Inspired by the Brit list, here is mine.
In drawing up my list, I hearkened back to my travels outside the U.S., and asked myself: what were the things I missed most whilst Over There, and what were the things I was glad to have or see when I returned?
My Top Ten (in order):
- the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- the notion that what isn’t expressly forbidden, is allowed
- checks and balances on government
- the freedom to succeed or to screw up (and then to try again)
- a jillion TV channels
- huge pickup trucks
- restaurant- and other choices
- rodeos
- interstate highways
The first five on the list are self-evident, especially as they are almost universally absent from foreign countries; and I’ll talk about that in yet another post because it deserves a longer exposition.
The last five points are personal, but important.
Only when your TV is confined to a few (usually State-controlled) channels do you realize how nice it is to have a choice — even among dreck.
Large pickup trucks are lovely — they are powerful, not really necessary (unless you’re pulling a large trailer or farming) and one of the things that tourists comment on the most. And the fact that pickup trucks are by far the most popular choice among ordinary Americans says it all.
Drive along a non-U.S. highway with a gnawing hunger and see how hard it is to find a restaurant of any description along the way. Granted, our choices are often only from the Usual Suspects (the top 30 chains), but at least there’s a choice. In Yurp, you often have to go into a town to buy food, which is okay if you’re a tourist, but it must suck if you’re a local.
Nothing says “America” like a damn rodeo: tough people doing a dangerous thing for fun.
It’s only when you’re trying to get from point A to point B without having to go through C, D and E that you appreciate the freedom associated with our highways. Now, as rule I myself try to avoid the stupid things as much as possible; but when you need one, it’s there for you to use.
Conspicuously absent from my list are things that are uniquely American, but that don’t touch me: the Grand Canyon, the Empire State Building, Broadway shows, the Rocky Mountains, etc. etc. Landscape features are just things — the Grand Canyon is a large hole in the ground, the Hoover Dam is a chuck of concrete, every country has a Broadway, the Alps are just as stunning as the Rockies, and so on.
But a busy shooting range and gun show (see point #1) are so much more American than anything one may find elsewhere, and ditto all the other related stuff in each point.
Not that fond of huge pickups myself. Not for the things themselves, but for their asshole drivers.
Well there is always the alternative to the Pickup — The SUV – Not the little small crossover versions, or the tarted-up minivans, the Full size Pickup truck based SUV.s , for those of us that still need to haul or tow stuff, but don’t need or want an open truck bed.
One thing ( OK maybe two things ) that is not on the list, that was invented right here — and likely only possible to be invented here. but we will never get the credit or the thanks from the rest
Personal Computers
and the Internet.
Funny thing about Pickup Trucks, I bought my first one in 2008 after I had been driving for over 40 years, a full size Ford F-150 with a V-8 engine and I really enjoy driving it, and wondered why it took me so long to own one.
I join my best childhood friend a couple of times each month to do some shooting, pistols, rifles and shotguns and he also drives an older Toyota pickup truck and we laugh about us two old men and our trucks. Between us we have owned a lot of the old Brit and German sports cars and he was even dumb enough to have a hard to maintain Alfa and now we enjoy our reliable fk’n trucks that we have each had for over a dozen years.
Funny how things work out, I used to holler about pickup drivers and now I am one. I also have to admit that from time to time when I am traveling down the highway and some idiot has his cruise control set a few miles per hour under the speed limit traveling in the left passing lane I at times get a little bit close and encourage that driver to move on along and move over so the rest of us can get back to driving the safe, accepted five to ten miles per hour over the speed limit the way we are intended to drive here in Texas.
The speed limit on I-10 close to my house is 75 mph and thirty miles further West it goes up to 80 mph and we like to keep things moving on down the road. For people who live where the speedometers measure funny that is about 130 kilometers per hour and at times I drive on the fast highway where the speed limit is 85 mph and most people are doing 90 mph which is about 145 kph and the cops won’t pull us over for doing a bit over the speed limit.
I’m not American, (I’m Irish), so I won’t comment on your list but I will comment on the Mail list. Most of those things are so much crap! What about the British sense of humour, their resilience, their tolerance, their brave armed forces…. It’s people that make a nation!
I couldn’t think of anything myself because what used to make me proud has been reduced to so much toilet paper by the usual suspects.
But your list is interesting. Guess it takes an outsider perspective on things.
I’m surprised that the Internet isn’t on your list. And #4 doesn’t seem to be working so well right now.
With regards to restaurants / places to eat, I have travelled extensively within the UK, France, and Belgium, and – north-west Scotland aside – you’re never far from somewhere to eat. Europe is so small and packed that going off the main road isn’t a significant diversion.
The nice thing about Eisenhower’s highway system is that it typically attracts large trucks and the masses so the secondary highways are more enjoyable to drive for those of us who enjoy exploring America
JQ
May I suggest you add Barn Raising? John Ringo asserts in THE LAST CENTURION that the idea of a non-blood-related community pitching in to build a barn for one family, is unique to America.
Alexis de Tocqueville mentioned voluntary associations (such as barn raisings) in his book Democracy in America, from the 1830s. Knowing Ringo, that’s probably where he got the idea. Now, I have to go read Last Centurion again.
In late 2004 I moved to Norway. So I’ve been watching the US from the outside for 18 years now. I find that there are actually very few things I miss.
Family of course is the big one, but with video calling that’s not too terrible.
Interstate highways. I’m with you on that one. Outside of Oslo there really aren’t any roads that Americans would call highways. They are all twisty B roads. Sure they are beautiful and fun to drive, but if you have to go any distance they are exhausting. Think old route 66.
1st and 2nd amendment have their equivalents here. Maybe not quite as strong on the 2nd, but the rate of gun ownership here is about the same as in the US.
The rest of your list is pretty similar except rodeos. That has never been an interest of mine so no loss there.
The only other thing I really miss and think the US is good at is the ability to get pretty much anything you want at anytime, almost anywhere. Here, if you need a part for a project, or that special doodad for your hobby you can just go get it or worst case order it on Amazon and you’ll have it in the morning. Here it takes a little planning because you have to order stuff like that ahead of time and then wait a couple of weeks to get it. I miss the convenience most of all.
Just my two kroner for what it’s worth.
Dave