American conceitedness

Sometimes it amazes me just how conceited in America we can be sometimes. Several weeks ago, I was reading an article in the Reader's Digest concerning how nice, polite, etc., we are to each other. They decided to do their little research thing in several foreign cities and New York. They ran three tests. One was to see if when one of their reporters dropped some papers and see if somebody would help pick them up. Another had to do with politeness of employees when ordering something from fast food, or such, can't remember. And the other had to do with holding the door open. The results didn't seem so surprising to me. They had New York first, followed by European-type cultures, South American, and then Asian cultures, with India coming in dead last. Yet from the three limited tests, they rated the countries of the world. Wow.

You know, I don't think they gave one consideration to the cultural bias of American culture compared to other cultures. Of course we're going to put a certain emphasis on one type of politeness, while a country across the world is going to base it on something totally different. I know my Mongolian companion thought that most Americans were pretty rude, when in reality it was the difference in culture and what they thought was important to do. He was really big on feeding people as a way to be polite. How many people here in America would go out of their way to provide a meal for somebody? Not many, that's for sure.

Honestly, I think the reporters just all wanted to visit foreign countries and bigger cities, and that's why they didn't mention the absurdity of the 'research'

But anyway, that was three weeks ago, but what brought it up today was the fact that I was doing some online research into piano method books. I ran across a dissertation that was talking about a Korean method book that about 70 percent of the country uses. It then points every weakness when compared with its American equivilant. But that didn't bother me too much, because I expected it to show it's strengths somewhere along the way. Unfortunately, I only had access to the first 25 pages. But the end of her statement about all of this is what really got me going.

Awe... shoot. I was just getting to the good part in my rant, and realized the girl doing the dissertation was from Korea. It sounded like an American completely bashing this Korean method book and telling them that they should do it the American way. Man, do I feel stupid. Well, she could be completely American anyway, but it still took the wind out of my sails. Oh well. Till next time.