God save the eagle: America’s obsession with Great Britain

Disclaimer: The following should be read in an English accent for full effect. 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every American in possession of Internet access must be in want of something inherently British (usually an accent). Some desire websites where users can analyze a boy wizard’s escapades in the wee hours of the morning; some are merely content to peruse pictures of the unamused queen and her pet corgis.

In 1776, the American colonies refused to be associated with England. Today, there’s nothing we seem to want more. Why is it that every major fandom’s roots lie in Britain? “Harry Potter,” ”Doctor Who,” The Beatles and ”Pirates of the Caribbean” are all rooted in England … while America sits in the corner reading “Twilight.” The only modern craze we can really take pride in is “The Hunger Games.” 

Count the number of friends you’ve made through a shared British hype. The American knock-offs of “Skins” and “Sherlock” scarcely compare to the originals for good reason: the actors, storyline, and cinematography leave much to be desired. 

Now, make a list of the first 10 actors who pop into your head: Johnny Depp, Emma Watson, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Tennant. The list goes on … and nearly everyone on it is from England. 

Modern media is dominated by British culture, but why? Did they just get a leg up in years (we are several centuries behind, after all) or is there something magical in that tea of theirs?

On the other hand, America has a lot to be proud of. Take hamburgers, for instance. Where would the world be without Big Macs? But in all seriousness, the United States controls specific regions of the mediasphere from which it can glean considerable satisfaction. “The Office” can be considered an American claim to fame, having far outstripped its British counterpart and gained a devoted, worldwide audience. “Community” and “How I Met Your Mother” have considerably large fan-followings. Titanic remains one of the most successful movies of all time. Some people even prefer Katy Perry to Lily Allen. 

Who knows, maybe someday we Americans will catch up to the horse-racing, monocle-wearing, top-hatted Brits. But until then, you’ll find us re-reading our old, worn-out copies of “Harry Potter” for the umpteenth time, singing obnoxiously to One Direction and fervently wishing we were British.