Differences between Europe and the U.S.

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Re: Differences between Europe and the U.S.

Postby drakpower » Mon, 11Feb21 23:06

I should preface this by saying I am not instigating what country is "better" than another or anything like that. I am looking for people's opinions to help increase my understanding and perspectives. I don't want to offend anyone but if I do let me know!

Now then, this board has a large and globally diverse population. While running around the internet I came across a site called Europedia (www.eupedia.com).

I clicked the link for Facts & Trivia and then under the heading Cultural Differences there was a link for "What makes Europeans different from Americans?"

I had a good time, and a few good laughs, reading the article and I found some of the opinions on America to be dependent on where you lived and some to be sad truths.

I encourage people to give it a read. Do you think that article is interesting or funny? Does this article have any basis in truth (on either side)? This board has a wonderful rep of being frank and civil, and I would like to see that spirit come out here now.
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Re: Differences between Europe and the U.S.

Postby Craban » Mon, 11Feb21 23:55

I read it now and I haven't found anything I'd object from my knowledge. Of course judging that would require a very good experience in both "worlds".

But I missed at least one more difference: legislature. US laws tend to be more focussed on punishing the delinquent than in Europe. I cannot tell for each European country but in Germany the longest prison term is 25 years. Though there may be a preventive custody. Multiple sentences are not added and a prison term of 15 years and longer is called "lifelong".
Sentence to death is stopped.
Fines of millions or more are very rare in Europe. Stories like going to court because a coffee was too hot (is that really a true story?) are considered a joke in Europe. You would not have the slightest chance to win that and get real money.
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Re: Differences between Europe and the U.S.

Postby drakpower » Tue, 11Feb22 00:06

Interesting Craban, I did not know that, thank you.

The coffee incident is true. I present to you a wikipedia article:
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebeck_v. ... estaurants)
(I'm not posting active links because last time I did the moderators took them down and I don't want to cause offense again)
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Re: Differences between Europe and the U.S.

Postby Craban » Tue, 11Feb22 00:16

Regarding the patriotism and religion: I found a satire I really like:
Image

Let me try to translate.
Merkel: These are breasts, holy father. Globes, titties, boobies, hooters, bazoos. My god, just tits!
Pope: Good gracious! Our altar boys don't have that.
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Re: Differences between Europe and the U.S.

Postby Squeeky » Tue, 11Feb22 02:19

drakpower wrote : Interesting Craban, I did not know that, thank you.

The coffee incident is true. I present to you a wikipedia article:
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebeck_v. ... estaurants)
(I'm not posting active links because last time I did the moderators took them down and I don't want to cause offense again)

Firstly I'd expect the direct active link taken down would have been considered a game promotion.

Ok. On topic. There is much that could be said about differences between Americans and Australians too. Unfortunately there seem to be too many "sheep" over here trying to close those gaps! My small sleepy town has just gotten its MacDonalds and there is talk of a KFC and possibly Gloria Jeans (coffee).

And true, but rare, a kangaroo might be found hopping down a main street - a tourist is highly unlikely to see that. Or a resident to see an adult Koala in their driveway, as we did 4 months ago just before departing on a trip.

Oh too. We have "drop bears" and "hoop snakes", gotta watch out for them!
Squeaky is clean, I'm just a tad messy!
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Re: Differences between Europe and the U.S.

Postby Mimailia » Tue, 11Feb22 15:16

Interesting read drakpower. The "coffee" lawsuit (and a million like it) pisses me off. Common sense and personal responsibility are gone here.

One thing they didn't mention, a game, where the sole purpose is random violence, is good - for even children. But show a tit and Congress will halt legislation to bash it. (Guess it goes back to the church thing.)

Thanks for the link,

M
I can't figure out how to use the signature!
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Re: Differences between Europe and the U.S.

Postby Newdood » Wed, 11Feb23 04:47

I have to agree with Mimailia - an interesting read.

I didn't know that marriage was such a small thing in Europe, but the article didn't scratch the surface of just how BIG it is in the States. In fact, there is a fairly big federal tax deduction in the States that is only available to married couples.
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Re: Differences between Europe and the U.S.

Postby Teaser » Sun, 13Jul28 12:58

Newdood wrote:I have to agree with Mimailia - an interesting read.

I didn't know that marriage was such a small thing in Europe, but the article didn't scratch the surface of just how BIG it is in the States. In fact, there is a fairly big federal tax deduction in the States that is only available to married couples.


Note: I express my personal views and opinions here. Some of the numbers I have googled and may be out of date.

Well, yes and no. Marriage does not have the same socio-political impact that it seems to have in the States. For example a good personal friend of mine still lives together with his girlfriend and already has one son and they are thinking about another child. They have been living together for more than seven years now and are still not married or even engaged. Nobody I know (or care about) is really bothered about that.

But... once you enter a marriage and live the wedded life you tend to stick to your wife/husband much longer and divorce is not an easy topic for many couples (at least in Germany). Marriage is seen as important to those who actually do enter it. Therefore it is a bit difficult to explain the emotional (and even logical) connections people have towards marriage. Although divorce rates are rising in Germany (currently appr. 30-35% of marriages are being divorced) it usually takes at least 5-6 years before couples even think about a divorce. Quick divorces (such as after a year or so) are very rare and looked upon as a bit frivolous. Usually couples tend to stick around longer to try to work out their differences before actually divorcing.

Tax deductions are still a reason for marriage in Germany but currently a law is being discussed quite controversially in our parliament whether to change this state to all relationships similar in state to marriage (even including long-standing homo-sexual partnerships) - including the tax deductions.

For the lawsuits: yes, the coffee lawsuit is true but many other so-called 'officially reported lawsuits' from the States are urban myths. Yet still in Europe you would never get such a lawsuit to stick. The judge would probably laugh at you and ask you to use your brains before sticking a cup of hot coffee between your legs while driving. Maybe he would even charge you for irresponsible behavior while driving and endangerment of others for your stupidity (not really, but it would probably cross the judge's mind).

There is also a fundamental difference in the US law system and several European law systems. In the US you have a so-called 'case law'. A judge and the lawyers have to check all the previous similar cases and have to see whether a similar case has already been judged. This then leads to the application of the previous cases to the current case. Yes, this is a gross simplification.

Many European countries use a civil law system where you first have to have a law passed by parliament before someone can be punished for a transgression against said law. Without a law - no transgression. It is not possible to date back a transgression before a law was officially passed. Once someone has committed something which could be constituted as a breach of good taste or even a 'self-evident' law for which no civil law exists, parliaments will usually quickly try to rectify this situation.
Therefore the parliaments in Europe have to constantly check their law systems for new developements (see the problems of internet security, international privacy via internet spying, etc.). This can lead to some difficulties with new crimes which have not been thought about previously.
'Case law' is virtually unknown in Germany and always causes frowns when some of the more extreme cases from the States raise their ugly heads. That's the reason why (at least in Germany) laws are always written in such convoluted terms so that they can be applied and adapted to many cases with having to pass new laws.

Please note again that I often use terms such as 'usually', 'tend' and so forth.
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Re: Differences between Europe and the U.S.

Postby kaliyo » Mon, 13Jul29 23:23

Europe has many countries this should be more specified.
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Re: Differences between Europe and the U.S.

Postby Teaser » Tue, 13Jul30 00:44

kaliyo wrote:Europe has many countries this should be more specified.


Yes, absolutely correct. Even within one country you can find many different culturual hot-spots and regions which are comparatively different from other regions in the same country.

But still considering the 'average' mentality mentioned in the OP's link, we can draw some comparisons between many of the Europeon countries and the USA.
Yes, again, it is obviously a generalization.

Always take generalizations with at least a few grains of salt. ;)
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