There’s a very interesting article by Kevin Allison at the Financial Times today (excuse the sloppy link)
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/77868922-0228-11da-9481-00000e2511c8.html
It says that “The US ranked 11th in the Brands Index, which asks people around the world to rate 25 countries according to their cultural, political and investment potential and other criteria. Australia received the highest overall score, with respondents expressing “an almost universal admiration of its people, landscapes and living and working environment”, according to the report.”
(well, Australia somewhat fricks with my argument, but anyway…)
All very predictable really, from a European viewpoint. But the kicker (and it is a very strong mule) comes here right after the fold:
“That the world takes a dim view of the US people will surprise most Americans themselves: the study’s American respondents consistently placed the US at the top of all six categories polled.”
Yep – no wonder you Yanks have no solution to this problem, because you haven’t acknowledged that it exists. I don’t mean you, of course, my dear FBC friends; I mean Joe Schmoe, Lindy-Ann, and another 120 million people in a diazapammed purple cult haze of denial in which their entire lives are validated only by possessions and insecure insularity.
“The US is increasingly viewed as a “culture-free zone” inhabited by arrogant and unfriendly people, according to study of 25 countries’ brand reputations. The US is still recognised as a leading place to do business, the home of desirable brands and popular culture,” said Simon Anholt, author of the survey. “But its governance, its cultural heritage and its people are no longer widely respected or admired by the world.”
If you don’t know history, you don’t know nuttin’. History takes you out of the very short slice of time called your life, and shows you how the Tellurian patterns that the slice or soundbite can never reveal… Your life is in a context.
“Although the US received high marks for its popular culture, it ranked last in cultural heritage, a measure of a country’s “wisdom, intelligence, and integrity”, according to Mr Anholt.”
I’d love to attach a poll but the only questions I can think of would offend many of you 😉
BTW my last diary for a couple of weeks while I am travelling and maybe offline. Let’s see….
