i was wondering, as i live in america, and have my whole life. how does the rest of the world look at us as a country? more out of curiousity as ive noticed that we seem to have a biggoted system when veiwing other countries
Rob van Heijst - - Parent #
No free healthcare. You primitives!
thegoheads - - Parent #
The millions of americans that get healthcare, then never pay their bills would beg to differ. My oldest brother must've had millions of (insert preferred unit of money here) in medical bills that he never paid. And he somehow kept getting treatment.
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
Yep, I look at the USA as a country. And as a continent. And as a place to envy because of all the online shopping you can do. And as a place to laugh at because of all the problems we don't have in NL.
Also, I am always confused when I ask someone and they answer 'thisandthisstate'... I always assume that all the states have the same culture anyway, so why not say you are from the USA?
When people ask where I am from I enjoy saying I am from Europe. Not as a joke, but because I have this (unpopular) opinion that we should grow even closer than we are already.
Am I American? I speak American English, absorb American media culture... What do you guys have that I don't?
I do like Gouda cheese and Dutch bread though...
Robotic juggle - - Parent #
as far as the states are concerned their is actually a large cultural gap. say split the country into three parts the northeast the southeast the west. the northeast has a large variaty of people ,ideas, and veiw points. as its were most immagrants went to right of the bat so you get a cultural blend of everything; making it the part of the country that worries about political correctness such as african-american versus black and native-american versus indian. the southeast is a totally diffrent story deep seaded racism is not uncommon due to the prolonged exposure to slavery and becouse of the violence that offen centered around other cultures in the south even today its primarily small white towns with some level of racism open or not (this does not include florida as it fits more to the western catigory) the west filled with people of all kinds is the largest area it was developed later and therfore doesnt have the northeastern relation to britian (meaning only the cities look diffrent) and while there is some racism due to the chinese and the irish immagrants taking a large majority of the pay in the days of the railroad; the cultural devide exposes kids more and more recently its been less biggoted than in years past. on top of all this each state has somthing it does or is known for like idaho potatoes or corn form iowa, theirs also crabs from main, surfers in california, the list goes on... i hope this gave some insight to the whole country then state thing.
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
Thanks for the clarification.
However, this makes your states sound like they are as different from each other as the provinces of the Netherlands, the Bundeslaender of Germany or the countries of the UK.
Robotic juggle - - Parent #
they really are we have accents for the diffrent region and slang is litarally a class you can take in colledge its called ebonics america has a rich history leading up to obamacare ("free" healthcare) a horribly dumb system that will probibly get repealed and the idea of free healthcare would die with it. is it that hard... i mean the canadians figured it out (meant as a joke i have nothing against canadians)
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
Yes, getting free healthcare is hard now. It would have been easier to solve 200 years ago but nobody then saw this coming.
The tagline for the USA was freedom. Nothing wrong with freedom, everyone thought, so they used this term for anything they could think of. Freedom to protect yourself (I have the freedom not to need to protect myself, but that is a whole different story), free market.
Free market? Freedom of one can reduce freedom of another. Free market is a parasitical virus that quickly reduced everyone's freedom except the 1%. But since freedom was 'good' free market was allowed to take over the medical industry, and thereby making it twice as expensive as in the rest of the world. This is a price no government would be able to afford for their citizens, and now it is hard to change it back.
Good intentions, bad results. I don't understand why Obama gets so much critique for his good intentions (and possibly bad results), but the founding fathers never get this kind of critique!
Robotic juggle - - Parent #
its more the exeption clauses that get me( cancer patients, people with cronic anything really) and it raised unemployment because companies had to pay more for each person on staff leading to heavy lay offs. and while i can conceave no way to fix these problems i would have just left well enough alone and focus on real problems like the horrid amounts of outsourcing that leave us at a high unemployment rate
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
I don't know enough about obamacare to comment on this.
Solving outsourcing seems like a silly thing to me. Aren't we all happy if someone else does our work?
In the end most of our jobs will be outsourced to technology. Better become an artist, it seems that this field will take longest before it can be outsourced to robots!
Consider watching this if you are interested in understanding how technology will replace all jobs.
https://youtu.be/0SuGRgdJA_c
And this docu doesn't even deal with the upcoming AI superintelligence explosion. ( https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Intelligence_explosion )
thegoheads - - Parent #
" I don't understand why Obama gets so much critique for his good intentions (and possibly bad results), "
Widespread ignorance and propaganda is my best guess.
That single sentence quoted above sounds more intelligent than anything I've ever heard a fellow american say about Obama. The general mentality around here is that Obama is our dictator and can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and is purposely destroying our country because he's a stupid poopey-face.
I know nothing of politics and have purposely never followed any of it. Still, Obama seems to be the first leader genuinely trying to make things better for Joe Average, which is not profitable for Joe Super-Rich, hence the propaganda.
Rob van Heijst - - Parent #
Apart from the accents I don't think there is any cultural difference between the provinces of NL. (If you mention carnaval I'll kill you!(in a figurative way))
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
Different industries, different education levels, different building styles, different histories, different political viewpoints, different landscapes, different religions, CARNAVAL!
You should spend more time traveling trough your own country ;). I biked around many many summers and this taught me a lot! Of course, since the automobile and the internet the differences are fading, but there are still enough people living where their families came from, carrying on their traditions and habits.
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
In Brazil!
And in the not so civilized part of the Netherlands where Rob lives ;)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_in_the_Netherlands
Rob van Heijst - - Parent #
That's true but don't get me mixed up! I despise it!
Rob van Heijst - - Parent #
It's a holiday that's only celebrated in the two most south provinces (North-Brabant and Limburg) which is unfortunately where I live. There are special tents set up for it where people can go to dressed up in weird costumes. There seems to be an exception for the ages 12 to 18 who will go as sluts. People use it as an excuse to not do anything and get drunk. On top of that your brain will explode from the worst music possible that is blasted non-stop for 4 days out of those tents. E.g. https://youtu.be/Jz0w1EDhYic .
I always say that carnaval is just like a juggling convention only without the juggling, fun people and games and with tons and tons of wasted people.
Rob van Heijst - - Parent #
And the whole year through if you something as trivial as jogging pants (literal translation; I don't think it's called that way in English) you will get lots of mean comments on it but when it's carnaval it's suddenly OK to get dressed up as a condom...
Robotic juggle - - Parent #
Sounds like marte gras in new orleans.
Little Paul - - Parent #
I was half expecting that link to be gabber... But I guess Rotterdam is too far north for you ;)
Rob van Heijst - - Parent #
What do you mean? I don't get the reference probably because I'm from the south ;)
RegularJugular - - Parent #
According to wonkypedia
"Although a house variant from Detroit reached Amsterdam in the late 1980s, it was the producers and DJs from Rotterdam who evolved it into a harder house variant which is today known as "gabber"."
I know someone who seems to love gabber.
Also I thought that based on some Dutch radio station I heard the other week, music like the what you posted was the majority of the music played in Holland ;p (It sounded similar to me although mostly a bit more traditional)
Rob van Heijst - - Parent #
I'm glad it's not traditional Dutch music. I don't know if there's such a thing as traditional music here. Most of the music that people listen to is foreign. There are, however, some bands who seem to really nail Dutch music such as Doe Maar.
Typical music associated with is I'm afraid to say Schlager or 'het levenslied'.
I've often regretted sharing a language with you guys because that makes it way to easy to expert that music to Belgium.
I can forgive you though because of Doe Maar.
Roflcopter - - Parent #
I hate how when someone talks about the south, the first thing that comes up is racism. I'm just making a general statement here but why does everyone think we are down here hanging blacks from trees or making sure that they drink from a different fountain. There is a huge integration of white and black here in the southeast precisely because of slavery. We lost the civil war and the freed slaves didn't leave. With this there has actually been a decrease in racist behavior( to an extent). I'm not saying that there aren't a lot or racists down here because there are. Even blacks, some are into this Afro-centrism type deal. I dunno I'm just trying to make the point that "Racism" is not a valid point to pose southeastern culture on. I don't wanna make some big like political race deal on a juggling forum so I won't say anything else on it.
I'm a certified South Carolinian
I think one of the problems as an an outsider is only the extremeness of a country/culture is seen as newsworthy by the media, so we only see the extremities - westbro baptists, anti-abortionists murdering doctors, refusal to reach science that includes evolution theory, lynch mobs, people living in poverty, corrupt police and politics - and then we generalise and base our views on this narrow viewpoint.
Robotic juggle - - Parent #
@ roflcopter while yes lynchings no longer happen and we all poo in the same grubby stalls at wallmart racism is what shaped the culture thats why there are those black-centerized people. I wasnt saying thats the only diffrence but its a large one
Little Paul - - Parent #
If you want to know how we view the USA, do what we all do and watch your tv shows and films, listen to your music, and drink your rediculously sugary soft drinks.
We really have very little else to go on.
Unfortunately.
Little Paul - - Parent #
Oh, and Dear America - please stop GETTING BACON WRONG!
Robotic juggle - - Parent #
This gave me a hearty laugh thanks for that early morning pick me up
thegoheads - - Parent #
Okay, I'll bite. How does this america place get bacon wrong?
Little Paul - - Parent #
American Bacon: Thin cut, narrow, short strips of belly pork cooked until they're crunchy and inflexible. It's about 50% fat, and is inedible as a sandwich filling unless hidden amongst other ingredients.
British Bacon: "back bacon" - Thicker cut, wider slices of pork loin - still attached to a section of belly pork, with about 10-20% fat surrounding a large succulent piece of pigmeat. Cooked gently in a frying pan until the fat renders down leaving the rest flexible, succulent and juicy.
Ideal in a sandwich, bread slightly moist from bacon juices. Available in smoked, unsmoked and wet/dry cured versions either with the rind (skin) still attached or trimmed up. I favour dry cured, smoked, rindless.
British Bacon: "streaky bacon" is also available over here, but is much less popular. It's belly pork like american bacon, but with a milder cure and thicker slices. Even when we use that, we don't cook it to within an inch of it's life like you guys do.
"Canadian Ham" - like British bacon, but trimmed to within an inch of it's life with not a piece of fat in sight. In my (limited) experience, this is worse than american bacon as while it might *look* right it's dry and uninteresting.
Also - seriously america, WTF?
Little Paul - - Parent #
YesYesYes: https://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/3/7/1331136694122/Felicitys-perfect-bacon-s-007.jpg
NoNoNo: https://www.thedeliciouslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/bottega-louie-bacon-sandwich.jpg
thegoheads - - Parent #
"like you guys do."
I buy the good thick slices and cook them the "british" way. Apparently I wasn't doing it "wrong". I see the thin slices on the shelf and am aware that I could buy those and overcook them if I wanted to, but I don't. Just personal preference, I never even knew I was doing it the "british" or "correct" way. Sorry to disappoint your american stereotype :P
pumpkineater23 - - Parent #
Americans know how to put on a good spread when it comes to BBQs. Marinated steaks, salads, jacket potatoes corn on the cob.. etc. They really put some love into it. Of course some americans have been known to put no effort into their BBQ's at all, then get really drunk and burn all their horrible cheap meat to a cinder, just like the British do!
Robotic juggle - - Parent #
depends on were you buy your bacon i get mine from arthur ,an amish town, (for those who dont know amish is the name for a group of people gennerally christian who shun electricity and use horse and buggies) were the pig is fresh killed and the bacon is thick and juicy, just like you described over there. that is the best way to do bacon i concur.
noslowerdna - - Parent #
Are you referring to the Bacon Explosion?
Bacon Explosion
Heard of Louis Theroux? I think you're all like the people he talks to! :P
My most enduring impression of Americans was formed at BJC 2004 where we were joined by Jonathan Root, Bill Berry, the La Salle brothers, Jay Gilligan & Matt Hall who all worked their socks off for the whole festival, performing, running workshops, hosting shows, giving up their time in the big top to help & talk to others & more. All were powerhouses of enthusiasm & were amazing genuine people. You couldn't ask for finer ambassadors for your country.
Yes, your country has a lot of problems but guess what? So does mine. There are bigoted arseholes everywhere. Just make sure you are not one of them & don't tolerate their behaviour.
Oh & get yourself to a festival outside of the US sometime!
Robotic juggle - - Parent #
oh I want to sometime but Im as broke as a rope
To sum it up my thoughts in a sentence: A high tech country with a generally backward society.
RegularJugular - - Parent #
Years ago I heard from someone who'd lived in the USA and England and they said that one of the most obvious differences between the USA and England how much more "flag-waving" goes on in the USA. I believe he was talking about an excess of National Pride that sometimes seems to overwhelm US citizens, for example crying depending on whether their desired president gets elected or not.
My personal investment into US politics used to extend as far as hoping a Democrat would win, because George W Bush's speeches were awful compared to what the other party's scriptwriters managed to pull off. I really wanted Obama to win his first term in office, because I thought that when I saw US politics on the news, he would be significantly less annoying. Kerry also... What it has since taught me is how little difference there is between the two. One does have better scriptwriters than the other, no question.
However, most of the way I see the USA is through, like, y'know that telly box and it's morality plays. The US does the world a wonderful service with it's portrayal of itself as some all seeing, all caring World Police. The UK does the same. My attention span for cola adverts has improved though-out my life. I also loved Scrubs, although I could never get along with ER or House. That said I love how House tends to use narrow DoF from what I've seen, if only real life were like that.
Regarding American Healthcare:
https://youtu.be/qSjGouBmo0M
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/03/health-care-costs-_n_3998425.html
US citizens pay more than UK citizens (per capita) to get healthcare that they then have to pay for. Haha *Ironic Nelson style laugh* The jokes on us though, our government appears to think healthy fiscal policy looks like https://twitter.com/grantshapps/status/446363611972534272
I'm still looking for my point, although I largely agree with LP and Orin. However I find it really difficult not to be a "bigoted arsehole" I used to think if I could identify Racism in places that weren't me then I wasn't racist or bigoted. Identity has many layers and is strange stuff.