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This article parodies the mid-century American (which they are framing as a prototypical cosmopolitan white), however, they fail to acknowledge that this was typical of the medium everywhere.

It was typical in mid-century Cuba, France, Japan, Brazil, etc. It wasn’t a uniquely American quality.

It was the product of the times and the technology —just as today the problem with disinformation and information control is everywhere and not just in America.



> however, they fail to acknowledge that this was typical of the medium everywhere. It was typical in mid-century Cuba, France, Japan, Brazil, etc. It wasn’t a uniquely American quality.

They aren't arguing that this state of affairs was uniquely American...


No, it’s heavily implied. As if Americans are uniquely qualified to generate “the bad things”.

“In the beginning, there were ABC, NBC, and CBS, and they were good. Midcentury American man…”

“Over frequencies our American never tuned in to…”


That doesn't imply that these things are uniquely American, it only means that the article is scoped to America. If you write an article about the sky and point out that it's blue, it doesn't imply that the sky is the only thing that is blue.


I read these as American writing about America and issues there. It is ok for Americans to write about America itself, it is ok for them to not have to make international comparative study from every opinion piece.


This is true but the piece is relying heavily on tropes to support its arguments.




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