Tuesday 8 October 2013

Cosa Pensano Gli Americani


1: Prologue
http://translate.google.it/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://www.laterza.it/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D811%26Itemid%3D101&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcosa%2Bne%2Bpensano%2Bgli%2Bitaliani%2Bacerca%2BAmerica%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D805


2: What Do Americans Think
http://translate.google.it/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://www.laterza.it/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D811%26Itemid%3D101&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcosa%2Bne%2Bpensano%2Bgli%2Bitaliani%2Bacerca%2BAmerica%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D805


Both of these links demonstrate the ideas that Italy has of the super power that is America. The first link shows how Italy considers it to be a country of reliability, uniformity, money and size, although initially and superficially not entirely different from the rest of Europe. Until that is, it is called naive - particularly due to the Americans love of writing to their local elected representatives to express a like or dislike of policies because they believe that their letters will make a difference, or worshipping one God even though they are the country with the most religious diversity and their obsession with ranking and analyzing everything (for example cars or sports), which seems strange considering the Italian way of life is built on ranking things on beauty and standard. Although when the Americans do this, it is considered to be a way of lying to the nation.

The second link explores the idea of what it means to 'belong' to America and how their ideas of belonging differ from those of Europe. Antinucci writes that race does not matter in America, but partaking in their ideological, political and institutional ideas is what creates a sense of belonging. Also, the idea that an immigrant in America is adopted as an American, which Antinucci receives with a sense of distaste as he notes that to be considered Italian, you have to have always lived there and been raised by Italian parents - a highlighting point of the difference between Italy's more traditional views and America's perhaps more welcoming views about society and the people in it. There is also the difference that the Constitution of America is what is thought to make an American 'American' - a factor which has not been noted by the Italians as being important.

I think that especially based on the negative criticisms, Italy's views of America have become apparent. For example, they are valid in the sense that they demonstrate the differences between Europe and America (as Italy can be seen as a traditional European country) and show how different the super power is to most of the world. Although because Italy is such a traditional country perhaps Antinucci's opinion towards America's 'controversial' ideals could be seen as slightly biased.

No comments:

Post a Comment