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Banned
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: So California
Posts: 3,787
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What makes American Culture?
The purpose of this post is to try to determine what really makes American culture, I mean REAL American culture. Only those who's ancestors all arrived before Ellis Island are requested to reply.
The purpose of this post is not a pissing contest as to who arrived first. Most of my relatives were on every single boat that arrived for a significant period of time. The Mayflower, Fortune, ....and one is Capt Pierce, who piloted many of these boats. Theres the Underhills, the Hiltons, the Cocks, the Wolvertons, the Frosts, the Townsends, The Wrights, The Fekes, the Cooks, you name them, I am related. Most of the people who had relatives on the first several boats have the same situation, they are related to everyone.. I have at least 2 relatives on every single boat that first arrived here and I suspect most everyone else who is in my category has the same relationships. My wife is a descendant of Jamestown. The american Indian was an important part of the mix. One of my most infamous relatives, Capt. John Underhill, a famous Indian fighter, later Indian teacher is one example. The Europeans were very important. One relative, the Hilton was related to the family that helped finance the Mayflower (a Hilton), as well as George Washington. The Iroquois Indians had a constitution that is very similar to our own. They held that our rights were given by god, not man, they paid due respect to a creator. I contend that our own constitution is founded on the basis of this Indian constitution, as well as the magma carter. It would be very interesting to find the full contribution of eh Indians culture to ours. Since my family has lived in the area for over 375 years, as mostly farmers, of quaker decent, I have some sense of their contribution, yet none of it is written, except for the Quaker records and they are scattered about. I have met a Pequot Indian that is a descendant of the ones that my gggggg grandfather tried to kill off. His information is very useful in filling out the knowledge deficit. He states that Pequot means Warlike. A subset of the Mohawk Indians, an unruly warlike tribe. Knowing him personally, I can state that this was probably an entirely justified reference to that tribe. Another interesting faq. I am related to almost every single person who owned land at and about the place where flight 93 was forced to crash. I suspect almost every single early american is also in that same category. 9-11 was an attack on the heart and soul of america. Anyone else who grew up with these people, please pipe in, give your impressions. Those who know nothing, who did not grow up in this environment, please stay out of this discussion. Last edited by snowman; 10-12-2007 at 08:30 PM.. |
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10-12-2007, 07:36 PM
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Non Compos Mentis
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Off the grid- Almost
Posts: 10,598
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Baseball,
Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and Chevrolet. What was the question again? |
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10-12-2007, 08:31 PM
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What is the relevancy of this question? NOT intending to pi$$ off anyone but I don't even know what "real" American culture could mean? There is no real American culture UNLESS it is the natives that were here before the immigration (invasion) by the peoples from almost every corner of the earth.
Besides, America has always welcomed people in from other places so American culture is a concoction of elements from MANY cultures. And because this is so it is everchanging. In my opinion, that's GREAT. Why do you want to sort of "draw a line around" any time period and say nothing after this time is "real" American culture? This is helpful or benefits...what?
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Dan in Pasadena '76 911S Sahara Beige/Cork |
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10-12-2007, 08:50 PM
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I'm a Country Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,440
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What an interesting question Snowman. Perhaps the thing that really distingushes American culture from just being another hodge podge or amalgam of various colonial and post colonial European cultures is slavery? Could it be the integration of the rich Africian cultures which really makes the US unique? In terms of exporting that culture elsewhere in the world- it woudl be difficult without the germinating musical, oral and dance traditions of the Africans. Imagine, no blues, no jazz, no rocknroll, no Elvis, no jitterbug, no hamburger, no McDonalds.....
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Stuart To know what is the right thing to do and not do it is the greatest cowardice. |
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10-12-2007, 09:51 PM
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Location: SF Bay Area
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Hip hop is real American culture. Too bad.
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10-12-2007, 09:58 PM
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Dog-faced pony soldier
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Being fat, lazy and stupid.
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A car, a 911, a motorbike and a few surfboards Black Cars Matter |
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10-12-2007, 09:59 PM
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hubris
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10-12-2007, 10:56 PM
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drag racing the short bus
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Location, Location...
Posts: 21,983
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Needing to pay for an extra airplane seat if you're too fat to fit in just one.
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The Terror of Tiny Town |
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10-12-2007, 11:00 PM
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Location: SF Bay Area
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School shootings
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10-12-2007, 11:10 PM
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Registered
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Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 44,421
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Salad Spinners on sale at Walmart now.
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Tru6 Restoration & Design |
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10-13-2007, 02:18 AM
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A Man of Wealth and Taste
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Out there somewhere beyond the doors of perception
Posts: 51,063
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My Grandparents came over on the boat circa 1900. So my family is not responsible for Slavery nor the genocide of the American Indians.
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Copyright "Some Observer" |
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10-13-2007, 02:56 AM
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It'll be legen-waitforit
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Calgary, Canada
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It's was calculated once that everyone on the planet is related no more than 52nd cousins.
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Bob James 06 Cayman S - Money Penny 18 Macan GTS Gone: 79 911SC, 83 944, 05 Cayenne Turbo, 10 Panamera Turbo |
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10-13-2007, 04:47 AM
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Location: Hamburg & Vancouver
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If you travel to remote (or not so remote) places in the world today the evidence of American cultural influence that most stand out:
-rock & roll, pop, hip hop etc. everyone's listening to the same crap music -fast food -bad fashion (baseball caps, hoodies and big sneakers) -lousy news (CNN, USA Today etc) -hollywood
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_____________________ These are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.—Groucho Marx |
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10-13-2007, 05:32 AM
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,247
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Britney Spears, McDonalds, and Nascar... Throw a few hub caps into the mix, and you got American culture.
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10-13-2007, 05:53 AM
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I'm a Country Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,440
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Quote:
I think Snowman has tapped a rick vein here, God bless him.
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Stuart To know what is the right thing to do and not do it is the greatest cowardice. |
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10-13-2007, 07:13 AM
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The pioneer spirit which explains why Walmart and all-you-can-eat buffets are so popular.
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Steve Sapere aude 1983 3.4L 911SC turbo. Sold |
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10-13-2007, 07:43 AM
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Monkey with a mouse
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: SoCal
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I don't believe any of you have qualified your pedigree, as demanded by snowman, before you posted to this thread.
Best, Kurt 
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10-13-2007, 07:52 AM
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Registered Usurper
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 13,824
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Attitude?
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'82 SC RoW coupe |
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10-13-2007, 08:27 AM
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Bug Eating Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: A swamp near you
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Quote:
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10-13-2007, 08:37 AM
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Registered
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Location: Tucson AZ USA
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Not too many fit into snow's world. I for one, am grateful not to be a part of it.
Elitist Self promoting Lineage is all Superiority complex Believer in a definite class type of society with defined subclasses Probably bemoanoing the end of British rule over America America survives, despite the few elitsts that exist within its borders, and owes its strength to its diversity.
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Bob S. former owner of a 1984 silver 944 |
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10-13-2007, 08:38 AM
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1987 Porsche 944 2.5
1979 Porsche 911SC 3.0
1983 Porsche 911SC
