Thursday, June 17th 2010
News: Against Me!
Notes From An American Abroad
After disconnecting from the news for a week to attack Bonnaroo and run around England drinking the world’s finest gin, I clicked a few news links this evening from my hotel in London to update myself on current events in my homeland, and was disgusted to discover an ever-intensifying clusterfuck of pro-wrestling American politics filling the headlines, worse than ever before. I dug deeper, looking for rays of sunshine, and instead found ever-darkening clouds at every turn.
After a flailing tirade at the mini bar I was left with a feeling of filthiness, utter loathing, an unwilling overseas representative for a band of giddily ignorant rapists and proudly stupid hillbillies cheering idiocy and unchecked free-market ideals in the face of self-devouring greed ripping apart the very concept of the American Dream. Eagerly co-opting the idea to redefine it as a shitkicking celebration of backward corporate interest barely hidden under a translucent film of “patriotism,” they champion open ignorance and shameless fear-mongering coercion into attacking our own best interests as if they were an invading army.
It’s deeply unsettling to leap out of the fishbowl and look at it from the outside these days, no matter what side of this fucking political Wrestlemania you’re on. But rather than continue this rant on a site devoted to music, I’ll translate it into sonic momentum and leave you with two songs – both are dear to me for different reasons, but applicable for the same.
Against Me!
Americans Abroad
Pearl Jam
Grievance
I can only hope these songs, their lyrics and meaning contain some semblance of significance to you, our beloved readers. See you on the other side – I’m off for a 14 hour plane ride.
I’m an American living abroad and I understand that feeling of being out of the fishbowl looking in wondering wtf. Great post – great songs.
Coincidentally, my brother in law is visiting us from Engerland for 2 weeks. It’s sureal to read your notes and have the same thing happening in my own freeking home.
you hippie. can’t wait for andy fox to chime in.
I’ve never even left the country. And I still hate just about everyone here. I decided this after working as a census enumerator. Americans are assholes.
I don’t think Americans generally are assholes…but that generally they are ignorant and closed minded.
Of course there are plenty of them that are a great time to be around as well…
My only trip to Europe was a few weeks before Obama won the election. It truly changed my life looking in. Americans Abroad was stuck in my head most of the time. Nothing like walking through old Venice and seeing all these amazing lil shops and dining establishments only to turn the corner and run into a fucking McDonalds.
Bonnaroo>England; I really kind of hate your life right now.
Who the fuck are they to look in at us – fuck them, they have their own problems.
quit using “clusterfuck” all the freaking time, its so irritating. makes me want to slam my head against the wall reading it over and over in both of your articles
wow in both of ‘em, huh? I’ll have to work on that for my third piece then. be nice to your wall.
The difference between Johnny Fireflag and Against Me! is that they are introspective enough, and cheeky enough, to wonder if they are the same thing as KFC or McDonalds at your beloved Venice Canals (yeah, way to get off the beaten path commenter..) .
I would imagine that in this corporate pinball machine that seems to knock you around so badly— it also gives you flight. You probably flew there on a plane owned by a corporation (a public one, hey that sounds commie right?) , stayed in a hotel owned by a corporation and were probably sent there on behalf of a corporation to cover an event put on by a corporation. I hope you didn’t say any of your anti-corporate rhetoric too loud… heh.
If our country is nothing but flag waving rednecks supporting corporations then that’s sorta sad, considering our rather rich history and accomplishments we’ve made for ourselves and for the world at large by proxy.
Saying that our political system sucks is like saying boiling water is hot. All political systems, and rule systems in general, suck. Our people don’t suck though. As a matter of fact i’m currently living in the boomtown of the greed capital of the world (in southern red china, if you can believe that) and I cross paths with people from all nations daily and Americans are the only ones who do business here with even the slightest inkling of guilt that maybe we’re doing something bad and maybe this isn’t how things should be and perhaps we all have a little blood on our hands.
But the others– especially people who think they are the arbiters of liberty and justice (France and Netherlands)— you won’t hear a peep about this. Nor will you hear it from the Chinese who see our ugly white faces and hamburger shops (even a chicken sandwich is called a hamburger here) see us as a necessary part of developing. For better or worse, they want to develop.
Development sounds like an ugly word until you’ve seen what life is like when you don’t have electricity, warm water, adequate nutrition or leisure time to read books and hippie blog posts by ugly Americans.
So yes: you, me, Against Me!, KFC— we’re all about the same and we all, to a certain degree, rail against a system and privilege that tucks us into bed at night and that is more a sign of our privilege and ignorance than it is a sign of our enlightenment, if that makes sense to you.
this is why i couldn’t wait for andy fox to chime in.
and on a sort of “meaning of life” or quality of life level, i know both you assholes because we all worked at the same corporation.
And speaking of like privately owned commie businesses, when i was a teenager I worked at a pool supply store owned by two brothers who inherited the store and some money from their dad and pretty much treated the employees with the level of disrespect generally reserved for day laborers and prostitutes. I sort of wish there was a corporate office or contract that I could point to in my employment grievance but instead I just found a different shitty job. I shouldn’t mention it because its unfair, but they were hardcore democrats.
Hello –
Sometimes a mass corporate “restaurant” like KFC seems out of place, but it is worth noting those Venetians did not zone their city to prohibit such corporations … that was their choice, many districts do prohibit chain restaurants
Oh come on. We’ve got hot water and nutrition at our disposal so we should shut up and be thankful, rather than use what freedoms we have to push to be represented more fully, more responsibly, more honorably if you will? If I’ve enjoyed being employed by a company, my thoughts are rendered invalid, my concern for the greater good meaningless? The defeatist hypocrite perspective may hold more water if we sold harvested organs or were hired assassins.
Let’s get something out of the way: from here on out we should all operate within the confines of this site under the assumption that life and politics are complicated, and we as Americans enjoy far more benefits and liberties than the great majority of the rest of the world. Righteous, pure and free of guilt by consumption we are not – but I find no associated mandate not to explore ways in which to better that condition. I’m looking for a greater truth, calmer winds, and dismayed at the ever-increasing difficulty in finding it these days in my homeland. I purposefully omitted any direct specifics for the sake of getting a feeling across – a feeling that spans beyond the daily newswire or pundit trough. Something that I’m quite sure I’m not alone in feeling.
That being said, I can’t bring myself to feel a modicum of hesitation about what’s presented here despite your weighted perspective. I look forward to the shit you say because of the unique angle you’re shooting from, knowing full well we’re often on opposite sides of the coin. I admire the mutual respect, though one proud asshole in my life is more than enough, admittedly.
Speaking of. @Skwerl – your cheerleading is intensely gnatty, especially when all you offer in response is “you hippie”.
don’t tell me you’re still butt hurt about that thing this morning…
anyway, if and when i am allowed by the federal government to travel abroad, i hope to not be one of those self hating americans. also known as hippies. this isn’t a red blood flag waving patriot act, i just think it’s weak to whine, especially about white people problems, especially as the weary world traveler in… where are you, switzerland? oh, right, london. which is basically silver lake anyway. you know we agree on a lot, and disagree on a lot. and i could sit here and write 500 words about why i think amnesiac is a pile of shit, or i could just call you a hippie and we can move on.
i don’t get all upset when you call me an asshole, because i respect your right to think i’m an asshole. and anyway, i knew andy fox would have a better response than i would, as he’s living in a country that worships the ground americans walk on, and doesn’t give a flying fuck about george bush or iraq or oil spills because michael fucking jackson came from here.
i love you.