3 ms·

That's not what 'third-world' means... we're still part of NATO

czechdeveloper 9y ago
But it's how it's used now. But yes, it's not in original meaning of a word. But based on original meaning Switzerland is third world country which also does not sound right.
- herbst 9y ago
  On the other side swiss people seem aware of that and don't use the term so loosely like everyone else.
JohnGB 9y ago
The general usage of "third-world" has changed over time to be focused more on development than on whether a country was pro-USA or pro-Soviet. If one were to hold to the original meaning of "third-world", then one would have to class Namibia and Angola as "first-world" countries while classing Switzerland, Ireland, Sweden, and Finland as "third world". Something that clearly goes against the current general usage of the term.
- celticninja 9y ago
  They are better described as developing nations however I agree that people tend to understand that third world means this, rather than the political definition.
iaskwhy 9y ago
I wasn't aware of the original meaning. From Wikipedia[0]: "The term "Third World" arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Communist Bloc. The United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Western European nations and their allies represented the First World, while the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, and their allies represented the Second World. This terminology provided a way of broadly categorizing the nations of the Earth into three groups based on political and economic divisions." [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_World https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_World
- phkahler 9y ago
  Wow, that's really lame. It's like dividing middle school into the "cool kids" the "delinquents" and everyone else. If you're not part of a faction though you're a "third world" loner.
  - ptaipale 9y ago
    Cold war wasn't such a lame thing. As a third-worlder (Finland), I'm quite happy that the US was there to help with the "cool kids".
    - phkahler 9y ago
      I just meant the characterization was lame. How do you like Finland being a 3rd world country given the negative connotations that have since been assigned to the term? You may just say "that doesn't fit" like I did when I learned that Finland is a 3rd world country.
- MayeulC 9y ago
  I personally always thought "third world" had more or less the same meaning as "third estate". That is, the "commoners"; or the ones left out of the global elite; and I have yet to find anything that credibly proves that it doesn't come from there. On the upside; that meaning is the one usually associated with it, in my experience.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

But it's how it's used now. But yes, it's not in original meaning of a word. But based on original meaning Switzerland is third world country which also does not sound right.

herbst 9y ago
On the other side swiss people seem aware of that and don't use the term so loosely like everyone else.

JohnGB 9y ago

The general usage of "third-world" has changed over time to be focused more on development than on whether a country was pro-USA or pro-Soviet. If one were to hold to the original meaning of "third-world", then one would have to class Namibia and Angola as "first-world" countries while classing Switzerland, Ireland, Sweden, and Finland as "third world". Something that clearly goes against the current general usage of the term.

celticninja 9y ago
They are better described as developing nations however I agree that people tend to understand that third world means this, rather than the political definition.

iaskwhy 9y ago

I wasn't aware of the original meaning. From Wikipedia[0]: "The term "Third World" arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Communist Bloc. The United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Western European nations and their allies represented the First World, while the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, and their allies represented the Second World. This terminology provided a way of broadly categorizing the nations of the Earth into three groups based on political and economic divisions." [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_World https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_World

phkahler 9y ago
Wow, that's really lame. It's like dividing middle school into the "cool kids" the "delinquents" and everyone else. If you're not part of a faction though you're a "third world" loner.
- ptaipale 9y ago
  Cold war wasn't such a lame thing. As a third-worlder (Finland), I'm quite happy that the US was there to help with the "cool kids".
  - phkahler 9y ago
    I just meant the characterization was lame. How do you like Finland being a 3rd world country given the negative connotations that have since been assigned to the term? You may just say "that doesn't fit" like I did when I learned that Finland is a 3rd world country.
MayeulC 9y ago
I personally always thought "third world" had more or less the same meaning as "third estate". That is, the "commoners"; or the ones left out of the global elite; and I have yet to find anything that credibly proves that it doesn't come from there. On the upside; that meaning is the one usually associated with it, in my experience.

deleted 9y ago

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