how about a thread where we compare some interesting differences...
one thing i've noticed after moving to Germany is that the (perhaps overly) confident swagger encouraged in the United States is very much frowned upon here.
as a kid i was taught to always be humble in China, half full bottle being the loudest and all.
in America i've had to learn to act a little bit "I'm the motherfucking SHIT". this seemed necessary to push myself out there, to get my voice heard, or get my work noticed -- in the corporate sector, art world, music circuit. perhaps yours are different but my experiences in America was that the meek, quiet, and humble do not get the job/gallery space/club booking (or even girl).
but this did not translate well in Germany at all. here it seems like ego should be very much concealed. seems if you walk into a situation with that kind of energy people really just switch off. first time i noticed was when i first got here, one night standing outside a club i was asked what kind of dj i was and i replied "better than the mediocre one in there that's for sure" and the reaction was very clearly not the positive one i expected.
i don't know, maybe this is all so subjective, and dependent on so many other cultural specifics and other factors involving personality and others that a sweeping generalization about an entire culture makes next to no sense (regional differences and all)...
but what's it like in England would you say?
other types of differences welcome...
one thing i've noticed after moving to Germany is that the (perhaps overly) confident swagger encouraged in the United States is very much frowned upon here.
as a kid i was taught to always be humble in China, half full bottle being the loudest and all.
in America i've had to learn to act a little bit "I'm the motherfucking SHIT". this seemed necessary to push myself out there, to get my voice heard, or get my work noticed -- in the corporate sector, art world, music circuit. perhaps yours are different but my experiences in America was that the meek, quiet, and humble do not get the job/gallery space/club booking (or even girl).
but this did not translate well in Germany at all. here it seems like ego should be very much concealed. seems if you walk into a situation with that kind of energy people really just switch off. first time i noticed was when i first got here, one night standing outside a club i was asked what kind of dj i was and i replied "better than the mediocre one in there that's for sure" and the reaction was very clearly not the positive one i expected.
i don't know, maybe this is all so subjective, and dependent on so many other cultural specifics and other factors involving personality and others that a sweeping generalization about an entire culture makes next to no sense (regional differences and all)...
but what's it like in England would you say?
other types of differences welcome...