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Just wrapping up a several weeks trip to Europe (London, Cologne, Edinburgh) as we speak. I think I'm having the opposite observation. Western cultures have so
by mberning 14y ago
Just wrapping up a several weeks trip to Europe (London, Cologne, Edinburgh) as we speak. I think I'm having the opposite observation. Western cultures have so much in common it has actually been surprising to me. I always expected to be amazed by the differences, but if you throw out all of the superficial stuff the set of appreciable differences is rather smaller.
As for his specific points
1. I have no idea how somebody with half a brain and access to the internet can have this notion. Maybe I am the exception to the rule, but I never fancied my Country to be any more 'important' than any other nation. In fact, the opposite was often considered given that modern civilisation has few roots in the Americas.
2. Never believed in religion in the first place
3. Every country has their fair share of embarrassing points, and of course their fair share of unfortunate embarrassing people. I have rather enjoyed seeing that the human condition is more or less the same the world over. I also feel occasionally embarrassed by my fellow countrymen, but I figure the best way to counteract that is to represent myself, and by association my country, the best I can.
4. As for that, we will see. I've not seen anything that screams out to me "This economy is vastly more productive than the US" in the areas that I have visited. Perhaps public transport and some infrastuctural aspects lend themselves to a more efficient country, and the US should certainly take a look at those things.
Oh well, I'm glad to have had the experience of travelling throughout Europe, but I would expect some deeper takeaways from somebody that literally spent years immersed in a foreign culture.
- antidaily 14y agoI wonder if more Americans would travel through Europe if they knew how easy it is. EVERYBODY speaks English. And yet, you still get to experience the cultures and augment your worldview a bit.
- ralfn 14y agoNot really. You can talk in English with any dutch citizen, but without being able to read our books, watch our tv, hear us talk, you dont really get a clue. What you get is a not a first hand view, but a 2nd hand view, from the worst observer possibe. Im pretty sure, that language is key to any culture. And because of that Americans, even when they travel, will have less understanding of the culture, than the natives have of the states, simply because we can actually read your constitution, watch your daily show, know your founders and the culture that shspes your idenity. Want to learn about the world? Dont travel! Learn a language.
- antidaily 14y agoI saw your TV. It was dubbed Simpsons and porn at night. It was great! I don't think my mediocre-to-decent French helped me appreciate France any more, but if you say so.
- ralfn 14y agoBut thats not what shapes our culture. To understand a country you have to see how it handles its debates, how it reports its news. Here's a reasonable question: were you able to notice the quality of the poltical debate? Its nothing special within Europe, but the kind of nonsense that passes for a polticsl debate in the states is quite a contrast.
- ralfn 14y agoAh, you learned a little french! Good. Have you read or listened to, for example Brel?
- nickgeiger 14y ago> Want to learn about the world? Dont travel! Learn a language. I read that to mean "Learn English", which makes sense, but is not very helpful to an American because only learning English as a second language gives the advantages you described. I totally understand your point, but coming from the other side as an American, what language should we learn? Disclaimer: my kids will be learning Mandarin Chinese.
- pawelwentpawel 14y agoA lot of people do speak English. Some probably, even though not from UK, on a native level. Yet still, coming to Europe and demanding people to speak English is not the way to go. I don't say that you have to be proficient in all european languages but at least an attempt of communication is a sign of respect. I've seen situations when english-speakers were following a strategy based just on shouting louder in their own language. Certainly not the way to experience the cultures and augment your worldview.
- nicholassmith 14y agoWell, not everybody but enough in the touristy areas speaks it, but like someone pointed out to me; "for them learning English is occasionally something you do in school, how much French do you remember?". Google + patience solves those situations though.