Closed cliquish business cultures vs. Open passionate social cultures

America is essentially a business culture in nearly all aspects of life. As such, social interaction is confined within closed cliques, usually established early on in life in one's high school and college years. Otherwise, communication with strangers is usually for business related purposes only (e.g. customer service, business transactions, sales, etc.)

Therefore, if you don't have an established clique of friends, or you are new to the area, you are basically F***ed socially for who knows how long (unless of course you are super attractive, involved in the entertainment industry or allied with the rich and successful).

The social nature of such countries is very conservative (despite the media image of America being a wild, free, open, extroverted culture). People live in structured routines, whether it's social or professional, and life is more of a business than a passion. Everything is highly compartmentalized into a proper time and place.

But passion is what opens people up truly to connecting with others, including strangers. Business does not, and instead treats communication as purely for business related purposes. American culture is the latter of course.

In addition, such socially closed workaholic countries are segregated, driven by fear and paranoia by their media and social consensus. People are conditioned to fear every stranger as a potential psycho or killer, despite the reality of how safe their environment really is, and fed daily news stories that reinforce that myth. It's a form of social mind control to keep the population weak, subservient and working and consuming.

And of course, since most people are natural followers, rather than freethinkers or leaders, they will conform to that, for they assume that authority and consensus = truth, rather than the actual truth itself.

In fact, the corporate elite have a vested interest in limiting your social relationships, family life, and creativity or passions, for if you have too many friends, good social relationships and/or spend too much time cultivating your passions and creative pursuits, then you will have less time for industrious work and productivity, which America sees as the purpose of your life. You see, your life is a business resource to America, a commodity, measured in terms of productivity, not passion. Thus communication and relationships between strangers are generally confined to business related purposes.

America's goal is for you to remain a "happy slave", productive and efficient. To do that, it must maintain the illusion of freedom in your mind. But it definitely does NOT want to encourage you to pursue things like passion, creativity or deep human bonds and relationships. No way. Such things are counterproductive to its goal of keeping you a "happy slave" whose life is "all business". That's why America teaches a system where such things are highly compartmentalized, limited or suppressed. To America, the economy is number one, NOT your soul!

So what can you do about that? Well you can expose it and bring awareness to it, like I'm doing here. And you can tell yourself everyday "I am a human being! Not a business resource!" But the most important thing is for you to place yourself among groups, movements or cultures that are conducive to life of freedom, passion and rich human connections and relationships. There are alternative, counter culture and hippie-type movements in the US for instance, that support a life free of "the system" where you can meet like minded others.

Or you can go to overseas cultures where passion and camaraderie are still regarded as the focus of life, rather than cold hearted business and closed cliquishness. (I will provide some examples below) There are many cultures abroad that are far more open, relaxed and inclusive, where people are not segregated by "ice barriers" or paranoia. I've experienced many of them and can vouch that they are a world of difference. But the US media doesn't want you to know about them of course, so you will not hear about this on mainstream channels. For many, this has been a happy fulfilling and permanent solution to the misery, stress and loneliness of America.

But you'd better hurry though, cause America is in a rush to try to turn the "cultures of passion" out there into cold business-like cultures like itself! So you'd better pray that it fails in its attempt to "globalize" the world into a carbon copy of itself.

Here are examples of cultures where passion, creativity, expression and human camaraderie are the focus of life and enjoyed to the fullest, where people are more socially open and less cliquish:

- Latin America, Mexico, Russia, Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Holland, Mexico, Southeast Asia, The Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, etc.

Now here are examples of cultures where people are less socially open and more cliquish, where business is the aim of life and workaholic lifestyles are idolized, where passion, creativity and social lives are suppressed or restrained:

- America, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, Finland, Norway, etc.

Of course, other cultures lie somewhere between both these categories.

But keep in mind that people fit in differently in each culture, and have different experiences that will vary. There is no "one culture fits all".

The important thing is that you choose a culture or atmosphere where your INNER matches your OUTER environment. In other words, if you are shy, conservative, socially closed or cliquish, as well as a workaholic, you would vibe best in cultures that reflect such qualities (e.g. Japan, Taiwan). But if you are open, passionate, sociable, relaxed and carefree, you'd fit best in cultures dominated by such traits (e.g. Latin America, parts of Europe). Otherwise, a mismatch between your inner self and outer environment is not a good thing. It will weaken you in the long run and not allow your natural self to come out or bring out the best in you.

See Also:
Comparison Chart between America and most countries in terms of Dating, Social Life and Self-Esteem:
http://www.happierabroad.com/comparison.htm

More cultural comparisons at:
http://expatriateobservations.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsDbEwmCMz0



Last edited by Winston on Wed Jul 21, 2010 4:12 pm; edited 7 times in total
_________________
"The men the American public admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth." - H. L. Mencken

"Just look at us. Everything is backwards. Everything is upside down. Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the major media destroy information, and religion destroys spirituality." - Michael Ellner

"The greatest awakening I underwent in my travels is that nations in reality are the exact opposite of how they are depicted in the media." - Ladislav

Winston wrote:

America is essentially a business culture in nearly all aspects of life. As such, social interaction is confined within closed cliques, usually established early on in life in one's high school and college years. Otherwise, communication with strangers is usually for business related purposes only (e.g. customer service, business transactions, sales, etc.)

Therefore, if you don't have an established clique of friends, or you are new to the area, you are basically F***ed socially for who knows how long (unless of course you are super attractive, involved in the entertainment industry or allied with the rich and successful). The social nature of such countries is very conservative (despite the media image of America being a wild, free, open, extroverted culture). People live in structured routines, whether it's social or professional, and life is more of a business than a passion.

Christ on a bicycle! You hit the nail on the head! In the US you need to develop your click of friends early in life (like in grade school, high school and college) because once your out of school, you are shit-out-of-luck as far making friends goes! lol

I feel sorry for foreigners who move to the US and don't know anybody. They will find out REAL QUICKLY how anti-social Americans are! In America, you make your friends early in life, because that will be the best opportunity you will ever have to make friends!

jamesbond wrote:

Christ on a bicycle! You hit the nail on the head! In the US you need to develop your click of friends early in life (like in grade school, high school and college) because once your out of school, you are shit-out-of-luck as far making friends goes! lol

I feel sorry for foreigners who move to the US and don't know anybody. They will find out REAL QUICKLY how anti-social Americans are! In America, you make your friends early in life, because that will be the best opportunity you will ever have to make friends!

Well they do. Check out all these lonely depressed Indian immigrants in America. It's so bad that Little India did a story about them, which you can read here:

http://www.littleindia.com/august2004/UnhappyinAmerica.htm


_________________
"The men the American public admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth." - H. L. Mencken

"Just look at us. Everything is backwards. Everything is upside down. Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the major media destroy information, and religion destroys spirituality." - Michael Ellner

"The greatest awakening I underwent in my travels is that nations in reality are the exact opposite of how they are depicted in the media." - Ladislav

jamesbond wrote:

Winston wrote:

America is essentially a business culture in nearly all aspects of life. As such, social interaction is confined within closed cliques, usually established early on in life in one's high school and college years. Otherwise, communication with strangers is usually for business related purposes only (e.g. customer service, business transactions, sales, etc.)

Therefore, if you don't have an established clique of friends, or you are new to the area, you are basically F***ed socially for who knows how long (unless of course you are super attractive, involved in the entertainment industry or allied with the rich and successful). The social nature of such countries is very conservative (despite the media image of America being a wild, free, open, extroverted culture). People live in structured routines, whether it's social or professional, and life is more of a business than a passion.

Christ on a bicycle! You hit the nail on the head! In the US you need to develop your click of friends early in life (like in grade school, high school and college) because once your out of school, you are shit-out-of-luck as far making friends goes! lol

I feel sorry for foreigners who move to the US and don't know anybody. They will find out REAL QUICKLY how anti-social Americans are! In America, you make your friends early in life, because that will be the best opportunity you will ever have to make friends!

You said it man.. I am a foreigner here ... and I feel isolated, empty I try to compensate by doing a lot of sports, working, studying to keep me busy or else I'll lose my mind... clubs, bars I've tried them unfriendly, cliquish, insecure, competitive, loud people over there.


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hello

rome86 wrote:

You said it man.. I am a foreigner here ... and I feel isolated, empty I try to compensate by doing a lot of sports, working, studying to keep me busy or else I'll lose my mind... clubs, bars I've tried them unfriendly, cliquish, insecure, competitive, loud people over there.

So true. You describe exactly my life there as well. And you describe the exact vibe of the bar/club scene in America. I wonder how others tolerate it there.

Jamesbond, what did you think of my advice here?

Quote:

The important thing is that you choose a culture or atmosphere where your INNER matches your OUTER environment. In other words, if you are shy, conservative, socially closed or cliquish, as well as a workaholic, you would vibe best in cultures that reflect such qualities (e.g. Japan, Taiwan). But if you are open, passionate, sociable, relaxed and carefree, you'd fit best in cultures dominated by such traits (e.g. Latin America, parts of Europe). Otherwise, a mismatch between your inner self and outer environment is not a good thing. It will weaken you in the long run and not allow your natural self to come out or bring out the best in you.

_________________
"The men the American public admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth." - H. L. Mencken

"Just look at us. Everything is backwards. Everything is upside down. Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the major media destroy information, and religion destroys spirituality." - Michael Ellner

"The greatest awakening I underwent in my travels is that nations in reality are the exact opposite of how they are depicted in the media." - Ladislav

Winston wrote:

Closed cliquish business cultures vs. Open passionate social cultures
America is essentially a business culture in nearly all aspects of life. As such, social interaction is confined within closed cliques, usually established early on in life in one's high school and college years. Otherwise, communication with strangers is usually for business related purposes only (e.g. customer service, business transactions, sales, etc.)
Therefore, if you don't have an established clique of friends, or you are new to the area, you are basically F***ed socially for who knows how long (unless of course you are super attractive, involved in the entertainment industry or allied with the rich and successful).

Try yelp.com for local group activiites to meet new friends.

I have to agree with the anti-social behavior here inthe usa. I have many people my own nationality who act more rude then someone from a foreign country. I may be a victim of electronic harrassment but that is no excuse. I have read where someone fell at wallmart on a sale day and the other people kept right on walking over that person until they eventually died. This is a example of what is going on here noone really cares what happens to anyone unless they are direct family.


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fed up

starkeep wrote:

I have to agree with the anti-social behavior here inthe usa. I have many people my own nationality who act more rude then someone from a foreign country. I may be a victim of electronic harrassment but that is no excuse. I have read where someone fell at wallmart on a sale day and the other people kept right on walking over that person until they eventually died. This is a example of what is going on here noone really cares what happens to anyone unless they are direct family.

That is very unusual. When people fall, someone usually helps them or calls for help. People in America will help with little things like that, but not invite you to a barbecue or go to coffee with you, unless they are old and lonely of course.


_________________
"The men the American public admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth." - H. L. Mencken

"Just look at us. Everything is backwards. Everything is upside down. Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the major media destroy information, and religion destroys spirituality." - Michael Ellner

"The greatest awakening I underwent in my travels is that nations in reality are the exact opposite of how they are depicted in the media." - Ladislav

Norway? Repressed? They lead the world in admission to having had sex in public places by a comfortable margin -- some 69 percent of the population, I believe. This is the country where two young environmental activists came up on stage at a rock concert to "fuck for the forests," in order to draw attention to their issues. A summer sojourn in Oslo has been among my cherished goals for a while now.

To the point about how all relations in the U.S. have become essentially economic, certainly Marx's prediction of the commodification of personality has been fully realized here. I used to think of myself as a person, now I know that I am only a mark. If someone is approaching me to speak in the U.S. I know that he/she wants either my money or my soul for Jesus. So I just get out my wallet when I see people approaching, and give everybody a dollar. The fundamental problem here is pathological narcissism, as a number of writers predicted back in the '70s. People in America basically don't like each other, because they know that other Americans are interested in them only to the extent that they can benefit by getting money or brownie points in heaven out of the interaction. People don't really want to know you as an individual. Again, it was not always that way here.

gsjackson wrote:

To the point about how all relations in the U.S. have become essentially economic, certainly Marx's prediction of the commodification of personality has been fully realized here. I used to think of myself as a person, now I know that I am only a mark. If someone is approaching me to speak in the U.S. I know that he/she wants either my money or my soul for Jesus. So I just get out my wallet when I see people approaching, and give everybody a dollar. The fundamental problem here is pathological narcissism, as a number of writers predicted back in the '70s. People in America basically don't like each other, because they know that other Americans are interested in them only to the extent that they can benefit by getting money or brownie points in heaven out of the interaction. People don't really want to know you as an individual. Again, it was not always that way here.

In America, we are a nation of strangers! A lot of people in the US don't know who their neighbors are and of course people don't talk to strangers. Women in the US are scared shitless of men! They think every man they meet is a potential murder, rapist or robber.

No wonder why there are so many workaholics in the US, people have nothing else to do with their lives other than work! In America it's life, liberty and the pursuit of a paycheck!