Comments on: All Together Now, Drink. In Sync. http://irishkc.com/all-together-now-drink-in-sync.htm Kansas City Irish Festivals, Music, Pubs, & Events by an Artist in Ireland Wed, 23 May 2012 01:38:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Brettski http://irishkc.com/all-together-now-drink-in-sync.htm#comment-35063 Brettski Wed, 14 Mar 2007 16:38:31 +0000 http://irishkc.com/index.php/all-together-now-drink-in-sync.htm#comment-35063 It’s too difficult to assume the heart of a culture, so people pick and choose the parts that they are attracted to – usually a couple or three key absurdities are the unlucky recipients of emphasis to create a version of the culture that is truly American. The vacuum that is left is filled with gimmickry. I call it the “Fortune Cookie” effect. The fortune cookie isn’t Chinese at all – it was invented in San Francisco as the required key-gimmick for people to take interest. The food was then watered down to assuage local pallets giving them just enough of what they’d recognize with something they didn’t. This new equation then passes as authentic… ‘cos it has a percentage of something perceived to be different but approachable. Enough years go by and everyone believes it’s what people actually do in another country… because, well, we’ve been doing it this way and we call it by this name… it must be right… right? In some regards it’s simply how adolescents view the world. It has a certain fun-loving harmlessness about it until… they start believing it’s real and begin exporting it. It’s too difficult to assume the heart of a culture, so people pick and choose the parts that they are attracted to – usually a couple or three key absurdities are the unlucky recipients of emphasis to create a version of the culture that is truly American. The vacuum that is left is filled with gimmickry.

I call it the “Fortune Cookie” effect. The fortune cookie isn’t Chinese at all – it was invented in San Francisco as the required key-gimmick for people to take interest. The food was then watered down to assuage local pallets giving them just enough of what they’d recognize with something they didn’t. This new equation then passes as authentic… ‘cos it has a percentage of something perceived to be different but approachable. Enough years go by and everyone believes it’s what people actually do in another country… because, well, we’ve been doing it this way and we call it by this name… it must be right… right?

In some regards it’s simply how adolescents view the world. It has a certain fun-loving harmlessness about it until… they start believing it’s real and begin exporting it.

]]> By: Francis http://irishkc.com/all-together-now-drink-in-sync.htm#comment-35059 Francis Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:58:32 +0000 http://irishkc.com/index.php/all-together-now-drink-in-sync.htm#comment-35059 Excellent site! I stumbled upon it after browsing sites related to the film "The Wind That Shakes The Barley". I can't believe you are living in Kansas City and are still sane, although to be fair, I have never been to KC, but I have been to Ireland and think I'd rather live there. Anyway, great thoughts on St. Patrick's day here in the U.S.(even though my mother always makes Corned beef and Cabbage every year at this time!). We are guilty of all the usual Irish-American lunacy, so it's nice to find this site which should act as a foil...oh, speaking oif foil, i have to check on my soda bread! Cheers, St. Frank Excellent site! I stumbled upon it after browsing sites related to the film “The Wind That Shakes The Barley”. I can’t believe you are living in Kansas City and are still sane, although to be fair, I have never been to KC, but I have been to Ireland and think I’d rather live there.
Anyway, great thoughts on St. Patrick’s day here in the U.S.(even though my mother always makes Corned beef and Cabbage every year at this time!). We are guilty of all the usual Irish-American lunacy, so it’s nice to find this site which should act as a foil…oh, speaking oif foil, i have to check on my soda bread!
Cheers,
St. Frank

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