Who? Me? Jaded? No way man...........

Okay, yeah, you got me fish. I'll admit to being slightly jaded. Hell, I'll even admit to being overtly jaded. Maybe that's the result of seeing too much. I've done a considerable amount of traveling in America, and could have seen most of what I saw - sans the beautiful nature to be found in almost every corner of the US - by just walking out my door to the nearest neighborhood shopping center. And beleive me, I'm not impressed. But then, I'm not easily impressed.

Yeah, we can brag about our voting rights etc., but is that culture? What is there that's distinctly "American?" Should we brag about the robbing of Native American lands and the subsequent squashing of hundreds of different and fascinating cultures? How 'bout the underhanded political maneuverings that wrested California and other territories away from Mexico. Yeah, that's something to brag about. The culture of snatch and grab. How about the way we create sweat shops all over the world for our monetary gain? Yeah, great cultural affectation there - another kind of slavery that we don't have to be held responsible for; after all, it's not right there under our noses.

Well, there it is again - my jaded self rambling on. Really though, would someone educate me please? What is American culture? Is democracy culture? Yes fish, it's kinda cool what California is attempting to do right now. But there again, is that really culture?

Truthfully, I consider this whole thing of teaching EFL a kind of mission. I don't do it because I want to spread my "culture." I do it because the concept of us all ultimately being able to communicate appeals to my idealistic side - that part of me that believes that world peace and harmony can only be achieved through communication.

But again, I ask you, what is American culture? Is it fixed? Is it evolving? Are the Westcoast and Eastcoast cultures the same? Do we have a real national identity? Are we even concerned with identity or is it the dollar that matters the most?

We want to export DEMOCRACY and the "American way of life." The American way of life......hmmmm, is that culture? And just what exactly is that anyway? Is that the Rockefeller way or is that the way of the million American children that go to bed hungry every night?

Yes, I know what some of you want to say. It's the culture of diversity and we have a political system that supports such diverseness. Okay fine. We share that with a lot of other countries. Maybe we should say, the culture of democracy.

Oh well, those of you are "dyed in the wool," "love it or leave it," "my country right or wrong" Americans, don't take these ramblings too seriously. Just exercising my right to free speech, and yes, I would die before allowing anyone to snatch that away from me.