Gustave, I think it was you that once said that there was more CULTURE in cheap pop cuture products than in a certain specific highbrow elitarian thing (I forgot the context, am too lazy to search). But even if that weren't true, I think you concur with me about the super- and artificiality of the division you documented - only to make sure a genuine source of anti-Americanism in educated bourgeoisie, as you might call it!
Most of the cultural products you cited are actually world products now, only loosely connected to Europe, and heavily depending on American founding and marketing. Stanley Kubrick (I like his films, don't mistake me) purported American visions of American topics in an American medium - accidentally a European. And if you say Bayreuth (or Nuremberg, or you-name-one-genuinely-traditional-cultural-experience of Germany (including Weissbier etc.) it should be easy to show up how the actual current shape of it is formed by American/international market influence.
I stay with my assumption that contemporary Europe has experienced so definitive influence from America over centuries that the cultural division is bound to become obviously absurd if purported with vigour over extended periods of time.
The topicality reminder goes back to yourself, my post to goldsnow that you responded first to today mentioned the Yugoslavian crisis, while you didn't ever since.
Free your mind, MNI.
I'll check up on the WTO meeting, thanks for hint.
Disclaimers: Buendnis90/Die Gruene are not more my party than any Belgian party is Gustave's. Left 'anti-Americanism' surfaces in various Germans parties from time to time, but has no mass appeal. In the PDS, as an exception, anti-Americanism may appear as a part of anti-Capitalism, but even there it is of low profile. The Kosovo crisis and its' immediate aftermath actually mark a zenith of cooperation with NATO and the US inside Buendnis90/DieGruenen. A Washington post article cited lately by goldsnow highlights how much US have endangered their credibility in this particular faction of the German political system by thwarting the Nuclear Test ban treaty. |
