The Dairy Queen Effect

[Lenticular_J]

Well, I was looking through my passport while I was driving through some of the smaller towns in the Texas Panhandle this weekend, and I noticed two things: 1) Many of my passport's pictures involve the Great Plains or the Rocky Mountains, as well as the wild animals that once flourished there, and 2) Every single small town had a Dairy Queen, and 9 out of 10 had become complete [cabbage]-holes in the past two or three decades. This got me thinking: Why is this American image of wide open plains and sweeping, majestic mountains, all full of wildlife, still prevailing? For one thing, the Great Plains are a barren, flat expanse full of nothing but a few farms. As a friend of my father's said, "The only thing between Amarillo and the North Pole are a couple barbed wire fences." A relatively small percentage of our population lives on the great plains, or in the rural areas of the South, and today many of these areas are completely poverty-stricken.

 

 

 

For some reason, a few of the things that are "American" are animals - grizzly bears, buffalo and bald eagles especially. The thing is, if you see one of these creatures in your lifetime, you will be very lucky! All of them are (or were very recently) incredibly close to extinction and in remote regions of the country, when before America came as a nation grizzlies and buffalo wandered as far south as Mexico and as far east as the Mississippi (sometimes farther, although I note no specific examples). Bald eagles, I assume, were once a flourishing, common bird, while now they really live in preserves or even Canada!

 

 

 

Take a few of John Mellencamp's songs. These seem to sum up the still-lasting impression of America as a country that's still primarily rural and life being good. I can't say whether or not life was as good back then (although my family says the towns in the Panhandle, like Pampa and White Deer were the lovely little "small town" of our imaginations). But listen to the music.

 

[hide="Small Town" - John Mellencamp][yt]3eDkAG3R0h8[/yt][/hide]

 

[hide="Jack & Diane" - John Mellencamp][yt]jcJz-x6idd8[/yt][/hide]

 

 

 

Now, in the past, the US was still a very rural and farming-related country, even though the cities were major centers of the world. However, today things are different. Urbanization is very rapid in this country, because all the money is going to the cities! The only reason a town like Canadian, Texas could survive right now is because their land is being ravaged for oil and natural gas (land my Papaw's father actually owned and sold, all down the Canadian river throughout the whole of the Panhandle and then some).

 

 

 

Our image of football, rock'n'roll and Dairy Queen was great in the past. But today, America's cities are extreme centers of change and power in the world. This "Christian Nation" is something like 83% full of people that identify themselves as Christian, but more than half of them do not attend church regularly nor do they follow rigid Christian principles. Take a look at cities like San Francisco and Dallas - they're becoming major centers for the gay rights movement, and it's movements like that which are rapidly overwhelming the old, stale Dairy Queen beliefs of our current generation of "leaders". And yet, I still haven't seen Ryan Seacrest on my passport.

 

 

 

I really don't know how this can be discussed - I was just thinking furiously about this and wanted to get my ideas on paper. Do what you will.

[l0rd]

Tradition isn't and shouldn't be corrupted by contemporary fads.

 

Anways, most of the land in America isn't urban at all, I've also seen many bears in my life and a couple eagles in the wild.

 

Just because landscape isn't as relevant as it used to be in peoples' lives doesn't mean that we still don't have the beautiful mountains, forests, rivers, beaches, and more, that used to define the persona of our country.

 

 

 

But America's overall persona has been ever-changing with the times, determined by the prominence of various cultures and fads in our country. Hundreds, fifty, ten years ago we were all viewed in different ways by the populous, but that doesn't change its tradition. I believe a country's collective morale and reputation rest greatly on our tradition, and by definition, tradition shouldn't change.

[mmmcannibalism]

simple answer, scenic stuff is pretty; do you really want a picture of a factory on your passport?

[Amaranth_GTO]

C'mon, do you REALLY want Ryan Seacrest on your passport? I'd much rather have some breathtakingly beautiful sights, or some animals. I've actually been fortunate enough to see all of the animals you mentioned. All of them make you go "Wow" when you see them.

[Lenticular_J]

Of course I don't want Ryan Seacrest on my passport oh I do with all my heart.

 

 

 

I just think this image of America is outdated and, well, wrong. We could start at the state level - someone tell me what comes to mind when they think of Texas.

[Nenga]

Of course I don't want Ryan Seacrest on my passport oh I do with all my heart.

 

 

 

I just think this image of America is outdated and, well, wrong. We could start at the state level - someone tell me what comes to mind when they think of Texas.

 

Mexicans \

[nerdattack16]

Of course I don't want Ryan Seacrest on my passport oh I do with all my heart.

 

 

 

I just think this image of America is outdated and, well, wrong. We could start at the state level - someone tell me what comes to mind when they think of Texas.

 

In all honesty? Barbecue, the Alamo, and obese people. And really big trucks.

 

 

 

But I agree with you, Lenty. The image of America as a beautiful rural place is pretty wrong now, what with so many huge cities and urban/suburban areas. Of course there is still untouched land, and natural beauty, but can simple things like unprotected forests and plains really last forever?

[Nenga]

Of course I don't want Ryan Seacrest on my passport oh I do with all my heart.

 

 

 

I just think this image of America is outdated and, well, wrong. We could start at the state level - someone tell me what comes to mind when they think of Texas.

 

In all honesty? Barbecue, the Alamo, and obese people. And really big trucks.

 

 

 

But I agree with you, Lenty. The image of America as a beautiful rural place is pretty wrong now, what with so many huge cities and urban/suburban areas. Of course there is still untouched land, and natural beauty, but can simple things like unprotected forests and plains really last forever?

 

If they couldn't would they be here before we got here?

[Laura]

Many prevailing civilizations have diffused with that of another to be associated with that name. An example includes the Roman empire. Similar to this, a country can retain a certain image over a period of time to retain such symbolism.

[mmmcannibalism]

Of course I don't want Ryan Seacrest on my passport oh I do with all my heart.

 

 

 

I just think this image of America is outdated and, well, wrong. We could start at the state level - someone tell me what comes to mind when they think of Texas.

 

 

 

It is still going to be viable to use scenic stuff for most of the states. Most states have some area that is known for its beauty, and I dont think anyone likes the thought of factory smoke being that state image.

 

 

 

texas=alamo and oil

[Shinjula]

Um, how does the gay rights movement have any affect on whether or not your becoming a more or less rural country?

[deathdrow]

Of course I don't want Ryan Seacrest on my passport oh I do with all my heart.

 

 

 

I just think this image of America is outdated and, well, wrong. We could start at the state level - someone tell me what comes to mind when they think of Texas.

 

Clint Eastwood.

 

cowboy hats and propane. and desert.

[Omar]

When I think of America I think of cities. Maybe it's cause I've never been there and I haven't been raised with that idea.

[k00ldud95]

The entire developed world is becoming less rural and more urban. You can go anywhere and get a Big Mac. You can go to any major city and see the exact same movies and listen to the exact same music. You can go to any major city and drink a Coke or a Pepsi. The only difference between countries now is rapidly becoming whatever crap we jam into our museums, and our libraries.

 

 

 

As far as the States go, I think that sort of effect is just about complete. The only real unique areas are small rural pockets, otherwise it's all the same outside of the museums that preserve history that very few remember or pay attenion to. (including myself, lol)

 

 

 

Eventually, there will be no need to travel. I am not really against this, it would be insane to stop development and progress just because a politician or an interest group didn't llike it. or, for that matter, because YOU didn't like it. I kinda think it would be neat if it were not so urban and each country was more unique like they used to be, but that's just too bad. You can't force these things. That is not how it works.