America as a cultureless society

Is America still a nation without the luxury of a sophisticated culture? This has always been a somewhat controversial line of thought that has existed since America’s creation. It’s based purely on the idea that we as a culture have as of yet not been able to find our sense of identity. Instead, certain factors have led us to become a society that is immersed in mass production and media. The classic perception of an America that is a cultureless society is strongly expressed in Umberto Eco’s Travels in Hyperreality. He specifically attacks the unoriginal and somewhat outlandish art that existed in wax museums in the 1970’s. Because there was no real history to draw upon for inspiration, it was foolishly believed that imitation was the only viable option for artists to explore. Imitation of largely European mediums, forms, and previous art works became the most popular American form of art. Unfortunately in their desperate attempts to reach new heights artist were bent on falsifying already legendary works of art. Unlike the modest wax museums of Europe, their American counterparts were bizarre. Eco keyed on the point that the attention to detail was only delaying the double reality that America still had no real art history and that reproduction was slowly becoming part of that stigma.