Capitol Hill Blue Forums Misc. Topics Ain't This America What is distinctive about American art and letters

Ya know, I used to hear this stuff when I worked for Russian-American TV. The Russkies would grumble and snort "Amerikka not have any culture!"

It's a stuffy, elitist sort of argument that attempts to narrowly define what constitutes culture itself in the first place, and then when anything outside it's tiny sphere intrudes, the reaction is to narrow the circle further in an attempt to exclude more.

I see it used everywhere, from country clubs that dread "Jews and Negroes" to Taliban purists who insist that everyone else is
"not a true Muslim" to auto race sanctioning bodies that rule out previously qualified engines that win too many races.

But if it's one thing America is the very best at, it's at being the Great Cultural Aggregator and Integrator.
From the American cultural mixing bowl have come the very greatest hybrid cultural offspring and indeed, the very greatest dissemination of culture itself.

But the anti-miscegenation wing of the cultural purists are routinely horrified that anyone would dare to mix cultural inputs, to which I can only quote in response from Steve Martin:

"Funky Tut - he's mah favorite HONKY!"

That's a cultural grab and paste spanning what, six thousand years? Stick THAT in your Thomas Eakins.

Im gonna write a little letter,
Gonna mail it to my local dj.
Its a rockin rhythm record
I want my jockey to play.
Roll over beethoven, I gotta hear it again today.

You know, my temperatures risin
And the jukebox blows a fuse.
My hearts beatin rhythm
And my soul keeps on singin the blues.
Roll over beethoven and tell tschaikowsky the news.

I got the rockin pneumonia,
I need a shot of rhythm and blues.
I think Im rollin arthiritis
Sittin down by the rhythm review.
Roll over beethoven rockin in two by two.

Well, if you feel you like it
Go get your lover, then reel and rock it.
Roll it over and move on up just
A trifle further and reel and rock it,
Roll it over,
Roll over beethoven rockin in two by two.

Well, early in the mornin Im a-givin you a warnin
Dont you step on my blue suede shoes.
Hey diddle diddle, I am playin my fiddle,
Aint got nothin to lose.
Roll over beethoven and tell tschaikowsky the news.

You know she wiggles like a glow worm,
Dance like a spinnin top.
She got a crazy partner,
Oughta see em reel and rock.
Long as she got a dime the music will never stop.

Roll over beethoven,
Roll over beethoven,
Roll over beethoven,
Roll over beethoven,
Roll over beethoven and dig these rhythm and blues.

Chuck Berry -- 1956

ill give your assertion this much, julia, the brits did advance the form light years, but rock and roll is purely american. but

the truth is, i like doughnuts for breakfast but can't eat them because the sugar makes me irritable.

Paul McCartney once said that there would have been no Beatles if there hadn't first been Crickets, referring, of course, to Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

'

It has been noted that subtlety in artistic expression seems to flourish in compact, homogeneous cultures.

As examples, one may point to Japan and traditional English culture.

The smallest hints may convey a world of meaning to those who share a common body of discourse.

In contrast, large heterogenous states, like the USA, lack subtlety, because people of widely different backgrounds literally do not understand what other people are saying.

In such conditions, subtlety and wit are almost impossible, and only the loudest, coarsest expression is likely to be understood.

In Japan and England, litotes, or understatement, flourishes, while Americans are notorious for hyperbole.

Consider the (highly superior) writing of Aldous Huxley, and compare it with the blatant, in-your-face style of Mark Twain or Gore Vidal.

In humor, I may express what I mean by citing these two examples:

A Texan, having bragged at length to an Englishman about the superiority of Texas in all things, concluded: "And do you know that all of little-bitty ole England would fit into just one corner of Texas?" The Englishman replied in a tone of sweet innocence: "Yes, and wouldn't it do wonders for the place!"

Versus:

An American, travelling with his son in England, met two Englishmen whilst riding in a first-class railway carriage. They began talking to each other, and the American enjoyed the conversation very much. Just before parting, the American said, "I've enjoyed this very much, but I still don't know your names." One of the travellers said, "Oh, I am the Earl of Widwater, and this is my friend, His Grace the Duke of Chalfont." The American replied, "Well, I am pleased to make your acquaintance, and may I introduce my son, Jesus Christ."

.

In your second "joke", how is it that the cultured Englishmen are so devoid of proper etiquette as to not introduce themselves but deign to carry on a conversation with an uncouth American?

Ah, that explains it!

PS: By the way, thank you for exemplifying American hyperbole.

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I was hoping no one would notice that --- but after all, it is an American joke, not an English one.