overfed, oversensitive and over here
Of course, Ms B is getting less fat by the day, and this may be flying in the face of a beloved national generalisation. For yes, she is (whisper it) American.
I will make up for my recent almost entire lack of content by sharing with you my alarm on reading the comments column to a post Bryan Appleyard has written about why Americans may have such a high obesity rate. That is, Terry Eagleton had a theory - which is basically that, if there are superfat people everywhere in America, and Americans hardly ever leave America, they would naturally become accustomed to it and assume that everywhere is the same.* This is an argument which - though it doesn't do much to move things forward - does offer a window into why the country has been so isolationist, why air-conditioned Texans with electric can openers and SUVs think they live in roughly the same way as middle-class schoolteachers from Lyon, and why political thinking has so often been so out of kilter with the rest of the world.
These are serious issues worthy of continued thought and discussion.
Appleyard has initiated his discussion with a link to a web page titled "how fat is your country?" which reveals that 30 per cent of Americans have a BMI of over 30.** This is sad, and alarming, and not very surprising, even if I don't really know what "BMI over 30" means. His post is called "I know Americans are fat..."
It seems that this short post, innocuous although possibly titled in such a way as to encourage these stories, was like a flame to a firecracker. The readers were sparked. Americans are so stupid! So ignorant! They don't know anything! They go all over the world exposing their crassness and complacency! And it's so funny!
One goes, "They're cheap, they're unfair but they're terrific fun, so here are my two favourite Ignorant Yank stories" - and finishes, "I'll add the usual disclaimers... So it's really not their fault and there are some frighteningly smart ones."
(Frighteningly smart one here: see me waving?)
So my question - and indeed my comments (two comments, because there is a second post, entitled "I know Americans are fat 2", which makes a facetious assertion that the national obesity is down to over-consumption of marshmallow chicks at Eastertime***) pretty much run like this. Can you imagine these comments - in which I imagine the commenters wiping tears of mirth from their eyes - going down socially if, instead of "Americans" they had said "black people," "Indian people," "women," etc? If someone had said "oh I know it's unfair but here are my favourite Ignorant Kike stories?"****
Sure, the stories they are retailing are embarrassing. It's hard to hear these stories. It's also weird that people keep telling them and expecting me to laugh as uproariously as they do.
Humourless, moi?
I'll lighten the tone for ya, though. I very much enjoyed Ohio blogger Erin O'Brien's Easter posts this year. They made me happy!
She's not fat, though.
* in my experience this leads to an "instant weight-loss effect" of at least a stone every time I fly into the States, as I suddenly look so much thinner than half the people in the airport. I'm not complaining.
** the UK is running at 23 per cent and is number three in the list. Maybe time to start eating less chocolate?
*** regular readers will be delighted to know that, were I able to get hold of any Peeps in this country, I would be able to eat them: for they contain no fat. Hurrah! On this same principle I have been eating the odd meringue nest instead of a good old Hobnob with my tea. The joy.
**** I'll insert the usual disclaimer here. I like Bryan Appleyard's blog. He wasn't the person who wrote those stories, it was his readers. I'm linking here because I'm shocked at how easily people slipped into this mode, and for all I know Bryan Appleyard is just as surprised as I am.
10 comments:
Hello and thanks for the shout.
Now then, let's see if the good Mr. Appleyard takes my big fat American challenge.
He could have gotten away with this about 10 years ago.
I would encourage Brian to have a look around. Come to Hackney and hang with the kids at their nearest Kentucky Fried Rat and he'll see what I mean.
ps you make the excellent point, which I see has fallen on deaf ears, that these muppets are so quick to america bash- but I wouldn't dream of saying, "typical British, Nigerian, Russian" whatever to anyone.
Somehow, these muppets think there is a "except for America" clause in the Race Relations Act.
And before some dingbat pipes up to say that Americans are not a race, they will see that nationalist comments are covered by that act.
I am afraid I have lost my sense of humour about it after having more than a few stranger psycos tell me "how things are done in this country"- and blame me for the failings of the Bush administration because of my accent.
Telling them that you are a british citizen isn't even enough to shut these idgeets up!
Sorry Brian, your blog post on the matter is as hysterical as any other nation/race bashing.
Erin, please see my comments over at your place! Phew. Can't take you anywhere.
Kris, can't take you anywhere either! Did you read the posts in question? See, Bryan didn't say English people aren't fat. He linked to a page which pretty much shows that they're getting there.
BTW I was in Mare Street this afternoon and there were definitely some people on the 276 who barely fitted into the seats.
Thanks for your info on the Race Relations Act - and the best one of those I can recall was a guy who harangued me for ages at a dinner party one time, all about the Vietnam War, saying "and then YOU did this," and "then YOU did that," and I'm going hold on! I was a BABY! And he goes, well you know what I mean - AMERICA. I'm going, less of the personal pronoun please!
I actually didn't find Bryan's post hysterical, but the comments made me feel ill. To be honest, I don't really know many people who can eat a peep. However, as always, you are more than entitled to your take on it!
Um, I've just been back over at Bryan's place, and I see Erin is now being worshipped as a large-breasted goddess in a Mini Cooper!
I think I can take some of the credit for this - I wonder what the long-term effect will be on transatlantic relations.
I think it's because black people, indian people, women, etc on the whole aren't perceived as really greedy, selfish, wasteful, arrogant, war-mongering bullies, and a danger to the planet. The fat jibes are just a short-hand for everything else we object to. It's an attempt to puncture the hideous pomposity.
But of course, it's silly to go on about how fat american people are, when they are the ones who invented Size Zero...I mean, they can't have their cake and eat it too - can they?
Gee, thanks for that, Dandelion.
Shall I give you a few home truths about the English while we're at it?
Oversensitive is right, Ms B.
I've read through the comments again, and I can't see a single one that claims that 'all Americans are ignorant.'
I even included a story about a Briton with remarkable geographical ignorance about her own country, for balance. But you didn't see fit to mention this in your pretty little outburst of righteous indignation.
America does have an unusually insular media, which sometimes produces funny stories. If you don't like to laugh at them, that's your lookout, but the accusation that they are equivalent to racist jibes about black people or Jews is preposterous.
Dandelion, on the other hand, really is an anti-American bigot.
You're very welcome, Ms Baroque.
But don't misunderstand me. Saying how Americans, or any group of people (in general) are often perceived by others (in general) is not the same as having those perceptions myself.
Furthermore, knowing the contents of a particular stereotype, and even understanding a little about where they come from, does not equate to applying the stereotype to any given individual, and (lest this be too oblique for anyone) I mean least of all you.
Oh, ps, feel free about the English. Go for it.
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