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You raise a great point here. I’m born and raised in Europe, still live here now, but I’ve spent a great deal of time in the US, and the differences in how we p
by dt2m 4y ago
You raise a great point here. I’m born and raised in Europe, still live here now, but I’ve spent a great deal of time in the US, and the differences in how we perceive children might be the biggest gap between the two cultures.
I much prefer the European view of children being raised as young adults, seeing the world for what it is, rather than the American idea of creating a puritan parallel society scrubbed of all the “bad” things.
Looking back on this I’ve found that the European model raises better critical thinkers – partly due to the school system as well – and you end up with a more sustainable parent-child relationship when the children are grown.
In a world where US culture basically shapes the design of the tech products and social media we all use, this scares me.
- nonrandomstring 4y ago> In a world where US culture basically shapes the design of the tech products and social media we all use, this scares me. This is a key point. Today we are all so progressively aware of "cultural hegemony" and wallow in the shame of colonialism. But we don't see its new and more powerful forms. The prevalence of digital technology means that companies like Apple and Google imposing their values is a real problem. And let's be clear, these are often very parochial values. It could be said that Europe's digital split with US is only about things like privacy and data control on the surface. Underneath are more subtle cultural forces at play.
- pawsforthought 4y ago> The prevalence of digital technology means that companies like Apple and Google imposing their values is a real problem. And let's be clear, these are often very parochial values. And sadly, beneath all the headlines about AI sentience, this is what Blake Lemoine was actually trying to draw attention to, and that executives consistently dismiss these kinds of concerns [1]. What of the consequences when these corporate values become embedded in AI that plays an ever greater role in our lives? [1]: https://youtu.be/kgCUn4fQTsc?t=4m23s https://youtu.be/kgCUn4fQTsc?t=4m23s
- deepdriver 4y agoThe German band Rammstein made a song about this feeling, with a great music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr8ljRgcJNM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr8ljRgcJNM
- renewiltord 4y agoI certainly prefer the non-Bowdlerized world for children, myself, having grown up as such. But if there is any thinking superiority to that technique it appears to not be in action considering that California (not unique in America in cultural puritanism) outperforms most comparable European countries. It certainly beats Germany at innovation, maternal mortality, income, and wealth and has comparable gross product, and life expectancy. Considering that Californian children are no less sheltered, I find it hard to believe that this effect on thought is meaningful.
- geysersam 4y agoPerhaps critical thinking is detrimental to GDP ;)
- cassianoleal 4y agoIndeed. Could it be that this is because GDP is not the main measure of happiness, or perhaps even one at all? I wonder. :D
- feet 4y agoMoney is the end all and be all for some people. It's an incredibly harmful ideology that not only hurts citizens but also the environment and ecosystem
- MomoXenosaga 4y agoCalifornia is a part of the US last I checked or did you guys finally secede?
- renewiltord 4y agoPicked an appropriately sized thing to compare considering the variance in US-state laws and EU-nation laws causes whole-US and whole-EU comparisons to be noisy. Also I live in Cali and know it better than I do the rest of the US.
- 4y ago
- dotancohen 4y ago
- etrautmann 4y agoWhat a weird and narrow perspective.
- Gasp0de 4y ago
- dotancohen 4y ago
- mpol 4y agoIt's not quoting, it's paraphrasing. The comment was very suggestive in that homosexuality is bad. If that was not what you meant, you might have chosen less suggestive text.
- dotancohen 4y ago
- westmeal 4y agoTo be honest I also read it like the previous guy did but I understand what you mean now.
- lultimouomo 4y agoI believe for a large part of the world homosexuality is far less controversial than homophobia, and thus it makes sense that Disney would want to showcase same-sex couples to declare loudly that they are not homophobic. Whether this is sincere or opportunistic it's open to judgement; one could cynically notice that the large part of the world that really doesn't like homophobia is a very high potential market for Disney.
- McSwag 4y ago
- feet 4y agoYou're absolutely correct. The american system is captured by those with capital and what those with capital want is obedient wage slaves.
- Sporktacular 4y agoYeah, but this isn't about wage slavery.
- pjbeam 4y agoMaking shameful normal things like breasts seems to go hand in hand with the kind of self loathing bullshit that shapes people into useful corporate or government drones. Move at the sound of the bell. Punch in punch out. Be ashamed of your body. Loyalty to company/flag is supreme. etc etc
- Sporktacular 4y agoUnassailable logic right there.
- mantas 4y agoEurope was able to produce both critical thinkers AND world dominating world machines not so long ago :) Time to make europe great again.
- corrral 4y agoDon't make me come over there again. I swear, I will turn this car around and no one's going to Disney World! - The USA. (I kid, I kid—I know we always just show up late then claim all the credit)
- kwhitefoot 4y agoThat's MEGA! :-)
- baby 4y agoThe US is very religious
- IntrepidWorm 4y agoI am told it comes as quite a shock to the unititiated. I usually don't think twice about the giant billboards of bible verses and sermon snippets as I drive to work (Northeast US) but when do notice them I am struck by a small pang of dystopian dread.
- baby 4y agoMy biggest shock was in Canada (Ontario), you drive around and you see churches and dentists everywhere, people come talk to you on campus to talk about religion, even my roommates would try to talk to me about religion every chance they got. Definitely a culture shock for a European.
- dmd 4y ago… dentists?
- baby 4y agoYeah for some reasons I had not seen as many dentists as in Canada haha, and I think in general this is true of north america: people REALLY care about their teeth (teeth whitening, flossing, dentists scamming you left and right)
- sincarne 4y agoAnd yet as a Canadian (from Ontario), I find it shocking to go to the States and see all the flags and Jesus billboards.