--- Bitch | Lab <info at pulpculture.org> wrote:
> OTOH, I suppose that if you know how much fake goes
> into making it appear
> tough on screen, then you know just what deep doo
> you'd be in when up
> against hijackers with guns. (I'm not surprised that
There is something particualr about the American culture that promotes utter cowardice covered up with conspicuous displays of toughness and aggression - it runs from the very bottom to the very top of this society.
On the one hand you have people scared of their own shadows, afraid of confronting other people, hiding behind the backs of others or running away to deep suburbia, and afraid of confronting enemy face-to-face on an equal playing field (no coincidence that the war of attrition is the American invention - after all the yanks got they ass kicked each time they faced an enemy willing and able to fight, from General Lee, to Chief Sitting Bull, to whatever was left of the German panzer in the Battle of the Bulge before it run out of fuel, to Viet Cong). That cowardice is often coupled with conspicuou displays of touchness and machismo - from movies, to tough talk on talk shows and internets, to wanton displays of fortuitous aggression and arrogance when it is safe to do so, and to surrounding themselves with violence-suggesting fetishes (big cars, vicious dogs, guns, etc.)
I think cowardice cum fake displays of toughness is unique to the United Stases - other societies seem to be less afraid and also less keen on concpicuous displays of wanton aggression. I understand Japanese culture is also full of displays of aggression - but they are not afraid to fight and be hurt (Yoshie?). Russian society is full of everyday violence, but their culture is very pacific and devoid of displays of aggression.
Wojtek
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