British culture gave us this.
The American equivalent, while strong on enthusiasm, lacks something in historical nuance...
My question: How many ways can you think of in which these two pictures represent the differences between British and American?
9 comments:
I'm not sure I'll even address a direct comparison between the two, but instead I'll comment on the Kool-Aid man, which in turn will express a comparison.
The Kool-Aid man symbolizes all that is wrong with the United States today: It is the United States of Corporatism.
There's no way around it, and it wastes less time to be blunt, so shall we? The United States have a democratic government where either the Deomcrats or the Republicans will be elected. The part that I find truly amusing is that, no matter which party is elected, it is corporations that will continue to run the country.
Let me use Iraq as an example (and yes, I do accept all consequences and backlash for my critisism). If it were not for corporatism, the War in Iraq would simply not exist. It is very plain to see that the Americans insistance on "freeing the Iraqui people" simply is not true and that imposing democracy upon the people is not right. I'd argue instead that President Bush has unleashed the greatest military power on the planet on Iraq for financial profit. It is not the Iraqui population that is benefitting from the American's invasion, and it sure as hell is not the general American population. I'd argue that all benificial outcomes of the war are going straight to companies such as Halliburton (to which President Bush is directly linked).
I could rant about the issue for as long as it would take to convince others to see my point, however, this will suffice for now.
So instead of comparing British culture with American culture, I choose to use my argument to compare American culture with the rest of the world.
Ben; God bless you, young man, and I agree that Iraq is a nightmare for all manner of reasons.
But your response is too cynical (towards the Americans,) too smug (towards ourselves,) and too serious (regarding the original post.)
I posted this because I thought it was sort of funny, and I thought there were a few things about the two images that really did capture a difference between the British and the American mind.
Johnson definately didn't post this to bash America, but I can see where your coming from Ben. As for the comparison between Britain and America, obviously the British has a much more refined cultural aspect to humor while America is just taking a random kitchen item and literally "breaking through the wall" into our living. Summary, British humor is subtle and dry, American is boisterous and for the ignorant.
Ummm...what's with the Kool-Aid bashing? Cherry is one of the best flavours, a close second to Purplesaurus-Rex.
Anyone who watches Family Guy should know that the Kool-Aid man runs through walls, sort of like how American cultural hegemony comes running through your TV to inundate you with American values and quasi-culture.
Not that I am anti-American. I have American relatives. I think America is a great place but I think there are also many other great places in this world, even Millwoods (shout out to my boys...that one's for you Johnson). Having spent two weeks in the UK this past summer, I did make some observations between the culture of us (North Americans) and them. First of all, life move slower in the UK. You may be thinking "But Crosbie, I've been to the UK and they drive like maniacs and on the wrong side of the road!" and you'd be right on one of those two accounts. However, what do people in the UK do TWICE (minimum) a day that us here in North America don't? TEA TIME!
Think about how sophisticated we'd look here in North America if rather than going to Timmy Ho's or Dunkin' Donuts we'd actually stop to have a cup of freshly brewed tea along with a crumpet or a scone? Dare I say we might even converse in an intelligent manner with our fellow brother and sisters.
You may think I am kidding but I think there is something redeeming about taking 20 minutes every couple of times a day to sit down have have a cup of tea. It slows you down and gets you re-adjusted. There is no such thing as a drive-thru in the UK that serves tea! That would be blasphemy. However, here in our nation we choose to sit in our cars for 25 minutes to get a boring cup of coffee and move on with our day rather than sitting down for a cup of tea. Am I the only one who sees this as anti-social?
Viva Tea! OHHHHHH YEAHHHHH.
Haha ya, when I saw the post, I took it in a less serious manner. But, at the same time, I saw an opening for me to rant and well... that was just an opportunity I couldn't let pass.
As for being cynical... of course I'm cynical, I'm young and can somewhat pull it off. I'll most likely continue to attempt pulling it off even know I would gladly disagree with any other cynical comments made by others...
The beauty of being young.
Aside from the obvious was in which the two pictures represent the differences between the British and the American...
I would like to point out the differences in the respective sizes of the particular red-coloured err... things, in question.
everyone in their pursuit of comparing and contrasting (and subsequent bashing)of the american humour with the british idiom fail to see yet another parallel that has attacked our unopened flank.
the communist red of the russians and chinese (may the fires of hell consume them for all eternity)
Garvin, sir. Are you saying that the Kool-Aid Man is a communist mole??? Of course, there's the constant invasion before the "Oh yeah!" But the Spanish Inquisition?
not the spanish inquistion, that's just the ruskies being tools by copying the red scheme of things.
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