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Looks like 50s America to me. I like it too. Know what else looks American to me? UK's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna called, Electro Velvet that has a distinct look of roaring 20s America, unless UK had flapper dancers too. It could happen. DO NOT follow the link and watch the video Electro Velvet or it will wreck this song. Or maybe these two places, France and Britain, secretly dig our culture and take parts of it for their own as we accuse ourselves of cultural appropriation. No, it is not appropriation. Nor is it cultural imperialism. It's sharing and enjoying each other. It is what humans do.
This is what I noticed in two videos brought to my attention. I read all day long British people and French people speaking uncompromisingly harshly about Americans, often non sequitur as if with serious chips on their shoulders on the subject of us. Then there are these two videos that to me show cultural appropriation from us and it is a beautiful thing seeing what they do with it. I'll accept different analysis, but this is what I'm seeing.
Slight switch here.
At a personal level, bringing this down to the immediate street, I swear, the things I read online and see covered by news regarding racial and national interaction is not anything close to my personal direct experience daily and with only few rare exceptions, including interactions with police. I would tell a different story. Every day serves good examples, even today on usual rounds that took me no further than one city block and very brief exchanges with no one but strangers, were you to follow and observe you'd conclude it is all charmed. I do. I am amazed at what people volunteer. Mixed with the indifference of students whizzing by, in the span of thirteen minutes I can list six separate incidences where people moved closer into my personal space either to greet me, address me, or assist me unnecessarily. Right to the last seconds of returning to my building when a man happened at that moment to perceive us both entering near the same time, race ahead to outpace me to open the door for me. And I'm thinking, "Is this a movie or what? Did this city become Utopia with the release of daylight savings time?" Is it just Spring? I mean, who says "Hello there!" in passing while crossing the street? All races, different accents, worlds intermingling in a state of apparent grace.
Maybe it's my haircut. I do not know.
4 comments:
"a man happened at that moment to perceive us both entering near the same time, race ahead to outpace me to open the door for me."
Last time I was approaching Dunkin Donuts a lady was getting there I slowed down and in my mind I was doing the right thing.
Now, I'm not so sure. I don't have the spring in my step for that kind of thing anymore.
My worry is that if a situation develops where an out of control car comes hurdling towards me and my nephews, as I'm picking them up from school (Some roads are 6 lane wide here) I wont be quick enough to toss the little one away from me like a hero would.
Hey Chip,
Did you see this?
https://www.yahoo.com/health/this-entire-neighborhood-secretly-learned-sign-113251223242.html
It is definitely the haircut.
People always rush to open the door for Pete Rose too.
Thanks, bagoh20, I did not see that until you pointed to it. The video got me, pow, right in the face.
He must have thought at the beginning his private world being invaded and exposed. No more private conversations.
I guess each person learned the basics and how to say a few phrases, but to assert the whole town learned the entire language is a bit of hyperbole, I've been to classes, I know what can be taught and learned in a month. Even so, they did all did very well. It was a real pleasure to watch.
Also 100,000 to 500,000 is quite a range, don't you think? The number range surprised me.
Watching the video changed my attitude. The mentions of barriers and isolation did it.
As I become older I've also become increasingly hesitant to switch to sign in situations that I would earlier jump to it. I've become content to simply eavesdrop and not bother speaking.
Especially so if I sense someone is hard of hearing but I haven't seen them sign anything. It is very hard for me to ask someone in sign the equivalent in English, "Are you deaf?"
Rude, right?
Kelly was a recent exception. We became friends. She's moved now and I miss her.
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