Americans Quote by Alison Lurie
“Many Americans think of the rest of the world as a kind of Disneyland, a showplace for quaint fauna, flora and artifacts. They dress for travel in cheap, comfortable, childish clothes, as if they were going to the zoo and would not be seen by anyone except the animals.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: "The War Between the Tates" by Alison Lurie, 1978
Travelers treat foreign cultures as amusement, lacking respect and depth.
In simple terms: People view other cultures like a theme park.
Key Takeaway
Travel with humility and curiosity.
Themes
cultural awareness
respect
humility
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
reflective
educational
When to use this quote
- backpacking
- study abroad
- international business
Key Concepts
ethnocentrism
globalism
tourism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you engage authentically abroad?
- What biases do you hold about other cultures?
A Different Perspective
Stereotypes can reinforce division.
![“In other words, all these things you might cling to, Catholicism, democratic ideals, Hasidism, Marxism, Freudianism, all of these things are exposed [through use of psychedelics] as simply quaint cultural artifacts, painted masks and rattles assembled by people of good intent but clearly not great…” quote by Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/89c/terence-mckenna-287_artifacts_in-other-words-all-these-things-you-migh_1201934.jpg)
