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5/20/1968 - First Feelings about America by Fanny Mitchell

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS FM Gravel Hill First Feelings about America Burnham Overy King Lynn Norfolk England Mr Richard H Nolte Inst Current World Affairs Madison Avenue New York N Y May Dear Mr Nolte Before memories America blurred seems worth putting paper impressions first visit So people United Sates thing original Therefore brief experience I recall feelings about I aware moreover I fraction country I certainly prepared defend dogmatically observations My reactions United States undoubtedly tempered spell Brazil The vastness America example little impact indeed network communications seemed smaller Brazil On other impersonal nature American society technology between Since flying south seemed logical begin there After meeting couple English friends Pensacola Florida spent driving Orleans delta Jackson Mississippi From there Charlottesville Virg degrees eastern seaboard Cambridge Massachusetts We hopped across Madison Wisconsin couple This crammed weeks bemused strange novelty country I little check modify ihitial impressions In rerospec I believe mistake started Deep South I imagined since America likely elements common Brazil would interesting comparison As insufficient prevented discovering whether might certainly superficial level different indeed Travelling motel motel Lolita Humbert Humbert played guessing Still culture shock I remember vividly lunatic newspapers sprawling garish advertisement ridden towns The shopping cemtres filled pasty faced tense lo0king whites morose looking negroes appeared suffer malnutrition Brazilian Most depressing journeys through countrysidewhere passe decrepit wooden cabins melancholy negroes sitting rocking chairs staring glazedumseeing nothing The decay sadness powerful country Conversations white black people motels garages shops restaurants artificial constrained highly unsatisfactory I renlember everywhere automatic forced smiles sensed istrust Nowhere there glinnmer warmth The contrast Brazil partic ularly frightening seemed nearest approxim ation I I should second tinle these early inpressions justified Because reached Virginia sense shock alienation diuinished cotangents below refer iupressions gathered during remainder visit One attractive elements American brioo Although observation frequently before primary characteristic I found peculiar United States I sensed other country force The cobination energy innocence Jamesian sense enthusiasm moreover particularly vivid after England Brazil Americans individuals collectively present optimism I suspect continues stimulate Europeans Nevertheless confidence exuded powers nature feeling solve problem sceptic dilemma On going problem solving optimism infectious exhilarating other feels tiring unspiritual charge commonly against Americans Latin Americans therefore obscurely istaken Although bounce especially obvious field technol ogical innovation mindedness departures ramping progress capitalism brought which Americans displayed intellectual curiosity About Brazil exaple which inevitably times topic conversation Americans reluctant admit their ignorance basic questions appeared about subject Without wanting Ancient Mariner reaction English street presented strong contrast American He would politelywhether I enjoyed living Brazil facetious remark about coffee Indians revolutions immediately change subject The uninhibited directness 6uriosity Americans quality often dismissed people England subtlety I found attractive While United tates I often American friends Vietnam their racial problems heavily people minds resulting questioning mature country enormously Although doubts leading greater circumspection probably always salutary would every aspect America confidence nation undermined Surely recent British foreign policy hardly proved confidence beneficial decision making I liked flexibility attitude professionals their Unlik English starting bottom often content crawl slowly ranks organization Americans seemed aware possibilities diagonal promotion This manoeuvrability strongly reflected academic carer structure In country standardized salaries early secity often leisurely apprsach In America pressure publish insec urity initial stages university market relatively salary structure undoubtedly effective spurs It maintained England appears print America worth publishing Although justified certain disciplines seems mnall price advantages increased productivity From I class system America appeared oppressive those England Brazil Class ranking United States doubtless pernicio eects I sense refreshing divine order which continues permeate British society On assumption primary criteria distinguishing class Aerica wealth appear affect relationships extent complex English system It seemed Americans confronted other individuals rather stereotype products their class This moreover applied people different colour pleasing small incidents white clmaning shoes black watch which talked gardener On Washington overheard animated debate between white coloured where quality discus though heated again uninhibited It difficult imagine similar scene taking place England present moment The negroes United States defensive rvility shown English immigrants their behaviour whites Wites display compensatory solicitude typical white English liberals If confrontations etwQon Americans ifferen colour those mentioned commonplace there seems After Brazil technology American communications distribution general gadgetry amazed Although impersonality distressing efficiency machinery sometimes feeling alienation With extremes Brazil America fommer warmth confusion everyday absence logic latter clinical efficiency I fOund England return infuriating By offering neither attractions Brazilian methods advantages Americanwe England example large impersonal supermarkets neither earparks freezes rational In Brazil telephone would probably taken manager office private telephone there charge In Americapublic telephones everywhere within reach But England shopkeeper ephone visible would instructions minutes explain firmly customers These exanples though trivial themselves nevertheless significant illustrate realized state nology England moment We introduced impersonality without efficiency unhappy compromise I would prefer despite obvious defects Brazilian state affairs I appreciated America Motorists seemed beyond stage being obsessed tieir vehicles instead treated functional objects They ppear ertaking accelerating speeding relief newspapers agazines filled tedious articles driving techniqdes polishes engine specifications These observations might proved unfounded certainly universality seemed created healthier attitude towards found countries where still luxury The motor America dhowever disfigured countryside directly indirectly other country I I disliked public squalor evident throughout urban rural parts America I A general landscaping shown dreary sprawling cities endless ribbon development brassy motels network overhead wires cracked surfaces dumps I unimpressed middle class suburbs their ordered atmosphere unfenced garde reminded Surrey South London suburbs their slavish adherence conform Although I hoped wealth might experimentation domestic architecture I disappointingly little being The around Charlottesville especially memmrable respect I never imagined would possible bcome oughly elegant colonial colonial architecture relief The construction further colonial facsimiles extremely The deadness centres largest cities hotch potch destruction natural features areas along Earn seaboard alarming I never country macro planning evertheless earlier period apparently unlimited space could provide justification expamsion excuse deferring effect contr development I found extremely disturbing almost universal AmeriCan obsession physical material comfort It seemed technology relating housing communications directed eliminating physical discomfort costs doing seriously affected priorities values people themselves Physical sensation aready reduced alarming degree little protest I perhaps impressed phenomenon after living Brazil where natural world still close undominated This struck vividly shortly after arriving tatesj travelling magnificent weather Greyhound The windows airtight tinted right green springing whooshy airconditioning flesh permanently goose pimpled This totally environment being reassuring I found acutely claustro phobic Ilonged attheveryleasttoopenawindow andwassurprisedthat other passengers appeared The petty example I helps across I Too often conditioning central heating turned clearly needed Cars oversprung chairs unpleasant feeling floating Even mosquito netting seemed cases physical rotect psychological defence against outside worldj rs_naturae respectable distance After seeing Americans preoccupation physical comfort protection their concern abroad bacame under standable Since United States natural world often excluded everyday inevitable contact devel countries worrying frightening Moreover protection resulted vicious circm fears become justified As resistance disease lowered occasion contact germs insects eliminate increases As extension striving demand effort appeared decreasing Even walking hundred yards seemed considered On Island large black saloon drive cross other front house immediately opposite The American friends funny I explained laughing Motorized caddies could anything paradoxical other paraphernalia designed elmin physical effort prevented appreciation countless natural pleasures Surely warmth after after physical exertion respite everyday enjoyable It remove Childbirth might possible illustration desire inate unpleasant physical effort sensation I would guess thatnot great majority American women would asked shoose totally anaesthetized during labour rather suffering minimal amount It obvious however retaining consciousness possible there isomoreover distinct possibility retrospect worthwhile pleasurable experience For hypothetical American mother process would worst simply experience It describe impressions social manners America I bewildering divorce between business social behaviour Although business elationships seemed brisk practical highly effective purely social confrontations I situation different In these I sensed anisms counteract latent competition hostility between individuals Self conscious slapping banter among blanket politeness often characterized relationships Yet beneath veneer seemed there frequently warmth figures remained remote other I remember lolay acting while innermest thoughts otions remained concealed I impression people tended protect their innermost personalities exterior social world social arena With strictly formulated conventions Thus displays rather sickening sentimentality superficially heightened emotion shorthand symbols rather demonstrations feeling This generalization absurd scale possible which I doubt characteristic social situation America would bland smooth slightly unreal quality about The acting social seemed natural reslonse impersonality wider social environment The competitive element Republican values pioneer enterprise complex pressures generated super capitalist society individual uneasy situation feeling common solution Americans depend coterie kinsmen close friends extend their concern social conscience little beyond This genuine concern others deeper impression reorted violence brutality American An incident second country remained vivid memory When travelling New Orleans crashed other speed cross roads Numerous pedes trains passing We stopped whther victimm needed happened already engaged swearing match Yet single apart pulled pedestrian displayed interest whatsoever affair This other violent inexplicable feeling being alone Although sensation neither worrying unpleasant I occasionally totally isolated convinced I after myself nobody would bother It American society epected degree dependence regarded positive value If impression foundation serve further fragment society Automation undoubtedly helped individuals dependent others therefore aspects unpleas antly impersonal Motels perhaps extreme exaz21e victim isolation experiment sensationless glycerine It coincidence I remember every night spent hotels Brazil those spent American motels The standardization human contact lattr terrifying I referred chaos discomfort primitive hotel Brazilian interior their clinical efficiency Technology marketing techniques diaastrous things Milk almost ceased resemblance liquiQ bread defied description Moreover although mouth scientists ingenuity removing carbohydrates caffein coffee great variety nominally different foods tasted depressingly alike This bacame surprising I noted enormous range common ingredient Two favourite adjectives describe these foods wholesome Wholesome Alas turned often I however appreciate choice available searched custom serving salads meals The general subject discussed America length weather discussed England I found American variant quite tedious Englishif With however common exercise maximum exploitation manufacturers widespread interest carbohydrate consumption understandable In broad terms I found domestic sexes disturbing Although contrast bewteen North East Brazil United States extreme roles their different seemed uneasy In North East Brazil wives still little chattels their husbands America husbands seemed danger bacoming chattels their wives I impressed dominance women passivity The premiss popularly ascribed Americans apart physiological differences sexes alike appeared great uncertainty which resulted unnecessary tension conflict I subscribe strongly women amental different psychologically therefore seeed unsubtle society allocate identical functions within elsewhere Emancipation wholesale simulation traditional there country world battle between sexes meaning I should thought would United States The complexity America makes valid generalization difficult impossible Furthermore pecuarly since features common England continuous comparisons between countries would easier tackle wholly alien culture I doubt whether possible eneral feelings about America which smack fragmentary experience unwitting judice Certainly impressions reflect I suspect observations character describe things I return longer which would modify these impressions value judgements I after Weeks America exciting country I havexever visited difficult culture oratory giving world future laboratories though exciting sympathetic places YOurs sincerely Fanny Mitchell Received New York May