Aby The Liberal

Captain Sasha May 27th, 2011

A reader, Chris commented here that while he likes Europe for what it offers, there are also some areas which he finds Europe lacking in. He uses France as an example and points out the apparent lack of variety in media, languages and culture in France as the ‘cons’ of living in Europe. While his criticism makes sense from his viewpoint as an American, an understanding of the European perspective would help one appreciate why things are that way in Europe. For better comprehension and readability, I will deal with each of these topics in a seperate article, starting with media (Cinema and TV).

Dumb and Dumber: Thats how American films look in Europe

The reader points out quite accurately that European cinema is not sensationalised enough as compared to American cinema. Which is understandable considering that the average American is used to sensationalism in films and media - in the form of slapstick comedies, stylised acting and over-the-top special effects with very little concern for realistic or artistic value. In mainstream American cinema, films never challenge the audience, never force them to think beyond their comfort levels and never contradict that values that Americans believe in or hold dear. Movies like Dom Durakov (Russia), A ma seour (France) and Sara (Poland) would be too uncomrtable for the typical American audience who prefer simplistic plots that center around their rigid concepts of of right-vs-wrong than the complexities of human mind and behaviour. This works for the American audience for whom films are not about art or understanding life, but a way to escape the boringness and durdgeries of the American lifestyle.  Whil such movies appeal to teenagers in Europe who are yet to develop their full congnitive abilities; most adults find these films extremely over-the-top and an insult to their intelligence. Hence, European studios shy away from making such films for the European audience.

As for TV, France and other European countries have a lot fewer channels and shows than the United States. For an American, this seems constricting and lacking in variety. However, for Europeans this is quite acceptable as they watch far less TV than Americans; they’d rather spend the time bonding with family and friends. Watching TV for more than 3 hours a day would make you a sort of outcast in Europe (except during the Football World Cup season) while in the United States, it is quite normal to watch TV for 5 hours or more everyday. Americans watch TV so much that a lot of them base their judgements of the world and people around them by what they see on TV. As a result, a large number of TV shows have come up in United States, to cater to American tastes and to shape their public opinion on world events, foreign policy, ethics, fashion, sexual behaviour and every other topic that humans are interested in.

As a personal example, I don’t have a TV and watch around 4 - 5 films a month. In the United States, I’d be labelled a crazy and have a difficult social life given how TV and films dominate conversational topics in United States. In Europe, I am just a normal person like everyone else - we talk about news, travels, literature, people we have met and funny anecdotes in social sitatuations.

Further Reads:

• The Guardian: Dumb Hollywood is Forever in debt to Europe
• Hub Pages: French TV is not US TV.

• America , Europe , Myth Busters , Opinions , World Culture
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Captain Sasha May 4th, 2011

I often had Americans invite me to travel to the United States, so that they can give me a ‘better’ experience of their country than my past travels. While they meant it in good faith, their advice is one I’d prefer to avoid, considering  the pitfalls of travelling to America as an ordinary tourist (as opposed to travelling to the US on diplomatic/official positions).

A cartoon on US Customs and Border Protection

According to the US travel website discoveramerica.com, “Travelling to the US offers experiences like nowhere else on earth.”, one of the most honest taglines that Americans ever came up with. Nowever else on earth would you have a travel experience as undignified, unpleasant and soul crushing as in United States. Right from the application for visa process to stepping on the United States soil, the message runs clear, “If you are not an American, you are scum.”

If you are a tourist visa applicant from a country that isn’t in the United States Visa Waiver Program, the visa process to the United States is an out-and-out nightmare. You’ll have to jump through hoops to submit your application, after which you’d encounter unpleasant interviews (~ interrogations) from rude American consular officials, just to have a 50% shot at getting the visa. Compare that to the visa process for Russia (which Americans complain is the toughest) where all you have to do is get all your papers right and pay the required fee to have the visa mailed to you in less than a month.

If you think getting a US tourist visa is the end of it, wake up to the horror known as US Customs and Border Protection. Once you’ve managed to survive the epic queues, you’ll have to face the relentless interrogation from the thin lipped border control guards, sometimes with a gun pointed at you. The US Border Control is also where you are removed of any misconception that racism is no longer alive in America. In the Border Control people, you get to see what Americans are like when the laws no longer hold them back from their racist impulses. This is especially true if you are a Slav, Asian, South American or African.

Once you have (miraculously) landed in territorial America, your travel experiences depend on your gender, ethnicity, nationality, looks, your accent, grasp of English and most importantly, where you travel and where you stay. If you are from a country what Americans call “the third world”, be prepared to be treated as a third class human being, unless you happen to be rich or good looking (or both). If you are a French or Russian, you’d have to encounter scathing remarks and stereotypes about your country, your politics and your people.

Considering all these pitfalls, it would be smarter to avoid travelling to the United States and choose alternative destinations. The Times Online provides a short review of some alternate holiday destinations that you might choose, that offer you a more pleasant travel experience. If you are travelling to Tahiti or the Americas and want to avoid a transit of the United States, check this page from Wikitravels. If you are an American and think I am too cynical, check the New York Times blog on how your travel policies lost US the bid for 2016 Summer Olympics.

• America , Humanity , Travels , World Culture
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