On Being an American by Mencken - Booze, Babes, and the Bible

    Mencken presented his opinion of American in a rather satirical manner - joking about the political system, drinking, and how amusing Americans are versus other countries.  I found his third section on America being the "land of joy" especially funny.  Some may find his delight in the humor found in the antics of Americans particularly sinful, but I quite agreed with him.  We hold a very ethnocentric view of ourselves: better paying jobs than Bulgaria, freedom to read the New York Journal, and laws to be obeyed.  We have the freedom to laugh at ourselves.  And there are many things to laugh about: dancing girls, political mockery, and half-naked vampires.