Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Pop quiz

As a non-American living in California I find I easily qualify as "a minority" so I thought I'd try the Which America Hating Minority Are You?. Not that I really hate America since that would clearly be a an irrational hatred of some abstract ill-defined concept. Is America a geographic region? Is it a political system? Is it a way of life? Is it a collection of movies, records and sound bites? Or is it just a name associated with a sordid trail of bloody conquest in the pursuit of me, me, me?

Indeed what is it about America, whatever it may be, that makes Americans so upset when anyone, even its own residents, dare to criticise it? Could it be that its actually just a big last resort refugee camp for all those who couldn't put up with with the s**t somewhere else and hence those who dare to criticise should really, well, you-know... go home. It doesn't even matter if you were born here, or your family has lived here since European invaders first started their genocide of the indiginous population in the name of riches and caucasian superiority. One can only imagine that those millions that were murdered, worked, and starved to death probably wished for long centuries that Americans would simply just "go home".

Could it be that America is still carrying with it a deeply buried collective guilt for its truely appauling history of genocide both at home and abroad? Its like some unspoken of family secret that no one ever wants to talk about, but if given a good airing would do everyone a lot of good (see "Secrets and Lies"). That long buried guilt prevents anyone breathing or accepting a word of criticism lest it unlock the whole pandora's box of fear, uncertainty and self doubt about America. Indeed when when the georgraphical borders have vanished, the flag is filled with stars, the white Baptist America blurred to a technicolor pantheon, it could be that the only truely identifiable American trait will be its unshakeable denial of the past and refusal to accept any criticsm.

Anyway, just what kind of America hating minority am I? Well isn't it obvious?

While you're at it you can also try Which Enemy of the Christian Faith Are You? which is worth checking just to see the unusual questions and answers it includes. My type? Philosopher-Scientist of course.

Quiz links thanks to Misanthropy In Five Easy Lessons

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