Comments on: Do You Feel The Urge To Culture Dash? http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/05/20/do-you-feel-the-urge-to-culture-dash/ Online travel magazine dedicated to exploring travel in the 21st century. Offering travel news, compelling interviews, online travel tools, and more. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:14:28 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tiffany http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/05/20/do-you-feel-the-urge-to-culture-dash/comment-page-1/#comment-75053 Tiffany Sun, 09 Nov 2008 09:58:19 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=565#comment-75053 Wonderful job capturing the intense need to get away from time to time. I've had the hardest time adjusting back to American culture where water cooler talk at my corporate job revolves around topics punctuated with words like "Lauren Conrad" and "Project Runway". I've caught myself looking up flights for the end of the month to take a week long leave of absence from work anywhere I can find a cheap flight just to escape everything from American culture that stopped making sense to me. Wonderful job capturing the intense need to get away from time to time. I've had the hardest time adjusting back to American culture where water cooler talk at my corporate job revolves around topics punctuated with words like "Lauren Conrad" and "Project Runway". I've caught myself looking up flights for the end of the month to take a week long leave of absence from work anywhere I can find a cheap flight just to escape everything from American culture that stopped making sense to me.

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]]> By: Eddie http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/05/20/do-you-feel-the-urge-to-culture-dash/comment-page-1/#comment-70527 Eddie Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:29:15 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=565#comment-70527 I read "My Stroke of Insight" in one sitting - I couldn't put it down. I laughed. I cried. It was a fantastic book (I heard it's a NYTimes Bestseller and I can see why!), but I also think it will be the start of a new, transformative Movement! No one wants to have a stroke as Jill Bolte Taylor did, but her experience can teach us all how to live better lives. Her TED.com speech was one of the most incredibly moving, stimulating, wonderful videos I've ever seen. Her Oprah Soul Series interviews were fascinating. They should make a movie of her life so everyone sees it. This is the Real Deal and gives me hope for humanity. I read “My Stroke of Insight” in one sitting – I couldn’t put it down. I laughed. I cried. It was a fantastic book (I heard it’s a NYTimes Bestseller and I can see why!), but I also think it will be the start of a new, transformative Movement! No one wants to have a stroke as Jill Bolte Taylor did, but her experience can teach us all how to live better lives. Her TED.com speech was one of the most incredibly moving, stimulating, wonderful videos I’ve ever seen. Her Oprah Soul Series interviews were fascinating. They should make a movie of her life so everyone sees it. This is the Real Deal and gives me hope for humanity.

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]]> By: Tammy http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/05/20/do-you-feel-the-urge-to-culture-dash/comment-page-1/#comment-68985 Tammy Sun, 25 May 2008 20:47:44 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=565#comment-68985 Tara- You're comment reminded me of a bumper sticker that I picked up in Germany. It said (In German): "Only dead fish go with the flow". I agree with this on so many levels. Somehow it thrilled me even more knowing that most people here (USA) wouldn't know what it said. Tara- You’re comment reminded me of a bumper sticker that I picked up in Germany. It said (In German): “Only dead fish go with the flow”. I agree with this on so many levels. Somehow it thrilled me even more knowing that most people here (USA) wouldn’t know what it said.

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]]> By: Tara http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/05/20/do-you-feel-the-urge-to-culture-dash/comment-page-1/#comment-68226 Tara Wed, 21 May 2008 13:17:38 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=565#comment-68226 I think a 'Culture Dash' works best when you take what you love from the culture you visit and incorporate it into your lifestyle back home even if that means swimming against the flow at times or having others think you are slightly nuts. Getting rid of the television, lounge and microwave and spending more time eating slow-cooked meals, sitting on the ground and chatting (rather than staring at the box) was the result of a South Eastern Asian sojourn for me and one I don't regret at all - even if people think we're a little crazy (and I must admit the lounge has made a comeback). Enjoy France Erin! I think a ‘Culture Dash’ works best when you take what you love from the culture you visit and incorporate it into your lifestyle back home even if that means swimming against the flow at times or having others think you are slightly nuts.

Getting rid of the television, lounge and microwave and spending more time eating slow-cooked meals, sitting on the ground and chatting (rather than staring at the box) was the result of a South Eastern Asian sojourn for me and one I don’t regret at all – even if people think we’re a little crazy (and I must admit the lounge has made a comeback).

Enjoy France Erin!

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]]> By: Daniel Harbecke http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/05/20/do-you-feel-the-urge-to-culture-dash/comment-page-1/#comment-68161 Daniel Harbecke Wed, 21 May 2008 02:50:41 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=565#comment-68161 "Botch?" About right... :) “Botch?” About right… :)

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]]> By: Tim Patterson http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/05/20/do-you-feel-the-urge-to-culture-dash/comment-page-1/#comment-68157 Tim Patterson Wed, 21 May 2008 02:43:28 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=565#comment-68157 "Democracy’s a fickle b*tch, huh?" LOL. bigtime. “Democracy’s a fickle b*tch, huh?”

LOL. bigtime.

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]]> By: Daniel Harbecke http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/05/20/do-you-feel-the-urge-to-culture-dash/comment-page-1/#comment-68156 Daniel Harbecke Wed, 21 May 2008 02:27:10 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=565#comment-68156 Eva, you're right about ratings. I'll also agree that flash tends to sell better than things of more substance. I find it offensive that people equate quality with sales or popularity, and much prefer to live off the entertainment train track than on it. It's not entirely correct that I don't watch TV, but it takes a LOT to get me interested. I can barely watch it anymore without feeling like I'm getting jerked around, and not just by the commercials. It usually has to be completely nuts like David Lynch or something like that. When Andy Kaufman refuses to read his lines on "Fridays," or someone interrupts the local PBS station with a portable transmitter - that's the kind of stuff that wakes me up! LOL Even the Simpsons got tame after a while. No, I don't think all TV is crap, but there's so little to warrant investing 22 minutes of my life for (not counting commercials) that to say I don't watch TV isn't misleading. The standard fare just rots my teeth and wastes my time, so I go elsewhere. It's been said the audience shapes the media, in that if Channel X doesn't offer what people want, they go to Channel Z (B-52's reference). But really, Channel Z won't offer anything much different because they're too gutless to go out on a limb and do something that doesn't resemble everything else. All I'm saying is that if it doesn't offer anything worthwhile, TURN OFF THE TUBE and get it someplace else. And that's precisely what people do when all the stations start sounding the same. Likewise, if you don't get anything out of "all-inclusive resorts and bus tours," I don't recommend you go - you may get something out of it, but little to match your investment. Instead, I recommend you get off the bus, tell the all-inclusive where they can include it, and go it solo. It's not travel if you don't choose, it's riding (bet you thought I was gonna say tourism, din'cha?). ;) With travel, you've got more choices available, and you don't have to depend on what someone else is offering you based on majority demographics. The majority is safe, predictable, formula, and boring, and it'll kill you one day if you don't DIY at some point. Ratings. They never ask ME what I want to see! You give me a TV show that offers to kidnap Regis Philbin and charge him for crimes against humanity, and I'm there. Until then: Tack tack tack... Eva, you’re right about ratings. I’ll also agree that flash tends to sell better than things of more substance. I find it offensive that people equate quality with sales or popularity, and much prefer to live off the entertainment train track than on it.

It’s not entirely correct that I don’t watch TV, but it takes a LOT to get me interested. I can barely watch it anymore without feeling like I’m getting jerked around, and not just by the commercials. It usually has to be completely nuts like David Lynch or something like that. When Andy Kaufman refuses to read his lines on “Fridays,” or someone interrupts the local PBS station with a portable transmitter – that’s the kind of stuff that wakes me up! LOL Even the Simpsons got tame after a while. No, I don’t think all TV is crap, but there’s so little to warrant investing 22 minutes of my life for (not counting commercials) that to say I don’t watch TV isn’t misleading. The standard fare just rots my teeth and wastes my time, so I go elsewhere.

It’s been said the audience shapes the media, in that if Channel X doesn’t offer what people want, they go to Channel Z (B-52’s reference). But really, Channel Z won’t offer anything much different because they’re too gutless to go out on a limb and do something that doesn’t resemble everything else. All I’m saying is that if it doesn’t offer anything worthwhile, TURN OFF THE TUBE and get it someplace else. And that’s precisely what people do when all the stations start sounding the same.

Likewise, if you don’t get anything out of “all-inclusive resorts and bus tours,” I don’t recommend you go – you may get something out of it, but little to match your investment. Instead, I recommend you get off the bus, tell the all-inclusive where they can include it, and go it solo. It’s not travel if you don’t choose, it’s riding (bet you thought I was gonna say tourism, din’cha?). ;)

With travel, you’ve got more choices available, and you don’t have to depend on what someone else is offering you based on majority demographics. The majority is safe, predictable, formula, and boring, and it’ll kill you one day if you don’t DIY at some point.

Ratings. They never ask ME what I want to see! You give me a TV show that offers to kidnap Regis Philbin and charge him for crimes against humanity, and I’m there. Until then:

Tack tack tack…

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]]> By: Hal http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/05/20/do-you-feel-the-urge-to-culture-dash/comment-page-1/#comment-68147 Hal Wed, 21 May 2008 01:24:37 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=565#comment-68147 I agree with Eva, there will always be times when the grass looks greener, no matter what your culture. America's sure is good at rubbing you the wrong way, though. And Chrystine, I too live the NPR-in-place-of-TV system, and I'll never go back. That box is evil! I agree with Eva, there will always be times when the grass looks greener, no matter what your culture. America’s sure is good at rubbing you the wrong way, though.

And Chrystine, I too live the NPR-in-place-of-TV system, and I’ll never go back. That box is evil!

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]]> By: N. Chrystine Olson http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/05/20/do-you-feel-the-urge-to-culture-dash/comment-page-1/#comment-68133 N. Chrystine Olson Wed, 21 May 2008 00:07:55 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=565#comment-68133 Boy...can I throw in with the Today Show sending me postal. Place I work part time has it on for my entire shift. I don't have TV at home and rush to the joy of NPR as soon as I get in the house. Otherwise the flowing creek, more violets than grass in the front yard and the companionship of my 13 year old mutt have me pretty comtent in the back woods of Idaho...but have a great time in Paris. You sound like that famous Joni Mitchell lyric about a record exectutive wanting just the sort of culture dash you have planned. Bon voyage! Boy…can I throw in with the Today Show sending me postal. Place I work part time has it on for my entire shift. I don’t have TV at home and rush to the joy of NPR as soon as I get in the house. Otherwise the flowing creek, more violets than grass in the front yard and the companionship of my 13 year old mutt have me pretty comtent in the back woods of Idaho…but have a great time in Paris. You sound like that famous Joni Mitchell lyric about a record exectutive wanting just the sort of culture dash you have planned. Bon voyage!

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]]> By: Eva http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/05/20/do-you-feel-the-urge-to-culture-dash/comment-page-1/#comment-68121 Eva Tue, 20 May 2008 22:59:42 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=565#comment-68121 In all seriousness, though, "culture" as we see it has so much to do with perception and selection. I was shocked to arrive in the UK and find that their daytime soaps were soapier, their reality TV even more humiliating, their fast food greasier, and their commercials even more obnoxious. Consumerism, fast food and bad TV are not exclusive to America by any means, but when we go abroad, we seek out new routines, live differently, and to a certain extent see what we want to see: a European shangri-la contrasted with our own North American wasteland. I think at times there's a tendency to put Europe (for example) on a pedestal, while also perceiving our home selectively, emphasizing the negatives. You folks can't really believe that there's nothing more here than bad TV and billboards... can you? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and defend TV. (Daniel, you've heard this before...) It's mostly bad, true, but it's not all bad. HBO, for example, puts out some fantastic programming. The bad stuff is the most popular, true, but hey - just because the Shopaholic books have outsold Dante even with his seven-century headstart, that doesn't mean literature is a write-off, does it? Or that Britney Spears outselling Charlie Parker means music is beyond salvation? Or - wait for it - because most travelers prefer all-inclusive resorts and bus tours, that all travel is worthless and shallow? All that being said... I loved the humor in this post! In all seriousness, though, “culture” as we see it has so much to do with perception and selection.

I was shocked to arrive in the UK and find that their daytime soaps were soapier, their reality TV even more humiliating, their fast food greasier, and their commercials even more obnoxious. Consumerism, fast food and bad TV are not exclusive to America by any means, but when we go abroad, we seek out new routines, live differently, and to a certain extent see what we want to see: a European shangri-la contrasted with our own North American wasteland. I think at times there’s a tendency to put Europe (for example) on a pedestal, while also perceiving our home selectively, emphasizing the negatives. You folks can’t really believe that there’s nothing more here than bad TV and billboards… can you?

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and defend TV. (Daniel, you’ve heard this before…) It’s mostly bad, true, but it’s not all bad. HBO, for example, puts out some fantastic programming. The bad stuff is the most popular, true, but hey – just because the Shopaholic books have outsold Dante even with his seven-century headstart, that doesn’t mean literature is a write-off, does it? Or that Britney Spears outselling Charlie Parker means music is beyond salvation? Or – wait for it – because most travelers prefer all-inclusive resorts and bus tours, that all travel is worthless and shallow?

All that being said… I loved the humor in this post!

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