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On national character and tragedy
Apr. 21st, 2007 01:41 pmWhat follows is entirely based on unsubstantiated stereotypes based on personal observation.
The rest of the western world has a love-hate relationship with the U.S. It boils down to Americans being considered boisterous, loud, self-centered simpletons unable to consider the viewpoints of others. On the other hand, they are also free to do as they please, less nannied about by the state, and have an insuppressable "can do" attitude.
The Virginia Tech shooting brings this same to the forefront. There was the immediate and predictable knee-jerk reaction; colleges in my state are suddenly proposing using significant amounts of money on more police officers, public address systems and other security improvements on campus. None of the suggested measures would frankly do much if anything to prevent or significantly mitigate a repeat of such a tragedy. The media is awash with finger pointing and "why didn't anyone do anything" questions. This very quickly got on the nerves of myself and my friends.
While the reaction is annoying, it does have some positive roots. The old continent would look at events, realize that there really wasn't particular blame to assign or anything that could be reasonably done to prevent it from happening, people would shrug, give victims and their families condolences, look at laws and procedures, conclude that there's nothing to be done, and go on. Not so here. The idea that something cannot be prevented, that there is nothing to be done, is antithetical to the American character.
It leads to an interesting duality. On one hand, Europeans are protected by the state in any which way. On the other hand, Americans are protected from especially themselves just as much in entirely different ways. There is security everywhere, pen caps have warnings against choking hazards, airbags have to be designed to protect people who aren't wearing seatbelts, and microwave meals warn you that heating them will make them hot.
Yet, fundamentally, the idea that there is a problem and it HAS to be solved, and that there IS a straightforward solution to everything is so very American. In following this mindset really silly and stupid things can result (I shall simply mention foreign policy and leave the rest up for thought), yet this is also the very same trait that makes America so great and adored, and can lead to the best of things mankind has to offer.
It is the "can do" attitude that makes America great and attracts a certain kind of people to it, century after century, despite the silly warning labels.
(I do have fairly strong opinions on what should be done, but that is a topic for another post another time.)
The rest of the western world has a love-hate relationship with the U.S. It boils down to Americans being considered boisterous, loud, self-centered simpletons unable to consider the viewpoints of others. On the other hand, they are also free to do as they please, less nannied about by the state, and have an insuppressable "can do" attitude.
The Virginia Tech shooting brings this same to the forefront. There was the immediate and predictable knee-jerk reaction; colleges in my state are suddenly proposing using significant amounts of money on more police officers, public address systems and other security improvements on campus. None of the suggested measures would frankly do much if anything to prevent or significantly mitigate a repeat of such a tragedy. The media is awash with finger pointing and "why didn't anyone do anything" questions. This very quickly got on the nerves of myself and my friends.
While the reaction is annoying, it does have some positive roots. The old continent would look at events, realize that there really wasn't particular blame to assign or anything that could be reasonably done to prevent it from happening, people would shrug, give victims and their families condolences, look at laws and procedures, conclude that there's nothing to be done, and go on. Not so here. The idea that something cannot be prevented, that there is nothing to be done, is antithetical to the American character.
It leads to an interesting duality. On one hand, Europeans are protected by the state in any which way. On the other hand, Americans are protected from especially themselves just as much in entirely different ways. There is security everywhere, pen caps have warnings against choking hazards, airbags have to be designed to protect people who aren't wearing seatbelts, and microwave meals warn you that heating them will make them hot.
Yet, fundamentally, the idea that there is a problem and it HAS to be solved, and that there IS a straightforward solution to everything is so very American. In following this mindset really silly and stupid things can result (I shall simply mention foreign policy and leave the rest up for thought), yet this is also the very same trait that makes America so great and adored, and can lead to the best of things mankind has to offer.
It is the "can do" attitude that makes America great and attracts a certain kind of people to it, century after century, despite the silly warning labels.
(I do have fairly strong opinions on what should be done, but that is a topic for another post another time.)
