Kevin Connolly's take on America

[xoxoxoBruce]

The BBC's America correspondent Kevin Connolly is packing his bags for a new post in the Middle East. During his three years in the US he has visited 46 out of 50 states and covered the country's election of its first black president.

He has an interesting take on American culture, and indeed on Americans in general. I think he got remarkably close for only being here three years. Scratch the three years, he got remarkably close.

Sometime around the spring of 1835, a young Frenchman called Alexis de Tocqueville travelled to the United States on a mission guaranteed to make Americans bristle with irritation. He was going to understand them, and explain them. De Tocqueville was smart, Gallic and aristocratic - a 19th Century version of the "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" that 21st Century Americans find so vexing. He left behind one or two books that are still worth reading, but his most important legacy was his simplest.

After De Tocqueville, just about every European sent to the United States has treated the posting as an invitation to help diagnose the country's faults and suggest ways in which they might be fixed.
Americans find this a little puzzling. After all, they reason, theirs is a country founded and created by migrants who had left the old world behind them. And it is generally the most energetic and resourceful people who flee old lives to build new worlds, leaving their less enterprising fellow-countrymen behind them. So the arc of American development is going to make the place less and less like the old world, not more and more.

But there is, nevertheless, a deep-seated European instinct that says the United States might be all right if it would only tweak its attitude towards healthcare, or gun control or the death penalty. But, of course, it would not exactly be all right - it would just be Britain with bigger portions and better weather.

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[skysidhe]

humm, Seems like a sketchy impression. I wonder what he did the other 1094 days.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Reinforcing his initial impression.

[Sundae]

Excellent, thanks Bruce.

I routinely read articles/ comments/ books written by Americans in Britain, and generally judge them fair and/or amusing (usually both, as with Bill Bryson).

Or sometimes just correct - grudgingly.
Paul Theroux's Kingdom By The Sea was about an England already disappearing when it was written (I was 10) so I had to take it in a historical context. And also accept it was not designed as a puff piece for tourism, but was a real experience. In that way I came to enjoy it, and accept the criticisms. I did bristle a bit initially. Like when outsiders criticise the Cellar because they're not fitting in

In fact it was at Theroux's recommendation that I read Cherry-Garrard's The Worst Journey in The World which is in my Top Ten and sparked a real interest in the Antarctic, so for that reason alone I'm so glad I read it.

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Reinforcing his initial impression.

I was thinking the stereotypical, British polite. Come on Keven, tell us how you really feel. It read like an old time silent black and white reel.

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

Paul Theroux's Kingdom By The Sea was about an England already disappearing when it was written (I was 10) so I had to take it in a historical context. And also accept it was not designed as a puff piece for tourism, but was a real experience. In that way I came to enjoy it, and accept the criticisms. I did bristle a bit initially.

Yes, I am used to the American shoot from the hip and take no prisoners kind of journalism.After being here for three years, I would have expected something with a little more teeth in it.

That said, I do read UK articles and find them interesting. I am only referring to this article.

[Griff]

That was a nice piece. One of Pete's step-sisters married a self-styled expert on America travel writer from Britain who enjoys looking down his nose at Americans, it is nice to get a clear eyed view. To some extent we'll find what we want to find, but a real journalist can take off the filter.

[Sundae]

I think it's because firstly he is writing for a British readership, and those unfamiliar with real American life will actually find it quite critical by our standards. And secondly he is not intending to criticise the country, but point out differences that the average Brit is unaware of.

Before I came here I had no understanding of the issues surrounding gun control, the role of religion in politics, American manners. Well, okay - I encountered Americans when I was waitressing but I thought then quite rude, only redeemed by their tips - it took me a while to realise we have different ideas of polite and they were behaving politely by their standards. And that in fact the opposite was true - I'm sure many Americans have been appalled by the lack of manners of our shop staff, while we consider them perfectly polite.

And after all, people can look down their nose at anyone.
We even have a specific word for them in this country.
Cunts.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by skysidhe

I was thinking the stereotypical, British polite. Come on Keven, tell us how you really feel. It read like an old time silent black and white reel.

You were obviously disappointed by the lack of criticism, maybe hoping he would shore up criticisms of your own? C'mon skysidhe, tell us how you really feel.

[skysidhe]

I was looking for a real critique from experience instead of vague impressions, some borne of old stereotypes, like the possible reason for the tea party movement.

Come on! :P

and no, again, I wasn't looking for unwarranted criticism for criticism sake. I was looking for some revelation. sheesh I love America!
I think I could love a lot of other countries too, like Britain. I just don't mind the unvarnished truth. Like what SG said.

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

And after all, people can look down their nose at anyone.
We even have a specific word for them in this country.
Cunts.

SEE! The unvarnished truth!

[Sundae]

You'd definitely need a book for that Sky - if not a couple of volumes.
And I mean that to apply to any country.

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

You'd definitely need a book for that Sky - if not a couple of volumes.
And I mean that to apply to any country.

Perhaps, you are right. Harold Stephens has spoiled me.

[TheMercenary]

"...it would just be Britain with bigger portions and better weather."

I love it.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Griff

To some extent we'll find what we want to find, but a real journalist can take off the filter.

To bad that is such a rarity in our own journalism.

[xoxoxoBruce]

You're asking for the impossible, libraries have been written, since de Tocqueville, about what America is or isn't, and none are accurate or complete. Partially because it's a moving target.
What Connolly found, was a key trait to the American character, that is more telling than all the pissant criticisms compiled. You can criticize the tea baggers, but you know what, half the country disagrees with you, so is your criticism valid? The same for Connoly, would any criticisms from him be valid, if half or more of 300 million people disagree?

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

And after all, people can look down their nose at anyone.
We even have a specific word for them in this country.
Cunts.

Ha! I just made the mistake of googling the cunt. Based on his website the USA is only one item of many he has contempt for.

I've learned a lot from you as well Sundae. The British contingent has helped me look at America differently.