|
timmy
|

 |
Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13780
|
|
|
I have been having a major ponder about the differences between the USA where the majority of people who read and post here hail from, and Europe where many of the remainder hail from. I have little knowledge of the Pacific areas so they may need to be put into context as well.
It has struck me that morality differs markedly across the Atlantic Ocean. Look at the following examples:- In the USA one is not fully adult until 21. In Europe 18
- In the USA nudity, even in the family, is not the norm. In Europe not only is it normal (or not cared about) but naturist beaches as not unusual
- In the USA sex is, or seems, taboo. In Europe it is treated in the main as a normal and healthy issue
- In the USA alcohol may not even be given to a minor. In Europe we view alcohol as a normal and social thing and children may drink in private. In public children may drink in restaurants accompanied by responsible adults
I am now looking for your input with other examples of oddities. And I'm much interested in comments about my list so far.
[Updated on: Wed, 08 June 2005 17:33]
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
|
|
|
|
|
timmy
|

 |
Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13780
|
|
|
I have a serious question on the "sex" front. I've checked this out un the UK as best I can. And in the USA as best I can.
Oral sex:
"In the USA girls use oral sex as a sort of 'currency'. They blow a boy and he, out of a debt of gratitude, kind of chaperones them the rest of the evening to protect them from more predatory boys."
In the UK that simply is unheard of. Or in the cirlces my son moves is unheard of, much to his serious envy! The teenagers in the USA that I have been able to ask say "Yup, this happens all the time."
Can we validate this or counter it, please?
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
|
|
|
|
|
|
Timmy, I am as perplexed by some of these things as you are, and I even live here!!! I have travelled the United States fairly extensively, and I find many oddities and even some terrible hypocracies... like... my son, who will be 18 soon can join the service, go to Iraq, legally kill the enemy, but can not walk into a restaurant when he home on leave and have a beer or glass of wine with me. Sounds stupid, huh???
I know that in Texas and Oklahoma, there are what we call 'dry' counties... in other words, you can not purchase alcohol in any way shape or form in these counties. In most of Texas, you can purchase alcoholic beverages only in liquor stores. In Oklahoma, you can purchase beer in certain stores, and hard liquor in certain stores.... but you can't buy both in the same store.
I live in Wisconsin, and of course in the U.S. beer was predominantly made in Milwaukee (our largest city). I toured a brewery several years ago, and the tour guide told us that even though there were two warehouses of equal size on the complex, and each warehouse turned its inventory every 24 hours, one warehouse shipped its entire contents to Milwaukee county and 4 surrounding counties, while the other warehouse was distributed throughout the Midwestern United States. Oshkosh, Wisconsin is second in line in taverns, bars, and pubs per capita in the world. Dublin, Ireland is first in that line. We make a local joke that says "It's not a town in Wisconsin unless it has two taverns and a Catholic Church!" ... and it is almost a truism here.
Children are taught to not drink at all here. It leads to alcoholism... and SEX????? Oh My God !!!! Until my generation, it was a completely taboo subject... and only now are older people accepting gay people more regularly.
One good experience though... Michael (my partner) and I went shopping for a houseboat last weekend. We met many people of all ages, and although we are clearly a gay couple, every single person we met accepted us openly and invited us on to their boats... something we were completely surprised about... which gives me hope that people in our nation can be judgmental assholes in groups... like the "Christian Right" but alone, they seem to be of their own minds...
Ahhh.... the complexities of the U.S... and there are only two nude beaches in my state... and they are guarded and watched over by the police, etc... No minors ( under 18 y/o).
Hope that helps clear up some of your quandries... Let me know !!!!
BamBam;-D ;-D ;-D
Celebrate your life... embrace your love... Become intimate with your place in forever !!!
|
|
|
|
Goto Forum:
|