In fact you're right that if America's the subject, there'll immediately be a big discussion. And there are diaries on America at the moment (but to some extent Kos's elegant remarks on the status of non-American contributors set that off). Partly, too, diaries on American topics are (welcome) cross-posts. And ET's biggest single constituency is Americans living in the US. Add to that US power and intervention in the world, and you've got reasons why people talk about America here.
Imagine we didn't. We would hear: you people aren't talking about the elephant in the parlour, why is that?
Anyway, the focus of my piece above was misunderstandings between Europeans and Americans in discussions here and on other blogs, and not America per se. I just sneakily put "America" in the title so I'd get lots of comments and recommends. This place is getting like DKos ;)
So I said what I thunk.
I would never expect anything less.
And it's not like I want to ban America as a topic of discussion here. That would be (a) impossible, (b) stupid, and (c) did I say impossible?
No, look, I want to talk about the world, and America (much to its dismay at times) is a part of the world -- a big, sloppy, insecure, powerful part. You can't talk about the world without talking about America. It'd be like talking about Of Mice and Men without mentioning Lennie.
But it's not all about Lennie. You can't leave out George, either.
(How's that for an American metaphor? I don't know if this means anything to you, maybe non-Americans don't read this book in school. But trust me, it's deeeeeeeep....)
Anyway, like I said, I don't really mind talking about America, I just wish I lived in a world where I didn't have to do it so often, or at least in a world where those conversations weren't so resounding, relentlessly, unflaggingly depressing.
This place is getting like DKos ;)
Astaghfirullah! God forbid. :-0
I saw the movie with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich, and then read the book...
Deep metaphor, and funny. Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
Imagine "Dubya" Lenny saying "I just wanted to pet 'em Iraqis". Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
