Define the word "American" - Page 3

What is considered American? America was founded upon a cultivation of various different cultures. Unlike many other countries who have uniquely diveloped theres through isolation. you can Say an American is a byproduct of mixing different cultures together. Through this we have gotten the best and the worst of what different cultures offer.

so the 2 sides i an offer about what it is to "be American" is that we are truely not American, that we still cling to our cultural past. ie. my family is german and italian i am 4th generation. my family still have the same old traditions but now they have melded into one.

So we won't be able to classify an "American" until years from now through isolation and melding of all cultures.

i think if you are canadian culturally and geographically, then you would be called canadian if you wrote a book.

america is not european, because it has drawn away from europe, america has made new cultures and traditions that dont exist anywhere else. there are traditions that have been brought accross by settlers there that hvent been lost, but anybody who goes to a foreign country takes their traditions with them, even if it is an established country already. also a large portion of americas population is of african or asian descendenscy, hence it is more than just europeans. america also stopped being european when it fought off control from europe. giving you the tradition of independence day. that is celebrating not being european any more.

You still haven't convinced me, Cynical. You're being vague on the issue.

If a child runs away from home, does it mean that it is free from all the previous influences of parents? No.

The withdrawal of the 13 colonies from the British Empire may have inspired patriotism among some, but that still doesn't mean they have a different culture. The American Revolution had little to do with wanting to be an "American."

Can you give examples of American traditions?

The U.S is anything but established. In terms of history, it's a baby (compared to the cultural history of China, which is like an old man.)

Canadian's near the border especially in the west hardly consider themselves American. This mostly has to do with the border bullying of Americans.

most of europe would tell you that america is not european. you say if a child runs away, there is still influence from the parent. i dont, there is some basic conditioning in how to work in your society, but if there is no direct orders from the parent, you dont follow their rules. also most euopeans now feel america is the one giving (or at least trying to give) the orders, though only britain is following.

american traditions, thanksgiving, independence day. they are america only traditions. the celebration of halloween started in america, in its full commercial glory. (the last one may not be something you particularly wanted to admit to, but its yours anyway).

europe is also absorbing some culture from america, in fashion and humour etc. most countries are now influenced by america through film and tv.

there are places that fought off the british empire, and they no longer consider themselves british, and neither does anyone else. so why should america be considered european? and like i said, what about the native american part of the population, and african americans and the asian contingent? are they euroean if they think they are american? i think they would accept the american bit, but not european.

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If a child runs away from home, does it mean that it is free from all the previous influences of parents?

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If the child that ran away had kids would they still be under the same influence? What about their kids? So on and so forth. With each generation passing the previous influences grows smaller and smaller.

true, you gain outside influences, and also make your own mind up about things. i still ive at home, but my outlook on some things is very different to that of my parents.

Besides those holidays that you mentioned, Cynical, what more can you define as American? If I celebrate those holidays, am I American? Or do I need to do more?

Again, I am talking about the CULTURAL aspect, NOT the GEOGRAPHICAL aspect of being born within the ridiculously placed and arbitrary boundaries of countries.

What is it the New World Order that wants all countries to be one. I think that's a good idea. The world living as one working with each other instead of against.

would be good. world peace etc. would still be crime though, but no real war.

americans celebrate those holidays, but i will agree, it is not just celebrating those holiays that makes you american. culturally there is very little difference between america and europe as far as i can tell. it is only the geographical aspect of the situation that makes americans american. there is also like i said the fact that they fought to make themselves a seperate entity, that is all the seperates the two.

how many of the american users on here consider themselves european? ill set up a thread in general discussion and see what people think.

Culturally America is defined by Hollywood and Disney. There are similarities between Europe and America because Europe is becoming more like America. We live in a world where lines are blurred because we have so much access to everyone else.

precisely.


also attolia, would you describe the english as french, german or italian? no you wouldnt. yet if i asked you to find me an englishman without the blood of any of the above antions in him, you would be hard put to find one. we have been ruled by all of them, and they came across in great numbers, they shaped our culture and gave us certain ideas (christmas trees are german for example). yet we are english, those nations no longer rule us (well, our reining monarch is currently of german ancestory, but she doesnt have any real power). the same is true in america, you were ruled by europe, you still have some european ancestory, but you are still american not european.

culturally there is too much mixing for any one group to be looked at as independent from all others, especially with all of the technology that makes worldwide communication and commerce near instantaneous. you would be hard pressed to find a country whose culture didn't affect america in some way, and vice versa. the only way to really define one from another is by looking at borders.

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would you describe the english as french, german or italian? no you wouldnt.

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They all have the same roots. But I wouldn't describe them as the same language.

If I was born in America, then moved to Enland at the age of 1 and lived there for 60 years and wrote a book, would I be an English writer or an American writer?

You would be English. Because you identify with that culture more than any other