American culture

As I sat drinking my glass of water, my compromise for being out while nursing a cold, and the occasional sip of Mara's martini, listening to the "average Joe" sing in a voice fit for stage, I realised I was witnessing American culture. Bizarrely enough, possibly made clearer by the contrast, I discovered words for Australian culture as well.

America is a land of assumed familiarity. After punching a ticket, the bus driver cut right through the small talk and moved on to talking about how tough things got when she was jobless. Too much information? The elderly lady, who just happened to jump on the bus last and sit on the seat closest to the driver, didn't bat an eyelid. She responded with her own story of being hospitalised and the economic strain of it. You'll have a tough time getting a Australian you just met to talk about something that deeply personal.

Add to this the cranky air hostess on the delta flight from LA to SF, the loud and incessant chatter of American tourists at the Nairobi immigration line, and the TSA agent having a bad day and I can only conclude that Americans do not believe in moderating their moods. They way they feel is the way they feel and what they are thinking everybody needs to hear.

Australia seems so much younger than the US. Where Australia is a young boy, athletic and healthy, going to primary school, US is in its teenage years - new found strength in it's muscles, brash and impulsive, and unsure of its identity. The country may not be old enough to have developed its own unique food (they absolutely nail the hamburger though) but it does have it's own music - Soul, Blues and Jazz are uniquely American. Through this music, you get a glimpse of a rich culture and a nascent identity. 

Understanding the psyche of a country provides a baseline for how you relate to the people. And I'm still trying to form a clear picture of it. I recently found myself adding "sir" into regular rotation. Here's a word I hadn't used or even heard used in the 15 years I lived in Australia - "mate" is such a perfect word - it signifies respect, camaraderie and good intentions, whereas "sir" is distancing, cold and dry.

I should add a book on American history to my reading list.