Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
Jun 15th 2009, 9:36 am
#107
UNFORGIVABLE
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Erie PA - From Ipswich England
Posts: 381
Re: Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
Totally. I hate it when these neanderthals don't instantly understand and appreciate humour that's specific to my family and culture. I was born in a country that's produced some of the wittiest men and women the world has ever seen, so naturally I too am blessed with a brilliant sense of humour. So it can't be that my jokes are simply not funny, as that's not physically possible. It's just these idiots who don't get it.
Last edited by YoungSteve17; Jun 15th 2009 at 9:39 am.
Jun 15th 2009, 1:28 pm
#108
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 8,497
Re: Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
I think you still misunderstand.. how did you make the leap from cultural identification to 'the key to a great life'?
It's like identifying myself as curly haired, or brown eyed (which obviously DO make up the key to a great life btw). Just part of who they feel they are.
It's like identifying myself as curly haired, or brown eyed (which obviously DO make up the key to a great life btw). Just part of who they feel they are.
While I can understand that it must seem strange for someone from England to hear "I'm English too!" or similar, it makes me kind of sad to think that those people are thought of as weird, stupid, or generally lacking. They're trying to connect with the other party, and with enthusiasm. It's not like someone is saying "oh God, my family came from England a century ago, thank God they left that dump" - it's the exact opposite.
Jun 15th 2009, 1:29 pm
#109
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 8,497
Jun 15th 2009, 3:34 pm
#110
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Nevada b4 California b4 Colorado b4 Valley of plastic and sand, b4 London
Posts: 2,025
Jun 15th 2009, 3:38 pm
#111
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Location: Nevada b4 California b4 Colorado b4 Valley of plastic and sand, b4 London
Posts: 2,025
Re: Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
Jun 15th 2009, 4:19 pm
#112
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 38
Re: Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
I've often wondered what it would be like to live in a place where the people don't think 'University of Kentucky' when I say 'UK'. But the toxic levels of smug in some of these 'enlightened' areas is, frankly, far more repulsive. For me, at least.
Jun 15th 2009, 6:49 pm
#113
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 13,270
Re: Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
I've found this is very different for non-Americans to understand. I've explained it before. It's a cultural difference, full stop.
While I can understand that it must seem strange for someone from England to hear "I'm English too!" or similar, it makes me kind of sad to think that those people are thought of as weird, stupid, or generally lacking. They're trying to connect with the other party, and with enthusiasm. It's not like someone is saying "oh God, my family came from England a century ago, thank God they left that dump" - it's the exact opposite.
While I can understand that it must seem strange for someone from England to hear "I'm English too!" or similar, it makes me kind of sad to think that those people are thought of as weird, stupid, or generally lacking. They're trying to connect with the other party, and with enthusiasm. It's not like someone is saying "oh God, my family came from England a century ago, thank God they left that dump" - it's the exact opposite.
And yes, if people said "I'm English too - it s a ****ing dump and I'm glad I escaped", then I can see being annoyed by it but these people seem to worship the ground we walk on ... so quit looking a gift horse in the mouth!
Jun 15th 2009, 9:06 pm
#114
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
[QUOTE=Kaffy Mintcake;7665141]I think most Americans would say "I'm English" or fill in the country. They don't literally mean they are from England, but rather of English descent. QUOTE]
That is correct. We dont literally mean we are from that country, its common to say this as well up here in Canada. But both countries we built from immigration from Europe and in the whole scheme of things are still pretty young, even down in Mexico many still say they are Spanish as in Spanish decent, so maybe its more of a North American term and not so much as American one.
That is correct. We dont literally mean we are from that country, its common to say this as well up here in Canada. But both countries we built from immigration from Europe and in the whole scheme of things are still pretty young, even down in Mexico many still say they are Spanish as in Spanish decent, so maybe its more of a North American term and not so much as American one.
Last edited by scrubbedexpat091; Jun 15th 2009 at 9:16 pm.
Jun 15th 2009, 9:24 pm
#115
Septic Sprout
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 7,995
Re: Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
I finally got my head round the "I'm Irish" (or whatever) a while back after some internal wrestling on the subject (it just seemed so wrong for ages!)
Mrs tonrob is still going through the process. It really winds her up when the conversation goes:
Annoying Person: "Where are you from?"
Mrs tonrob: "I'm German"
Annoying Person: "I'm German too!" or, even worse, "Do you speak any German?"
For those of you who don't know - Mrs tonrob is as German as it gets, including a love of 80's soft wank-rock and not possessing the gene that enables one to queue.
Mrs tonrob is still going through the process. It really winds her up when the conversation goes:
Annoying Person: "Where are you from?"
Mrs tonrob: "I'm German"
Annoying Person: "I'm German too!" or, even worse, "Do you speak any German?"
For those of you who don't know - Mrs tonrob is as German as it gets, including a love of 80's soft wank-rock and not possessing the gene that enables one to queue.
Jun 16th 2009, 3:30 am
#116
Diamond Geezer
Joined: Mar 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 2,488
Re: Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
Just get over it people......I do except the way it is here, I live here and abide by the laws of this land........It's almost comical, the way some "Americans" believe that hanging on to some distant ancestral home land is the key to a great life....Make your own, as they did back in the day!
Jun 16th 2009, 11:08 am
#117
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 8,497
Re: Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
The more I think about this, the more I believe this reaction is due to the culture of Britain. In Britain, 'position' and 'status' is everything. Historically, it doesn't matter how much money you have, it matters how you got it; it doesn't matter where you live, it matters where your family lived over the past hundreds of years ... so the thought of a bunch of people proudly advertising and celebrating the fact that they are from 'somewhere else' is so diametrically opposed to the mentality of Britain as to be incomprehensible.
And yes, if people said "I'm English too - it s a ****ing dump and I'm glad I escaped", then I can see being annoyed by it but these people seem to worship the ground we walk on ... so quit looking a gift horse in the mouth!
And yes, if people said "I'm English too - it s a ****ing dump and I'm glad I escaped", then I can see being annoyed by it but these people seem to worship the ground we walk on ... so quit looking a gift horse in the mouth!
Jun 16th 2009, 11:32 am
#118
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 188
Re: Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
I often run into people who upon learning my country of origin (Scotland), immediately tell me that they're "Irish". It seems they think this gives us some sort of automatic bond.
Still, as long as they don't start lecturing me on the ethics of Britain's history in Ireland, I don't mind too much. If anyone starts down that road though, I ask them whereabouts in Ireland they're from.
"Oh, so you've never actually been to Ireland?"
Jun 16th 2009, 11:51 am
#119
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,583
Re: Not Sure if I can Deal with the American Dream much longer
