SEX. Now that I have your attention...

Sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Europeans and Americans have very different ideas about these... at least the sex and drugs part. It's an interesting paradox: Americans are uptight about sex and drugs, but we're sluts. Europeans have a much more relaxed attitude about it all, and their women are not so quick to jump into bed with strangers.

Small anecdote - I went for a walk last night and came across this advertisement: it was a woman, her face obscured by her long hair, and she was completely naked. This wasn't a coy, over-the-shoulder shot, it was full on boobs and bush. You would NEVER see this kind of advertisement in America. If you did, it would be the center of a huge controversy with every "children's advocate" group going nuts. Another example - MTV Germany is one of the few channels that is (partly) in English. I was watching their Top 10 Summer Song countdown last night, and one of the videos had completely naked women in it. I could not believe it.

The funny thing is, people in America believe we're forward thinking. We think that because we have Playboy and Skinimax that we're alright with nudity. But, if you suggested having public beaches changed to "clothing optional," there would be an uproar from the religious right. (Funny they're called "right" when they're "wrong" most of the time. Just an opinion. And yes, I realize that "right" refers to conservative, not correct... but play along.) We think we're a melting pot of cultures, yet hate immigrants. The statue of liberty says, "bring us your tired, your poor," and now we want to build a wall around our country. Our actions only line up with our words regarding drugs - we know we're conservative bitches about drinking and smoking.

I'm thinking that our slutty reputation is some sort of country-wide rebellion against our uptight nature. There's a reason we have the phrase, "lady in the streets, but a freak in the sheets." God forbid you be a freak outside of the bedroom as well.

Why not have wine with lunch? Lower the drinking age? Have naked women on posters? Nude beaches?

Maybe if we unbuttoned our collar a bit, our women would learn to keep their pants buttoned abroad.

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