…Not Responding to USA Illegal Actions.
I have for a very long time wanted to find a way to live better in Denmark, Scandinavia, because it is the best country of the world, more Leftist/Socialist-Democratic. I knew they all use USA Internet companies way over anything else. I always knew it would be an adjustment culture wise, especially language, if I was ever able to do it. Still wanting to do it.
At the same time, I have been disappointed that EU does not do something to stop The USA, over last 2-decades.
It was probably best if you caught the interview, for yourself, the name of author is & book title is: Dave Keating & ‘The Owned Continent’
With that being said I was shocked by the ex-USAn living in EU comments, about his published book, that he was shocked about how EU countries’ culture is weakened (& corrupted when it comes to dealing with USA actions) by The USA entertainment-culture bleeding into their cultures. They watch The USA- TV & Movies, Cellphones, so much more, This was on Frances’ media channel France24 & their corespondent, that prides itself on it’s own culture-arts. This affects how they deal with USA that breaks International laws, let alone their own laws, with ‘Crazy Don’ happens like every day.
He says it began not with WW II USA dominance, but before then.
He says that with this still EU is given the opportunity to do something, but chooses not to.
Is this really happening? Especially, in more Left-Democratic Socialist Denmark & Scandinavia?
I live in Sweden, and I come from Poland. I would say, yes, of course, people in Europe watch a lot of American TV and Movies - maybe even more so in Scandinavia. I think the Nordics feel part of the global “Western” culture. They are like: “We are small, and we have our small part in it, with Abba, LEGO, IKEA, Ibsen, the Nobel Prize, Avicii, Sara Larsson, Joachim Trier, Lars von Trier, Björk, Volvo, Bluetooth, the zip locker, etc.” I mean, check who made the “Barbie Girl” song.
I once listened (in person) to a Danish man responding to comment “But you all speak English so well”. His answet was: We know we are small, we need to learn whatever the international language(s) are.
The deeper answer is about European identity, and what it means to people. I’m very much social-democratic, but until lately, I still viewed the US as a wicked part of the “free world”. Like, of course, they have issues, we would joke about the American crime, injustice, inequality, obesity, ignorance etc. with contempt. I would probably say they are not socialist but at least they are democratic. And Russia has long been neither democratic nor socialist, and meddling in the region.
The relationship felt comfortable. We could reduce our military spending, which helps grow more democratic, participatory societies. We had a common and external language and culture with other Europeans, and with people from around the world. The Americans were largely absent, a reference point we could scorn and yet still look at. We were also very much present in the American stories (imagine a Polish person watching The Pianist being and international hit - the whole world watching with awe and terror story of your country, that you’ve heard repeated so many times by the traumatized elders of your country). I don’t say it was good - but it was easy.
Also, the most vocal alternative was to revert to our own, national cultures. This was the looming past. The benefit of the Scandinavian perspective is that the local cultures are too small to fool yourself that this is a viable alternative.
One more point: If you go into modern European history, there was always somehow imbalanced international culture. Like, Newton, Copernicus, and Linnaeus wrote in Latin. Many early 20th-century scientists wrote in German. War and Peace is almost half written in French. Etc., etc… We were often looking at American, British, French, German, Spanish, etc. culture, not fully awere that Americans were looking just at American culture, ignoring the rest.
I am glad this is changing. I am thrilled. I do not agree with most points given above - but they should give you a vibe. Personally, I’ve been dreaming of an alter-globalist culture, and of a stronger European integration, long before Trump. I might have betrayed my personal opinions to portray the societal vibe, though still leaning into my bubble.
Nevertheless, it takes time. Cultural shifts like that take a lot of time.
I think you are giving The USA a out, I do not know if you are being too hard or too soft on The Russia, but The EU (like most huge & powerful collection of countries, especially when The USA is involved) are not caring about the people, of those very same countries, over Capitalism & makes it a lot harder for activist of those countries to make the countries care & do the right things. There are no people or people’s representatives voting on The EU representatives, they ate all appointed by political tiny amount of leaders, of each country, then EU’s leaders are voted on by them. There is organization demanding this to change to Democratic voting process.
l know about culture, in general, as a person with education degree & certifications, 3±hrs. a day in some of ‘Free Speech’ programming & Farther political Left programming & thus, not lost in political Far Right. With that said, modernization of Capitalism, economics & protecting countries changes how long shifts in cultures take.
Also: If you, for example, check the most popular songs, or the most popular TV shows, in Poland they will very often be Polish. I would dare to say: More often than not. In Sweden, they will be Swedish. The problem is not strong local cultures - which might go unnoticed for you, if you speak English all the time. The problem is we look too little at each other. Surprisingly, Polish are more European in that sense than the Scandinavians.
“The problem is we look too little at each other.” What does that (stupid, touch screen typing & auto correct) mean exactly?
I mean that it is great that we look for culture outside of our small countries. But far too often, the “external” culture is just American/Anglophone.
I can give not-so-cultural example, which I think is especially detrimental. Political news. Of course, locals will know like tens of MPs in their countries, most major candidates in their city, and this should be the focus, this is what they vote for. But then, they would know details about some Naomi Whatever who is a wife of a third-tier role figure in the Trump’s administration (or whatever US administration), while they would often hardly recall the name of the Spanish president, despite him being the leader of top four country in the Union.
I (slightly) exaggerate. But I used to know hardly any European leaders (apart from like German counselor, French president, UK prime minister if you count that, and fckn Orban), and I would hardly notice elections in even the large EU countries, while I would know details of both Democrat and Republican primaries in 2016. For me, now it is nearly opposite, but that was my active effort.
That is what I would think, that looking in country perspective it would be more a lot more American/Anglophone, than in cities & smaller perspective is more that country’s-cities’-smaller’s identity. Nothing is 100%, But than I am in trapped in The USA, as a Socialist & Democratic Socialist Danish (as what from here I believe is Denmark) minded person, & maybe not be right, I cannot know enough to be an expert.
Sadly way our Capitalist world works, The USA/Capitalism Capital has more power than any other country, & right now we have gone crazier than normal. & no countries coming together & trusting those with differences to stand up against The USA, NATO & Etc… UN was created so it does not control & hold accountable the most powerful 5-countries, after WW II. So of course I would expect people to know our crazy, dictatorship powerful, people (some not even legally politicians, though hold political positions) more than some awesome countries’ awesome politicians. Plus, they are doing something, if not more than one, every single day. It is not good or right, but some awesome countries’ awesome politicians (like Spain & Spain’s President; I cannot remember his name*) does NOT have the same effect on everyone’s lives, not just USAns.
*- Yes, I have learning challenges in both long & short term memories & language processing, but I experience 3-hrs. of The USA’s best media- Independent-political Left. We all have the craziness here in our faces more than what you are talking about, than what we should have more in our faces. Even while experiencing 3-hrs. of The USA’s best media- Independent-political Left, they have to cover the crazies here.
Note: It is also very non-homogenous. Some people would be hyper-americanized. Others would be like: “Marvel, what the fuck does that even mean?”
No place is very Homogenous, but all Scandinavia is too Caucasian dominated, but given more immigration into areas is bad- see other thread & posts about immigration being one causes of making preventing worse of ‘Global Warming’ hard.
When I have more time, will read all of reply.
For an alternative perspective of a USAian in Europe, I really like the articles of Alexander Hurst in The Guardian:
Thanks
