Quote:
Originally Posted by miketoronto
There is stuff in the USA. But the majority of the population does not partake in it. Most do live the Applebee's lifestyle.
|
I do confess to committing the near mortal sin of eating at the Ford City (mall within city limits, across the street from the suburbs) Applebee's once. I performed penance by walking from Old Town to the Loop the next day.
Seriously though one big difference between America and Europe is that here you need to live in one of the largest cities in order to have an urban lifestyle. In Europe you can live in smaller cities and in some cases even small towns and get a similar experience on a smaller scale. In America there is all this talk of small town values when in reality most small towns and cities don't have much of a unique identity anymore, just the same generic stores and restaurants everywhere. The very slogan of Applebee's "eating good in the neighborhood" is indicative of this problem, the very fact that many people in smaller towns think getting an Applebee's built is a sign that their town has "made it" shows they don't understand. Sure your town may have an Applebee's but so do thousands of other places in America. People now express their individuality by being like everyone else, sameness is individuality. Many people express their individuality through their McMansions, driving the SUV, shopping at Wal-Mart and dining at Applebee's oblivious to the idea that every other shmuck on the cul-de-sac is doing the same thing or that somehow having a larger quantity of the sameness somehow makes you unique.