Some guy made a website fifteen years ago about cultural assumptions
June 13, 2016 8:49 AM Subscribe
There was a website I first enjoyed around 1998. I am pretty sure it was still around circa 2010. Here's what I remember:
The guy (definitely a guy, as far as I recall, and it was one of those 90's pre-blog personal websites for a person with serious interests if you know what I mean) who made a list of assumptions-by-nationality, so for Americans it had things like "Everyone knows mayonnaise comes in a jar. The date is written month/day/year and you know what happened on 11/22/63 if you're over 40. Everybody eats dinner sitting at a table, on a chair, inside a house that has a floor. Most people drink coffee, and almost everyone drives where they need to go." Many people of different backgrounds had contributed to this and I specifically remember the parts about the date and mayonnaise. The background was manila-folder-yellow, not that that's going to help. I don't remember any names or specific phrases, because of course I don't.
He also had a portion of the website devoted to his personal imaginary/created society (I think it was matrilineal?) and links to other people who create languages and imagine societies. I am pretty sure there was a webring for that part of the website. I think I was browsing Esperanto sites and got off on a tangent that led me there. That's all I got, and I'd like to see it again if anyone knows what I'm talking about.
I'd love to see it again if anyone can link me to it or to its Wayback Machine cache. If MeFi can nail a plant species in under a minute or find someone's glasses remotely, then I'd think this shouldn't be impossible!
The guy (definitely a guy, as far as I recall, and it was one of those 90's pre-blog personal websites for a person with serious interests if you know what I mean) who made a list of assumptions-by-nationality, so for Americans it had things like "Everyone knows mayonnaise comes in a jar. The date is written month/day/year and you know what happened on 11/22/63 if you're over 40. Everybody eats dinner sitting at a table, on a chair, inside a house that has a floor. Most people drink coffee, and almost everyone drives where they need to go." Many people of different backgrounds had contributed to this and I specifically remember the parts about the date and mayonnaise. The background was manila-folder-yellow, not that that's going to help. I don't remember any names or specific phrases, because of course I don't.
He also had a portion of the website devoted to his personal imaginary/created society (I think it was matrilineal?) and links to other people who create languages and imagine societies. I am pretty sure there was a webring for that part of the website. I think I was browsing Esperanto sites and got off on a tangent that led me there. That's all I got, and I'd like to see it again if anyone knows what I'm talking about.
I'd love to see it again if anyone can link me to it or to its Wayback Machine cache. If MeFi can nail a plant species in under a minute or find someone's glasses remotely, then I'd think this shouldn't be impossible!
Response by poster: THANK YOU. That's been bothering me for a while. Nicely done, Zompist.
posted by blnkfrnk at 12:41 PM on June 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by blnkfrnk at 12:41 PM on June 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by Jeanne at 9:03 AM on June 13, 2016 [18 favorites]