Beefy Comments

I haven't spent too much time publicising this blog--I really just told friends and family about it. I actually set up the blog, thinking that it would be good to have access to the images wherever I was. But recently, I've gotten a couple comments on my blog, the photos and the thoughts, because of Jett Loe's (http://lettertoamerica.blogs.com) endorsement of my project on his blog about Belfast and from traffic from Erin Parish's blog (http://terrificwhistlers.wordpress.com/).

The comments have been supportive--people seem to like the project. But I would like a bit more, to tell you the truth. The project, in a lot of ways, is about joint definitions--about finding 'truth' through everyday thoughts--through the everday thoughts of many people. So, what I think I should say is: join in this discussion. Let me know where your thoughts fall. Where do you come from, and what do you think of when you think of Americans? Do you want to associate yourself with one of these responses--or do you want to propose a new thought of your own? Give me a Beefy comment.

Reflections

In many ways, I'm as much of a tourist to ideas about America and Americans as people who have never stepped across the pond. While I am generating design concepts for the photo responses, I find I'm pulling from stereotyped images. What do I know about Hollywood? I've had a few friends who work out there, but even their anecdotal information is eclipsed by pictures I've seen in books and on the TV. You can see this knowledge-based-on-stereotype reflected in the photographs as well.

So maybe, what I'm finding, even at this early stage, is that I'm no expert of Americans. But who would be--who can be? I've held for a long time that I am "the quintessential American." Don't get me wrong--I was not raised on a diet of meatloaf and apple pie. And there was such a time that the comment "OH, you're SOOOO American" would have sent shivers down my spine. But the more time I've spent abroad, and the less company I keep with other people from my country, the more I've seen how some basic beliefs and ways of keeping values are dependent on my national origins.