So far I am a big fan of Oxford. What have sold me on this place, ironically enough, are the advertisements. I saw a good number of pre-movie commercials, and they were very obviously targeted to a more intelligent audience than their American counterparts. I noticed none of the cunning and not-so-cunning deception that I am accustomed to. Also: the people are nice and the buildings are nice, and the grass is unquestionably greener.
[Further reflection]
I am not joking when I say that the advertisements I see play a large part in my opinion of a culture. I think they are a very good diagnostic for a society's level o
f sophistication and respect for itself. It is nearly impossible to sit through a set of commercials in America without feeling patronized or outright lied to, and I think that's a very bad sign. We try to sell insecurity, stupidity, and compulsive behavior. It's all over TV and billboards and lurking in every nook and cranny. I honestly think it's different in Oxford, and I had no idea that was possible. It's a place of maturity and strong identity where tastless ads tend not to take root. Brilliant.
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