Like in every country around the world, the American population is divided between two main political trends, we all know that. Their constitution attributes to their president an exceptional status since he physically embodies the nation, the country and its inhabitants.
Thus, as a private person, the president may be loathed or admired, he's not above any criticism. But when it comes to the symbol he represents, he's next to out of reach and unassailable. Somehow, he's the American people per se.
Yet, the respect and admiration Americans generally show toward the very image of their president (that is themselves in the end) sometimes seems rather going a bit too far.
One of the many worth visiting monuments in the US are the Mount Rushmore sculptures carved in the cliffs of South Dakota by an American sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, trained in Paris where he met the famous Auguste Rodin.
It's a great piece of work indeed and very impressive. As a matter of fact, it was meant to be so. Big is beautiful in the New World... I certainly would like to visit, should I travel over there.
But I was wondering, what's the difference with the ancient Egyptians erecting giant statutes of their gods and divinities? Or any tribe of South America or Asia regarding their leaders?
Isn't there a certain totemic relationship between the Americans and their elected president? And is the narcissistic dimension of all this lost on everyone?
Just for the French readers. Can they imagine 60 foot high sculptures of Vercingétorix, Clovis, Louis XIV and Napoleon in the Alps? Having been set up there only 80 years ago?
Thus, as a private person, the president may be loathed or admired, he's not above any criticism. But when it comes to the symbol he represents, he's next to out of reach and unassailable. Somehow, he's the American people per se.
Yet, the respect and admiration Americans generally show toward the very image of their president (that is themselves in the end) sometimes seems rather going a bit too far.
One of the many worth visiting monuments in the US are the Mount Rushmore sculptures carved in the cliffs of South Dakota by an American sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, trained in Paris where he met the famous Auguste Rodin.
It's a great piece of work indeed and very impressive. As a matter of fact, it was meant to be so. Big is beautiful in the New World... I certainly would like to visit, should I travel over there.
But I was wondering, what's the difference with the ancient Egyptians erecting giant statutes of their gods and divinities? Or any tribe of South America or Asia regarding their leaders?
Isn't there a certain totemic relationship between the Americans and their elected president? And is the narcissistic dimension of all this lost on everyone?
Just for the French readers. Can they imagine 60 foot high sculptures of Vercingétorix, Clovis, Louis XIV and Napoleon in the Alps? Having been set up there only 80 years ago?
5 commentaires:
Even more impressive will be the Crazy Horse Monument.
http://www.crazyhorse.org/
ned,
J'aime bien l'idée a priori. Je suppose que les descendants de Crazy horse sont favorables au projet.
Je suis totalement ignorant des cultures indiennes du nord.
La terre des ancêtres etc. peut-elle être attaquée à coups d'explosifs et autres burins?
As a Texan who visited Paris for the first time late last year and who continually defends the rights of the French (like Texans) to have pride in their country and culture, I am very much enjoying your blog.
J'etudie francais aussi dans l'ecole, mais mon parler c'est terrible.
Welcome to "Shall we talk" ari, and thanks for your kind words.
When you were in Paris last year, you may have seen a plaque on a grand hotel near place de la Madeleine, commemorating the Texan ambassy in Paris, France being one of the three countries to recognize the Republic of Texas in 1836.
I used to have a picture of this plaque but it's been lost in my computer's archives.
I missed that! I'll look for it next time I visit. :)
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