memes

To begin with, please read the origins section here. Now, where the fuck do you think jazz originates‽ Who the fuck else would be making a national holiday of the united states declaration of independence‽

Apparently several things I listed originated in the UK, which is fair, we're deeply culturally similar. But I repeat, you really think anyone other than Americans invented jazz music?

You're coming in here starting with your base opinion (America bad and can do nothing worthy of even mild redemption). Yeah a lot of our culture comes from fusion and reinterpretation, it's been barely 500 years since the European rediscovery of the continent. We're a nation of immigrants that's 250 years old. Do you think poutine isn't sufficiently Canadian? If it is, in what way is it different in how much creativity and innovation needed for the US to create basketball?

I assume nothing originating with native American culture will count to you, so no lacrosse. I suspect you'll also not count roasted turkey (a north American bird prepared in a European style) served alongside mashed potatoes (incans and brits can argue over who invented them) with turkey gravy, and a dinner of pumpkin and pecan pies (north American plants, European cooking) in a family focused feast themed around giving thanks on the 3rd Thursday of November (originally suggested by Abraham Lincoln, honoring a mythical dinner between colonists and natives, and later made annual by Franklin Roosevelt), despite this being an annual celebration nobody else does, with traditional foods tied to the dual European and North American identity of our country, that's steeped in history both real and mythological and cultural values such as thanks, family, and gluttony.

But also as I'm typing this out, I'm realizing invention and uniqueness aren't even remotely necessary for something to be considered an important part of culture. Basically every European loves to consider beer (or wine) and bread an important part of their culture and yet all three of these things originated in Mesopotamia. Or is the slight variation in your beers significantly more important than our radical remaining of Chinese food or Cincinnati chili (go ahead, blame someone else for that).

And in what way is it fair to say only Mexico has a cultural claim to chili con carne or only the Taino can consider barbecue part of their culture. Both of these are significant centerpieces to gatherings and local identity in their respective regions.

And we aren't fucking up these things, we're adapting them to our tastes and consuming them ourselves. That's how cultural exchange and evolution happen.