Colour me culture: the conflict of a celebrity cult

44 comments

in community,home,identity,origin,self-image

British war mottos courtesy of Treehugger.com

By FIGEN ÇAKIR

Why is Martha Stewart unpopular in Europe? A design blog run by an American living in Germany recently asked this question. The answer is very simple for me on a personal level, but the comments of others surprised me as people openly criticized each others’ culture.

Most commenters were irate at the assumption that American culture is expected to be rife in Europe.

With media coverage Stewart received in Europe focussed on her sentencing, the majority agreed that Europeans hardly embrace people with criminal records as celebrities.

These anti-Martha sentiments were echoed at a recent international design conference in South Africa — a nation colonised by North Europeans — complete with a backlash on Twitter about Stewart’s shallow, promotional presentation to a room of her peers.

At the design blog I shared how I consider the UK a bit plain for such a demanding brand as Martha Stewart. Due to the war-torn years, the UK  managed to be frugal and this left a legacy of indifference to exaggerated styles, objects and people.

My humble opinion amused a German, whose opinion of the Brits differed. I also learned that Swedes are ‘sensitive to obvious branding’, which might explain the South African reaction, and felt refreshed by the comment of American Diana Brennan. She wrote “it would be lovely to live in a world where such a ‘brand’ doesn’t exist.”

In cultural conversation, whether about design or politics, crafting or the cult of personality, how do we make our point without insulting other cultures?
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Interior designer Figen Çakır lives in Turkey with her husband and two children dividing her time between developing an online venue for creativity and fostering a love of Turkish fiber and traditional arts.
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  4. Smile, you’re in the West
  5. How do you say…me?

Tagged as: Blue Peter, branding, Britain, British, celebrity, convict, crafting, criminal, cult of personality, cultural disconnect, Decor8, design, design blog, design conference, Diana Brennan, Europe, European, expat+HAREM series, Figen Çakır, frugality, German, Germany, Holly Becker, home arts, INDABA, interior decorating, interior design, Martha Stewart, recycling, self promotion, South Africa, South African, Swede, Swedish, UK, United Kingdom

  • http://www.google.com/profiles/knitbox Figen Cakir

    Goodness, I don’t remember when I last enjoyed reading comments so much!

    The intense need to avoid insult to others in terms of nationality, religion, taste, etc. can be so limiting to our freedom in expressing personal choices; to an outsider, Martha seems to be America’s beloved icon and, in my mind, I’m afraid openly disliking her would make me look an anti-American. Here, I see many Americans disliking her! It’s the same with Jamie Oliver, for example. When I mentioned to a certain US friend of mine who’s enamored with him – she knows who she is! – that half the UK find him annoying she was surprised.

    I never thought about the furniture obsession before – maybe that’s why I can never buy ‘sets’ which is so popular here in Turkey… everything has to match. I bought all my furniture in bits and wanted each piece to have a story so perhaps this is because I grew up surrounded by eclectic, inherited bits and bobs. My husband half-ruined it when we needed an extra armchair and he – to surprise me – ordered one matching one of our sofas. I had myself bargained hard with the store to sell me just the sofa from the unique set, or ‘takim’, they were selling. My inward groan was very deep, suffice it to say.
    .-= Figen Cakir’s latest blog ..Weaving without tools =-.

    • http://www.bazaarbayar.com Catherine Bayar

      I’m wondering who would be a beloved American icon we could all agree upon these days? ;-D

      Interesting you mention Jamie Oliver. I’m one of those who admire him for what he’s attempting to do with his “Food Revolution”. I’ve only watched the first episode, but he had to do exactly what your post is about: make a very valid point about what horrible eating habits in America are doing to children, while walking a fine line not to insult an entire town. He was not successful and had many in power against him, even though he was trying to help them see the harm they were doing. Perhaps they over-dramatized the situation for TV (he was in tears of frustration at one point), but it’s a great example of an outsider running up against the closed minds of a culture.

      As for ‘matching’ furniture…don’t get me started!

      • http://anastasiaashman.wordpress.com/about/ Anastasia

        Funny, Catherine and Figen, I just tweeted this week, asking if my own hometown’s holier-than-thou food policewoman (Chez Panisse’s Alice Waters!) could take a lesson from Jamie Oliver….Here’s the Los Angeles Times article on the animosity she inspires. I guess the answer is no, if he’s not more loved than she is, for her strong opinions on what we should be eating. Both of them think we should get back to basics. Waters thinks we should be growing our own, as well, organically. And our beef should be grass-fed. It seems Oliver’s only asking us to be able to identify a fresh potato when we see it.

        • http://inesedesign.com/Home.html Inese Liepina

          In order to start a revolution you have to be somewhat of an uncompromising fanatic, but these are not endearing qualities. If Jamie and Alice were not as single minded we would not even know of them because they would not matter. All their ideas would be watered down by compromise to get people to like them.

          I just saw the film Julie & Julia. How about Julia Childs, how is her rating?

        • http://www.bazaarbayar.etsy.com Catherine Bayar

          Yes, in that episode I saw, a roomful of 8-year-olds could not identify a cluster of vine-ripened tomatoes! “Oh, is THAT where ketchup comes from?” Well, sort of. Alice would have hung her head in shame…
          .-= Catherine Bayar’s latest blog ..Wool Prayer Rug =-.

          • http://www.google.com/profiles/knitbox Figen Cakir

            Well, personally I love Jamie, in fact I love anyone who is so passionately single-minded about doing something good for children. I think nations will always be divided about their strong celebrities. It must be the either love’em or hate’em syndrome : )

            As for an icon everyone can agree upon, Catherine. I racked my brains on this one and couldn’t come up with one neither side of the pond! Politicians, ‘celebrities’, cooks/crafters more at home in a boardroom… the choice is pretty dismal! On second thoughts, I would probably vote for Jamie Oliver this side of the pond and for over there Angelina Jolie, despite the fierce face. I envy her not at all for having Pitt but for being financially able to give away millions for children and adopt a dozen herself…

  • http://www.google.com/profiles/knitbox Figen Cakir

    Goodness, I don’t remember when I last enjoyed reading comments so much!

    The intense need to avoid insult to others in terms of nationality, religion, taste, etc. can be so limiting to our freedom in expressing personal choices; to an outsider, Martha seems to be America’s beloved icon and, in my mind, I’m afraid openly disliking her would make me look an anti-American. Here, I see many Americans disliking her! It’s the same with Jamie Oliver, for example. When I mentioned to a certain US friend of mine who’s enamored with him – she knows who she is! – that half the UK find him annoying she was surprised.

    I never thought about the furniture obsession before – maybe that’s why I can never buy ‘sets’ which is so popular here in Turkey… everything has to match. I bought all my furniture in bits and wanted each piece to have a story so perhaps this is because I grew up surrounded by eclectic, inherited bits and bobs. My husband half-ruined it when we needed an extra armchair and he – to surprise me – ordered one matching one of our sofas. I had myself bargained hard with the store to sell me just the sofa from the unique set, or ‘takim’, they were selling. My inward groan was very deep, suffice it to say.
    .-= Figen Cakir’s latest blog ..Weaving without tools =-.

    • http://www.bazaarbayar.blogspot.com Catherine Bayar

      I’m wondering who would be a beloved American icon we could all agree upon these days? ;-D

      Interesting you mention Jamie Oliver. I’m one of those who admire him for what he’s attempting to do with his “Food Revolution”. I’ve only watched the first episode, but he had to do exactly what your post is about: make a very valid point about what horrible eating habits in America are doing to children, while walking a fine line not to insult an entire town. He was not successful and had many in power against him, even though he was trying to help them see the harm they were doing. Perhaps they over-dramatized the situation for TV (he was in tears of frustration at one point), but it’s a great example of an outsider running up against the closed minds of a culture.

      As for ‘matching’ furniture…don’t get me started!

      • http://www.expatharem.com/identity-messages/ Anastasia

        Funny, Catherine and Figen, I just tweeted this week, asking if my own hometown’s holier-than-thou food policewoman (Chez Panisse’s Alice Waters!) could take a lesson from Jamie Oliver….Here’s the Los Angeles Times article on the animosity she inspires. I guess the answer is no, if he’s not more loved than she is, for her strong opinions on what we should be eating. Both of them think we should get back to basics. Waters thinks we should be growing our own, as well, organically. And our beef should be grass-fed. It seems Oliver’s only asking us to be able to identify a fresh potato when we see it.

        • http://inesedesign.com/Home.html Inese Liepina

          In order to start a revolution you have to be somewhat of an uncompromising fanatic, but these are not endearing qualities. If Jamie and Alice were not as single minded we would not even know of them because they would not matter. All their ideas would be watered down by compromise to get people to like them.

          I just saw the film Julie & Julia. How about Julia Childs, how is her rating?

        • http://www.bazaarbayar.blogspot.com Catherine Bayar

          Yes, in that episode I saw, a roomful of 8-year-olds could not identify a cluster of vine-ripened tomatoes! “Oh, is THAT where ketchup comes from?” Well, sort of. Alice would have hung her head in shame…
          .-= Catherine Bayar’s latest blog ..Wool Prayer Rug =-.

          • http://www.google.com/profiles/knitbox Figen Cakir

            Well, personally I love Jamie, in fact I love anyone who is so passionately single-minded about doing something good for children. I think nations will always be divided about their strong celebrities. It must be the either love’em or hate’em syndrome : )

            As for an icon everyone can agree upon, Catherine. I racked my brains on this one and couldn’t come up with one neither side of the pond! Politicians, ‘celebrities’, cooks/crafters more at home in a boardroom… the choice is pretty dismal! On second thoughts, I would probably vote for Jamie Oliver this side of the pond and for over there Angelina Jolie, despite the fierce face. I envy her not at all for having Pitt but for being financially able to give away millions for children and adopt a dozen herself…

  • http://avagabonde.blogspot.com/ Vagabonde

    As a French expat in the US I find it exceedingly difficult to talk about French health care to Americans. They do not want to hear that France has been voted no.1 in the world for its health care. Very often they will say that this is only good for socialists. I find that many Americans don’t like to think that another country may do something better than their own. If I would talk about the good points of another culture, they would brand me as putting the US down.

    • http://inesedesign.com/Home.html Inese Liepina

      As an American expat living in Latvia with socialized medicine where a trip to the doctor costs $3.00, its ironic that Latvians do not want to hear or believe that something in their country works. They gripe that US incomes are higher and hate to hear me say, yes, but they are not 10 or 100 times higher, but health care costs are 10-100 times higher in the US.

      I’m frustrated in the opposite direction.

    • http://www.bazaarbayar.etsy.com Catherine Bayar

      @Vagabonde and Inese – I agree with both of you! The majority of Americans in the US definitely do not want to hear that they are not #1 in everything. American expats like me certainly appreciate the fact that I can get a state of the art mammogram in Turkey for $15, while the same procedure could cost me well over $300 in CA. Americans need to leave their country to see what they are missing, and as we know, barely 20% even have a passport. They’re quick to believe in ‘death panels’, but no one wants to hear that a country like Turkey could offer better care for far less money.

      As for the Turks, they’re like the Latvians Inese describes, at least in my small town. They will not believe me when I tell them that yes, Americans make more money, but at the end of the month, it’s all spent, PLUS the credit cards are maxed out! Obviously, not everyone is like this, but it’s frustrating to live in two worlds and not be believed in either about such day to day issues.
      .-= Catherine Bayar’s latest blog ..Tree of Life Lace Wool Mitts =-.

    • http://www.eclectopedia.com Sarah

      Vagabonde, Inese, Catherine-

      My experience is similar to Inese and Catherine’s. It was horrifying to me right after the Revolution in the Czechoslovakia to hear people talking proudly about how they would soon have a ‘free market’ in medicine and be ‘just like America’. When I told them America was the last model they should want to follow for health care they just got irate and accused me of being a Communist. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed and they now have a pretty good universal health program with the biggest (though not the only) insurance company government run. I’ve been quite happy with my health care here, and very worried, until the passage of the health care bill, about some of my family in America.

      I’ve never understood why this strange hypersensitivity in America to the least suggestion that any country might be better than us in any way. Maybe it’s a side effect (a negative one) of our enormous diversity. Since there’s so little, beyond the handful of ideas and ideals we started with, that’s truly ‘American’ we have to define ourselves with vague, simplistic catch-phrases: We’re ‘free’ or ‘independent’, we don’t have anything very specific or concrete associated with us– so we have to be ‘the best’ or ‘the biggest’. Too bad. I wish we’d go back to and really embrace our motto: E Pluribus Unum (Unity in Diversity).
      .-= Sarah’s latest blog ..Ada and I =-.

      • http://www.google.com/profiles/knitbox Figen Cakir

        There used to be a ‘size’ issue with American tourists in London – they did everything bigger – but this was decades ago and I’ve never come across any Americans anywhere else behaving like that. Perhaps teeny tiny London brought it out in them?? I think it’s different for emerging countries who look to well-publicized ‘dreams come true’ for inspiration for a new world. In Turkey, ordinary local people are very nice to foreigners and think we know it all. At home in the UK, I grew up with racial definitions of others, mostly based on the behavioural patterns of the tourists. Developed countries are established, comfortable in their own skin, history, culture and services – they don’t look at Americans, or the British or whoever, with starry eyes. And, the funny thing is, that when you think about it, the US is also made up of people originating from the very countries to which it looks so perfect! I always wonder, to whom do Turkish people in the street – or any ordinary person from other emerging countries – actually attribute such a seemingly-perfect US system? Irish? Italians? Chinese? Spanish? Dutch? Eastern European? African?!!?

  • http://avagabonde.blogspot.com/ Vagabonde

    As a French expat in the US I find it exceedingly difficult to talk about French health care to Americans. They do not want to hear that France has been voted no.1 in the world for its health care. Very often they will say that this is only good for socialists. I find that many Americans don’t like to think that another country may do something better than their own. If I would talk about the good points of another culture, they would brand me as putting the US down.

    • http://inesedesign.com/Home.html Inese Liepina

      As an American expat living in Latvia with socialized medicine where a trip to the doctor costs $3.00, its ironic that Latvians do not want to hear or believe that something in their country works. They gripe that US incomes are higher and hate to hear me say, yes, but they are not 10 or 100 times higher, but health care costs are 10-100 times higher in the US.

      I’m frustrated in the opposite direction.

    • http://www.bazaarbayar.blogspot.com Catherine Bayar

      @Vagabonde and Inese – I agree with both of you! The majority of Americans in the US definitely do not want to hear that they are not #1 in everything. American expats like me certainly appreciate the fact that I can get a state of the art mammogram in Turkey for $15, while the same procedure could cost me well over $300 in CA. Americans need to leave their country to see what they are missing, and as we know, barely 20% even have a passport. They’re quick to believe in ‘death panels’, but no one wants to hear that a country like Turkey could offer better care for far less money.

      As for the Turks, they’re like the Latvians Inese describes, at least in my small town. They will not believe me when I tell them that yes, Americans make more money, but at the end of the month, it’s all spent, PLUS the credit cards are maxed out! Obviously, not everyone is like this, but it’s frustrating to live in two worlds and not be believed in either about such day to day issues.
      .-= Catherine Bayar’s latest blog ..Tree of Life Lace Wool Mitts =-.

    • http://www.eclectopedia.com Sarah

      Vagabonde, Inese, Catherine-

      My experience is similar to Inese and Catherine’s. It was horrifying to me right after the Revolution in the Czechoslovakia to hear people talking proudly about how they would soon have a ‘free market’ in medicine and be ‘just like America’. When I told them America was the last model they should want to follow for health care they just got irate and accused me of being a Communist. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed and they now have a pretty good universal health program with the biggest (though not the only) insurance company government run. I’ve been quite happy with my health care here, and very worried, until the passage of the health care bill, about some of my family in America.

      I’ve never understood why this strange hypersensitivity in America to the least suggestion that any country might be better than us in any way. Maybe it’s a side effect (a negative one) of our enormous diversity. Since there’s so little, beyond the handful of ideas and ideals we started with, that’s truly ‘American’ we have to define ourselves with vague, simplistic catch-phrases: We’re ‘free’ or ‘independent’, we don’t have anything very specific or concrete associated with us– so we have to be ‘the best’ or ‘the biggest’. Too bad. I wish we’d go back to and really embrace our motto: E Pluribus Unum (Unity in Diversity).
      .-= Sarah’s latest blog ..Ada and I =-.

      • http://www.google.com/profiles/knitbox Figen Cakir

        There used to be a ‘size’ issue with American tourists in London – they did everything bigger – but this was decades ago and I’ve never come across any Americans anywhere else behaving like that. Perhaps teeny tiny London brought it out in them?? I think it’s different for emerging countries who look to well-publicized ‘dreams come true’ for inspiration for a new world. In Turkey, ordinary local people are very nice to foreigners and think we know it all. At home in the UK, I grew up with racial definitions of others, mostly based on the behavioural patterns of the tourists. Developed countries are established, comfortable in their own skin, history, culture and services – they don’t look at Americans, or the British or whoever, with starry eyes. And, the funny thing is, that when you think about it, the US is also made up of people originating from the very countries to which it looks so perfect! I always wonder, to whom do Turkish people in the street – or any ordinary person from other emerging countries – actually attribute such a seemingly-perfect US system? Irish? Italians? Chinese? Spanish? Dutch? Eastern European? African?!!?

  • http://www.expatharem.com/identity-messages/ Anastasia

    I’m an American non-fan as well… MS came to prominence when I was out of the country so the first time I saw her was in an American Express commercial in which she was supposedly making a mosaic of her cut up credit cards — on the bottom of her swimming pool. I didn’t buy it. Ever after I was struck by what I saw as inauthenticity in her claims. I know she didn’t do all the work, and yet she rarely gave anyone else credit. I’m a proponent of reinvention, but I felt uncomfortable that she might be reinventing the source of her work. In fact, what exactly *is* her taste? Her style?

    Once an unsettled friend who was apparently annoyed with my ‘nesting’ — I was having fun arranging some miniature pears from the green market on a double-tiered silver candy tray I received as a wedding gift — called me Martha Stewart. I didn’t like the insinuation, nor the thought that doing anything artistic for your own living amusement was somehow branded with her name, like she invented it or something.

    A UK friend on Twitter told me today that a British politician was once derided as “the type of person who buys his own furniture”. That’s also how UK culture seems to me: there is a strong connection to heirlooms, and inherited spaces, however wonky. Complete makeovers erase those connections.

    As for talking about other cultures without being insulting, I’d agree with @CatherineYigit that it can be a function of who’s listening, and who we’re talking to, and what the setting is (and what the parameters are). I like to have fun with close friends about all kinds of cultural observations but in a public setting where the mutual goodwill is not ensured, I doubt I’d be so free-wheeling.

    Update: Hey, I think I can apply this cultural insult question to comments by Americans to me about “American culture” I do not feel I embody… like the Martha reference. I’ve also been referred to as “Madonna” at one point. Another cult of personality I did not ascribe to.

    • http://www.bazaarbayar.blogspot.com Catherine Bayar

      Some of my friends and I have a short-hand phrase: “Don’t be so Martha!” as a reality check, when decorating for an event or planning for a dinner leaves the realm of great, manageable fun and heads for over the top, perfection-driven mania. When looking good and being impressive with things is more important than human interaction, something’s drastically wrong.
      .-= Catherine Bayar’s latest blog ..Tree of Life Lace Wool Mitts =-.

      • http://www.bazaarbayar.blogspot.com Catherine Bayar

        Further to my comment, I wonder what short-hand phrases other cultures may have, when discussing social behavior gone awry?

        • http://www.expatharem.com/identity-messages/ Anastasia

          Post! Post! Post! (I mean, maybe you can explore this in an upcoming expat+HAREM post….) :-)

  • http://anastasiaashman.wordpress.com/about/ Anastasia

    I’m an American non-fan as well… MS came to prominence when I was out of the country so the first time I saw her was in an American Express commercial in which she was supposedly making a mosaic of her cut up credit cards — on the bottom of her swimming pool. I didn’t buy it. Ever after I was struck by what I saw as inauthenticity in her claims. I know she didn’t do all the work, and yet she rarely gave anyone else credit. I’m a proponent of reinvention, but I felt uncomfortable that she might be reinventing the source of her work. In fact, what exactly *is* her taste? Her style?

    Once an unsettled friend who was apparently annoyed with my ‘nesting’ — I was having fun arranging some miniature pears from the green market on a double-tiered silver candy tray I received as a wedding gift — called me Martha Stewart. I didn’t like the insinuation, nor the thought that doing anything artistic for your own living amusement was somehow branded with her name, like she invented it or something.

    A UK friend on Twitter told me today that a British politician was once derided as “the type of person who buys his own furniture”. That’s also how UK culture seems to me: there is a strong connection to heirlooms, and inherited spaces, however wonky. Complete makeovers erase those connections.

    As for talking about other cultures without being insulting, I’d agree with @CatherineYigit that it can be a function of who’s listening, and who we’re talking to, and what the setting is (and what the parameters are). I like to have fun with close friends about all kinds of cultural observations but in a public setting where the mutual goodwill is not ensured, I doubt I’d be so free-wheeling.

    Update: Hey, I think I can apply this cultural insult question to comments by Americans to me about “American culture” I do not feel I embody… like the Martha reference. I’ve also been referred to as “Madonna” at one point. Another cult of personality I did not ascribe to.

    • http://www.bazaarbayar.etsy.com Catherine Bayar

      Some of my friends and I have a short-hand phrase: “Don’t be so Martha!” as a reality check, when decorating for an event or planning for a dinner leaves the realm of great, manageable fun and heads for over the top, perfection-driven mania. When looking good and being impressive with things is more important than human interaction, something’s drastically wrong.
      .-= Catherine Bayar’s latest blog ..Tree of Life Lace Wool Mitts =-.

      • http://www.bazaarbayar.etsy.com Catherine Bayar

        Further to my comment, I wonder what short-hand phrases other cultures may have, when discussing social behavior gone awry?

        • http://anastasiaashman.wordpress.com/about/ Anastasia

          Post! Post! Post! (I mean, maybe you can explore this in an upcoming expat+HAREM post….) :-)

  • http://inesedesign.com/Home.html Inese Liepina

    Being from the US Martha made me feel guilty because I didn’t even want to try to equal her perfection, but I do admire her taste. There are so many tacky tasteless crafts in the US. I wish I could just help pick out the colors or yarns because often the quality of craftsmanship is amazing but the end product awful.

    Martha at least has good taste, but this Christmas I was in a friends house near San Francisco, and she had 3 or 4 Christmas trees overloaded with perfect matching ornaments evenly spaced. The entire house was decorated, and I found it creepy instead of Christmasy. This woman has 3 children, where are the hand made decorations, where are the children’s drawings? I can’t imagine that the children even got to help decorate, because, well then it might be crooked, and can’t have that!

    Living in Europe I am glad that I do not have to experience the manic overdone “Martha” holiday decorations. I also find that European crafters with hundreds of years of ethnic crafts information running in their veins just seem to produce more tasteful products. Google “Latvian mittens” and have a look.

    • http://anastasiaashman.wordpress.com/about/ Anastasia

      Inese — 3 or 4 trees in one household? That does sound creepy, more like a hotel or corporate space where the holiday has to be represented equally throughout the rooms, rather than a home with one central living room. It’s also sad to hear the kids don’t have much of a role (or if they did, it was to follow specifications to the letter…)

      I did look up the Latvian mittens. Nice! (Plus, when Americans do crafts with the colors of the flag the result is guaranteed to be tacky.)

  • http://inesedesign.com/Home.html Inese Liepina

    Being from the US Martha made me feel guilty because I didn’t even want to try to equal her perfection, but I do admire her taste. There are so many tacky tasteless crafts in the US. I wish I could just help pick out the colors or yarns because often the quality of craftsmanship is amazing but the end product awful.

    Martha at least has good taste, but this Christmas I was in a friends house near San Francisco, and she had 3 or 4 Christmas trees overloaded with perfect matching ornaments evenly spaced. The entire house was decorated, and I found it creepy instead of Christmasy. This woman has 3 children, where are the hand made decorations, where are the children’s drawings? I can’t imagine that the children even got to help decorate, because, well then it might be crooked, and can’t have that!

    Living in Europe I am glad that I do not have to experience the manic overdone “Martha” holiday decorations. I also find that European crafters with hundreds of years of ethnic crafts information running in their veins just seem to produce more tasteful products. Google “Latvian mittens” and have a look.

    • http://www.expatharem.com/identity-messages/ Anastasia

      Inese — 3 or 4 trees in one household? That does sound creepy, more like a hotel or corporate space where the holiday has to be represented equally throughout the rooms, rather than a home with one central living room. It’s also sad to hear the kids don’t have much of a role (or if they did, it was to follow specifications to the letter…)

      I did look up the Latvian mittens. Nice! (Plus, when Americans do crafts with the colors of the flag the result is guaranteed to be tacky.)

  • http://www.google.com/profiles/theskaiangates Catherine

    It’s a tricky one. But in this case it’s nearly a question of history rather than culture. The memory of rationing from WWII prevented Europe from taking full part in the explosion of consumer culture in the fifties US. Martha would have grown up in this culture, where even crafts are disposable. Of course being the smart business woman she’s also jumped on the Hallmark wagon of creating days that need decoration. I wonder how much her attitude to crafting and decoration differs from her mother (who came from Europe unless I’m mistaken)? (She’s on e2 here, and you can set the language to original English too).

    Is that an insult or a statement? I guess the answer reflects our current bias. If we take the view consumerism is bad, then you could see it as an insult. If we take it that business is best, then go Martha! We shouldn’t forget our own prejudice when reading other people’s opinions.
    .-= Catherine’s latest blog ..To Do, To Don’t =-.

  • http://www.skaiangates.com Yazarc

    It’s a tricky one. But in this case it’s nearly a question of history rather than culture. The memory of rationing from WWII prevented Europe from taking full part in the explosion of consumer culture in the fifties US. Martha would have grown up in this culture, where even crafts are disposable. Of course being the smart business woman she’s also jumped on the Hallmark wagon of creating days that need decoration. I wonder how much her attitude to crafting and decoration differs from her mother (who came from Europe unless I’m mistaken)? (She’s on e2 here, and you can set the language to original English too).

    Is that an insult or a statement? I guess the answer reflects our current bias. If we take the view consumerism is bad, then you could see it as an insult. If we take it that business is best, then go Martha! We shouldn’t forget our own prejudice when reading other people’s opinions.
    .-= Catherine’s latest blog ..To Do, To Don’t =-.

  • http://www.bazaarbayar.etsy.com Catherine Bayar

    Figen, I love this topic – thank you! If you told me you absolutely hated Martha Stewart and the overblown branding she represents, as an American, I would not be the slightest bit insulted; in fact, I’d agree with you wholeheartedly.

    Martha and I may share our nationalities and “crafting” (though I seriously doubt that off-camera she’s made something with her own hands in years; I’ve met some of the enormous crews of artisans she hires). But to me she represents a flaw in American culture – the idea that we can “do it all” perfectly and must aspire to be the envy of our so-called friends. I wish we had here more of your UK “legacy of indifference” – perhaps we would focus less on the superficial, less on acquiring, and more on what really counts.

    So, I guess I can insult my own culture (or laugh at myself, as Isao says), but God forbid I’d be so blunt about another?

    BTW, I do believe Ms Martha does appear dubbed on Turkish TV…

    That “Keep Calm” poster is already set for my new workshop wall, but where can I get the other one? (See, there I go, wanting to acquire again…!)
    .-= Catherine Bayar’s latest blog ..Tree of Life Lace Wool Mitts =-.

  • http://www.bazaarbayar.blogspot.com Catherine Bayar

    Figen, I love this topic – thank you! If you told me you absolutely hated Martha Stewart and the overblown branding she represents, as an American, I would not be the slightest bit insulted; in fact, I’d agree with you wholeheartedly.

    Martha and I may share our nationalities and “crafting” (though I seriously doubt that off-camera she’s made something with her own hands in years; I’ve met some of the enormous crews of artisans she hires). But to me she represents a flaw in American culture – the idea that we can “do it all” perfectly and must aspire to be the envy of our so-called friends. I wish we had here more of your UK “legacy of indifference” – perhaps we would focus less on the superficial, less on acquiring, and more on what really counts.

    So, I guess I can insult my own culture (or laugh at myself, as Isao says), but God forbid I’d be so blunt about another?

    BTW, I do believe Ms Martha does appear dubbed on Turkish TV…

    That “Keep Calm” poster is already set for my new workshop wall, but where can I get the other one? (See, there I go, wanting to acquire again…!)
    .-= Catherine Bayar’s latest blog ..Tree of Life Lace Wool Mitts =-.

  • http://www.google.com/profiles/knitbox Figen Cakir

    I so agree, Isao! And isn’t that how it should be – that we can freely make tongue-in-cheek remarks and non-defamatory jokes about anything and anyone? That we can openly say what/who we like/dislike? It’s only upsetting when such remarks get serious and verge on racism that boundaries get very blurred : )

    I personally have no time for Martha – as a business personality/a brand I find her insincere about crafting – but it has nothing to do with her being an American and that is probably what got blurred in the discussions about her. She could be British, Turkish or Swiss but as long as she’s Martha…

  • http://www.google.com/profiles/knitbox Figen Cakir

    I so agree, Isao! And isn’t that how it should be – that we can freely make tongue-in-cheek remarks and non-defamatory jokes about anything and anyone? That we can openly say what/who we like/dislike? It’s only upsetting when such remarks get serious and verge on racism that boundaries get very blurred : )

    I personally have no time for Martha – as a business personality/a brand I find her insincere about crafting – but it has nothing to do with her being an American and that is probably what got blurred in the discussions about her. She could be British, Turkish or Swiss but as long as she’s Martha…

  • http://isaokato.com Isao

    I am not sure if we can talk about different cultures without insulting someone – that said, I totally enjoy exchanging comments on cultural stereotypes with someone who knows what she is talking about, and also understands that the exchange is a two-way street… That doesn’t happen too often, but I absolutely love mocking and respecting each other at the same time. Laughing at ourselves is the greatest sense of humor we can gain.
    .-= Isao’s latest blog ..Pseudo-Kindle experience 2/2: ownership and mobility are what matters + some poems work =-.

  • http://isaokato.com Isao

    I am not sure if we can talk about different cultures without insulting someone – that said, I totally enjoy exchanging comments on cultural stereotypes with someone who knows what she is talking about, and also understands that the exchange is a two-way street… That doesn’t happen too often, but I absolutely love mocking and respecting each other at the same time. Laughing at ourselves is the greatest sense of humor we can gain.
    .-= Isao’s latest blog ..Pseudo-Kindle experience 2/2: ownership and mobility are what matters + some poems work =-.

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