OV9

Gavster wrote: Tue Apr 11, 2023 10:20 am On the point of isolation, when I was in NYC I went to some debates at New York Uni about food policy and it's incredible to see how isolated and inward-looking they are as a country. Whatever is happening in other parts of the world seems to be of little interest (apart from Mexico, which is kinda like their back garden). Definitely a sense of them only considering their own country and their own practices, which therefore means they also believe themselves to be the best*. It's a stark contrast to the UK where we've been hugely reliant on other countries for our food supply and therefore really engage with many other countries, especially the EU.

Funny you should bring up food, because it was front and centre in my mind when I think about Americans' philosophical lust for homogeneity. The perception that your food is at its very best when it's been ultraprocessed, perfectly measured, efficiently wrapped and, most importantly *exactly* the same every time, is a strong metaphor for the wider mindset. And that wider desire for factory-produced conformity is exactly what robs people of real freedom.

Going back to your original point that a one-dimensional money-focused social hierarchy necessarily produces only 1% winners and 99% losers, it's not just about the wealth itself and the conspicuous consumption it allows, it's also the reins people are forced to put themselves in to engage with the merry-go-round. I understand that work culture is very different in the US - far more hierarchical (your boss *owns* you), far less autonomous, and far more fordist (factories and offices are set up like drone farms, everyone with individual tasks far removed from the end product).

Hell, if I lived in a pop-up wooden house on a vast estate of identical pop-up wooden houses, ten miles from the next identical town, with only a mall full of the same shops selling the same plastic stuff, spending 10 hours of my day doing the same self-referential drudgery, with the only recreational respite being to follow the same local field sports team and watch the same mass-produced TV, I'd go fucking postal too. I might try and distract myself with a dedicated meth addition or a bit of religious extremism first, but postal is almost certainly where it would ultimately end up.

Got to protect the REAL victims of the shootings!…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65515915


Another one. And another one that used an ar-15 assault rifle…

Service as usual

I had an hour long chat/argument with an American who is in the same gaming clan (Elite Dangerous Squadron) as me, so we're teamates and I've happily chatted to him before about a bunch of stuff and he seemed quite educated.

On guns, he goes atonishingly off the rails, not being rude or angry anything but just stubbornly in the camp of "more guns is better for safety" and rolls out the "It only happens in bad neighbourhoods (he's not racist but...)", and it's in the constitution to protect everyone from "tyrrany" (not sure where the tyrrany of not being safe outside fits in), guns keep you safe from knife crime, the solution to bad guys with guns is more good guys with guns (yes apparently teachers should be armed (I did ask "With what, a bazooka?")

It shouldn't have surprised me, but it did.

I can only conclude it's their religion, and like religion their faith is almost unassailable with facts.

Bloody tragic.

MrBeast dropped a video a couple of days ago where he bought 1000 people hearing aids so they could hear again. Video was a smash hit with millions of views. It was a pretty bad advert for America that so many people are walking around half deaf and don’t get support.

Made me grateful for the NHS

I worked in the US for a few months (Dallas/Fort Worth area in Texas and an "interesting" spell in Little Rock and Jonesboro, Arkansas) in the mid 90's and what summed the place up was the fact that I couldn't buy a CD in a local Walmart with naughty words in the lyrics, but 4 aisles down I could buy enough guns and ammunition to equip a small army. Very few people could see a problem with this arrangement.

Delphi wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 9:13 am ...I couldn't buy a CD in a local Walmart with naughty words in the lyrics, but 4 aisles down I could buy enough guns and ammunition to equip a small army.

I spent a year at Uni in America (Purdue, Indiana). Similarly, as a 20yo, I wasn't deemed "responsible" enough to buy booze but I could buy weapons. We actually got arrested for possession of alcohol one time. Had to pay a fine and go to an "alcohol education class".

But guns would have been totally fine.

Yeah, the ammosexuals get their panties in a bunch about the 2nd amendment but then if you mention the 18th amendment they go all quiet.

I find the enforcement of jaywalking laws a good indicator as to whether I’m in a third world country or not. But yeah, America, land of the free, just don’t try to cross a road without a pedestrian crossing and/or green light otherwise you will be fined and may be arrested.

Mito Man wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 9:35 am I find the enforcement of jaywalking laws a good indicator as to whether I’m in a third world country or not. But yeah, America, land of the free, just don’t try to cross a road without a pedestrian crossing and/or green light otherwise you will be fined and may be arrested.

You can walk in America?

I've long said that America is lost. I can't understand why anyone would willingly move and live there. As has been said, their gun culture is like a religion. And there is only one way it's going from here.

I've visited America a few times, and I really liked it.

Simon wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 9:52 am I've long said that America is lost.

Completely. I was talking to someone the other day about this, after seeing the comments from a few Europeans to Tavarish's request for advice on what guns to look at getting.

It's hard for us to understand the mentality, but put yourself in their shoes and you realise it's a vicious circle of paranoia that they're unlikely to ever get themselves out of. There's not just the "ammosexuals" as ANdy correctly refers to them as, but many regular Joes who probably feel compelled to own one out of fear for their/their family's safety - people who probably wouldn't choose to own one if they could avoid it.

Swervin_Mervin wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 10:49 am There's not just the "ammosexuals" as ANdy correctly refers to them as, but many regular Joes who probably feel compelled to own one out of fear for their/their family's safety - people who probably wouldn't choose to own one if they could avoid it.

Indeed.

So they justify to themselves that they need one to protect their family from home intruders with guns, but then when they find their next door neighbour hanging out the back of their wife, the temptation is dish out some justice is just too strong!

duncs500 wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 11:05 am

Swervin_Mervin wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 10:49 am There's not just the "ammosexuals" as ANdy correctly refers to them as, but many regular Joes who probably feel compelled to own one out of fear for their/their family's safety - people who probably wouldn't choose to own one if they could avoid it.

Indeed.

So they justify to themselves that they need one to protect their family from home intruders with guns, but then when they find their next door neighbour hanging out the back of their wife, the temptation is dish out some justice is just too strong!

Was about to say similar. Have spoken to several US colleagues who feel they need to have a weapon as an intruder is more likely than not to be carrying one. (I just looked online as it occured to me I have zero idea how much it costs to get a "basic" (?) pistol and fill it with ammo - cheaper than I had imagined - I felt really seedy looking - ended up opening a private browser to do so ).