Rome Trip - New Year's Eve

Parent Cafe
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<p>Haha. Italian politics and soccer are better than fiction–especially these past few months!</p>

<p>After three stints living abroad for a total of seven years, I am late to the realization that the Roman attitude is the prevailing attitude in the world. Simply, the rest of the world does not share the hyper-competitive nature of American society. Meanwhile, Americans have little awareness of the impact of that vigilante-style competitiveness.</p>

<p>Loss of ‘time’ is one component.</p>

<p>I disagree that Italians no longer consdier their position, however. Though I am not Chinese, a former Chinese nanny has turned herself into my defacto Chinese nana. Her argument for everything is “We are a culture that is 5000 years old! You are from an infant culture! You know NOTHING!” <em>picture 84 year old Chinese fingers wagging at cheers</em></p>

<p>My conversations with Italian architects, including some quite famous ones, have been similar. “Keep working dear. In five hundred years, your culture may reach our level–although this is not at all certain.” </p>

<p>I agree, however, that Italian culture no longer strives to dominate the known world.</p>

<p>Aaaarghhh! I have to stop thinking about Rome!</p>

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<p>That model was built in the 1930s - commissioned by Mussolini!</p>

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<p>My impression of what the Romans think of American culture could be summed up as “tacky”.</p>

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<p>Probably true, but I’d rather be from an infant or juvenile culture than a senile one.</p>

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<p>My theory is that all that got wrung out of them back in Classical times. They had centuries of all the aggressive, war-like Romans going off to distant places and getting killed off fighting the Carthaginians, Celts, Germans, Goths, etc. After 10 or 12 centuries of that only the lovers and pacifists were left at home. Same thing with the peaceful modern Scandanavians – hard to believe they are related to the 9th century berserkers.</p>

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<p>This thread makes one so …ready to go! The knowledge of people about Rome is simply fascinating. Thanks for sharing it!</p>

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<p>I am a Francophile who lived several years in Paris and absolutely loved Paris… my H teased me about jumping ship because within a day of arriving in Rome I told him I would happily live there. The things that I noticed, in contrast to Paris: Warmer & more colorful visually; more casual, friendly, familial vibe. I liked that you see kids everywhere… toddlers are out at nice restaurants at 11:30 pm. In Paris, you have to go to a park to see kids!</p>

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<p>coureur, based on the visuals alone, I am pretty sure Mussolini also built the whole suburb where it is located!</p>

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<p>coureur,</p>

<p>Your analysis of how Italy and Scandinavia got to be the way they are now is really funny – and it just may be true!</p>

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<p>I like htat theory too coureur. Apparently five or six centuries of slaughter is enough to discourage Western imperialists but not Asian societies? Or do the Asians have that much human fodder that pacifists and lovers (and chefs!) can never gain the dominant foothold?</p>

<p>One of my favorite piazzas is the piazza in front of San Ignazio–just of the Piazza di Pantheon. San Ignazio itself has wonderful ceiling murals. <a href=“http://www.mpi-inf.mpg.de/~suchanek/personal/photos/ignazio.jpg[/url]”>http://www.mpi-inf.mpg.de/~suchanek/personal/photos/ignazio.jpg&lt;/a&gt;
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