Imagination... [OT???]

[Patrick-S&S]

Why is it that I as a Swede have always felt that the Americans have better imagination than say us Europeans? I have a great sense of imagination and most of my family members often tell me that I am more like Georg Lucas than a real Swede. Think about it...

Most great RPGs comes from the US, movies too as well as music. Not to say the Americans are a better breed, but somehow/sometimes I feel more in their league than I do my own countrymen. I have been to the US several times and loved the friends I have made there.

It is like when a new fantasy or science-fiction flick appears on the theaters here it has a far lower chance of getting the same amount of attention (compared to inhabitants of course) than in the US. The same is with most RPGs.

Personally I prefer our history, low-key with GnG gaming, British actors, European porn, and Swedish food, but other than that you Americans seems to have the edge when it comes to imagination and feel for the non-everyday-events. I like that.

Europeans are probably more concerned with squabbling with their neighbors than coming up with great ideas for a weekend game. I am of course ONLY RANTING AND SPECULATING , but there are some stuff that has always made me feel more alive when I was looking/using American made stuff. Keep it up you yankees.

edit: adding bold

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I don`t think that Europeans have a lack of imagination. But the USA have built up a good industry for selling their imaginations. (Most important one probably being hollywood).

Tolkien, Pratchett, Adams and several other famous authors aren`t American.

There do exist many good European movies - look at Cannes - but for some reason, European prefer not to create new worlds, but explore the existing ones.

But since their do exist European Gamemasters, I think there must be some people in Europe that have some imagination.

 

[Bonedagger]

My best guess is that you just have a boring social circel.

The USA is a great place for roleplayinggames compared to europa because of it's huge size and single language.

 

[Patrick-S&S]

I don`t think that Europeans have a lack of imagination. But the USA have built up a good industry for selling their imaginations. (Most important one probably being hollywood).
Tolkien, Pratchett, Adams and several other famous authors aren`t American.

Yes I agree to what you are saying. I didn't mean that Europeans didn't have any imagination (that is not what I wrote either), only that the Americans has a way that makes it seem that they have the upper hand when it comes to the industries I was writing about. There are lot of good stuff in Europe but more so in the US at least when RPGs are concerned.

My best gues is that you just have a boring social circel.

Damn you Danes... I will get drunk this afternoon, take the train over to Denmark (I live in Malmö), and spoil your day by being obnoxious and loud-mouthed. Roligans my ass.

 

[Mark]

I never imagined a European would post something like this...

 

[Patrick-S&S]

I never imagined a European would post something like this...

Why not? Remember to read the whole post accurately... It was a rant and speculation...

 

[Reprisal]

I heard there were some good roleplaying products coming out of France and Germany. I think there is a translated copy of Agone at my "local" gaming store. I took a look, and it seemed to be a neat game. Expensive, hehe, but neat nonetheless.

 

[Bonedagger]

Damn you Danes... I will get drunk this afternoon, take the train over to Denmark (I live in Malmö), and spoil your day by being obnoxious and loud-mouthed. Roligans my ass.

K... But just in case we meet. How will I recognize you?

 

[Patrick-S&S]

K... But just in case we meet. How will I recognize you?

Besides being drunk, obnoxious, and screaming a lot you mean? Well I am heavy built (not fat), have a musketeer kinda beard, half-long hair, is good looking, and will have a lot of Danish chicks in my entourage as well as some good strong Danish Dynamite ale in my hand. Oh yeah, not to mention some great pölse sausages as well. Yummy. Damn, now you are making me want to go over to Copenhagen for real today. It is so easy with the bridge and all, and cheap too.

I heard there were some good roleplaying products coming out of France and Germany. I think there is a translated copy of Agone at my "local" gaming store. I took a look, and it seemed to be a neat game. Expensive, hehe, but neat nonetheless.

Yeah there are great Swedish games as well but as I wrote before this was a rant and although mostly perhaps accurate, Europe has some strong points that the US lack and vice versa. It is not (and this is not directed at Reprisal) a Europe vs. US thread. Only a speculation to why it seems that the US have the upper hand in the imaginary section. That's all.

 

[Wicht]

Perhaps it has a lot to do with culture. Americans tend to value a certain rugged type of individual that is willing to take risks and strike out boldly in new directions, alone if need be, for what he thinks is right. You could call it a cowboy mentality. Europians seem to think, for instance, that calling President Bush a cowboy is an insult and a slap at his character (at least that is what I have seen reported in the news lately). As an american, born in Texas, raised with the desire as a small lad to be a cowboy, the idea that being called a cowboy would be an insult seems to me strange to say the least, I view it as a compliment. IMO the idea of the cowboy, the rugged adventurer and the staunch exploration of the unknown is perhaps the key to american imagination. I do not think that Americans have more imagination than europians, I think that we push our imagination in a different direction than europians, who perhaps (this is just a guess) are raised more to explore their roots and the past.

edit - just to prove a point, an article published today: Supreme court judge is honored to be a cowgirl