It’s hard not to feel schizophrenic when making the shift from Europe to America. This author makes that physical and mental shift almost on a yearly basis after long stays in Europe. What is most striking upon being back is the drab colors that ‘adorn’ the American. Even New York City can’t escape the stigma of unfashionable when one returns from such places as Rome and Milan and even Greece. Perhaps it’s not right to compare NYC to the sun-drenched Mediterranean but even the Milanese are aware of their Bella Figura, however much they may deny it.
The lack of color is so ubiquitous that upon arriving one feels like a supermodel (long stays mess with your head.) In Europe the author thwarted attempts to feminize her, opting for functional, comfortable and arguably unfeminine clothes but on her return she sees that her attempts were unsuccessful, and unbeknown to her she became feminine. Assimilation is not a human triumph, it is like sleep-walking, yes, it’s a somnambulistic feat! The feminine graces one picks up abroad suddenly appear as the Somnambula walks among a haze of monochromatism and unisex mannerisms. She stands out!
Eek, just what she tried to avoid!
American Televison: Why so caricature? Voices are louder, expressions more defined, shock-value gestures galore. Loud. Curt. Abrupt. False-Animation. No Flow. Obnoxious. To watch European TV is to see modest, flowy discussions with temperate levels of sound (even in ITALY!), courtesy, humility, and wise-cracks aside when the discussion is serious. Americans on TV are almost always cracking a joke except during the most grave issues. There’s a sense of smugness about each TV personality whether they be an anchorman, weatherman, host of a talk show (these are the worst, i.e. Bill O’Rielly, Rosie O’Donell and how can one forget Queen Bee Oprah Winfrey?) There is absolutely no conveyance of humility though there’s plenty of self-deprecatory talk which in the end just seems dishonest. Just noise. Self-deprecatory kings such as Letterman and O’Brien DO NOT resemble those humble hosts of Euro TV. They are exactly what they set out not to be: OBNOXIOUS! They didn’t really set out to be humble though did they ? *Wink*
Commercials: It’s possible that America makes the funniest commercials in the world, but it also makes the most condescending ones. Being talked down to is so apparent the first few days back that I feel violated and humiliated.
Documentaries are getting worse. Case in Point: Michael Moore! His narrative, although treating crucial material, is oft childish and delivered as if talking to kindergarteners , behesting us to listen quietly and to nod to his inflected questions. Such exaggerated speech reveals the obvious and I hate to be the one to point out the obvious but here goes: We are accustomed to easily-interpreted expositions, to everything being bluntly told, not suggested, to directness and not subtlety. The natural assimilation to this way of thinking naturally hinders all ability to think critically, associatively, and most importantly in a symbolic language–which is a prerequisite for understanding art, literature, poetry, film and dance.
L’art est mort, Vive L’art!
And interaction of locals? Self-serving, law-enforced, law-fearful etiquette and false modesty. Looking at the surface one thinks: “Oh , finally , a polite and un-snobby person once entering NYC (think of all the Parisian snobbs) but scratch that surface and they’re all playing a role assigned to them by the market-place (“Be good for customers, be kind for money, be polite for business, smile, you’re on camera!”). I haven’t decided yet whether i would rather see their real brutish selfs or be content with the rules of the market, for it has weaved for us such a polite and constantly smiling populace.
Reality or Disney Fantasia? Which would you pick? The mother of all questions!
Stuck In Transit 