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General discussion (archive)The country of your dreams(111 posts)(111 posts)
(111 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted June 02, 2012
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begolf00: I prefer the Big island to any of the other islands. If I lived in Hawaii I'd live there.
Most people do, the car/driving situation would drive me right back off the island though.
Posted June 02, 2012
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Psyringe: I pretty much resent the idea of "national personalities" that you present here. There is no "German" personality. There is no "Austrian" personality. There _are_ some cultural differences between the two countries, but the differences between regions _within_ the same country is far stronger.

If you really decided to leave a country because of whatever you perceive as the "personality" that all people in this country share, then I can only shake my head at such a decision. I think it's fundamentally flawed. It does make sense to look for a community where you can thrive in, but thinking that there is no such community in a whole country of 80 million people, and thinking that all those 80 million people, with all their various personalities, backgrounds, goals, ideas, and passions, are "stubborn and withdrawn", is ... absolutely clueless. Sorry.
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orcishgamer: Alright, I'm trying to do this "nicely" and I'm going to fuck it up, so forgive me, but *bullshit*! I lived in parts of Europe for a couple years and you guys have stereotypes too. Germany is a bit different due to the national emotional scars of the whole Nazi thing but I swear I got tired of the "loud Texan in a painfully bright, untucked shirt" picture most of you carry of Americans. Everyone in one region of France thought I was German, due to my thick accent and my size and complexion (I'm sure the way I dressed had a lot to do with it too).

"You" may not do it personally, but nationally, yes, there are prevailing attitudes, personalities, and perceptions. These "shift" over time as different generations come to "power" (i.e. being to host media broadcasts, own businesses, and hold office) but at any given time there is most certainly a prevailing attitude in any region.
I think you read something into my post that wasn't quite there. ;)

Yes, of course people (all over the world) have stereotypes about other nations. I'm not saying they don't. Actually, what I was saying is that such stereotypes (as present in the line that I quoted) don't make sense if used for important decisions like where to live. Because - as I said - there is a _huge_ amount of very different communities in any larger nation, many of which bear zero resemblance to any of the stereotypes currently in fashion. To take Germany as an example, the differences between the community of a a rural village in the Black Forest, and of (say) a metropolitan "alternative culture" setting like Berlin-Kreuzberg are huge, even though both are German communities.
Posted June 02, 2012
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keeveek: I'd love to live in Japan, Tokio, rally. I think I would have hard time to acomodate, but... Japan is truly amazing country. I will definitely visit it at least once in my life.
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begolf00: I think Japan would be awesome to live in to. I would love to visit Hokkaido and the Kuril islands while I'm at it.
And Roppongi! :D
Posted June 02, 2012
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orcishgamer: Alright, I'm trying to do this "nicely" and I'm going to fuck it up, so forgive me, but *bullshit*! I lived in parts of Europe for a couple years and you guys have stereotypes too. Germany is a bit different due to the national emotional scars of the whole Nazi thing but I swear I got tired of the "loud Texan in a painfully bright, untucked shirt" picture most of you carry of Americans. Everyone in one region of France thought I was German, due to my thick accent and my size and complexion (I'm sure the way I dressed had a lot to do with it too).

"You" may not do it personally, but nationally, yes, there are prevailing attitudes, personalities, and perceptions. These "shift" over time as different generations come to "power" (i.e. being to host media broadcasts, own businesses, and hold office) but at any given time there is most certainly a prevailing attitude in any region.
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Psyringe: I think you read something into my post that wasn't quite there. ;)

Yes, of course people (all over the world) have stereotypes about other nations. I'm not saying they don't. Actually, what I was saying is that such stereotypes (as present in the line that I quoted) don't make sense if used for important decisions like where to live. Because - as I said - there is a _huge_ amount of very different communities in any larger nation, many of which bear zero resemblance to any of the stereotypes currently in fashion. To take Germany as an example, the differences between the community of a a rural village in the Black Forest, and of (say) a metropolitan "alternative culture" setting like Berlin-Kreuzberg are huge, even though both are German communities.
Okay, perhaps I did misunderstand it. However, I do think using prevailing attitudes is a good gauge of where you might or might not fit in. Sure, you might find a small group of people that you enjoy anywhere, but how the country is run, how your job works, what you're "allowed" to do (legally speaking or just what's available) for your leisure time, etc. will all be heavily influenced by the majority.
Posted June 02, 2012
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orcishgamer: snip
It's not xenophobic or stereotypical. It's natural for human brain to create easy patterns. It makes easier to sort things and ideas. It's natural to every human being, it's just how our brain functions. We have to actually meet an American to change our way of thinking, to adjust the patterns.
Posted June 02, 2012
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orcishgamer: Okay, perhaps I did misunderstand it. However, I do think using prevailing attitudes is a good gauge of where you might or might not fit in. Sure, you might find a small group of people that you enjoy anywhere, but how the country is run, how your job works, what you're "allowed" to do (legally speaking or just what's available) for your leisure time, etc. will all be heavily influenced by the majority.
Agreed ... mostly. ;). I also don't see anything wrong with dreaming about other countries based on the stereotypes one might have about those, as long as one's aware that these _are_ stereotypes. However, I don't see much merit in a (hypothetical) line of thought like "Germans are all so stuck up, I need to leave the country to be happy" - someone who actually believed this would simply rob himself of lots of perfectly valid other options to be happy.
Posted June 02, 2012
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orcishgamer: snip
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keeveek: It's not xenophobic or stereotypical. It's natural for human brain to create easy patterns. It makes easier to sort things and ideas. It's natural to every human being, it's just how our brain functions. We have to actually meet an American to change our way of thinking, to adjust the patterns.
No. I hate when people try to logically explain something as something else when it really is laziness. This thinking prevail because people are too lazy to actually try to find out something by themselves.
I find this faulty thinking everywhere. It's just...annoying. If not said in jest that is. It can make great jokes. :)
Posted June 02, 2012
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Tarm: No. I hate when people try to logically explain something as something else when it really is laziness. This thinking prevail because people are too lazy to actually try to find out something by themselves.
I find this faulty thinking everywhere. It's just...annoying. If not said in jest that is. It can make great jokes. :)
You do that all the time too. There is too much information for human brain to process, this is why simple patterns are being made. If you think you don't , you lie to yourself.
Post edited June 02, 2012 by keeveek
Posted June 02, 2012
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Tarm: No. I hate when people try to logically explain something as something else when it really is laziness. This thinking prevail because people are too lazy to actually try to find out something by themselves.
I find this faulty thinking everywhere. It's just...annoying. If not said in jest that is. It can make great jokes. :)
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keeveek: You do that all the time too. There is too much information for human brain to process, this is why simple patterns are being made. If you think you don't , you lie to yourself.
Yes everyone do that at first. It takes a conscious effort to get past that and actually find out how it really is. Hence laziness.
Posted June 02, 2012
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keeveek: You do that all the time too. There is too much information for human brain to process, this is why simple patterns are being made. If you think you don't , you lie to yourself.
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Tarm: Yes everyone do that at first. It takes a conscious effort to get past that and actually find out how it really is. Hence laziness.
You're both correct. You are focusing n the aspect that people are often content with their stereotypes and can't be bothered to question them, which is (unfortunately) correct. Keeveek is focusing on the aspect that making generalizations is _also_ a useful (and often automatic) feature of the human mind, especially in situations when there#s too much information to process, or too little to differentiate further - which is also correct.
Posted June 02, 2012
Maybe. But I think for most Europeans it's irrelevant how actual American looks like :P
Posted June 02, 2012
Perhaps I'd like to try the US next, or perhaps one of those tiny little islands off the coast of Scotland.

I certainly wouldn't go for Japan again. Used to be a great place, but it's sliding further and faster down the crapper every day and probably will continue to do so until certain parties are finally removed from power. That and the entire police/judicial system needs serious reforms....

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keeveek: And Roppongi! :D
If you're going to go to Roppongi, you may as well just stay in the West. Put in nice terms, Roppongi is not representative of Japan.
Post edited June 02, 2012 by bansama
Posted June 02, 2012
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keeveek: Maybe. But I think for most Europeans it's irrelevant how actual American looks like :P
Aren't they all fat, loud, don't take of their shoes inside, wear jeans, a cowboy hat, think they always know the best way to do things and that god (The catholic christian god mostly.) is on their side?


Did I forget something? ;)
Posted June 02, 2012
The country I would want to move to simply doesn't exist in reality and will never exist in reality. Every nation has its problems and moving around, you're just trading one set for another. *shrug*
Posted June 02, 2012
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keeveek: Maybe. But I think for most Europeans it's irrelevant how actual American looks like :P
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Tarm: Aren't they all fat, loud, don't take of their shoes inside, wear jeans, a cowboy hat, think they always know the best way to do things and that god (The catholic christian god mostly.) is on their side?


Did I forget something? ;)
46% of the Americans think evolution is a lie. :D
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)The country of your dreams(111 posts)(111 posts)
(111 posts)