Ask The World
A general community for asking and answering questions about other countries and cultures.
Please state which country you're answering for when you answer a post.
People in America thinking that our only option is democrat or republican. The only reason we have to keep settling for the "lesser of two evils" is because we've convinced ourselves that it's impossible to do otherwise.
It's the definition of a self-fulfilling prophecy. We're shooting ourselves in the foot every time we fall for it.
First past the post systems generally devolve into two party systems. Unless we change that at the very least, two parties are essentially the only options. Switching to ranked choice or approval would help for House positions and likely at the state level.
At least some states are adopting ranked-choice voting. I much prefer approval voting, but at least it's better than FPTP.
UK - The typical middle aged / boomer pub goers, football fans that drink excessively and beat their wives, blame “forrinas” for everything and then vote against their own benefits. Absolute clown culture
I think what you described is universal. Maybe some countries need to replace football with cricket or hockey but the rest of the sentence could apply to a lot of other countries...
I don’t understand, do most people just.. not think as much and let society program them or something?
People are nice and stuff, but I miss the warmness and invitingness of the Americans. Dutch directness is good. Why are most Dutch people’s schedules so filled?
Sometimes I feel more connected culturally with the U.S. . Maybe because the internet has shaped a large part of who I am. I don’t think my brother and sisters are as shaped by it as I am. I am from 1988 and we had internet since 1999. Been on it so much. They are from 1984, 1981 and 1979. I don’t think it has had as much influence on them, my sister from ‘84 also not as much interested in tech as I am and getting into it at a way later age.
Bull fighting, bull enterteiment and the soft alcohol culture.
(Spain)
Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean by "soft alcohol culture"?
I mean, the social interaction based on conversation in taberns, with a glass of beer or wine and "tapas" (light aparitive). Even familiar events (birthday partys, weddings...) are driven by low grade alcohol beverages.
Alcohol is classified as proved carcinogenic and main factor in hearth diseases and obesity.
Close family ties filipino culture. I hate it.
USA:
Bring back the "can do" attitude and the lack of aversion to change. The moon and the interstate highway system weren't cheap or easy, and the internet was a massive paradigm shift. Improved rail networks won't be cheap or easy and ending single family zoning will be a massive paradigm shift. Same with ending first past the post, changing our approach to foreign policy, eliminating coal dependence, etc.
I actually think the young have this, but unfortunately old people still dominate our politics and too often the young instead claim to be collectivists while pushing the hyperindividualist solution of "move to another country."
I wish all cultures kept their uniqueness, but there’s definitely a homogenisation occurring worldwide which has been going on for decades. The internet helped that along. Language is probably the most notable shift, but also particular attitudes.
I remember travelling decades ago and truly feeling as though you were in a foreign location. Different products, shops, advertisements, TV, film, attitudes.
These days, in most major cities, you see the same fast food, advertising etc. And, without meaning to come across as rude, it’s American culture that is unfortunately dominating.
So, one thing I would want to change about my country’s culture is that it remains as unique as it can for as long as possible.
In the US I'll say littering. Some areas have available trash receptacles well-placed, but that's few and far between, and some of those places don't have good systems in place to collect that trash.
But even with that, I get pretty bent out of shape at the amount of littering in nature areas. Families tend to be the worst at this for some reason. Into the mountains to do some sledding, well see someone has left broken, busted plastic sleds and foodstuffs behind. A river? Sandals, swimsuits, broken chairs, foodstuffs. The Forrest for camping? Busted equipmemt, sleeping bags, foodstuffs.
Now, it less common in that not everyone is doing it, but more common in that I usually see at least one example of this at every nature site I go to.
Probably goes for every country, but religion. I wish it could just be erased and forgotten.
I actually agree.
Alcohol culture. All of it. Don’t want it gone or anything. But drowning the whole culture in alcohol just feels dumb.