What do you think about the cultural differences between Europe and the US ?

[Marla_Singer]

At the hour of the globalization, communications are more and more easier. For instance, as a European, I can now talk with Americans I didn't know every day for free.

Now my question is about your feeling about the cultural differences between North America (The US especially) and Europe in general. In the case you personally feel such a gap exists, do you think those differences are really getting bigger, or, in the other case, do you think it has always been as big but we notice it only now that we can communicate easier between each other. In the other case, you're also free to pick there's no cultural differences.

 

[SeleucusNicator]

By now, my views on the matter should be well-known here. I believe that there is a culture gap between the United States and Europe, and that this culture gap will only be growing larger as time goes on.

 

[AVN]

By now, my views on the matter should be well-known here. I believe that there is a culture gap between the United States and Europe, and that this culture gap will only be growing larger as time goes on.

I agree.
Unfortunately I have to do that.

 

[MarineCorps]

you're also free to pick there's no cultural differences.

Theres a huge cultural difference between the America and Europe.

 

[Marla_Singer]

By now, my views on the matter should be well-known here. I believe that there is a culture gap between the United States and Europe, and that this culture gap will only be growing larger as time goes on.

I'm interested in what you believe, but I'm even more interested in why you believe so.

So what are the reasons which have lead you to believe such a gap would increase ?

 

[kronic]

I think, the differences are increasing.

 

[Xiahou-Dun]

I picked "Cultural differences are increasing " and will continue.

 

[Arminius]

Globalization has brought US companies to other countries, true, but what has been most successful? Fast food. But now, fast food is slowing in the US. In fact looking at McDonald's empire reminds me of the British Empire in the late 1800s. Huge oversea empire, but the homeland is becoming weaker.

Fear held the West together 1945-1991. Since then, we have been seperating.

 

[Riesstiu IV]

It really depends on who you’re talking about. A college student living in New York and is majoring in “European History” will have a different outlook from say a farmer in the Midwest who goes to church every Sunday. And the same goes with Europeans. They’re not all the same!

 

[luiz]

It really depends on who you’re talking about. A college student living in New York and is majoring in “European History” will have a different outlook from say a farmer in the Midwest who goes to church every Sunday. And the same goes with Europeans. They’re not all the same!

Exactly.
There are americans that fit the european stereotyope and europeans that fit the american stereotype.

In reality both stereotypes are stupid, and they are not that different after all.

 

[Marla_Singer]

It really depends on who you’re talking about. A college student living in New York and is majoring in “European History” will have a different outlook from say a farmer in the Midwest who goes to church every Sunday. And the same goes with Europeans. They’re not all the same!

Well of course Riesstiu. The question is mainly about your general feeling on cultural differences in general.

I personally believe that those differences are increasing. If that's the case, it's not particularly linked to the Soviet Union's threat disappearing as Arminius mentionned. I think it's based on two general observations :

1- World war 2 hasn't been interpreted in the same way on both continents. Europe has seen it as pure destruction, when the US (in general) has given more a moral dimension to it : the struggle between good and evil.

2- The 60's revolution on society values have been less deep in the US than in Europe. In America, it's mostly the East Coast and the West Coast which have seen that revolution changing people's mind, when it's less true in the area between both coasts.

1968 is by the way a really interesting year. Indeed, that year, Czechoslovakia was striving for democratization during Prague spring, and even if the Soviets took control of the situation again militarely speaking, the USSR has still received a severe knock on the head that year.

On the other side, French people were protesting during a whole month for... well for no real reasons. It was just a way to say they didn't want anymore of the society of their parents.

And finally, in the US, Martin Luther King Jr. and Bob Kennedy were killed.

 

[Milan's Warrior]

I am Italian and I moved to the US 7 years ago.
When I arrived here I assumed there were no cultural differences. I was wrong.
Generalizations are always risky. But here are some generalization that I believe are, in general, true.

1. Americans are much more casual. They will say to you "come whenever you want" but they don't mean it. Italian will tell you "come at 7.25pm (or, 19.25, as we say)tomorrow". That just got me years to get used to.
2. Americans don't say "hallo" on the street if the person is only an acqueitance (sp?). Italians do.
3. Americans wear their religion on their sleaves. In Italy religion pervades the political discourse, but religion is no flaunted. You certainly don't see people wearing a black cross on their forehead on ashes day.
4. In Italy public display of affection is normal. Kissing in public is normal.

The question seem to point in a different direction. The "war on terror"...
I don't think there is any cultural difference there. Chirac was right and Bush was wrong. End of the story.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Exactly.
There are americans that fit the european stereotyope and europeans that fit the american stereotype.

In reality both stereotypes are stupid, and they are not that different after all.

No. We can't summarize things this way. Americans would have never elected a guy who got 4 different wives like Gerhard Schröder ; and Germans would have never elected a born-again Christian like George W. Bush.

Even if what you say is true in the scale of the individuals, it's not true anymore in the scale of masses.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

It depends. In terms of international outlook, and the cultural attitudes towards eachother, I think they are definitely changing. In terms of consumer culture, I believe they are getting at least a bit closer. A lot more European luxury cars in the states, and from what I have heard/read, European diets are starting to resemble American diets a bit more.

So it is increasing and decreasing in other ways. Basically, it is complex.

 

[kronic]

2. Americans don't say "hallo" on the street if the person is only an acqueitance (sp?). Italians do.

Germans don't necessarily do that as well.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Canadians do.

 

[Godwynn]

Can someone else give me a list of other cultural differences? When I say come over whenever, I really do mean whenever.

 

[Mario Feldberg]

Personally I think my own European country (Germany) becomes more like the US every year.

Today if I walk the streets (in the big city) I see the same kind of black gangsters here which I saw in L.A. There is a mosque in my neighbourhood.. of course all the Arabic/Turkish immigrants need a place to pray.. etc. etc.
When I was younger almost everyone in Germany was German/white. Today you'll find almost all ethnic groups in larger German cities. We have become "multi-cultural" just like the US. This destoryed the whole traditional European idea of "nation" (people of the same ethnic-cultural group + their territory). Today we are almost an US-style "nation" (just a state with a constitution) and this trend will only increase in future.

Our economic-social system is currently reformed to be more like the US one, too. I mean cutting down the welfare state. "Socialism" certainly has become a dirty word and everyone has started to preach self-relience. Attacking the idea that the state has to care for the people (you know the other traditional European idea) has become everyday business for the politicans, experts etc.

While European anti-Americanism is at an all-time high Europe in general becomes more like a cheap copy of the US every day IMO. Maybe that's the real reason why the Europeans are so hateful at the moment. For example when they talk about how Halliburton rules the US gov. they just project their self-hatred because their own nations have become total cooperate lap dogs.
They ***** about how America tries to destroy other cultures because it's un-PC to ***** about the fact that the European cultures are destroyed by immigration. Sorry unveiled women won't destroy the national character of Saudi-Arabia any more than blacks listing to hip hop music in the streets destroys the national character of Germany. BTW, we still totally love American culture. The good thing about all the anti-US **** is that German people have mostly stopped wearing "USA" shirts (IMO this was always sick and laughable) but sadly they didn't stop to consume any other kind of American trash. IMO the Europeans hate the US because they know that their own cultures are doomed and that the "American way of life" will be/already is the global way of life.

 

[Riesstiu IV]

@Mario Feldberg - "Hip hop" culture has made it to Germany?! Oh how sad... Germany is the birthplace of some of the greatest classical musicians of all time. Rap music is awful... I don't know how anybody can stand listening to it.

That's really surprising. "Hip hop" is not very popular in my state... but then again Idaho has a 99% white population.

European diets are starting to resemble American diets a bit more.

I've heard that too. It seems the West is becoming fatter every year...

 

[Marla_Singer]

Germans don't necessarily do that as well.

Well, as a matter of fact, this is something which depends really on individuals or the specific location you live in. For instance it's different in rural areas and in big cities, it can even depend on your neighbourhood. So, that wasn't the kind of thing I wanted to discuss about.

If you wanted a good example of general mainstream cultural behaviour, it's for instance obvious that the American cinema tends to be more naive and the European cinema tends to be more cynical. Of course, you can find counter-examples, but a general observation of this kind isn't based on prejudices heard through the grapevine, they are simply based on general observations.