(no subject)

[taerowyn]

My coworker Neil is from England, and we often get into discussions about cultural perceptions etc. Today's conversation got started because he and his girlfriend watched "Gone with the Wind" and he mentioned that it was interesting from his point of view of not knowing anything about the Civil War. So that set us off on discussions of history and how "history" in America is so short vs anywhere in Europe etc.

Anyway, I asked him if it got annoying getting all these kinds of questions all the time.

Neil: No, I only mind the stupid questions.
Me: Like what?
N: Well, I once got asked if there were any African Americans in England. I said, "Well, not exactly..." Hoping that maybe they'd clue in to the stupidity and general non-sensibility of that question, but no, they said, "You mean the whole country is white?!?"

Hee, hee, people are dumb.

Comments

[samjooky.livejournal.com]

Why's history in quotes?

Re:

[taerowyn.livejournal.com]

Oh, we were talking about how "really old, historical buildings" in America are, wow, 2 centuries old as compared to old, historical buildings in Europe etc. Just how America is such a young country and all. Yes, I know it IS history, but in comparison....

[samjooky.livejournal.com]

2 centuries?? Damn, you must be thinking about the OLD part of the country! Old Town Fort Collins: 1890 and up. :)

Kinda makes you think, though. Is the value/lesson/what can be learned of/from history improved any by its duration? I mean -- putting aside any historical relativism for the moment -- the 5 years from 1940 to 1945 seem to me more historically "important" than the century of 900 to 1000. Far greater societal and world changes that affected a far far greater number of people.

I should really think about doing work, and not daydreaming on subjects like this, though. (thanks for the distraction, btw) ;)

Re:

[taerowyn.livejournal.com]

Well, my coworker was discussing the book Captain Corelli's Mandolin (Good God, not the movie...the book) and there's a guy from Greece in there, arguably the country with one of the longest histories of civilization. This character points out that America as a nation doesn't have the history of war and conflict that older countries have. It's almost like we're in the adolescent "You think you can take me? Huh? Huh?" stage where as other countries, with a longer history and experience with conflict aren't as quick to get all uppity or some such.

[samjooky.livejournal.com]

Oh, good point. This was an interesting little discussion, and in fact I was thinking about it as I drove to work this morning. I mean, there's a lot to be said for the traditions and history that an older country carries with it as it goes into the future, but I can't help but think that in a sense that might lead them to be more likely to just lay back and rest on their laurels.

Case in point, the Greeks. Sure, they were instrumental in shaping and creating Western civilization, but where have they been for the last 3000 years? They've gone from scholars, poets and philosophers to tourguides and parthenon polishers. A lot of major contributions, but unless they continue to build on their past accomplishments I'm not sure if we should really give them much credit for them ...