>>At 03:32 AM 6/4/2002 +0000, jks wrote:
>>
>>>But it is lovely, this land of ours, from California to the New York
>>>island>
>>
>>I beg to differ. The suburban wasteland that extends beyond the "New York
>>Island" is hideously ugly - aesthetically and socially - low density sprawl
>>littered with advertisements and tackiness, divided by endless
>>highways, littered with junk, and populated by gun-toting, SUV-driving
>>rednecks. Yuk!
>
>Ah, W, you are so European. Ardono felt thesame way, and so, I am sure,
>did Brecht. America. ik! It's so tacky and uncultured. Well, I like
>European high culture as much as the next Midwesterner . . . .
Justin: I beg to differ again. In my mind, New York City is the epitome of America. The suburban wasteland cum malls, ads, fast food outlets and parking lots filled with SUVs is the product of the marriage between small-town kitsch and corporate monoculture, which is NOT uniquely American, you can find it anywhere from South Africa to Europe to the US. The difference between the US and, say, Europe is that the old urban culture is still alive and well there, but has been thoroughly undermined here by conservative social engineering and land developers. The only reason that the corporate monoculture has become synonymous with America is that this country has been more thoroughly colonised by it than most other countries.
wojtek