ZenView
By Mary Layton
The American Spirit
There’s definitely something uniquely American about American Graffiti – whether we are talking about George Lucas’ movie that made Modesto famous or the American graffiti as an art genre. As far as I know, graffiti is about recognition. It’s a way of stating one’s identity on a wall or a train car, a tree or a rock : I am somebody, I was here. I made my mark.
American Graffiti is an expression of the American spirit. One can find imitations of it in many parts of the world. In Germany, for example they have similar car cruises using old American cars from the 50, 60ties and onward. I have seen Germans copy all that goes along with it. The clothes, the hairdos, the food, the toys and the design. They love our culture! Why? Because it shows the perseverance of a youthful energy and unlimited imagination that we all had at a High School age. Something to celebrate and remember forever. It’s the Peter Pan and Wendy in all of us who don’t want to grow up. I think it is what has made America the place of infinite possibilities. Not having an ancient culture makes this country young and playful. The attitude is that you can be and do whatever you want and fancy. There are no regulations that tell you otherwise. In the contrary, the economy booms because of this freedom to go where no one has gone before. I learned English from Mickey Mouse books my Dad gave me in Germany as a child. Mickey Mouse was my hero. He always saved the day, that smart, resilient and intelligent mouse! And of course, the American culture is full of such heroes, like Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Antman and Black Panther- the list keeps growing year by year. That is what the world gets from this innovative country: that even in the face of catastrophe, there is hope. The good guys must face the challenges and figure out a strategy to redirect negative energy. Let’s celebrate the American spirit this summer!
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