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Are You Enjoying Our Linguine? (2025)

thedial.world

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Re: Are You Enjoying Our Linguine? (2025)

#11

Post by Brendinooo »

I'm not sure if I like this piece but it's interesting. I just come away with the sense that the author feels something is off and did the best he could to articulate it but didn't quite put the finger on why things are off.

I'm not sure I can do so either. Something about cultural and monetary pressure, how people respond to incentives for better or for worse. People crave the new and different and authentic, they find it, then too many people find it. Some kind of Goodhart's Law for tourism: once a place is deemed an authentic experience it ceases to be an authentic experience.

I was just on my phone in an Italian gelato shop in Belgrade not too long ago, looking up what "stracciatella" means in the context of gelato so I didn't sound like an idiot or struggle to communicate with the employee. It's not just a Pinterest fever dream for people? People do want to experience different cultures but of course there's really no way to do that without some kind of friction.

Re: Are You Enjoying Our Linguine? (2025)

#12

Post by daveshistory »

xyzzy_plugh wrote: post #5

The homogenization, and subsequent impoverishment (at least with regards to the quality and diversity) of the world appears to be, sadly, inevitable. It takes real, constant effort to maintain "the old ways" while tradition is so easily erased through globalization and, ultimately, technology. I don't think we'll lose _all_ diversity of culture, as there will always be stalwarts to uphold institutions (even espresso…

I haven't been to Europe since before 2020. I assume we're not nearly as welcome over there now?

Re: Are You Enjoying Our Linguine? (2025)

#13

Post by gib444 »

> When Americans analyze a small shop in a foreign country, time stops counting itself on clocks and pondering its own dull finiteness. Now it can pleasurably yawn into the holy hollowness of the 30-plus questions the tourists are asking. Now, everyone around the American family is swamped in the buttery goo of the present, stretched. The other people in the gelateria can’t name the feeling that wraps itself around them. The feeling that time is purring, that time is on the American family’s side.

This is absolute art.

> Their job of giving value and meaning to our city is so important to them; they don’t seem to realize we are not as excited as they are about their discovery of gianduia.

And this

Re: Are You Enjoying Our Linguine? (2025)

#14

Post by prerok »

daveshistory wrote: post #12
xyzzy_plugh wrote: post #5

The homogenization, and subsequent impoverishment (at least with regards to the quality and diversity) of the world appears to be, sadly, inevitable. It takes real, constant effort to maintain "the old ways" while tradition is so easily erased through globalization and, ultimately, technology. I don't think we'll lose _all_ diversity of culture, as there will always be stalwarts to uphold institutions (even espresso…

I haven't been to Europe since before 2020. I assume we're not nearly as welcome over there now?

We know not to equate the governments' policies with people. Of any country. Don't worry about it.

Re: Are You Enjoying Our Linguine? (2025)

#15

Post by nutjob2 »

daveshistory wrote: post #12
xyzzy_plugh wrote: post #5

The homogenization, and subsequent impoverishment (at least with regards to the quality and diversity) of the world appears to be, sadly, inevitable. It takes real, constant effort to maintain "the old ways" while tradition is so easily erased through globalization and, ultimately, technology. I don't think we'll lose _all_ diversity of culture, as there will always be stalwarts to uphold institutions (even espresso…

I haven't been to Europe since before 2020. I assume we're not nearly as welcome over there now?

Most Europeans can separate Americans from their government, but a person's views and behavior matter. Paying customers are always welcome but obnoxious ones, regardless of culture, might get an eye roll or worse.

Re: Are You Enjoying Our Linguine? (2025)

#16

Post by cassepipe »

landdate wrote: post #3

> The cold brew order is no new behavior. We know what it is. The American empire is just the fourth incarnation of what started as Roman, became Christian European, and then predominantly British. We know what it is. We still have it in our veins, the disdain these tourists are showing. Their carelessness and abstraction. They are the rulers, the ones who believe they are giving meaning to reality for the first time…

Your list is imcomplete I believe:

Too merciful to slaveowners before, too merciful to warmongers as of late and way too merciful to grifters for as long as this country has existed.

I learnt that you should never bet against the U.S but I don't know how much longer you will be able to waste that seemingly infinite potential.

Good times creates bored, ignorant men. Bored ignorant, men create bad times.

Re: Are You Enjoying Our Linguine? (2025)

#17

Post by boodleboodle »

I kinda disagree with the general sentiment of the article. IMO the author mistakes a low context social style for imperial tastelessness. I, a Korean, lived in the US for a decade so I do have experience with this "imperialism" the author tries to illustrate.

However, the American behavior the author is describing is more attributed to how American social norms don't force anyone to "read the room" and "know your place". At least, not as much as Italians and Koreans. Americans have simple rules they abide by, like general etiquette and the constitution. And Americans are brought up to neither refrain from nor judge others acting within that boundary.

So I don't agree Americans are "tasteless". I find Americans to be more tolerant and accepting, at least compared to cultures with longer history. And that is the American "taste" in my opinion. This has its cons, one of which is someone from my culture thinking they are oblivious to others around them.

Re: Are You Enjoying Our Linguine? (2025)

#18

Post by gib444 »

nutjob2 wrote: post #15
daveshistory wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't been to Europe since before 2020. I assume we're not nearly as welcome over there now?

Most Europeans can separate Americans from their government, but a person's views and behavior matter. Paying customers are always welcome but obnoxious ones, regardless of culture, might get an eye roll or worse.

Yeah but that doesn't mean we also don't dislike people from the US. It's a shock to many but there are Europeans who dislike both US politics and the average US citizen who flashes cash, doesn't learn the language, doesn't research where they're travelling, shouts all the times, spends 1 night per city, and is the kind of traveller in the article, etc etc.

Loudly proclaiming you're anti Trump is not a skip-the-line ticket to acceptance with us all. We also know a lot of people lie about their politics

Re: Are You Enjoying Our Linguine? (2025)

#20

Post by gib444 »

daveshistory wrote: post #12
xyzzy_plugh wrote: post #5

The homogenization, and subsequent impoverishment (at least with regards to the quality and diversity) of the world appears to be, sadly, inevitable. It takes real, constant effort to maintain "the old ways" while tradition is so easily erased through globalization and, ultimately, technology. I don't think we'll lose _all_ diversity of culture, as there will always be stalwarts to uphold institutions (even espresso…

I haven't been to Europe since before 2020. I assume we're not nearly as welcome over there now?

I'd say as about the same kind of unwelcome as before. Fundementally the US traveller is the same kind of US traveller as before

But then I don't live in eg Portugal where the effect of US immigrants has been felt more strongly

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