Here is a brief rambling on football, and the American concept of time; namely, the idea that we're constantly running out of it.
I should have written about China, just because of the fact that I'm experienced with Chinese cultures somewhat and also the diverse amount of products they send us, mostly cheap stuff like tins, nick knacks, and iPhones. The Chinese do not have near as much freedom as we do, and I regularly hear stories about how one family member or another flees China to come live here. They (the stories) usually end on a screechy note, lamenting the fact that America's freedoms are fast disappearing. The scary part of that may be, even though Chinese sometimes want to come live here, eventually it might not be that much more free. They are sort of a hybrid of a market based culture and a communist culture, and as far as I know they are the only working example of a rich communist country (as in healthy middle class). Still, the Chinese do not have as much say as we do. The Internet there is tightly policed, and forums and everything on the Chinese Internet is monitored and censored if not in line with what Big Brother wants. Well, that's not entirely true: The censors will usually let people rail against politicians, but any attempt to organize resistance in any way is immediately stifled and the people are subject to correction.[1]
Also I'd really like to join the Football-bashing bandwagon (where there is one): I've never even really liked sports, usually favoring crafts, carpentry, and outdoor activities to sports and other large social gatherings. One might label me as anti-social for that reason, but I can be quite amiable when I need to be, and I also sell quite a few things, so that makes me have to come out of my shell. However, I know of quite a few people who don't like football, and quite a few people who do. Really, I think it's a personal preference - although, as the text points out, it's basically more celebrated than Christmas. Here's what other people think of the Super Bowl:
Belgium: "A welcome excuse to invest millions in commercials. Sadly, there's no bowling involved. Also, some diva sings "God Save the Queen" – the American version."
So here's to Belgium, the other part of our class this week. Yes, of course my post is about America! Mostly...
Americans rush around, constantly thinking that they are running out of time. Personally, I hate clocks. My natural rhythm is to wake up at 8 and go to sleep at 12: now, how the heck am I supposed to survive in a country of morning people? Jokes aside, America really does suffer from clock hysteria. Personally, I think it may be at least part of the reason so many of us are on antidepressants, that and a very large ad campaign to convince Americans' that their lot in life is not enough. I typically don't handle very much TV, because after watching a full 1/4 of my show taken up by ads, I'm about ready to go buy a Mercedes, a BMW, a Ford, and some pain pills for good measure - likely for my pocket book. However, even I have invited the time-is-money concept into my life. When working, it feels like a part of my life is being taken away from me as I pay my tabs. Time is money, and I've fully integrated this into my business practices. (I build sheds, so eventually, the more tools I own, the faster I am and the more money I make.) However, sometimes this takes away from my enjoyment of the simpler stuff - while working, I feel like my time should be spent creating stuff, and while doing crafts, I feel like I should be working hard. Not enough time, that little voice says, not enough time!
Cited here is a great article by the Business Insider detailing the different views that each culture has on time. [3] Personally, I show up on time because everyone else does; at home, I tend to approach a task with an apparently more Asian view, that is, my task is rather like a pool, and there is time in my pool, and perhaps I may walk around it before realizing I must do G and H before starting A, and that does not bother me. Other people, I've noticed, tend to be driven insane by this. I enjoy that.
References:
1. http://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6199/1251722.abstract
2. http://mic.com/articles/80855/what-people-from-other-countries-think-of-america-s-obsession-with-the-super-bowl
3. http://www.businessinsider.com/how-different-cultures-understand-time-2014-5
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