Why can’t we ever emulate the best of America, rather than the worst?

Like most of the world, Malta has embraced a wide range of Americanisms, from Halloween to the concept of baby showers and even a certain type of slang and even expressions which admittedly, irk, a lot of people.

Media infiltration means that the world in many respects has become one globalised culture which connects us, for better or for worse. However, I often wonder why sometimes it is the worst aspects of American culture which make the most impact.

Take the Kardashian culture – the self-obsessed, narcissistic, surreal world inhabited by the Kardashian family; it has taken a very scary, firm grip here. You can see it all around you in the heavily made-up pouting selfies, the stretched masks for faces as women go overboard on botox and facelifts in their search for eternal youth, and the ease with which so many are willing to go under the knife to cut out or augment what nature gave them. (Apart from the fact that the family is famous simply for being on TV and has no real talent between them, which is yet another way we are unfortunately mimicking the worst of American pop culture).

And yet there are countless examples of beautiful female stars who are genuinely talented, have chosen to age gracefully, and do not splash their every private moment on television for everyone to gawk at. So why is that they do not have the same effect? It’s probably for the same reason that we have the very real (very terrifying) possibility of someone like Donald Trump becoming the US President – loudness, crassness and brashness not only make the most noise but they also get the most attention. People are horrified and intrigued in equal measure by things which are larger than life; what has been described as “weird entertainment”. Even if we just watch them (as I sometimes do) in almost morbid fascination, they have still piqued our interest.

Similarly, it is also why Jerry Springer became synonymous with the expression ‘trash TV’, a genre which was immediately copied all over the world, as producers suddenly realized that airing one’s dirty laundry and having screaming matches on air made for riveting viewing and great ratings.

And yet for every awful reality show featuring dysfunctional families and pregnant 16-year-olds, there are some excellent quality TV series, both dramas and comedies which emerge from the US. Although they do get their share of followers, awards and accolades, it is very difficult for us to get anything remotely resembling that kind of quality writing and production values. The reasons for this are various, the most obvious one being budgetary restrictions – let’s face it, it is much easier to position a group of people with extreme views in a semi-circle and have them argue with one another until they are blue in the face then to find the requisite talent required to come up with a really good script and director, and great actors.

As for our homegrown TV dramas, they always seem to centre around the same tired old themes of melodrama and social problems with everyone always looking miserable and snarling at each other. Comedies are even more difficult to get right, and our version always ends up as slapstick or toilet humour.

Where is our sharp political satire like Last week Tonight with John Oliver, or late night talk shows where guests are interviewed but with a light, comedic touch rather than always being so grim and uptight about it? These are the types of American programming we should be looking at for inspiration rather than at the rubbish. But maybe the rubbish is just easier to do.

It’s probably the same reason that drive thru fast food outlets have caught on so readily – it’s definitely easier than the tediousness of going shopping and then cooking a proper meal from fresh ingredients. The resulting obesity has given us another example of how we have come to resemble the less attractive, more corpulent versions of couch potato Americans rather than the svelte ones who eat kale, work out and survive on juicing. Which brings me to the love affair we have with our cars coupled with the dire need to have kiosks serving (junk) food along the 7.2 kms stretch of Coast Road. God forbid we should get peckish.

There are other examples I can think of – the absurd lavishness which have come to define children’s parties that are now being held at proper venues, complete with animators and catered food, rather than just pushing back some furniture and having the kids play pin the tail on the donkey in the living room while Mummy serves home-made sandwiches.

Kids in Malta are immersed in American/Disney culture and yet there is no attempt to comprehend that (despite what it may seem like on TV), there are many American children who are, in fact, rather well-behaved and taught to have decent manners and not talk back to grown-ups. There are also curfews for minors and age limits for drinking and attending clubs, and yet we choose not to emulate any of this.

Neither do we stop and think that there is an entire society which follows the rules, obeys speed limits and defers to police officers (who in turn, are generally very polite and respectful when they pull you over). And while the constant “have a nice day” at shops can, yes, end up grating on your nerves after a while, it would not be so bad to borrow a bit of that pleasantness rather than always be met by glares and unsmiling faces.