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June 24, 2006

The Day I Might Believe America Is In Decline

Topics: America The Beautiful

Is America in decline? That's the question you sometimes hear being repeated when something bad happens to America. Now that I'm here in the country and experiencing it first hand, I would say everything seems to be fine. People who want to spread the idea that America is in decline always try to support it based on military capabilities and economical facts.

Some say America's military is becoming less capable. They point out the Iraqi insurgency and Vietnam as examples. When they talk about the economy they talk about America's massive debt, which is in trillions and they also talk about the weakening American dollar. While all those points might seem viable I personally don't buy them.

The only day I will believe America might actually be in decline is the day I see American pop culture fading away. American pop culture is one of this country's strongest assets I believe. After traveling to so many places and meeting so many people from around the world, it's simply undeniable. From Japan, to Saudi Arabia and to the deep jungles inside Africa, you'll find the influence of American pop culture there especially in teenagers. Hip Hop and Rock cultures are currently the biggest and most popular in my opinion.

Don't be surprised if you go to south Sudan and see a Dinka tribe member wearing a fake FUBU shirt and nodding his head to 2pac's beats. Don't be surprised if you go to Tokyo or Kuala Lumpur and you find girls with their hair dyed pink and dressed up like Avril or Gwen Stefani. Don't be surprised if you go to Egypt and enter a jamming studio only to find a couple of Egyptian teenagers skillfully playing Metallica songs and head banging to them. Don't be surprised if you go to Moscow and see a Russian band playing some BB King and Jimi Hendrix songs to a big and attentive crowd. Don't be surprised if you go to Bahrain and see a DJ blasting and scratching away while a bunch of kids break dance so professionally. American pop culture gives people in those countries a sense of freedom.

Through it they look up to America and admire it. Being a teenager is mostly about revolting and "breaking away". In the West kids can "break away" easily but in the Arab and Muslim world teenagers have to stay within the cultural norms and bounds. I'm not going to lie.

The number one reason I love America is because of the amazing music and artists it has given us. From Elvis, to Jimi Hendrix, to Frank Sinatra, Iron Maiden, Ray Charles, Kool and the Gang, Michael Jackson, 2Pac, Notorious BIG, Dixie Chicks?!, Tina Turner, Shania Twain, John Mayer, Whitney Houston, Metallica, AC DC, Guns N Roses, Madonna, Tracy Chapman, Sade and so many more I can keep mentioning until the year 2015 dawns upon us. American pop culture is undoubtly popular all over the whole world. I love it and people love it. It might be un-religious sometimes but it's still popular and nobody can deny that. The day I see teenagers throughout the whole world turning their backs on it is the day I can actually start believing America might be in decline.

Posted by Drima at June 24, 2006 3:27 AM

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