A case in point ...
Jan. 8th, 2011 04:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blamebramptonSo, there we were, having a chat on a friend's LJ about the differences between the US and the UK for purposes of a self-Britpicking list, with participants from both sides of the pond and beyond and frequent diversions into baiting and comedy from all sides, and apparently it has become a source of Flocked Drama.
Consider the argument very carefully: At least one American is very upset that British people prefer to be depicted in accurate ways.
And if you can't see why that's a bit dodgy, replace the word British with any other nationality.
I don't want to overstate the case, because really, it doesn't culturally oppress us the way that some other cultures have been oppressed by this sort of thing, since we don't deeply care and we had an Empire first. And while the original source of the complaint is a preference, it's certainly not a sine qua non, and we read heaps of stuff that gets us wrong, and some of it is good and some is crap, and really, at the end of the day we still pronounce and spell aluminium in ways that are scientifically logical, which in itself is enough. But, honestly ...
Interestingly, one of my points of difference was a tendency to soap-opera-like over-reactions in fiction. Clearly I drew the line too narrowly.
AND I left off the fact that it the entire United States has been the subject of mass-brainwashing to accept caffeinated flavoured beverages as coffee. Though I see Starbucks has dropped the word from their logo, truth in advertising at last!
Consider the argument very carefully: At least one American is very upset that British people prefer to be depicted in accurate ways.
And if you can't see why that's a bit dodgy, replace the word British with any other nationality.
I don't want to overstate the case, because really, it doesn't culturally oppress us the way that some other cultures have been oppressed by this sort of thing, since we don't deeply care and we had an Empire first. And while the original source of the complaint is a preference, it's certainly not a sine qua non, and we read heaps of stuff that gets us wrong, and some of it is good and some is crap, and really, at the end of the day we still pronounce and spell aluminium in ways that are scientifically logical, which in itself is enough. But, honestly ...
Interestingly, one of my points of difference was a tendency to soap-opera-like over-reactions in fiction. Clearly I drew the line too narrowly.
AND I left off the fact that it the entire United States has been the subject of mass-brainwashing to accept caffeinated flavoured beverages as coffee. Though I see Starbucks has dropped the word from their logo, truth in advertising at last!
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Re: All my fault, really.
Date: 2011-01-09 05:51 am (UTC)Ironically, no one was calling for a pogrom on all un-Britpicked fics. Though I did state my absolute displeasure of some of the worst tropes of current American writing -- thinking more of the RL variety than fanfic as it turns out. Clearly, it is all my fault for making the schoolboy error of assuming anyone who was outraged would seek to engage me in debate before making assumptions they knew what I meant. I've sent myself to detention and will be serving it answering many, many comments.
Rentamob is so dear in its charges these days.
Date: 2011-01-09 02:44 pm (UTC)And m'dear, I did see the underlying thread. Everyone involved who expected that anyone who was outraged would seek to engage one in debate before making assumptions they knew what one meant ... well, just you wait in that disused mineshaft with Amiel the pet toad whilst waiting for Mr Shuttleworth to shout the news down the shaft to you.
Re: Rentamob is so dear in its charges these days.
Date: 2011-01-25 04:20 pm (UTC)And do you know how much I would pay to discover a Bronte?