Comment by purplelobster | Hacker News Reader

Comment by purplelobster | Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

This is laughable. I (surprisingly) see just as many regional differences within a single European country as in the US. For example, people from Gothenburg can't stand people from Stockholm, dialects and customs vary greatly. People very much identify with the region they're from. I'm from an island that historically had much German and Danish influence, hence it has it's own language (almost died out though) and very peculiar dialect. The island has its own customs, food even sports. Many people from the middle or north have trouble even understanding southerners, especially those with a rural dialect. The south also used to be part of Denmark for many hundreds of years which is partly why they have such a strange dialect. Sweden has its own indigenous people called Samer that live in the north, which have their own language. Sweden has a history spanning more than 1000 years, with vikings, invasions, kings and empire. Wherever you go in Europe, you'll see the same but EVEN MORE diverse. It seems you haven't really been to Europe much, or you wouldn't say something so hilariously wrong. On the other hand, I'm European, and have lived in 3 different US states and visited maybe 15. Whatever regional difference within the US that you are talking about is largely urban vs. rural, but the culture itself has become a blend of whoever immigrated, but there are only small remnants left of that. The US is largely a homogeneous country in my eyes, people move cross states here way more often than people do in Europe, because in Europe you'll get genuine culture shock, if you can even understand the language.

Laughable...

Your comment is derisive and not useful or appropriate. Not only do you mock the parent poster, but you don't provide any counter evidence besides a mixture of anecdotes and opinions.

Please work on your civility.

I'm not the one making outrageous claims about there being bigger cultural differences between US states than between countries. It's just not true and it's laughable. I can't provide data on it because there is no way to measure such a thing. You can believe whatever you want, but I'm giving a counter-example and my experience from actually living in the two different continents. If you think that's derisive or not useful that's your problem.

You can do that without being an ass about it.

Let me just make it clear that the reason I'm using this tone is that I've had this discussion way too many times, and not once has there been a single person agreeing with me. It seems Americans grow up in this extremely America centric bubble, where after hearing a slightly different accent in Boston, and maybe eating a local dish, feel safe to say "yeah, you know what? I bet Washington and Massachusetts are just as different as Norway is to Poland, cause I've just experienced these massive differences in my country". Sorry but it comes off as very naive coming from people who at most have spent 2 weeks on vacation in Paris once.

I have to agree with PurpleLobster.

Americans underestimate how much more diverse and I mean EXTREMELY diverse Europe is. Even in tiny European countries with just 10 million people, the languages, dialects, traditions, mentality, civility, are insanely different. It's hard to described until you visit a few countries yourself.

Americans who have never left the country will be quick to chime in and say "we're diverse too, especially new york". But they still don't get it.

When you compare the North American continent with the European continent on diversity, you'd be a fool to underestimate Europe. Let me put it this way, America's a melting pot. Europe is a continent with hundreds of millions of people living side by side for thousands of years and they still don't get along, or speak the same lanugage, or see eye to eye on issues, they all have their own separate countries and governments and just recently tried to form a union (EU).

Diversity is a lot more than just skin color.

I'd endorse all of that. America isn't completely homogenous, but it's far more so than many other places. As a European I've certainly noticed (and been fascinated) by the different cultures and so forth in different US states, but they're more the same than they are different.

I don't think anyone said you were wrong. I'm certainly not. That doesn't make it called-for, does it? I'm not perfect at this, either, but if you're interested in a discussion rather than venting your spleen, you'll find more success if you tone it down.

It's one of my many weaknesses, I admit. http://xkcd.com/386/ and all that.

I have come to realize that this is just a general psychological phenomenon. People tend to, if not overestimate the differences within their own group, then greatly underestimate the differences in outside groups.

> overestimate the differences within their own group, then greatly underestimate the differences in outside groups.

Like how all asians look the same.

The small differences you are used to distinguish between simply doesn't exist in the other group, and you are not trained to recognize the differences they see.

I agree with your statement in reference to relative differences between cultures: "there is no way to measure such a thing."

I was wondering if you could expand on this part of your comment:

>>>I'm not the one making outrageous claims about there being bigger cultural differences between US states than between countries. It's just not true...

It seems like you are making a positive claim about the truth of the parent's statement about cultural differences.

>>>I can't provide data on it because there is no way to measure such a thing.

Now it seems like you are claiming that there is no (scientific, reality-based, data-driven) way to make any positive claims about the truth of the parent's statement about cultural differences.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com