The United States is a big country, with a magnificent landscape and a diverse population. I like to focus on what Karen and I observe, put into an analytical perspective best described as Marxist. What are the contradictions? Openings for radical change? And so forth. I don't know that it does much good to compare different places in terms of this place does or doesn't have this or that.
One thing I am pretty sure about. The imperial supremacy of the United States has conditioned the ways in which people think about the country and about their own lives. And these ways are obstructive of radical change. The question is--is US imperial supremacy in decline? If so, what is happening to people, both objectively and in terms of how they think about this.
Now, in terms of culture, I love Project Runway, Chopped, True Blood, Teen Mom, Mad Men, and lots of others! I hate it when cheap motels don't have good cable!!!