Blogcritics Comments on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Comment by Baritone on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Wed, 2 May 2007 08:28:14 EDT

I suppose, if I was quicker on the draw, I could have come up with something cutting and witty. It was so unexpected, kinda out of nowhere. It's so much easier to be clever in hindsight. Within a few seconds of the encounter, we were off the train, the offending fellow still on, and the doors closing. As to where this guy was coming from, upon turning around and seeing his malevolent smile, it was obvious that he was likely a skinhead. He probably hated everybody. It is generally true, I think, that it is not wise to get into a confrontation, especially a violent one, when visiting a foreign country. The repercussions can be difficult, perhaps harrowing. Had I been alone, it might have been different, but I had my family in tow, plus my son's girl friend. I know these all sound like excuses for being a wus, but angry as I was, doing nothing was likely the wisest response. It's also true, though, that I am not a flag waver. I am well aware of the US's deteriorating reputation abroad. Fifty years ago we were the great liberators. Today that is old news. As the saying goes, what have you done for us lately? What we've done is engage in an unwise war in a part of the world we simply don't understand, just as with Viet Nam. The subsequent rise in terrorist attacks, particularly in Spain and England can be at least in part traced to our involvement in Iraq. Our arrogance and stupidity have cost lives in Europe, and elsewhere. Few people understand better the folly of war than Europeans. Sadly, we have earned our flagging reputation. We are no longer looked upon as the saviours of the free world. Now, we are the bull in the china shop. Baritone

Comment by STM on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Wed, 2 May 2007 01:57:03 EDT

I was trying to be polite, sonny, using the term cousin. You're right though - it's a great example of how the same person could have totally different views, depending on where they've grown up. I find those "sliding doors" type scenarios quite fascinating.

Comment by SonnyD on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Wed, 2 May 2007 01:22:49 EDT

STM: #84 It's interesting that you used the word "cousin" in the above remark. I was thinking about the scene that Baritone described this morning and decided what I would have done in the same circumstances. First look at the man as if surprised, then give him a big smile and call out, "Hey, Cousin, how are you?" Then, while he is still confused, lean over as if to tell him something in confidence and say, "Just think, if my great-grandfather had not decided to emigrate to the US, but yours had, I could be the one standing there making remarks when you walk by. Life's funny, isn't it? Have a nice day."

Comment by STM on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Wed, 2 May 2007 00:20:15 EDT

Also mate, and while I don't want to get into racial stereotypes here (I'm going to anyway), I think it's a bit rich for one of our German cousins to be muttering under his breath about those awful Americans. Especially in a city that was part of a Soviet puppet state. I don't see that Americans overall have too much to be ashamed about. A bit, maybe, but that's another issue. But in Europe, people should be eternally grateful both to them and the British.

Comment by Baritone on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Tue, 1 May 2007 08:37:33 EDT

I'm amazed. Maybe I'll get that cyber-Pulitzer after all. As to the forsythia, yeah it's a monster. (I measured it a couple of weeks ago. It is nearly 24 feet in diameter.) Ya just gotta know how to pick your continents. Thanks folks, for dropping by. Baritone

Comment by Christopher Rose on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Tue, 1 May 2007 07:10:54 EDT

See, Baritone, immediate results. Nice site too. Congratulations!

Comment by STM on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Tue, 1 May 2007 03:43:01 EDT

Hey Baritone, I linked to your site. Good stuff. I love your forsythia? (the big yeller bush). I am also extremely jealous of how green your grass is. Mine is now a slightly greener shade of brown after a long, hot summer - and despite some heavy rainfall recently, this continent remains parched.

Comment by Baritone on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Tue, 1 May 2007 02:06:16 EDT

Woohoo!

Comment by Clavos on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Tue, 1 May 2007 01:54:47 EDT

Yep, you got it...

Comment by Baritone on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:41:01 EDT

Christopher, I was going to tell you I didn't know how to do that, but now I think I did it. We'll see. Baritone

Comment by Christopher Rose on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:12:48 EDT

Baritone, please stick an http:// before your url in the comments window...

Comment by Baritone on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 12:59:06 EDT

Clavos, Yes, "Booboisie" is apropos of a great deal. Baritone

Comment by Clavos on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 11:15:10 EDT

Baritone, I've been a fan of Mencken for a long time. The Puritanism one IS one of his best. Another I like is simply one word: The Booboisie.

Comment by Baritone on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:37:25 EDT

Clavos, Mencken was great. I always liked his definition of a puritan (which I am paraphrasing here) as someone afraid that someone else may be having a good time. Baritone

Comment by Clavos on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 01:10:17 EDT

Those who run the advertising industry live by the words of H.L. Mencken: "No one in this world, so far as I know...has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people." Notes on journalism, Chicago Tribune September 19, 1926 And the advertising industry has made trillions for its customers on that one maxim alone.

Comment by Baritone on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:14:27 EDT

Zedd, I am, in fact an old Boomer. We were perhaps the first recipients of the efforts of Madison Ave. in full force, and since, have taken the reigns making American marketing the most sophisticated and manipulative advertizing machine anywhere in the world. Perhaps, as we age, as you suggest, we may be able to reflect on what we have wrought, and provide some perspective and some notions of how and if we went wrong, and how those coming behind us can make advertising less cloyingly manipulative. Who knows? By the way, here's a great quote by Zelda Fitzgerald: "We grew up founding our dreams on the infinite promise of American advertising." And MBD, I don't even know what you are talking about. Baritone

Comment by MBD on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 23:31:21 EDT

"As time goes by we want the essence of things and are rather put off by fluff" It certainly didn't show up in #69 and #70.

Comment by Zedd on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 23:25:39 EDT

Baritone I don't feel that you are dancing around the issue as I feel the same way. We are Americans and proud of it. We know that there are fantastic aspects of our society. One thing is that Americans are nice people. Just NICE. You cant do better than that. You make a great point about the age of our society. I suspect that the mayhem of this era will help to mature us. I think the nation has grown weary of the spin. We've over played that hand and people are looking for simplicity and clarity. We are fortunate that the boomers are aging, which means we will all become smarter and wiser as a nation. As time goes by we want the essence of things and are rather put off by fluff. An older boomer population will benefit us with that.

Comment by Baritone on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 22:42:34 EDT

Zedd, Yes! Worshipping capitalism. That is it, isn't it. Everything is measured by how much it's worth monetarily. Take theatrical films. Rarely do you hear about the critical worth of a film. But you always hear about how it did at the box office. While good films do come out of Hollywood, generally the best films from a critical standpoint are either American Indie films or foreign made. I have long been a fan of foreign films, going back to Godard, Bergman and Truffaut among others. One of the best films I've seen recently was The Lives of Others a German film. Actually, it won an Oscar as the best foreign film. Few, if any, of these films make big money. But neither are they designed to do so. Certainly, they don't intend to lose money, but generally they are not made to be "blockbusters." Your observation regarding the difference between people raised and/or who have lived in the US for a long period, and those who have not. My son has lived in Germany for nearly five years. During his last visit here he observed that the US now seemed like a foreign country to him. He had long observed that Americans are usually quite easy to spot abroad. Many of us are loud, blustery, and at times abrupt, rude and presumptive of superiority. When visiting him, he often admonished us for acting too "American." It wasn't just a matter of being embarrassed, but owing to the very real distaste many foreigners have for Americans, it is generally best not to foster attention carelessly. Once, as we were leaving a train in Leipzig, a fellow standing in the doorway of the car uttered, somewhat under his breath "fucking Americans" as we passed. Neither my son, my family nor myself are ashamed of being Americans. But we certainly did not want a violent confrontation while visiting a foreign country. But you are correct, people who have not lived here for an extended period are generally more circumspect, less unabashed in their response to things such as advertising. Generally, my son thinks German TV is not very good by American production standards, but as he doesn't own a TV, he doesn't see much of it. But advertising there in general is understated compared to most produced in America. The difference you reference is subtle in most respects, but it does exist. Perhaps it is owing to the older, more finely aged culture in Europe and elsewhere. Americans are relative toddlers culturally. We can be like a bull in a china shop at times. And remember, America developed with a "shoot first, and ask questions later" mentality. I know I'm still dancing around the point you are trying to make, but I've gotta end this to do some work so I can pay my internet service. Baritone

Comment by MBD on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:27:15 EDT

Zedd If you must whine consider whining about something else.

Comment by Zedd on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:05:44 EDT

MBD Perhaps this is not the conversation for you to engage in. It seems that don't understand it. Nothing that you've stated has anything to do with what is being discussed.

Comment by Zedd on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:02:07 EDT

Baritone I don't think that Advertising is evil. If you knew what I did in my professional work before my hiatus, you'd understand. Advertising is good, its creative and exciting. I still love the coke song from my childhood and the Kentucky fried chicken commercial that ran for a short time in my childhood summer. I've not found too many people who remember it. I remember every word. I was the child who was glued to the TV and had to be snapped out of it by my Dad's booming voice :o) Great point about how we emulate our parents and so on. I am grateful for the thoughtful exchange! You are right. That is how we are socialized and that is how tradition is passed down. However the invasion into our psyches by our greater society is rather pervasive. Its unnatural and gratuitous. The marks on our actions are not for productivity, accuracy, or even enjoyment as our parents often pass down methods for. The real point however is that we over worship our version of capitalism. We equate it with liberty. Theoretically it should work that way but there is a deeper more pronounced liberty that cant be mandated, legislated or be given. It is the freedom of being. Not playing at being, which is what we often do in our society because of giving ourselves over to those who want money from us. But actually living as we are. Its a difficult concept to explain if you've never experienced it. Often times on these threads I find it easy to spot a none American, not always but for the most part those who are not socialized here have a certain element that I have been able to spot. Its that thing that we lack. They don't go along. Not out of defiance. They think independently. Not on purpose, they just do. They look at every situation for that situation. We however must fit things into categories. Off course there are extremes like Arch who's parameters are even tighter and it just doesn't seem that he can get passed it and it gets in the way of his being able to engage, period. He seems frozen. On the other hand STM is everywhere, blissfully too. He can engage on any subject and bring sanity to it. Christopher argues lucidly, based on the topic or subject matter not based on the feeling behind the matter. Often times his frustration is palatable. This may not make sense at all to you, however I REALLY appreciate the dialogue. It was refreshing. Thank you.

Comment by Baritone on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 16:51:28 EDT

Why the hell should I? If I want to whine, by no-god, I'll whine. Whining suits the nasaly midwestern quality of my otherwise rich vocal tones. Why don't you stop bitching about whiners? Bitchers should be consigned to a never ending Rob Schneider film festival. Baritone

Comment by MBD on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 16:40:55 EDT

Who's whining? You and Zedd.. Accountability has nothing to do with capitalism. Sp stop whining about capitalism. If you must whine consider whining about people who can't control themselves.

Comment by Baritone on The "Perks" of Being a Christian

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 13:55:10 EDT

Who's whining? I think that's just what I said. But, accountability should be born by advertizers as well. No? Or is that part of the sacred capitalistic cow that should ever and always have free reign? Baritone