Okay, so good morning all. If you're like me, and I'm sure a good deal of you are, you're sleeping in all this week. Why? Because it's President's Week!
It's nice to have a break, and I'm sure everybody is enjoying their time off, but do people really care about the Presidents? Most people can't even NAME 5 consecutive presidents, I know I can't. And it's an honest mistake, Americans don't exactly have the pride that other countries have. I was recently in Vancouver, B.C. and I found it amazing that so many people could come together as a community to enjoy the little sunlight given to them. I saw at least 100 people biking in the 3 days I was there and too many people who looked like they walked or otherwise commuted to work. They all just looked so content and proud. It's kind of funny, Vancouver is so close to Seattle, but then again we're so different from each other.
Well, anyway, Americas lack so much pride. We direct so much of our attention to celebrities and musical artists that we don't even know our own community. I think it's sad when there are people who care more about other people's lives than their own.
I have a friend who tells me that in her second period all these little sophomores gossip about other people's lives and "I heard this" and "she said that". I'm not saying other people in different countries don't do that, but it's just rediculous about how much America does. Go to your local grocery store and look in the magazine rack, there are at least 14 magazines dedicated to making you like the celebrity you worship, it's rediculous.
People need to stop caring about who has custody of Britney's kids and start thinking about where they're going in life. To me, America puts so little out for the world that WE should be a third world country.
And I'm not trying to diss my own country, I'm just saying that there's more than enough room for improvement.
So to wrap up this, I'd like to say in the most respectable way, "best country in the world," my ass.
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Our community IS about celebrities, music, etc. The presidents have very little to do with our community.
Why should I give a shit about who used to be president? Why on earth is there a day dedicated to the president? How sad and ridiculous.
Well, as the commander in chief of our country, at least a little respect is to be given. It might not seem so right now because of Bush, but for the decent presidents like Regan, Clinton, and even that one that was assasinated, see I don't even know his NAME.
The president is the final seal of approval to what laws are passed and maybe some laws are unfair and you have a problem with them, what do you do? Complain of course! Yes, we complain and complain to our president every single day. And what is a president other than the parent of the billions of people in America? Wouldn't the president deserve their own day just as your mother and father deserve their own day? Or are you going to not give a shit about them either.
I think it's sad and rediculous that people have little to no respect for the people who control things bigger than they can imagine while care more about somebody that sings a song that they didn't write or is the image for a person who doesn't exist.
Lincoln, perhaps?
Eh, I'm not American, I just live here. And I don't see why I should respect some guy I don't even know as much as my parents! Presidents day is given even more honor than Mother's day or Father's day. I don't see stores and post offices being closed on Mother's day, or class being canceled.
If Bush is my father, I am a terribly abused child, and I certainly don't advocate respecting abusive parents.
One does not have to be something to follow the holidays. I know many Buddhists who celebrate Christmas and non-Asians who celebrate the lunar new year. As they say, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do".
Many people do not care for politics, I know that I barely do. But I do respect the people who lead our country because it's such a hard job that not anyone can do. Even if they are a bullshit leader like Bush.
Could be Kennedy too.
~C
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Well sure our attention to celebrities is a bit much (thanks greatly to news programs who have lost their focus), but I think your perception of Americans is a little exaggerated. Americans, just like anyone else, generally care about important things and are definitely active members of communities. People are part of communities at work or at school, just as much as they are in their neighborhoods or towns. Progressive U is a community and we as members definitely care about it! Also, although I don't praise it, I don't think gossiping means we care less about our own lives.
As a person who has literally traveled the world, I can certainly say that as exaggerated as it sounds, people really are different here than in lets say Manila (The Philippines).
While in Manila, the sense of family was enormous, even if they really weren't related. People really didn't care about celebrities as much because they weren't uncommon to see, but still a highlight of any day. Religion is a huge factor in the Philippines and I think that keys into why their teenagers aren't like our teenagers. Sure they do similar things, but there aren't kids as bad as over here, or at least not as many. The girls could wait to have sex and the boys could say no to drugs. They don't have that big of an influence from musical artists. Sure they listen to our music, but it doesn't dictate their "style" or clique. People were just people and to be honest, you were just either a middle class person, a rich person, or a poor person, but you could still get along with any of them just as well. There weren't any goths or preps. Everyone wore school uniforms anyway.
I guess it comes with the fact that nearly everyone there had SOMETHING in common and spent a lot of time together. It's a shame people can't do that over here and kids just go to school, come home, watch TV, and go on myspace or other websites.
You get a week off? I got a day off in high school, and nothing in college.... so not fair.
~C
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