Fareed Zakaria has a bone to pick with America, and not really the country America, just the people who live in it. Zakaria, current editor of Newsweek International, thinks that Americans are no longer keeping up with the times of globalization. What is meant by this is that we, as Americans, think that the only way to keep things on top is to do it the American way, no more of this “If we work together” Disney morals. Zakaria thinks that Americans have become too ignorant to accept the possibility that somewhere outside of the perimeter that is this great country, some other country is coming up with a better idea to help the world.
I think that for the most part, Zakaria is right; people who live in America think that the only way to do things is the American way. I have been in a few restaurants where there will be a foreign worker, or maybe the whole building itself is owned by a foreign person. There have been times when a customer has not been satisfied by his meal and asks for the manager in charge of the store for a refund after the customer had asked to get his meal re-cooked several times. When the manager gets to the table he sees the customer has actually eaten all the food and is asking for a free meal. When the manager says he cannot give the man a free meal because of his eating of the meal, the customer would say “damn foreign customs.” This is a real life example, this shows just how Americans can be when change is at their front door and are asking politely, mind you, to try and think in a new way that would benefit everyone.
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I believe you have one blog left to write, but I liked what I read here. I agree with your observation that Herbert's criticisms of America are tempered by a motivational tone in his delivery. He does not want to see America fail. His criticisms come from his love for the country and hope for what has been called the "American experiment."
ReplyDeleteI never got into Lost, but I can definitely see how it fits Johnson's thesis about some TV being cognitively demanding. What turned me off of Lost was the feeling that the writers were making it up as they went. I think a masterful show has a general idea of where it wants to go. It may evolve along the way, but the destination or raison d'etre of the show is firmly established. I felt like Lost was just trying to stay on the air as long as possible. Then again, I only watched a few episodes and read about it.
I also liked your entry on Graff. It's not like professional football is always intellectual. The "reader" of professional football must continually bring something to the table to discover its hidden intellectualism.
As of now, I'd give this blog a 92%. Good job.