Philosophy Now Forum

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:

Hobbes' Choice wrote:

vegetariantaxidermy wrote: I doubt if the Americans could have come up with something like Monty Python. Americans make better stand-ups. If you think countries don't develop a unique cultural identity over time then I think you are deluding yourself.

Obviously you never saw the first two seasons of Saturday Night Live, with John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray and Gilda Radna.

I can also point out many Britons who never liked Monty Python and millions more, now who don't understand it. Cultures are in flux, and Python is out of date. Much as I love it, it is middle class, and classist, sexist, and occasionally racist. Not British at all.


I would urge you to listen to Kwame Anthony Appiah's 3 Reith lectures.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/article ... rn-culture

I agree. It's out of date, but so is early SNL. It's just pathetic to judge it by today's PC standards. Imagine Benny Hill today. He would probably be imprisoned lol. Comedy evolves and dates quite fast.

So, what you are saying is that Monty Python and Benny Hill are not very British.

Hobbes' Choice wrote:
So, what you are saying is that Monty Python and Benny Hill are not very British.

No.

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:

Hobbes' Choice wrote:
So, what you are saying is that Monty Python and Benny Hill are not very British.

No.

That is exactly what you said.
You even implied that Benny Hill would be criminal.
So where are your British values; values that are distinctly British?
So when I say "let's face it there is not one single thing that is owned by a culture that some other culture already has; nothing", you seem to be struggling to find anything to refute this.

Like I said in another thread. Culture is not a bounded entity. Most of the content of any culture is borrowed, each part from other cultures. America , nor any other culture, has no single thing that can not be found in some other culture, and is comprised of things more usually associated with cultures not American [or British].

Hobbes' Choice wrote:

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:

Hobbes' Choice wrote:
So, what you are saying is that Monty Python and Benny Hill are not very British.

No.

That is exactly what you said.
You even implied that Benny Hill would be criminal.
So where are your British values; values that are distinctly British?
So when I say "let's face it there is not one single thing that is owned by a culture that some other culture already has; nothing", you seem to be struggling to find anything to refute this.

Like I said in another thread. Culture is not a bounded entity. Most of the content of any culture is borrowed, each part from other cultures. America , nor any other culture, has no single thing that can not be found in some other culture, and is comprised of things more usually associated with cultures not American [or British].

I said it wouldn't be PC now. I don't know what you are on about, and it's not worth an argument.

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:

Hobbes' Choice wrote:

vegetariantaxidermy wrote: No.

That is exactly what you said.
You even implied that Benny Hill would be criminal.
So where are your British values; values that are distinctly British?
So when I say "let's face it there is not one single thing that is owned by a culture that some other culture already has; nothing", you seem to be struggling to find anything to refute this.

Like I said in another thread. Culture is not a bounded entity. Most of the content of any culture is borrowed, each part from other cultures. America , nor any other culture, has no single thing that can not be found in some other culture, and is comprised of things more usually associated with cultures not American [or British].

I said it wouldn't be PC now. I don't know what you are on about, and it's not worth an argument.

I'm puzzled, then, why you are contributing to a thread called "What is the English way"? I suggest that this primitve sort of tribalism is not only mythical, but divisive and harmful to humanity's future.
Monty Python is best characterised as "British" or "English" in that with each sketch it made fun of and ridiculed the very things that are considered to be the "British way of life", but take away the bowler hat, and the handlebar moustache of the Brigadier, and you have a sketch that could just as well have been a critique of any upper/middle class society on western europe.

Hobbes' Choice wrote: I suggest that this primitve sort of tribalism is not only mythical, but divisive and harmful to humanity's future.

Human beings are tribal, it's a fact. Of course it's divisive, it's meant to be. Besides, Hobbes, as someone completely incapable of living in harmony with anyone, why do you expect the rest of the world to do it?

Hobbes' Choice wrote:

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:

Hobbes' Choice wrote:
That is exactly what you said.
You even implied that Benny Hill would be criminal.
So where are your British values; values that are distinctly British?
So when I say "let's face it there is not one single thing that is owned by a culture that some other culture already has; nothing", you seem to be struggling to find anything to refute this.

Like I said in another thread. Culture is not a bounded entity. Most of the content of any culture is borrowed, each part from other cultures. America , nor any other culture, has no single thing that can not be found in some other culture, and is comprised of things more usually associated with cultures not American [or British].

I said it wouldn't be PC now. I don't know what you are on about, and it's not worth an argument.

I'm puzzled, then, why you are contributing to a thread called "What is the English way"? I suggest that this primitve sort of tribalism is not only mythical, but divisive and harmful to humanity's future.
Monty Python is best characterised as "British" or "English" in that with each sketch it made fun of and ridiculed the very things that are considered to be the "British way of life", but take away the bowler hat, and the handlebar moustache of the Brigadier, and you have a sketch that could just as well have been a critique of any upper/middle class society on western europe.

So you think there is no such thing as cultural identity. What an odd, homogenous bubble you live in. In your world no one would ever be able to say, 'The English have a good sense of humour', or 'Americans are very literal', or 'Chinese are hard workers', or 'Germans are arrogant' etc. etc. Of course these things aren't true of ALL of them, but when they are true for ENOUGH of them for it to be noticed by A LOT of people then it's just stupid to say it's simply an illusion. And I'm pretty sure you've been 'guilty' of doing it. Anyone who says they never have is lying.

Harbal wrote:

Hobbes' Choice wrote: I suggest that this primitve sort of tribalism is not only mythical, but divisive and harmful to humanity's future.

Human beings are tribal, it's a fact. Of course it's divisive, it's meant to be. Besides, Hobbes, as someone completely incapable of living in harmony with anyone, why do you expect the rest of the world to do it?

Hobbe's is a Jekyll and Hyde as he seems to be incapable of living with himself. Also note his use of different names depending what website he's on (don't worry Hobbes, Scott H. is keeping a good eye on you even though he banned you from OPC).

PhilX

Philosophy Explorer wrote:(don't worry Hobbes, Scott H. is keeping a good eye on you even though he banned you from OPC).

PhilX

I'm sure he's shaking in his sandals and socks.

Here's a good question. Would you say that stereotyping can be a more accurate depiction of a group of people?

PhilX

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:

Hobbes' Choice wrote:

vegetariantaxidermy wrote: I said it wouldn't be PC now. I don't know what you are on about, and it's not worth an argument.

I'm puzzled, then, why you are contributing to a thread called "What is the English way"? I suggest that this primitve sort of tribalism is not only mythical, but divisive and harmful to humanity's future.
Monty Python is best characterised as "British" or "English" in that with each sketch it made fun of and ridiculed the very things that are considered to be the "British way of life", but take away the bowler hat, and the handlebar moustache of the Brigadier, and you have a sketch that could just as well have been a critique of any upper/middle class society on western europe.

So you think there is no such thing as cultural identity. What an odd, homogenous bubble you live in. In your world no one would ever be able to say, 'The English have a good sense of humour', or 'Americans are very literal', or 'Chinese are hard workers', or 'Germans are arrogant' etc. etc

prejudice, prejudice, prejudice.

Hobbes' Choice wrote:
prejudice, prejudice, prejudice.

What the hell's wrong with prejudice? We all practice prejudice every day. Your biggest prejudice is against common sense. You think you can behave like an arse towards individuals but it's okay because you have empathy with mankind in general. It doesn't seem to occur to you that mankind is made up of individuals, most of which would rub you up the wrong way, one way or another.

Harbal wrote:

Hobbes' Choice wrote:
prejudice, prejudice, prejudice.

What the hell's wrong with prejudice? We all practice prejudice every day. Your biggest prejudice is against common sense. You think you can behave like an arse towards individuals but it's okay because you have empathy with mankind in general. It doesn't seem to occur to you that mankind is made up of individuals, most of which would rub you up the wrong way, one way or another.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcmmJqRbRbQ

Hobbes' Choice wrote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcmmJqRbRbQ

I don't have 30 minutes worth of patience to devote to a youtube video, Hobbes.

Harbal wrote:

Hobbes' Choice wrote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcmmJqRbRbQ

I don't have 30 minutes worth of patience to devote to a youtube video, Hobbes.

You don't have the attention span for this Forum.