Do white guys really have an advantage?

[InvalidUsername08]

Wait wait wait a moment.... "Most americans know the leader of Canada..."???? You must have been spending time with Harvard grad intellectuals, my friend. Ask anyone from the US while in the US and I'd wager that more than 95% wouldn't be able to name Canada's "president"!

Haha...quite possibly so. I can walk to Harvard in about 15-20 minutes.

 

[hypemx7]

WWII basically set any type of trend that give preference to Caucasians.
US won, became a superpower and still is #1 in exporting of media, culture, language, etc.

 

[aquamarine]

Yet Americans are often the first to be shunned while us Canucks are welcomed with warm smiles, bottles of beer and kisses on our cheeks around the world.

 

[lowleg26]

WWII basically set any type of trend that give preference to Caucasians. US won

Not to nit pick, but the US didn't win the war on its own. We were part of a coalition of countries that fought against the Axis.

US won, became a superpower and still is #1 in exporting of media, culture, language, etc.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean here.

I'd concede that US produced media sees a lot of global circulation, but the "culture/language" exports I'm not clear on.

When I think of what a "US cultural export" would be, I think of backwards hats (and lame fashion trends in general) and McDonalds being built in China. I don't know if these are the types of things that we should be proud to wear on our sleeves and call our "culture". But then again, I'm a bitter, negative person. Maybe I'm just not noticing the positive cultural influences coming out of the States. I just have a hard time believing that media and "culture" exported from the US does us any good as far as how the world perceives us.

And, of course, I may have totally misinterpreted what you were getting at. :silence:

 

[HarutoAsou]

Canada kicks ass because our exports are natural resources which everyone needs, therefore everyone loves us.

 

[danthemaninjapan]

My ¥2:

People that speak Japanese have an advantage.

 

[HarutoAsou]

My ¥2:

People that speak Japanese have an advantage.

which is actually very easy to learn (the basics that is, more advanced Japanese is anything but). Most of what I know I learned from my friends and a 3 month university course which is nothing when learning languages.

 

[imported_the_laughing_man]

In my opinion it depends on where you go.
Roppongi should have no problems as if girls go out there chances are they prefer white guys.

If I'm out in Ueno or Kashiwa (My usual hangouts) girls have come to chat with me as I am a regular face. Never tried pulling one though as I'm married lol But in the past my nationality has been in my favour when I have been on the prowl lol

 

[hypemx7]

Not to nit pick, but the US didn't win the war on its own. We were part of a coalition of countries that fought against the Axis.



I'm not entirely sure what you mean here.

I'd concede that US produced media sees a lot of global circulation, but the "culture/language" exports I'm not clear on.

When I think of what a "US cultural export" would be, I think of backwards hats (and lame fashion trends in general) and McDonalds being built in China. I don't know if these are the types of things that we should be proud to wear on our sleeves and call our "culture". But then again, I'm a bitter, negative person. Maybe I'm just not noticing the positive cultural influences coming out of the States. I just have a hard time believing that media and "culture" exported from the US does us any good as far as how the world perceives us.

And, of course, I may have totally misinterpreted what you were getting at. :silence:

Lets put it this way.
If the US wasn't in the war, what would have happen to Europe and Asia?
Thus without US = lose, with US = win,
In addition to the enormous support (humanitarian aid, debt nullification, etc.) US
gave around the world in the aftermath of WWII and the benefits it obtained via the war...
so you do the math. US "won".

Culture and media wise, I didn't say it was a "positive" foothold the US has on the world.
A large part of it is negative such as capitalism in overdrive, vanity, etc.
Nonetheless, US TV shows, movies, publications, etc. are watched, read and utilized as
examples all around the world.

The whole "westernization" of the world is nations trying to incorporate individualistic social structure that USA promotes all around the world
into their normally collectivistic and conservative cultures.

 

[lowleg26]

Culture and media wise, I didn't say it was a "positive" foothold the US has on the world.
A large part of it is negative such as capitalism in overdrive, vanity, etc.
Nonetheless, US TV shows, movies, publications, etc. are watched, read and utilized as
examples all around the world.

The whole "westernization" of the world is nations trying to incorporate individualistic social structure that USA promotes all around the world
into their normally collectivistic and conservative cultures.

I'm not trying to start an argument about globalization, I was just trying to understand your previous comment in the context of the discussion.

If you're saying that US media can color someones opinion to the point where they make a negative generalization about people from the states, then we're in agreement.

My aim wasn't to rile you up, I just wanted to understand what you meant.

 

[imported_the_laughing_man]

I get where you are both coming from, USA and UK won wars making our influence stronger and our languages stronger but as times are changing we are taking in other cultures into our own worlds.