Stepping onto the platform of a subway station in the heart of Paris, France is a lot like stepping off a subway train in downtown Boston. I’m not talking about the familiar hustle-bustle of people carrying on with their everyday lives or even the sad echoes of a downtrodden musician playing his saxophone, but instead, the way American advertisements for movies like The Lone Ranger greet you the moment you step off the train. It was surprising to see such a huge display of American media in the heart of Paris.
Why do Europeans tend to prefer American culture, specifically entertainment, over their own native culture? In my opinion, the answer to this question has to do with the way the rest of the world perceives America as the land of opportunity.
Similarly, Meghan James, a senior at Scituate High School, said, “Since the United States has had so much success, the rest of the world craves our compassion and motivation to follow our dreams.”
Although America’s image has drastically weakened over the years in the eyes of many people around the world due to major slip-ups in foreign policy, according to recent surveys performed by the Pew Research Center, more than seventy percent of those surveyed in Spain, Italy, and France tend to prefer American music, movies, and television. During my recent visit to Spain, I expected to spend the majority of my days walking around the streets clueless and hopelessly lost, since I knew very little Spanish.
Instead, I found that most people spoke English and also incorporated the English language into many of their signs, menus, and advertisements. For instance, I remember walking into one Spanish restaurant where we were provided with an entirely English menu, and were able to converse with our waiter as though we were in America. As I awaited my meal, a cheeseburger with a side of French Fries, I spotted a video of Robin Thicke singing and dancing to his new hit song “Blurred Lines” on the television screen – and yes, the song was in English.
While many Europeans claim to hate American food, many other forms of American culture are distinctly ingrained in the overall culture of Europe. A total of thirty percent of those surveyed by the market-research firm GfK responded that the best part of American culture is its entertainment. Therefore, it makes sense that a lot of young people in Europe wish to learn English for the purpose of enjoying popular Hollywood movies and music as well as gaining a valuable new skill that would allow them to travel to America. What these people don’t understand about America is that we are not Hollywood.
In response to Europe’s fascination with American culture, Nicole Grace, a junior at Scituate High School, said, “I believe it’s because Americans are not at all afraid to speak their mind, so compared to Europeans, Americans are very radical. Thus, they desire to understand how and why we see the world the way we do.”
Overall, I think many young Europeans are inclined to believe that America is just like the movies – a land full of glamour and fame where people can go to crazy parties, attend Taylor Swift concerts, and do most whatever they please. The reality is, I can’t remember the last time I saw an actual movie star walking down the streets of Scituate, except maybe in my wildest dreams.