5 ms·

Different countries have different cultures. That seems alright to me.

tommit 4y ago
Yes, obviously that's alright. It's nonetheless also alright to wonder about or even question the reason behind those different cultures. As a European, it's just really, really strange to see how everything war, gore, death and guns seems to be alright for the kids overseas, but don't you dare show a nipple or say a bad word. I respect your culture, even like lots about it. But sorry, that's weird.
- cato_the_elder 4y ago
  Right, but there seems to be a strange belief that the US in particular shouldn't have its own culture. My objection is to that. That's kinda American exceptionalism at its worst. Europeans have their own share if strange cultural phenomenon, BTW. E.g. apparently they don't feed their guests in Sweden. [1] [1]: https://nypost.com/2022/05/31/countries-where-feeding-house-guests-is-not-the-cultural-norm/ https://nypost.com/2022/05/31/countries-where-feeding-house-...
  - tommit 4y ago
    I don't think anyone feels like the US shouldn't have its own culture -- definitely not more so than other places. If anything, the US injects its culture everywhere, due to entertainment being a primary export. And most of it is completely fine. People may shake their heads at certain things, much like you guys shake your head at the thought of not feeding your guests. But that's fine. It's just that (sorry for using such a provocative word) the entire war/gun-fetishism is weird af for most outsiders. The way I see it, it's at least equal parts culture and excessive lobbying/brainwashing. And it shows in things like being fine with exposure to violence from a young age. Contrast that to people freaking out at nudity, and it makes for a silly juxtaposition.
    - cato_the_elder 4y ago
      > I don't think anyone feels like the US shouldn't have its own culture I disagree with that. The "America as merely an idea" sentiment is quite popular. [1] > It's just that (sorry for using such a provocative word) the entire war/gun-fetishism is weird af for most outsiders. Children in Europe don't play with toy soldiers or guns? [1]: E.g. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K19IFoKNYSI https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K19IFoKNYSI
      - tommit 4y ago
        I don't understand how the video relates to anyone thinking you shouldn't have your own culture. If anything that video claims that "leaving no one behind" and "decency and compassion" are what makes America America. > Children in Europe don't play with toy soldiers or guns? Occasionally for sure. But it's just on another level in the US. I can't pinpoint it, but I've spent years in America and visited a lot of toy stores :) we simply don't have aisles full of nerf guns and shit over here. You'll find them, but overall the topic is much, much less romanticized. And in the context of movie ratings, every war/gory movie/videogame will be rated 16/18+ in most parts of Europe. I know, because I used to get some Star Wars shooters for Xbox rated Teen while on holiday in the US a couple years before I would've been able to get them in my home country :)
        cato_the_elder 4y ago
        > If anything that video claims that "leaving no one behind" and "decency and compassion" are what makes America America. Well, I kinda think those claims are mostly lies. We all know that Americans are not well-known for their compassion. American culture used to emphasize frankness, family values, freedom, and individual responsibility. Now, it's rulings class has decided these cultural values interfere with their interests. So, they have decided to pretend these don't exist. > And in the context of movie ratings, every war/gory movie/videogame will be rated 16/18+ in most parts of Europe. Interesting, are those ratings taken seriously?
        tommit 4y ago
Comevius 4y ago
- cato_the_elder 4y ago
  > A culture that sees mass shootings as normal That's just muddying the water by bringing up an irrelevant issue. We are talking about displays of violence in movies.
  - bambax 4y ago
    No. Images of school shootings can't be shared on social media. Why not? Wouldn't it help to show what guns are for?
    - cato_the_elder 4y ago
      This verges on trolling. I'm sure as you know, guns are mostly used in wars, not school shootings. > Why not? Privacy of the victims?
      - bambax 4y ago
        Guns owned by individuals in the US are not used in wars. We could blur faces if that's really the one problem preventing sharing gore images of school shootings. Somehow I doubt that's the reason though.
  - Comevius 4y ago
    The average American watches 5 hours of TV each day, 2/3 of the shows are about physical violence. The entertainment industry is a propaganda for the gun industry because people feel that violence is everywhere, and that guns are needed for protection. Research on the effects of viewing violence found a desensitizing effect, especially for children. People become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others and more fearful of the world. This effect is much less pronounced for video games, which tend to not dramatize violence. There is a reason we try to curtail violence in the media in Europe. When you engage with a fantasy many hours a day, it becomes your reality.
mgdlbp 4y ago
Regardless of the specifics of the culture, this diversity is lacking in the corporations of the Western internet.
bambax 4y ago
It would be alright if one country didn't try to force its culture, prejudice and superstion on all others, because it's economically dominant. I don't care if the US are obsessed with nipples. I find it ridiculous, but also kind of funny. But when this obsession prevents people from sharing art on US controlled systems and services, then it's incredibly annoying. (It's not the most pressing problem in the world, sure, but it's grating.)

Yes, obviously that's alright. It's nonetheless also alright to wonder about or even question the reason behind those different cultures. As a European, it's just really, really strange to see how everything war, gore, death and guns seems to be alright for the kids overseas, but don't you dare show a nipple or say a bad word. I respect your culture, even like lots about it. But sorry, that's weird.

cato_the_elder 4y ago
Right, but there seems to be a strange belief that the US in particular shouldn't have its own culture. My objection is to that. That's kinda American exceptionalism at its worst. Europeans have their own share if strange cultural phenomenon, BTW. E.g. apparently they don't feed their guests in Sweden. [1] [1]: https://nypost.com/2022/05/31/countries-where-feeding-house-guests-is-not-the-cultural-norm/ https://nypost.com/2022/05/31/countries-where-feeding-house-...
- tommit 4y ago
  I don't think anyone feels like the US shouldn't have its own culture -- definitely not more so than other places. If anything, the US injects its culture everywhere, due to entertainment being a primary export. And most of it is completely fine. People may shake their heads at certain things, much like you guys shake your head at the thought of not feeding your guests. But that's fine. It's just that (sorry for using such a provocative word) the entire war/gun-fetishism is weird af for most outsiders. The way I see it, it's at least equal parts culture and excessive lobbying/brainwashing. And it shows in things like being fine with exposure to violence from a young age. Contrast that to people freaking out at nudity, and it makes for a silly juxtaposition.
  - cato_the_elder 4y ago
    > I don't think anyone feels like the US shouldn't have its own culture I disagree with that. The "America as merely an idea" sentiment is quite popular. [1] > It's just that (sorry for using such a provocative word) the entire war/gun-fetishism is weird af for most outsiders. Children in Europe don't play with toy soldiers or guns? [1]: E.g. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K19IFoKNYSI https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K19IFoKNYSI
    - tommit 4y ago
      I don't understand how the video relates to anyone thinking you shouldn't have your own culture. If anything that video claims that "leaving no one behind" and "decency and compassion" are what makes America America. > Children in Europe don't play with toy soldiers or guns? Occasionally for sure. But it's just on another level in the US. I can't pinpoint it, but I've spent years in America and visited a lot of toy stores :) we simply don't have aisles full of nerf guns and shit over here. You'll find them, but overall the topic is much, much less romanticized. And in the context of movie ratings, every war/gory movie/videogame will be rated 16/18+ in most parts of Europe. I know, because I used to get some Star Wars shooters for Xbox rated Teen while on holiday in the US a couple years before I would've been able to get them in my home country :)
      - cato_the_elder 4y ago
        > If anything that video claims that "leaving no one behind" and "decency and compassion" are what makes America America. Well, I kinda think those claims are mostly lies. We all know that Americans are not well-known for their compassion. American culture used to emphasize frankness, family values, freedom, and individual responsibility. Now, it's rulings class has decided these cultural values interfere with their interests. So, they have decided to pretend these don't exist. > And in the context of movie ratings, every war/gory movie/videogame will be rated 16/18+ in most parts of Europe. Interesting, are those ratings taken seriously?
        tommit 4y ago

Comevius 4y ago

cato_the_elder 4y ago
> A culture that sees mass shootings as normal That's just muddying the water by bringing up an irrelevant issue. We are talking about displays of violence in movies.
- bambax 4y ago
  No. Images of school shootings can't be shared on social media. Why not? Wouldn't it help to show what guns are for?
  - cato_the_elder 4y ago
    This verges on trolling. I'm sure as you know, guns are mostly used in wars, not school shootings. > Why not? Privacy of the victims?
    - bambax 4y ago
      Guns owned by individuals in the US are not used in wars. We could blur faces if that's really the one problem preventing sharing gore images of school shootings. Somehow I doubt that's the reason though.
- Comevius 4y ago
  The average American watches 5 hours of TV each day, 2/3 of the shows are about physical violence. The entertainment industry is a propaganda for the gun industry because people feel that violence is everywhere, and that guns are needed for protection. Research on the effects of viewing violence found a desensitizing effect, especially for children. People become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others and more fearful of the world. This effect is much less pronounced for video games, which tend to not dramatize violence. There is a reason we try to curtail violence in the media in Europe. When you engage with a fantasy many hours a day, it becomes your reality.

mgdlbp 4y ago

Regardless of the specifics of the culture, this diversity is lacking in the corporations of the Western internet.

bambax 4y ago

It would be alright if one country didn't try to force its culture, prejudice and superstion on all others, because it's economically dominant. I don't care if the US are obsessed with nipples. I find it ridiculous, but also kind of funny. But when this obsession prevents people from sharing art on US controlled systems and services, then it's incredibly annoying. (It's not the most pressing problem in the world, sure, but it's grating.)