• alvvayson@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Americans flex about the weirdest things.

    The most common truck, the most common phone, food from the most ubiquitous fast food joint, having merch from the most popular artists and sports teams.

    Those are their biggest flexs.

    Yeah buddy, great flex with your Taylor swift hoodie, Starbucks frap, iPhone 12 in your Ford F-150.

    • D1G17AL@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Its especially confusing because for many, many years, and even still today, American’s are pushed to be UNIQUE and whenever anyone is UNIQUE then people criticize them for enjoying or doing things outside whatever is ubiquitous for whatever thing. Its ridiculous honestly.

      • Hyperreality@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Advertising. You can partly blame Freud’s American nephew Edward Bernays.

        The father of PR, pioneer of propaganda and advertising, and an epic cunt.

      • AVincentInSpace@pawb.social
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        1 year ago

        You should always be yourself*.

        * as long as you are attractive and all of your quirks are endearing and socially acceptable.

      • theneverfox@pawb.social
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        1 year ago

        I used to find it extremely confusing. I think my mistake was, growing up I adopted the values our society says they care about… turns out, our values aren’t actually freedom, or a fair society, or inventing/creating things (unless a megacorp does it)

        It’s all doublespeak - every time a politician expresses a value, their actions are probably about to show the opposite

        For example, by loudly insisting we’re the land of the free we don’t consider the fact we have by far the largest slave population in the world. You can literally rent slave labor, bill the state to house them, and hand them a bill for their living costs when they get parole…

        I could rant about this all day, it’s insanity when you start to look at this all up close

    • CeruleanRuin@lemmings.world
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      1 year ago

      For all its boasts about “independence” and “freedom”, the thing America values most is conformity.

    • HeavyRaptor@lemmy.zip
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      1 year ago

      If you think about it, it just proves the ‘genius’ behind these companies advertising strategies. They have managed to convince a large percentage of the population that their mass market products a rare, unique and something to be desired.

      • CeruleanRuin@lemmings.world
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        1 year ago

        Is this the new Godwin’s law? That every thread will culminate in someone bringing up school shootings for no fucking reason?

        • 30p87@feddit.de
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          1 year ago

          As long as America will come up as a topic, which is likely yes.

          • CeruleanRuin@lemmings.world
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            1 year ago

            I mean yeah, it’s a huge goddamn problem and our national shame, but that doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to derail every thread with it.