What is the American frame of mind?

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coberst
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What is the American frame of mind?

Post by coberst »

What is the American frame of mind?

I would say that a culture consists of the complex of ideas that a group of people hold dear. One can speak of the culture of a small group or of a very large group.

In the United States our culture is determined to a large extent by how we hold "these truths to be self-evident"; we are held together by ideas perhaps more than other societies. Next, religion plays a great role, and in our case it is the mixture of Protestantism, Judaism, and Catholicism. Following this is our infatuation with capitalism; following that is our narcissistic view of our uniqueness and greatness.

Our culture is a general attitude toward our self and toward the world based upon these four ideologies.

To what powers have wo/men given allegiance in order to solve the paradoxes of life? To what or to whom have each of us given our uncritical allegiance? “Into what hero-system do I fit the expression of my talent”? What or whom has become my fetish-god?

It is possible for the adult to choose which power s/he will serve; however, to do so, when the choice is contrary to one that has resulted from the family and community clan, is an extremely unusual and heroic act. “The great tragedy of our lives is that the major question of our existence is never put by us--it is put by personal and social impulses for us.”

Very few of us discover our authentic talent—if it is ever found it is generally found accidentally through plain fate by us in our social milieu as we tap...tap...tap our blind way through life.

From a personal point of view our principal task is to somehow find our way out of the fate that we stumbled into and to grow out of our idol worship and fetishism and to expand our horizons, allegiances, and to drop our mere preoccupations. We need to free our self from the opinions of others.

“Since aggression is a reaction to frustration, by remaining tightly bound to the success of our social world we increase our aggressiveness, life invariable frustrates us.”

Disinterested knowledge is the energy bunny. It generates the energy for exploration and for overcoming some of the inhibitions conscious reason places on the unconscious.

Studying disinterested knowledge is like taking off a month every year to visit a strange new land. Curiosity is reinvigorated and new meaning is created.[/b

Knowledge is like a jigsaw puzzle. We have created many puzzles in coping with reality and when we received a new piece (knowledge) that does not fit our present puzzles we forgetaboutit. However, if through disinterested knowledge we have created new puzzles we might find a place for this new fragment of knowledge to fit; thereby this fragment becomes our new knowledge.

Our mind is constantly working for us and when we do not give it a worthwhile project, i.e. a new puzzle, it will just waste away in boredom or worry.

In America one might best see this attitude manifested by this frame of mind “I’ve Upped My Income; Now Up Yours”; a manifestation of this attitude may be seen in concrete form by the fact that 45 million citizens are without proper health care.

Do you think that the attitude “I’ve Upped My Income, Now Up Yours” is an American frame of mind?

Quotes from The Birth and Death of Meaning: An Interdisciplinary Perspective on the Problem of Man by Ernest Becker
gmc
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What is the American frame of mind?

Post by gmc »

I would say vacant but that borders on anti Americanism and I'm not sure the humour would go down at all well. But it was too good an opening.
The Rob
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What is the American frame of mind?

Post by The Rob »

By and large, our frame of mind is whatever our media informs us it is.

"Frame of mind" and "frame of reference" are so entwined as to be interchangeable.
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Chookie
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What is the American frame of mind?

Post by Chookie »

American frame of mind?

Highly insecure.
An ye harm none, do what ye will....
watermark
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What is the American frame of mind?

Post by watermark »

If it's true that Americans are held together by ideas that is a good thing imo. I learned that our heritage is based on people who came here originally in order to have freedoms like religion and ideas that their native countries wouldn't allow. I'm proud of this part of my american frame of mind.

Americans aren't really unified though. We have too many bad karma issues that spring up to bite us on the butt. Native Americans or american indians have always had a problem with the founding father mentality, taking away their land from them. Recent immigrants aren't finding they are welcomed here, and many would be immigrants are trying to bypass the common american frame of mind of legalism or maybe it's civility to many, dont know about that, so they just come here expecting to receive something that is inherent in the mindset of the american way of life.

For the most part my own take on the peaceful and complacent mindset I have had the opportunity to enjoy comes from the fact that no war has been seen by my eyes, except for the terrorism that recently took place in 2001, and by the history stories the one about pearl harbor. I mean when was the last time I had to really worry about my safety in the way an Afghan woman or man might worry about the safety of theirs?
K.Snyder
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What is the American frame of mind?

Post by K.Snyder »

Well, I have an extremely hard time grouping individuals as being "the same" so I'll try and not confuse the hell out of people.

I'd thought about something I found to be very telling in my mind but if you don't mind I'd like to keep that portion of it to myself. A was amidst a conversation speaking in reference to skin complexion and sensitivity and it ended up with the below comments...

*Note -All being "Americans"

P1 "I burn, I'm Irish"

P2 "I'm Mexican so I don't burn, I tan"

P1 "You're American"

P2 "Well, I'm Mexican-American"

The discussion transgressed into one of ancestry...

P3 "So would that make me German American?"

P4 "I never got in to that,..why people consider themselves of their ancestors' nationalities,..I'm American"

And the more I thought about it the more I'd realized just how common this is. I've always personally been intrigued as to the origin of my ancestors.

I think a huge difference is actually being close to their ancestors and to hear them speak with their native accents gives people quite alot of perspective. It made me realize just how close minded people can be to ignore their own damn family!

The conclusion is that it's not so much what we think of ourselves as it is what others think of us. Am I American? No. I'm a human being. Do I claim to be American? Yes, to people that I feel the need to know it based off of their own agendas so as to save myself quite a significant amount of time and effort.

So, if I were to consider myself a human being before I were to claim to be an American would this discredit my right to be among those "Americans" that others observe and critique or shall I level the numbers a bit?

"Americans", "Americans", "Americans", when something "unsettling" arises yet when people, who happen to be "Americans" that give quite a significant amount of time, effort, and money to help people in need they're quickly considered singular again? Quite a hell of alot of religious people, that happen to live in America, spend their lives helping their churches organize local charity events, but when this happens their considered "religious" and not "Americans". I'm curious why that is exactly.

"Grouping" is a "natural" instinct that only arises during the event of "negativity" and "irrelevant instances" are written off when individuals show their compassion and empathy.

The majority of "Americans" are very compassionate individuals that are educated, hard working, and innately compassionate individuals and to not see the proof of it only adds to ones ignorance and highlights their virtues of neurosis and cynicism unparalleled by anyone accustomed to self awareness
gmc
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What is the American frame of mind?

Post by gmc »

One thing I would say the people who try and define what is unamerican you should turn round and belt them one. A reaction like that would be quintessentially american imo. Someone that won't let anyone tell them what to think and can make up their own mind about things and anyone that tries it can go play with themselves.
K.Snyder
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What is the American frame of mind?

Post by K.Snyder »

gmc;1314998 wrote: One thing I would say the people who try and define what is unamerican you should turn round and belt them one. A reaction like that would be quintessentially american imo. Someone that won't let anyone tell them what to think and can make up their own mind about things and anyone that tries it can go play with themselves.


It's incredibly horrid in my mind to hear people discredit soccer here in America. It's so incredibly ignorant I can't even put into words the lack of perspective. I have ancestors from England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany(East Prussia as well), and North America(Native American). I can only assume many other "Americans" are similar so when it comes to some disliking the sport because they mainly associate it with "Europeans" I think is the most ignorant alignment anyone can grow accustomed to. How in the World can that be?

I used to not watch the sport but that's because I didn't have anyone to relate to until around the 2002 World Cup. I watched it and enjoyed it quite alot. I then followed the 2006 World Cup and have been hooked ever since. I know the USA didn't fair overly well, as far as results go, but I enjoyed the sport. I'd always admired McBride from here in Ohio when he played for Columbus and started to follow Fulham and the rest is history. The American craze happened after I was following Fulham so that had nothing to do with it.

I Love the sport. Play every week in my local league and watch every Fulham game. Quite frankly people have the opacity to change, but "changing" in this context can be very obscure when assuming people don't wish to change. If people are capable of change then it's not a change at all rather the time it had taken to become aware of that likeness. The media is seen as a contributing factor but it's not the majorities fault in a large sense. Seeking out information is demanded before action is taken.

People "group" individuals which is equally as immoral as one "grouping" themselves. They both cause resentment merely due to the fact which is a horrible diplomatic virtue to begin with!

Waving a flag alienates everyone else with an extreme emphasis to not care as to why. Flags are for war, not peace. If not for the World Cup and other international sporting events getting rid of flags would take thousands of years longer. Thank God! for international sports!

GO USA! :wah: :yh_wink
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littleCJelkton
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What is the American frame of mind?

Post by littleCJelkton »

K.Snyder;1315132 wrote: It's incredibly horrid in my mind to hear people discredit soccer here in America. It's so incredibly ignorant I can't even put into words the lack of perspective. I have ancestors from England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany(East Prussia as well), and North America(Native American). I can only assume many other "Americans" are similar so when it comes to some disliking the sport because they mainly associate it with "Europeans" I think is the most ignorant alignment anyone can grow accustomed to. How in the World can that be?

I used to not watch the sport but that's because I didn't have anyone to relate to until around the 2002 World Cup. I watched it and enjoyed it quite alot. I then followed the 2006 World Cup and have been hooked ever since. I know the USA didn't fair overly well, as far as results go, but I enjoyed the sport. I'd always admired McBride from here in Ohio when he played for Columbus and started to follow Fulham and the rest is history. The American craze happened after I was following Fulham so that had nothing to do with it.

I Love the sport. Play every week in my local league and watch every Fulham game. Quite frankly people have the opacity to change, but "changing" in this context can be very obscure when assuming people don't wish to change. If people are capable of change then it's not a change at all rather the time it had taken to become aware of that likeness. The media is seen as a contributing factor but it's not the majorities fault in a large sense. Seeking out information is demanded before action is taken.

People "group" individuals which is equally as immoral as one "grouping" themselves. They both cause resentment merely due to the fact which is a horrible diplomatic virtue to begin with!

Waving a flag alienates everyone else with an extreme emphasis to not care as to why. Flags are for war, not peace. If not for the World Cup and other international sporting events getting rid of flags would take thousands of years longer. Thank God! for international sports!

GO USA! :wah: :yh_wink


As an american football fan an one who has done his research on how it came about I have a respect for rugby, and in turn soccer. Though my favorite sport to watch in T.V or in person and participate in is NFL style football, I enjoy almost any other sport soccer, hockey, basketball, baseball ect.., The exceptions for me are Nascar, Golf, and Tennis though I respect everyone who competes and enjoys those sports i personally do not find them interesting. As for the grouping of nationalities I personally feel National pride is rampant in FIFA world cup, and other International events, biggest example being the Olympics.
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