The word must sit in the lumber room of every cinema, a set of marquee letters permanently joined up and ready to be re-winched into place. There it stands each time, gigantic by day, neon-glowing by night. Like other perennials in movie titles – “Love” and “Blood” and “Heaven” and “Murder” and “Return” (as in a thousand sequels) – “American” has become one of those recurring words in the language of box-office buttonholing.
Off screen, it is the only nation-word rich and resonant enough to have coined its negative. “Un-American” came into being, in the last century, as if “American” was so proud a boast, so powerful a declaration of intent and idealism, that it had to spawn its opposite, in the same way that God’s existence mandates that of the devil.
Size is part of it. “American” suggests breadth, width and heft: a bigger, more panoramic vision. Composer and crossword geek Stephen Sondheim once noted, brilliantly, that “Cinerama” is an anagram of “American”. Like the C-word, the A-word is sizeist. And of course it is a manifestation of Hollywood trumpet-blowing and national flag-waving. But that doesn’t explain everything. (We don’t see “Indian” cropping up all the time in Bollywood titles.)
One thing the use of “American” will not be is a simple signifier of nationality.
Not as long as Americanism is considered a virtue – and our nation is led by Ugly Americans.
“Manic Era”, is another anagram of, American.
Not since the Romans…
I’m a patriot, I love America. I just don’t love the people running it. The ideology and impression of what America is, really became outdated by the early 1970s. The growth and nationalism and world power of the 50s became a little more American with the freedoms expressed, and squelched in the 60s. By the 70s, consumption was becoming the norm, and the 80s firmly embedded world-destruction into the national character.
It’s demonstrated in the financial markets, politics, and communications. Basically, the business-face of America is very ugly. The personal side, the people – when they’re at home with their families – is beautiful. However, the personal must deal with the business, hence continuously rising pollution from plastics and various emissions.
What really sucks, is I don’t see this changing. Most of our food is packaged in plastics, and more and more of it is coming from China (?>!%!%?!%)… we overpay our executives, who are absolutely running the country into the ground in the name of profits (namely, their own income). Urban sprawl continues, vehicles and housing continues to get bigger and more wasteful, we’re forgetting about religion, we’re focused on the wrong bottom line – the financial one.
The bottom line is our progeny, our offspring, our children. Point I always remember, and it applies to everything we’re doing wrong: “The world isn’t inherited from your parents, it’s borrowed from your children…”
Now, back to reality. Go take your pill, plop down in front of the idiot box, and break out the ice cream.
Yo, you got a problem with that.
#3 – That’s one of those posts where i really don’t understand where you are coming from to get to where you are… but insofar s your post goes, I’m pretty sympathetic to what you are saying.
#3 – “We’re forgetting about religion”
Are you serious? It’s one of the most assumed belief systems that contributed directly to where we are now. Along with the unregulated business that you criticize, it is a huge part of the Republican platform and contributed wholly to Bush’s election and sent us directly (do not pass GO) into this downward spiral to which you are referring. As a result, you should refer to it as “forgetting our ethics” instead because religion is more like an unregulated business than a place to acquire ethical standards.
Forgetting about religion? I wish we could! The nonstop corruption that stems from these so-called ‘religions’, the scandals, it’s all bad.
Let’s not forget the numerous tax breaks (i.e. they pay none) and you can see why they are as corrupt as the current administration.
Follow up on religion – I said so much, and you guys get on the Bible kick…
Beliefs are a gray area. I’m not saying thump the books, and believe every word in them. Heck, I don’t — but, take their lessons and learn. Things like the Ten Commandments – some of those are pretty good ideas: honor your father and your mother; don’t murder; don’t commit adultery (cheating on spouse bad, sex out of wedlock not so much); don’t steal (except from record companies and movie houses); don’t lie…
Here’s a good one: “You shall not covet” – that covers greed, and by ignoring this we have a world corrupted by capitalism…
How about the whole ‘Good Samaritan’ story? I hope you’ve all stopped to help people on the side of the road, or slipped a street musician a few quarters, or collected canned goods for the local church or Scout Troop…
There’s plenty of good ideas in religion, it’s just been bastardized by the media and extremists. Reconsider your negativity towards it.
By the way, I was raised Christian, but I’m closer to agnostic/atheist/FSM than anything else. Still, there is plenty out there that science can’t yet explain…
Still, there is plenty out there that science can’t yet explain…
The lack of a scientific explanation for a given phenomenon does not of course mean that said phenomenon is ipso facto sensibly explainable by theological/spiritual/extraterrestrial/fairytale theories.
All countries are NOT equal. Some are better than others. American can be better but America is still the best of all of them.
#11 – All countries are NOT equal. Some are better than others. American can be better but America is still the best of all of them.
So says the guy hiding out in a mountain shack, surrounded by ammo and canned goods.
#12 – I thought you were the one stocking up on canned goods.
#13 – hahahaha 🙂
Not while toting the virtues of being Merican at the same time
“Not as long as Americanism is considered a virtue – and our nation is led by Ugly Americans.”
Why be such a pr*ck? Really.
Americanism as an example of exceptionalism is no worse than the French version. Sheese.
‘Americanism’ (or patriotism as a schtick to pander to local audiences) can be annoying, then again so are a lot of those on the other side who sneer. As if we were the only ones. Sheese.
My advice is to avoid movies with the word “American” on the title, usually they are generic action movies where there’s this 90 pound brunnette kid defeating 240+ muscled guys after the kid is trained by a japanese guy OR they are bland psycho thrillers OR it’s some sort of countercultre movie that brings nothing new.
#8 – I only targeted the religion comment because I agreed with the rest and the fact that belief in religion and blind faith of it has done more harm than good throughout history. Besides, those things you speak about are not exclusive to religion and are about as obvious as poking yourself in the eye means it’s going to hurt. Furthermore, all of those so called “commandments” are treated more like suggestions in Christianity when you can violate every one of them and then ask forgiveness before you die.
Final point is that not having an understanding of everything does not justify the support of the voodoo that is religion. If that was the case, then David Copperfield would be a God. Although, this is the trick that religion plays on people that says if you don’t know everything then we remain the default answer. THIS IS NOT TRUE! and is why I lose a certain amount of respect for people that take that easy road although I’m more lenient on people that are about to die as the thought can only help mentally and doesn’t effect political policy at that point!