What does it mean to "look" American? I am not referring to demographic studies or physical traits of any kind but rather to aesthetics. What does it mean for art or fashion to look American? The answer is naturally subjective, but in the public consciousness, we all have some ideas. On the Fourth of July, people dress and buy products to signify their American-ness. However, this leads to a particular problem. Why do I assume bad things when I see a truck with an American flag in the back? Criticizing the founding fathers becomes a political divider, despite being a natural and necessary response to history. Bringing up the most popular films come a sense of media exhaustion rather than delight.
Why has the display of national aesthetics become a negative signifier? Or rather, why has it become a negative signifier to me? I am less interested in the how than I am in the reality of our present moment. The situation is frustrating because I unironically love my country and want it to be the best it can be. I am hesitant to express this sincere patriotism, not because I fear critics but out of shame. When I see these signifiers, I am filled with a pre-emptive cringe because it usually precedes an uncomfortable experience. This is highly personal and shaped my own story, but I think there is a better way. I believe there is an alternative to this highly commercialized and border-line nationalistic flavor of Americana. There must be more to an American aesthetic that products to be consumed. We must be defined by more than what we consume.
Disclaimer
Before going any further, I would like to make a few disclaimers. Firstly, this is entirely based on my own perception and lived experiences. Folks are invited to expand or push back on anything here. I love learning new information and perspectives. Secondly, these essays are essentially media analysis pieces on how a particular work embraces or pushes back on aspects of “American” art. My primary academic work is in game design; however, I intend to speak on multiple mediums. Thirdly, this series is in no way definitive. It is a living series that I will update as I see fit. I currently have four entries in the writing works and hope to do more as time goes on.
After laying out my general discomfort, I would like to do my best to diagnose the problem. After reflecting on the subject and beginning research, two concepts stand out as the main culprits. To get more specific, I see two core problems with mainstream American Aesthetics: historical dishonesty and commercialization.
Historical Dishonesty
We are really bad at talking about history in the United States. Not every school in the US fails to teach history, but reliably enough to be a severe problem. Historical curriculum is not standard across the country, so everyone learns about it differently. This does not need to be an issue, but when people are not taught that the Civil War was fought over slavery or the Holocaust is omitted from World War II, there is a much bigger problem. This point is really a more significant issue in the United States. It could be an entire series of essays itself. What I write here is not even close to complete, and if the subject is essential to you, please read material by more than just me. The problem with US history is not that it is not patriotic enough. Instead, it is often used to obfuscate essential lessons from the past, thus allowing former atrocities to resurface. For what it is worth, I am not a historian. I am just someone
who is passionate about history and reads a lot about it.
In media, we see dishonesty and problematic elements that run deep in entire genres across multiple mediums. There are things like the inherent racism against indigenous peoples in most westerns or the misunderstanding of prejudice in white savior movies. Outside of film and television, you have American first-person shooters representing sanitized versions of real wars or using lazy design that misinforms the audience. The sad truth is that most mainstream American media is bad at depicting the systems and facts of life that made our world the way it was and often continues to be. This is not a call for 'realism.' art is not reality and should do what it needs to tell a good story. However, when dealing with real struggles, events, and people, creatives owe it to their audience to be honest and not engage in either outright deception or intellectual cowardice.
Commercialization
The second main issue the commercialized nature of art and expression in America. To be fair, I do not live in other countries, so this may be true elsewhere. We have a situation where almost every example one might reach when trying to describe an American aesthetic is something that was at one point authentic but has had its edge stripped away for broader consumption. The alternative is an entirely commercial item that people have been duped into thinking of with cultural worth. Put more succinctly, the commercial production has obscured the labor and craft that initially gave aesthetic meaning. This can apply to literal symbols as well as broader concepts. Two examples that I often think of are the American flag and the idea of freedom. The flag itself has a history and functions as a symbol for the country globally. It has also been turned into shorts, ice cream, disposable napkins, and just about every other product under the sun. While I cannot speak for everyone, the flag is more a signifier of kitsch than patriotism.
On the note of freedom, it is a word that is often more of a symbol of affective override than the philosophical concept. Obviously not in every usage of the word 'freedom,' but the Bush years did a lot to undermine the concept of 'American Freedom' to me. It is a code word that can be invoked to shut down any sensible argument that displeases you. Why are we invading other, smaller countries? Freedom. Why do we have an exploitative, broken health care system? Freedom. In this country, we renamed French fries to "Freedom fries" because another country would not join us in the Iraq War. It is a fetish object in American culture, and I mean that in the word's intended use. These are two examples of the need to force everything to be a buyable/sellable item that prevents people from seeing the history or
meaning behind them.
What now?
My goal here is not merely to whine about my criticisms of mainstream American aesthetics. At the end of the day, this theory is a form of media criticism. When it comes to issues in media, there are two sets of actions that can solve it. If you are an artist, the goal is to read criticism and experience other art to better understand the medium you are working in. For the audience, the goal is to think more critically about the media you consume and (most importantly) to seek out art from outside your comfort zone.
These are broad goals that are both fine and dandy, but what then? Isn’t there someone out there who would tell other people about cool art that builds a better American aesthetic?
I am so glad you asked.
This is what my “American Aesthetics” series is going to be about. “American Aesthetics” is a series of essays/articles on creative works from multiple mediums that I feel embody better examples of what an American aesthetic is. This project was initially one very long essay; however, I decided to change to this serialized format for two reasons: feasibility and accessibility. Having the release schedule be more modular allows me to release entries more frequently and flexibly. The other main reason is that smaller pieces on specific pieces of art are easier to read. It also means that if you just want to hear about Hadestown, you can.
As far as planned pieces go, there are currently a few in the pipeline. The first will be on Hadestown since writing about it got this whole operation kicked off. The next planned essays will be on Where the Water Tastes Like Wine (2018), Sorry to Bother You (2018), and Over the Garden Wall (2014). The order of release is subject to change, especially if current events make one especially pressing.
Final Notes
I have done my best to be brief because this issue is very personal to me. Whist I can link my heritage to my great-grandparents' countries came from, my identity has always been as an "American." The idea really appealed to me since it was an identity that anyone could become. Or so I thought. Everyone has their high-minded ideals brought low as they grow up, but this is one that infuriates me. This nation is for everyone, and to have an aesthetic that is exclusionary as to which stories and perspectives it shows offends me. As a country, I know we can do better because we already have. Despite the widespread criticisms displayed, countless artists in every medium bucking these trends to do incredible work. To build a better American Aesthetic, we need to seek out creativity from different voices. I am one pasty 24-year old with a degree in Game Development just trying to do my part.
Thank you for being here, and without further ado…. Welcome to the American Aesthetics series.
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