To all who travel from Europe to the United States, I would caution you to be careful, especially when traveling in the South and in urban areas. The U.S. is not the country it once was.
Lack of critical thinking: we used to teach young people to think about why things happened/failed to happen, and to understand cause-and-effect relationships. We don’t do that anymore.
Terrible education system: the right-wingers and Bible-thumpers have become enthralled by the Republican Party. They march in lock-step to Republican talking points from their Ministry of Propaganda, Faux News. The thought-leaders in the Party and in Faux News tell their followers what to do, and the followers do it. Simple-minded people get elected to the local school boards, create curricula based on religious values instead of facts, and create generations of people who cannot recognize truth from fiction — so they become prey to fiction, and elect a moronic would-be dictator to the Presidency.
Corrupt political system: based on monumental greed, the corporations have bribed politicians by making large campaign contributions to their election campaigns, the corporate “hacks” get elected, and do whatever their corporate masters tell them to do. What corporations cherish are: stupid workers who don’t believe in unions, employees who can’t think critically, politicians who shape the laws to benefit businesses and discriminate against ordinary people.
A consumerist society: we value social media and all the toys, goodies and gadgets that we can get our hands on. People slept overnight in front of Apple Stores to be among the very first to purchase expensive iPhones, iPods, iPads and other Apple products. They purchase expensive cars whenever possible to show off their wealth. We often value “things” and status more than human relationships. We don’t teach people how important it is to think about what is truly important, and so the things that make a society great are missing from America. In the South, we have grade-Z morons in political office, running businesses, setting the socio-political and cultural tone of society, and perpetrating racism and gender bias. In the urban areas, we have impoverished people who have grown up without stable families or neighborhoods, living among similarly-afflicted people, who think that drugs and Rap are excellent ways of expressing themselves.
Appalling arrogance based on profound ignorance: arrogance is the flip-side of ignorance. We don’t have a sense of history, a sense of culture, an appreciation for different perspectives. Most people in America can barely speak English, much less any other language. Do we study and appreciate the contributions of Indians, Arabs, Russians, Chinese, Persians, Armenians, French, Germans, Spanish, Italians, English, Dutch, Polish, et al? Not many of us do. Do we understand that our fundamental nature as a country was derived from immigration? Only in the most superficial ways.
And we keep saying “We’re Number 1! We’re Number 1!” as if our materialistic dominance makes the slightest difference in determining our character as a people.
No, Jasmin, I’m glad you had a chance to come to America but I think you may have far more advantages in studying and living in Europe. Travel gives perspective, and you clearly enhanced your perspective by traveling and staying in the United States for six months.
