Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
TIME OUT - Coggle Diagram
TIME OUT
VACATIONS
School summer holidays last 10-12 weeks, originally to allow children to help on farms
Two weeks of annual vacation, often rushed and supplemented with long weekends
Today, parents use program and camps to keep kids busy and independent
SHOP TILL THEY DROP
Malls serve as suburban hubs for shopping, socilaizing, and leisure
-
Luxuries elsewhere (cars, electronics) are seen as essentials in the US
-
Online shopping is huge but still about 20% of total spending; many prefer physical stores to touch items
Shopping is easy: refunds are hassle-free, though sales tax applies
Americans love shopping; consumerism is widespread due to cheap goods, constant new trends, and a disposable mindset
Over 75% of Ameicans shop online, but in-person shopping remains central
HOW TO PAY
-
-
Contactless and smartphone payments are common, even in taxis
-
Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, AmEx) are widely accpeted; best for travelers
SPORTS-PLAY BALL!
PURPOSE
-
Also big business (scholarships, huge salaries, media)
BASEBALL
Professional level: Major League (American League&National League, 15 teams each)
Season: April-October, then playoffs & World Series (best of 7)
-
Nostalgia, rituals: singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", food (pretzels, crackerjack)
-
-
AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Season: September - December, playoffs in January → Super Bowl in Feb
-
NFL: 32 teams, 2 conferences
-
-
SOCCER
-
Women's US team very successful (World Cups, olympics)
-
-
-
OTHER SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS
-
-
-
NASCAR → Daytona 500, Indianaapolis 500
-
EATING OUT
Defining American food: There is no single national dish; American food is largely defined by comfort foods and dishes Americanized from immigrant cuisines
Reason for Dining out: Americans frequently eat out for socializing, convenience, and value
-
Ordering complexity: Ordering is often characterized by a bewildering number of choices, especially concerning coffee milk, ways to prepare eggs, and selections of bread and salad dressings
Other laws: Smoking is banned in most workplaces and public venues like bars. Marijuana is legalized in many states for recreational use, but restrictions on where you can smoke must be checked, and driving while high is illegal
Health and food: Fast food is ubiquitous, and the emphasis on "supersizing" contributes to health concerns
Dining norms: Manners are generally relaxed. Friends usually "go Dutch" to split the bill. It is acceptable to ask for a "doggie bag" for large pprtions
Beverage culture: The minimum drinking age is 21 (ID required). Coffee is preferred. with cafes often serving as "virtual offices." tea service is generally unceremonious, but the South features "sweet tea"
Cutlery use: Americans typically cut food, then switch the fork to the right hand for eating
Tipping is mandatory: Service workers rely on tips. The standard is 15 to 20% for good restaurant service. Many calculate the tip to total about 25% of the bill, including tax
CULTURE
THEATER
Notable authours: Arthur Miller, Eugene O'Neill, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, David Mamet, August Wilson, Tony Kushner, John Guare
-
American playwrights confront social issues directly, entertaining and moving generations of audiences
-
MUSIC
Story-driven evolution: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! revolutionized musicals by integrating song and dance to advance the plot, moving beyond simple entertainment
Stephen Sondheim challenged musical conventions with complex works like Company and Sweeny Todd, known for their distinctive music and lyrics
Classical musicals: Timeless productions like "Showboat and Forty - Second Street" are regularly such as revived, featuring works by composers such as Irving Berlin and Cole Porter known for blending American themes, humor, and memorable songs
Broadway increasingly features musicals based on popular Disney films and other movies, often with music by composers like Alan Menken
OPERA AND SYMPHONY
George Gershwin and Aaron Copland are considered the most evocative American composers. Leonard Bernstein is also a major figure
-
-
John Philip Sousa marches, like "The Stars and Stripes Forever" define American musical patriotism
-
BOOKS
Major literary themes include the African-American experience, big city crime (Chandler, Hammett), and suburban middle-class life (Updike, Cheever)
Amazon sells half of all books in the US, but independent bookstore are surviving, partially by offering pick-up services during lockdowns
American writing explores vast themes, from Edgar Allan Poe's horror to Transcendentalist idealism, and captures the American experience through authors like Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Steinbeck, and Stephen King
-
VISUAL ARTS
Homegrown art was a late start but the US now products outstanding artists. Many American works remain in the US
The USA is a pioneer in visual arts, promoting not just painting, but also photography, graphic design, and folk art
-
-
FILM
-
-
-
-
American film is a successful blend of art, science, and business that shapes global sensibilities
GAMING
-
The average gamer is 33 years old, plays over 14 hours a week, and is almost equally likely to be male or female
Gaming is a colossal $37 billion industry in the US, exceeding the combined spending on movies and music
-
-