Teaching begins again in about 15 days. I’m pondering my syllabi, and thought I’d throw out a question to the audience.
What would you consider is uniquely American?
For instance, there is Jazz Music and Baseball. What other things would be fun to share with my students? All ideas welcome.
SUV’s
Football
Cowboys
What’s uniquely American? Nothing. That’s the beauty of it. We are every culture.
60s hippie culture. Might give them a more positive view of us.
Thanksgiving.
Superbowl parties, maybe?
Working three jobs. Heh heh. (Google “Uniquely American” and you’ll see what I’m talking about.)
war
money
popped collars
Drive-in theatres (a disappearing phenomenon, but once the very epitome of American culture, combining cars, Hollywood and fast food)
Double cheese burgers (“If some is good, more is better!”)
Public apologies and second acts for disgraced celebrities and politicians
RVs (“Honk hello to Shirley and Bob of Racine, Wisconsin”)
Low-riders, hot rods and other forms of automobile worship
Cheerleaders
Miranda warnings & appointed counsel
The Beat Generation
Hippies, Bob Dylan and Blowin in the wind
Bill Gates – the PC – Now Worldwide
Maritn Luther King – American Non Violent Civil Rights – I have a Dream
Lacrosse – The Native American Sport
Consumer Culter – Now Global
That is…consumer culture:)
hip hop
surfing
the peace sign?
The messures taken and money spent for perfect teeth. People can always single us out by our perfectly straight, white, thousand dollar smiles.
Also, the use of the word awesome.
Um… Not to rain on anyone’s parade, but there were hippies in other countries, too. And, something like 40% of Americans can’t go to the dentist–all good teeth mean is that you’re rich, no matter what country you are in. Take a walk in a Wal-Mart one day and check out the cashiers–puts old Benny Hill to shame dentally.
I say, apple pie. But, I’m always up for desert.
GRANPA SAYS:
all of the above, but put ice cream on the apple pie—and to go back a little bit to my time–zoot suits, dixie cups with savor-tops of hollywood stars, hand ball, roller skate hockey–and, and–the nickel subway fare, those were the days my friend——
Thomas Paine
Davy Crockett
Malcolm X
To continue Leah’s idea from above:
“awesome”
“righteous”
“dude”
“totally”
“like”
Think you can spend an entire class period on American dialect?
I am for universal dentistry!!!
“Let them eat cake”
Speaking of cake, apple pie dates back to the times of Chaucer, 1381, England.
hmmm….. Most of the things listed here originated or are well-represented in other cultures/countries. Words don’t count for me, so from the list above I would include football, cheeseburgers and football.
Wouldn’t a more interesting exercise be listing what we both have in common and highlighting the subtleties that give each side its uniqueness?