Arrogant europeans

Originally posted by Mokuhadzushi
ATS is a great place where europeans and americans can discuss the criminally insane inclinations of neoconservative politicians.

Why are you so blinded by hate and ignorance that you can't even make a joke or joke without using the words "neo-con'"? Guess you were a Colonel-ite.

But remember Bandit, you guys may get Simon but we have William. ATS USA will have all the cool features, ATS Euro won't .

It's pretty sad when this topic is about european arrogance yet you guys are sitting around talking about movies and who makes the best bread, and pop music...... Sounds more like to me people are talking about pop culture...
If you don't like it, don't watch it, don't be a part of it...

American culture isn't pop culture there is a difference, pop culture is designed by a bunch of narcisstic blowhards which enjoy sexualizing the female species to the point where little teenage girls don't think much of themselves in terms of intelligence or personality, but rather in what clothes they wear how they wear it, and how thin they are. It's sickening... I don't participate in it and I hope you all don't either...

American culture is made up of many people here's a list of people who have come here in search for a better life and more opportunity.

African
Asian
Arabic
Brazilian
Chinese
Danish
German
Hispanic/Latino
Indian
Iranian
Irish


Italian
Japanese
Korean
Native Americans
Norwegian
Philippine
Polish
Scandinavian
Scottish
Vietnamese
Welsh


Strictly speaking, the only indigenous Americans are the American Indians who were living here long before the first waves of settlers came over from Europe. When Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492, he called these natives "Indians" because he thought he had discovered a western route to India.


Today the trend is toward multiculturalism, I find it hard to believe American's could be so ignorant as to not even accept other people's culture... This place is filled with different cultures.American history began with waves of immigrants, bringing their own cultures and traditions to a vast new country. No other place in the world has such a diverse population. It is this diversity that makes America what it is and, at the same time, creates the challenges it faces. Culture

America isn't all about war, sure it's gotten alot of attention, but for those who are so inclined to read Chomsky should also read up on
Colonial America:
Jamestown--
the Plymouth Plantation--
Pilgrims and Puritans--The Quakers-- The Salem Witchcraft Trials--
The French and Indian War--
The Great Awakening--
The Boston Massacre--
The Boston Tea Party--
Years of Protest

The early republic WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE

The Confederation--Jay's Treaty--The Constitution and The Bill of Rights--Washington's Presidency--The Federalist Papers--
The Whiskey Rebellion--
The Alien and Sedition Acts


the 19th Century

The Jefferson Presidency--
The Lewis and Clark Expedition--
The Louisiana Purchase--the Hamilton-
Burr Duel--The War of 1812--
Western Expansion--Slavery--
The Civil War

And the revolutionary war.

Lexington and Concord--
The Battle of Bunker Hill--
Fort Ticonderoga--
The Declaration of Independence--
The Battle of Saratoga--
The British Surrender
at Yorktown--The Treaty of Paris


Early America was like a really good romance novel....Much passion, much hope, much freedom loving people... The spirit has carried on in this country.
As you can see on this board...

Many people don't know what they are talking about, thus make uneducated guesses and opinions based off what they've been told aka spoonfed.

The spirit lives on in many people in this country, pop culture participater's really couldn't give two #s about it one way or another.


Instead of being pig headed and arrogant as to only read one book that decides your frame of mind... As french people would say: mon dure...













Love of country isn't arrogance....

Oh my... Now Kano and Nettie will want their own ATS Australia... New Zealanders wearing Doc Martin's will be banned by default...

They even had state lottery back then too...






[edit on 3-9-2004 by TrueLies]

Hmm, nobody is forcing American culture on Europeans. It is the Europeans themselves which accept the American culture into there lives. It's "trends" of course....

Originally posted by paperclip
Oh man, this is topic is going to turn ugly....

Anyways, mwm1331, this is a very broad topic.
I'll try to cover a few points here.
War: since WWII ended, european countries generaly don't start wars or invade other countries based on dubious inteligence or a desire to rule the world (minus a few exceptions, we know who they are). Those times are gone, they have taken another course of action, you could say it is pacifism, more or less expressed, depends on a country.

Taxes: higher taxes for rich and lower for poor have resulted in a list which has 10 european cities on top: the cities with higest life standards, like cities in nordic countries, then Vienna, Zurich, etc, etc. More money for the state has resulted in VERY GOOD health care systems and EXCELENT education (refering to primary and high schools mostly), because the state has more then enough money to fund these. So, ALL poor kids are also given a chance to make something out of their lifes. Not to mention various state benefits like child care, or here in austria the so called Studienbeihilfe: ALL students whos parents don't have enough money to finance university, get that money from the state.
THAT is democratic socialism, which has nothing to do with communism, socialism, totalitaristic regimes and Marx.

Enviroment: I don't think I have to elaborate much on this one. Europe is THE leading continent in all enviromental issues: recycling, alternative enegry sources, water purification, renewable energy, Kyoto agreement, Vienna (where I live) is one of the cleanest most enviroment friendly cities in the world. Germany puts at least one product daily on the market connected somehow to protecting the enviroment.

Gun laws: I am not familiar with gun laws of specific countries, but as far as I know, nobody is objecting much the current tougher laws. We are all ok with it, no need to cary guns with us all the time. I personaly despise any kind of violence and do not intend to ever own a gun. In my 27 years of living in Europe, I haven't been in a situation where I needed one.

You said it yourself that most europeans you know are ok, so we must be doing something right on this continent.
The arogance you noticed on this board might be provoked by words like "AMerica!! the ONLY free country in the world", "america, the greatest country in the world, # the rest" or something like that. Even in such cases the arogance and comments are directed to goverment of USA, not to all americans. Such higher level of criticism has its roots in political system in Europe, where there are more then two leading parties. So, it is very much natural to support one of 5-6 parties, and criticize all others. That is a part of life here. People are not in any way connected with president or goverment, so criticism directed at HOW a country is ruled, its goverment, laws and issues have nothing to do with how people are in that country.
If a european says that education system in USA is #ed, that means the laws governing thar system and those in goverment supporting it are #ed, and not the people.
What you perceive as a criticism directed to you personaly is actually criticism directed at goverment, and in most cases it IS justified.

Anyways, statistics clearly show that the best of the best is in Europe, mostly in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Austria, Switzerland and Germany.

I sort wish in a way everyone would carry guns all the time. It would make for a much more civil and kind world. And the jerks and ciminals wouldn't last very long....

They say the everyone was very, very, very polite in the old west...

Good job showing that, True Lies. To be truthful there is so much about American culture, and so much culture in Europe, that is distinct to each country. I have to admit I think Europeans I've seen have more culture in appreciation for the fine arts and conversation than Americans. But there are such gigantic differences in the very natures of America and Europe, also. To me the US feels in many ways still like a raw frontier country compared to the feel of European cities and villages. You could probably write many books about it to sum up adequately.

How Cool is This!?!?! An "Arrogant Europeans" thread to counterbalance the "Arrogant Americans" thread!

I suggest that everyone, both Europeans and Americans, read "A History of the American People" by Paul Johnson. Americans would probably learn more about themselves and Europeans would learn about who we are and how we got to where we are today. An excellent history book!

Or am I the only one who thinks that a little knowlege and understanding might breed a bit more tolerance and civility?

Of course, that would spoil all the fun...........

Not very surprising, this counterthread.
The only problem is that the differences within Europe between countries are way way bigger than the differences within America.
It makes less sense to talk about "those Europeans" than about "those Americans".
I think this is a useless thread (the topic start), but as people got off topic it became better.
Nice to see people showcase American culture, looks neat.

Originally posted by taibunsuu

Originally posted by Corinthas
The US of A invaded europe 50 years ago (under the pretense of liberateting us from the nazis, OK but..), now instead of eating sauerkraut and listning to marching music, we eat Mcdonalds and listen to Britney Spears.
The US is still here, we dont need to go to the US to see what its like coz you are all over us here! You took over our culture and are on the way to take over the rest of the world, we have the right to tell the US where to go with its self-serving policies.

You're a retard. I honestly don't give a crap how you feel about the US but to say we invaded Europe and made it ours is a load of #e.

Totally stunning, that moderators of these boards "aid" trolls in their attempts to provoke people enough to make them say things that they get warned for.

Moderators, you were chosen to be moderators not because you can detect the word "retard", but because you are intelligent and fair people that can understand problems and their causes.
If anyone should be warned here, it's Corinthas, as he is clearly trying to find the best way to piss people off while staying just within the ATS rules.

[edit on 5-9-2004 by Jakko]

Sorry dudes, but...

Jakko has a point, a good one too

Originally posted by Mokuhadzushi
That is why american right-wingers need to be reeducated by european/UN psychiatrists, and the sooner the better.

There's a scary thought. "Re-education" camps where you're not allowed to leave until you've been sufficiently brainwashed isn't a very free or peace-loving ideal. Whatever happened to freedom of speech, or freedom of thought even?

Originally posted by ThunderCloud
There's a scary thought.

"Re-education" camps where you're not allowed to leave until you've been sufficiently brainwashed isn't a very free or peace-loving ideal. Whatever happened to freedom of speech, or freedom of thought even?

Welcome to the World of Nazism
Re-educating people is what the Nazis done and is a tool of mind control

[edit on 5-9-2004 by infinite]

Ive been to Europe. Id have to agree. Their system is no better than ours really. It has its merits. It has its flaws.

I must laugh though culturally speaking. Europeans, like Americans, all yap about thier past achievements culturally. But what is thier culture today? Its as empty, materialistic, self centered, and bland as the Mc Donalds/Starbucks one. People there are obsessed with vanity, fashion, trinkets, ect. There really is no difference, except the delusioinm that somehow its different.

Originally posted by Corinthas
The US of A invaded europe 50 years ago (under the pretense of liberateting us from the nazis, OK but..), now instead of eating sauerkraut and listning to marching music, we eat Mcdonalds and listen to Britney Spears.
The US is still here, we dont need to go to the US to see what its like coz you are all over us here! You took over our culture and are on the way to take over the rest of the world, we have the right to tell the US where to go with its self-serving policies.

Jeezzz.....

I have foreign friends who say "America does its own brand of conquering." Yes, exactly and our brand is better. Yes, we plunder with our "culture imperialism," boo hoo; I'm guessing that�s better than the Genghis Khan-Joseph Stalin variety.

And while we're at it, can we stop with the "American cultural imperialism?" Harry Potter is English, Pokemon is Japanese, and soccer is just awful. Does anyone really expect the United States, which has, through hard work and ingenuity become the lone superpower, to have its effect felt nowhere in the world? The steps of the world's giant should be so soft that no one can hear them?? We have the power of Rome, but the big crisis is you�re eating our crappy fast food and listening to Britney Spears?? Well I guess listening to her is torturous

Originally posted by mwm1331
What makes you think the european system is better?

Well...according to the UN's human development survey, European nations account for 5 of the 7 countries that beat out the US in terms of overall quality of life.

www.canadiancontent.net...

Top Ten Ranking Countries:

1. Norway
2. Sweden
3. Australia
4. Canada
5. The Netherlands
6. Belgium
7. Iceland
8. United States
9. Japan
10. Ireland

Don't forget that this list goes down to 191. What was the last country on the list?

Originally posted by ThunderCloud
Don't forget that this list goes down to 191. What was the last country on the list?

Well, the list I'm looking at goes to 177 (the last being Sierra Leone). Your point was..?

[edit on 10-9-2004 by Durden]