.livejournal.com]

English people are really weird about class here. It's an identity just as much as your nation is, and something that you can't really leave any more than you can abandon your, say, native tongye. People are obsessed with the clues that tell them what someone's class is. It's so bizarre!

[pir.livejournal.com]

Class? In America, we're generally not concerned about it

Yeah, we know America has no class.
*bdum, tish*

The thing that I'm glad about is that class reunions never got popular here.

[palmer1984.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure why having a huge race problem should stop people talking about the huge class problem that America has!

[webcowgirl.livejournal.com]

Americans don't see it. And, compared to the UK, I don't see it in America, either. People don't identify with their class like they do here.

[thekumquat.livejournal.com]

Have to admit it's even more of a mystery after reading that!

I note that the proms cost money (parents refer to paying) and organised by out-of-school committees so presumably take place outside the school. Is that common?

The proms my family have gone to have always been in the school hall or gym and didn't cost except for something to wear - but maybe that's because they're in poorer areas? They always sounded like a glorified version of our school dances, anyway.

Actually my year at school decided to organise a Leaver's Ball, inspired by US proms - we had a swing band in the hall, DJ and marquee outside, buffet dinner, and about 1/3 guests were parents in order to make it affordable. Worked very well - I hear it's become a tradition.