4 ms·

When they are already in such bad economic shape, why are the Spaniards so eager to push themselves into further irrelevance?

tormeh 12y ago
Well, you have to remember that Spanish politics is completely fucked up. American politics are only recently beginning to come close, to add a sense of scale. Doesn't help that they have legal cruft dating back to the medieval ages, but that's separate.
- Oletros 12y ago
  > Doesn't help that they have legal cruft dating back to the medieval ages Can you give examples of that?
  - tormeh 12y ago
    It's only what I've heard. Can't remember where from.
Udo 12y ago
Because they have been led to believe other EU countries will follow suit, which is not entirely outside of the realm of possibility. Personally I also suspect that there is extensive "sponsoring" by the content industry going on. They see Spain is vulnerable, so they probably see it as a cheap foot in the door for the entire EU. Living in Germany myself, the cynic in me can already envision the German adaptation of this, which would include the same definition of the crime, but they would allow arbitrary lawyers to send cost notices of, say, €10k to private individuals and owners of small websites. The €300k will then only be enforced if you don't pay up. While that is going on, large companies will do backroom deals so they can carry on like before. These laws are never designed to stop Google, Twitter, or Facebook. They'll be just fine, as long as they pay enough behind the scenes. It's always about the little guys.
lince 12y ago
Spanish user here. The main political parties have economic interest in mass media companies (like PRISA group). They are covering the hand who feds them. Talking with other citiziens, they have no idea about this law being passed or does not support it.
- toqueteos 12y ago
  Same here, had no idea about this. News are just a diversion (basically just 30 minutes of sports) to keep people "busy" while they (politicians) keep doing whatever the hell they want. Thanks to OP for posting it here.
Daishiman 12y ago
Because Spanish politics is an inbred kind of politics. People joke in Latin America about Spaniards because of their remarkably low knowledge of foreign languages and outside culture, or the fact that they watch American films overdubbed whereas others just watch them with subtitles. It's a subtle thing, but there's a perception, to me not unfounded, that some sectors of Spanish society just don't look outward much, which is the reason they get these crazy ideas that wouldn't even be considered for a second anywhere else.
- lince 12y ago
  I agree with you until last paragraph. As I said in another reply, I think that this law is based on economical protection of the two main political parties. The lack of knowledge of foreign languages is clearly a issue. I think that our country is solving this making B1 mandatory to get you graduated and enforcing bilingual basic education on the capital. Not so much, but it seems to start giving some results. We have to watch doubbed films when we're in groups because this problem. I know people that prefer original versions, but you can not exclude your friends when social watching.
  - pedrosorio 12y ago
    "I know people that prefer original versions, but you can not exclude your friends when social watching." Why not original versions with subtitles?
- eng_monkey 12y ago
  > It's a subtle thing, but there's a perception, to me not unfounded, that some sectors of Spanish society just don't look outward much, which is the reason they get these crazy ideas that wouldn't even be considered for a second anywhere else. Does not that contradicts the fact that, for example, Spain has one of the largest high-speed train networks in the world, that the electricity they produce is >50% from renewable sources, that big civil engineering companies are involved with building major infrastructure around the world (including airport terminals at Heathrow, Sydney), that their medical service is within the top ten in the world, that same-sex marriage has been completely legal (including adoption) for almost a decade now, etc. These facts do not seem to fit your perception of a backwards-looking country.

tormeh 12y ago

Well, you have to remember that Spanish politics is completely fucked up. American politics are only recently beginning to come close, to add a sense of scale. Doesn't help that they have legal cruft dating back to the medieval ages, but that's separate.

Oletros 12y ago
> Doesn't help that they have legal cruft dating back to the medieval ages Can you give examples of that?
- tormeh 12y ago
  It's only what I've heard. Can't remember where from.

Udo 12y ago

Because they have been led to believe other EU countries will follow suit, which is not entirely outside of the realm of possibility. Personally I also suspect that there is extensive "sponsoring" by the content industry going on. They see Spain is vulnerable, so they probably see it as a cheap foot in the door for the entire EU. Living in Germany myself, the cynic in me can already envision the German adaptation of this, which would include the same definition of the crime, but they would allow arbitrary lawyers to send cost notices of, say, €10k to private individuals and owners of small websites. The €300k will then only be enforced if you don't pay up. While that is going on, large companies will do backroom deals so they can carry on like before. These laws are never designed to stop Google, Twitter, or Facebook. They'll be just fine, as long as they pay enough behind the scenes. It's always about the little guys.

lince 12y ago

Spanish user here. The main political parties have economic interest in mass media companies (like PRISA group). They are covering the hand who feds them. Talking with other citiziens, they have no idea about this law being passed or does not support it.

toqueteos 12y ago
Same here, had no idea about this. News are just a diversion (basically just 30 minutes of sports) to keep people "busy" while they (politicians) keep doing whatever the hell they want. Thanks to OP for posting it here.

Daishiman 12y ago

Because Spanish politics is an inbred kind of politics. People joke in Latin America about Spaniards because of their remarkably low knowledge of foreign languages and outside culture, or the fact that they watch American films overdubbed whereas others just watch them with subtitles. It's a subtle thing, but there's a perception, to me not unfounded, that some sectors of Spanish society just don't look outward much, which is the reason they get these crazy ideas that wouldn't even be considered for a second anywhere else.

lince 12y ago
I agree with you until last paragraph. As I said in another reply, I think that this law is based on economical protection of the two main political parties. The lack of knowledge of foreign languages is clearly a issue. I think that our country is solving this making B1 mandatory to get you graduated and enforcing bilingual basic education on the capital. Not so much, but it seems to start giving some results. We have to watch doubbed films when we're in groups because this problem. I know people that prefer original versions, but you can not exclude your friends when social watching.
- pedrosorio 12y ago
  "I know people that prefer original versions, but you can not exclude your friends when social watching." Why not original versions with subtitles?
eng_monkey 12y ago
> It's a subtle thing, but there's a perception, to me not unfounded, that some sectors of Spanish society just don't look outward much, which is the reason they get these crazy ideas that wouldn't even be considered for a second anywhere else. Does not that contradicts the fact that, for example, Spain has one of the largest high-speed train networks in the world, that the electricity they produce is >50% from renewable sources, that big civil engineering companies are involved with building major infrastructure around the world (including airport terminals at Heathrow, Sydney), that their medical service is within the top ten in the world, that same-sex marriage has been completely legal (including adoption) for almost a decade now, etc. These facts do not seem to fit your perception of a backwards-looking country.