# cultural diffierence between the east and the west



## hoatigger

hi everybody!
i have a question:
in your opinion,what is the main culture diffirence between the west(people who live in europe or american..) and the west(people who live in asia,..)?ex:_in life style?
               - attitude with work,with farmily,with love,and with other people


and...what does a european think about asia and  asian?
what does an asian think about the europe and europeen?
thanks


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## Brioche

Where does Asia begin and end? 
Is Turkey _Asia_? Is Saudi Arabia _Asia_? Is Israel _Asia_? Is a Russian from Kamchatka an _Asian_?

In the UK, people from the old British Raj [South Asia] - Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are called, and call themselves, "Asian". 

In Australia, if you say "Asian", people think of East and South-East Asia. 
In Australia, a establishment selling  biryanis, korma, chana dhal, tandoori and the like, would not call itself Asian.

Here, if someone says "I like Asian food" it means food from China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan.


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## Pivra

As a Thai, I think westerners have less attitudes toward specific occupations than we do. Like, in Thailand, everyone wants to be a doctor, a teacher, a businessman, and etc. but what I saw here in Canada is that many students arent going to universities and they want to start working right away. I respect their perspective of life but I would never be able to do that and I don't want my children to grow up with this idea in their minds at all. Here, I see that people with religions really do participate with their believes. Over there, lots of us say we are Buddhists, we are Muslims but most of us only have religions because we needed to put something into our citizen ID cards. But what I see in Canada is, if you don't, you don't; if you do, you do. Like, I put on my ID that I'm a Hindu, but I only went to the temple only once within the last 4 years. Also, here, kids seem to grow faster than in Thailand, they are exposed to society a lot more than we do and they are more independent. Again, I respect their culture, but this is not how I want my children to grow up. I want them to grow up Thai, speak Thai, eat Thai, think Thai, dress Thai, and live Thai. I don't say that western culture is bad but I'd prefer our manners, our way of life, and our thinking process more. Not that they are better(actually not at all) but this is what I'm used to. Here, someone told me that on Mothers' Day all their children do for them is sending a Happy MD cards and some flowers. This is too cruel for me to accept. How could anyone do that to their parents? (this is a rhetorical question)


 ps. the biggest difference I've seen here so far is that parents don't really pay their kids to go to school, they work for their own money. In Thailand we live with our parents until we're married and even most of us move our families in to live with our parents.


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## übermönch

People in Europe and America are *very *different, let alone the differences between the single european countries. I could write a long list about what differs Franconians from Bavarians, French & Russians, but well, i've never been to any asian country but Israel so there's (almost) nothing to compare. The main things I remarked on a chinese exchange student was that she didn't do any mimics and gestics and was very patient in contrasst to German people.


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## Etcetera

Yes, what about us Russians? Are we living in Europe or Asia?
In my opinion, there are some differences between the East and the West. And those are the differences you see and feel, but can hardly explain to anyone else. 
I can think of one major difference between people in the East and the West. In Europe and America, social niceties seem to vanish gradually from daily life, some of old greetings exist only in formal contexts; and in Japan, for instance, there are still some strict rules about addressing somebody...


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## natasha2000

I think the main problem is that in fact, we do not know much about each other in general... Therefore there are lots of prejudices... 

On the other hand, as Übermönch already mentioned, there are differences first between America and Europe, and then if you want to go further, between Western and Eastern Europe, in way of thinking, in customs, in priorities, etc...


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## Vanda

Our vision on the east world, I think, has much more to do with our contact with those who live here and is also shaped from what we see on TV and movies. So, here (my country) a common sense is that the people are hard workers and extremely attached to the family. Also it seems that eastern people were wiser than most of us in preserving tradition and yet taking advantage of what the modern world has to offer.


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## Chaska Ñawi

Hoatigger,

You're asking many questions about two very broad geographical areas.  For example, are you lumping Japan and India into the same category?  Are you saying that the Mexico and Poland are more alike than Australia and Indonesia?  As has been pointed out, how do you classify eastern and western Russians?

It would be helpful if you reworded your question so that it isn't quite so general.  Otherwise we could spent days arguing about what defines east and west without ever getting down to cultural issues!


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## Etcetera

natasha2000 said:
			
		

> I think the main problem is that in fact, we do not know much about each other in general... Therefore there are lots of prejudices...


Yes, it is. I totally agree with you, Natasha.
And, as Vanda has pointed out, our ideas of each other are created or influenced very often by films, books, etc. And such sources aren't very reliable in most cases, and what's more, they reflect only one period of the country's history. For example, some films give an accurate pictures of the life in the Soviet Union, but I hope to God you won't try to make your pwn idea of the present-day Russia from what you see in these films!


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## natasha2000

Etcetera said:
			
		

> Yes, it is. I totally agree with you, Natasha.
> And, as Vanda has pointed out, our ideas of each other are created or influenced very often by films, books, etc. And such sources aren't very reliable in most cases, and what's more, they reflect only one period of the country's history. For example, some films give an accurate pictures of the life in the Soviet Union, but I hope to God you won't try to make your pwn idea of the present-day Russia from what you see in these films!


 
Sometimes not even about Soviet Union. I refuse to believe that all Russians of USSR were mean guys as presented in all Hollywod movies.... It's ridiculous. They are all rather caricatures than real characters.... But then, it only shows the general VISION of the US Americans about USSR...


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## Outsider

If I may be a little cynical, the main "cultural" difference between the East and the West is money.


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## Etcetera

natasha2000 said:
			
		

> Sometimes not even about Soviet Union. I refuse to believe that all Russians of USSR were mean guys as presented in all Hollywod movies.... It's ridiculous. They are all rather caricatures than real characters.... But then, it only shows the general VISION of the US Americans about USSR...


I usually take such visions with a pinch of salt. 
I once heard an American girl saying, 'What, do Russians have a word for 'pride'? How amazing!' Of course, I felt offended! But then I said to myself, OK, it's her idea of the Russians; but we Russians have enough ideas about the Americans, and some of them are equally silly! It helped.


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## Pivra

I think that Europe and Asia are 2 continents that have lots of diverse cultures and non of us can be categorized as "European" or "Asian" culture. It sounds very ignorant, don't you think so?


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## natasha2000

Etcetera said:
			
		

> I usually take such visions with a pinch of salt.
> I once heard an American girl saying, 'What, do Russians have a word for 'pride'? How amazing!' Of course, I felt offended! But then I said to myself, OK, it's her idea of the Russians; but we Russians have enough ideas about the Americans, and some of them are equally silly! It helped.


 
You're right... Or for example, this one that my friend heard many years ago from an American too: "Yugoslavia is a republic of the USSR". Ha!


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## maxiogee

Outsider said:
			
		

> If I may be a little cynical, the main "cultural" difference between the East and the West is money.



I'd have to disagree.
I think that the main difference is the relationship between the individual and society.
I think Eastern spirituality is much more focussed on the individual as a part of the whole - whereas while the theory of Christianity is somewhat similarly oriented, the practice is very different.

Firstly… in mandating the apostles, in Matthew 10, Jesus said:-
5 Jesus sent these twelve forth, and charged them, saying, "Don't go among the Gentiles, and don't enter into any city of the Samaritans.
6 Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 As you go, preach, saying, 'The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.'
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.
9 Don't take any gold, nor silver, nor brass in your money belts.
10 Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.​
Secondly, in answer to how to live, in Luke 18, Jesus said:-
18 A certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, what do I do to inherit eternal life?"
19 Jesus asked him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one -- God.
20 You know the commandments: 'Don't commit adultery,' 'Don't murder,' 'Don't steal,' 'Don't give false testimony,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"
21 He said, "I have observed all these things from my youth up."
22 When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me."
23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.​
Now I don't know a lot about the Eastern religions and their strictures, but these Christian ones are being ignored - wholesale - by both clergy and laity alike.


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## Outsider

Far be it from me to pretend that Westerners are angels, but I can't resist countering with the following.
When there was the tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia, there was some talk in the media about the generosity (or lack thereof) of Western countries in such times of need, and at the time I looked up the numbers in Wikipedia. Most of the nations at the top of the list of donators, even when you took population and GDP into account, were Western.


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## natasha2000

Outsider said:
			
		

> Far be it from me to pretend that Westerners are angels, but I can't resist countering with the following.
> When there was the tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia, there was some talk in the media about the generosity (or lack thereof) of Western countries in such times of need, and at the time I looked up the numbers in Wikipedia. Most of the nations at the top of the list of donators, even when you took population and GDP into account, were Western.


 
hmm.. you know why?

Because of what you have already said:



> the main "cultural" difference between the East and the West is money.


 
And besides Asia was striken by tsunami, not Western world.

On the other hand, the same solidarity was shown in New Orleans catastrophy, and New Orleans is in "rich part of the hemisphere"....

Anyway, what is that you want to say? That Asian people are less solidarious than western ones? Or I am not getting it right?


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## übermönch

natasha2000 said:
			
		

> On the other hand, the same solidarity was shown in New Orleans catastrophy, and New Orleans is in "rich part of the hemisphere"....


That was rather disturbing. The bodycount in NO didn't even come close to that in south EA and nevertheless it got the same coverage. I also believe that it was mainly the amount of western tourists among the victims that touched them so deeply (and that is what they kept talking about in the news) - take the terrible earthquake in Iran for example - they by far didn't get that much aid.


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## Outsider

natasha2000 said:
			
		

> Anyway, what is that you want to say? That Asian people are less solidarious than western ones? Or I am not getting it right?


I was just suggesting that generosity is not dead in the West. But, on second thoughts, I may have missed Maxiogee's point.


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## KittyCatty

Hello,
One of the main differences I have noticed between the East and West is how demonstrative they are of their emotions. When I watch the news and see such disasters/tragedies as the hostage and bombing inside the Russian school or the death of people in bomb attacks in the Middle East, the relatives throw themselves on the ground, cry in the streets and wail in such an uninhibited portrayal of emotion. I am not saying that people should have inhibitions about displaying emotions in this way at all - in fact, remarking on this myself, it has led me more than once to question why, in the Western world, we are so private in our grief and to see a man crying and a mother wailing would be too much to bear.

Alternatively there are many other differences - the language, alphabet even, the food, the clothes. But, perhaps typically of a Westerner, I am now thinking in material terms. Are Easterners more spiritual than the West (?) - But this actually comes back to defining the expanse that is the East. Now I am thinking of China and the books by Amy Tan that I have read and enjoyed. Maybe I've been talking too long, but I have had least had my say in this rather difficult but interesting discussion


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## Etcetera

KittyCatty said:
			
		

> Hello,
> One of the main differences I have noticed between the East and West is how demonstrative they are of their emotions. When I watch the news and see such disasters/tragedies as the hostage and bombing inside the Russian school or the death of people in bomb attacks in the Middle East, the relatives throw themselves on the ground, cry in the streets and wail in such an uninhibited portrayal of emotion. I am not saying that people should have inhibitions about displaying emotions in this way at all - in fact, remarking on this myself, it has led me more than once to question why, in the Western world, we are so private in our grief and to see a man crying and a mother wailing would be too much to bear.


You're speaking about Beslan, am I right?
If so, then I'd like to add that here we come to further differentiation. Beslan is farther from Moscow and St. Petesrburg than London fron Rome. The difference between people living in the South and North of Russia is more dramatic then, say, the difference between the Dutch and the Spanish. Totally different cultures, totally different attitudes. The Southerners are more ready to show their emotions.
Alas, the topic of this discussion is too broad...


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## djchak

Actually, I like this question , becuase it is very broad.

I really don't think of the concept of "The West" is even correct anymore.

Or if is, it only refers to Europe, regardless of it's origins in Western Europe.

The only reason it included North and South America was becuase of the cold war, and that's history to most people under 30.

The USA is very different from Europe,South America, and most of the latter would not like the idea of being lumped in the USA. At least culturally and politically.

There are a million things I could point out/speculate on...but the main difference I can tell you comparing the US to Vietnam:

Americans are usually more individualistic, and more mobile. 

Moving 2000 miles away to another city is not a big deal, it just has to be planned for.
At 18/ 20 you are expected to either go to a university/college, or start working. From 18 to 24 , if you aren't going to school, you are expected to move into your own place.

You aren't expected to support your parents in any way. They should have planned for that. If they need your help, you can support them, but it's not 
like you lack loyalty to them if you aren't able to.


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## hoatigger

i am sorry if my question is so general.but its 1 of 10 topics i have for my presentation.the title is so interesting,i know,but i dont know how to define and explain the cultural diffirence between the east and the west.you'r right when saying that the main problems is:"we dont know much about each other".like me,i just know about european ,ameriaca,africa...through the tv,internet,newspapers,cinema.music....they say that(just for example):westen people is more pratical,cold mood,work more professionally,and  broadminded with sex....but i dont think all the imformation is correct.i think just see it by my eyes,touch it by my hand,hear it by my ear ,can make me have the big &right picture about it..but...i have never been in another country to experience.thats why i asked you.in my opinion,the cutural difference is useful to be the specific characteristic of each local,not use for distiguishing one with others.although we have the difference but we can understand and be moved with a good film or a good song (inspite of the fact that its influened by the cultura of the west or the east),right?


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## hoatigger

i have an example :
in my country,everybody is so friendly and hosnest(not all),we are interested in the foreigner(because we think the foreigner is so lovely ).so if you have some problems in streets,i am sure that someone will help you.
but we are also too curious and shy.
_if a accident happends,in the past,it would has a crowd around to help the victim.but nowaday,it still has a crowd around,but most of them just want to see what had happened
-we know well our neighbour,and help them anytime they need(but sometimes we also care too much about their private)
_we have the prejudice with the girl who has children without husband and the sex before wedding.with us the virginity is very important
-we hate the war and all the warlike people
-sometimes, people likes you just because he knows a little about your country ( a people can like all the portugues just because he like luis figo  )
so,in you country.what will people do with the same thing?please tell me


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## Vanda

You're right Hoatigger. My next door neighbor arrived from a trip through some Asian countries last week. Last Sunday we went to the theatre together and I asked her about the places she has gone. One of the countries she liked the most is Vietnam. About being shy - at least she understood like that - for example, she said that the people on the excursion waved and smiled to the children rowing the boat to go to school but they continued their way very seriously (I can't remeber the name of the place, though). Also, despite the language barrier people in general were very helpful with them. 
And about your last question - about being interested in a country or its language because of a famous/nice/handsome/pretty person, IMHO, that happens frequently in here too.


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## djchak

hoatigger said:
			
		

> i have an example :
> in my country,everybody is so friendly and hosnest(not all),we are interested in the foreigner(because we think the foreigner is so lovely ).so if you have some problems in streets,i am sure that someone will help you.
> but we are also too curious and shy.
> _if a accident happends,in the past,it would has a crowd around to help the victim.but nowaday,it still has a crowd around,but most of them just want to see what had happened
> -we know well our neighbour,and help them anytime they need(but sometimes we also care too much about their private)
> _we have the prejudice with the girl who has children without husband and the sex before wedding.with us the virginity is very important
> -we hate the war and all the warlike people
> -sometimes, people likes you just because he knows a little about your country ( a people can like all the portugues just because he like luis figo  )
> so,in you country.what will people do with the same thing?please tell me



Um, I have a feeling that people in EVERY country does what you just described...and it's because we are Human....

All people are similar in this way. It just means we lead busier lives then we did 60 years ago.


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## Pivra

djchak said:
			
		

> Um, I have a feeling that people in EVERY country does what you just described...and it's because we are Human....
> 
> All people are similar in this way. It just means we lead busier lives then we did 60 years ago.


 

Agree, lots of people in Canada told me that Americans are rude and arrogant and stuff but when I went to San Franc. there are lots of people who act like people in Canada. We are all humans, Americans, Canadians, English, French, Chinese etc. etc. there are some similarities in all of us. I don't find everyone in Thailand friendly and honest and stuff but I don't find us all bad either.


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## tvdxer

hoatigger said:
			
		

> hi everybody!
> i have a question:
> in your opinion,what is the main culture diffirence between the west(people who live in europe or american..) and the west(people who live in asia,..)?ex:_in life style?
> - attitude with work,with farmily,with love,and with other people
> 
> 
> and...what does a european think about asia and  asian?
> what does an asian think about the europe and europeen?
> thanks


Both Europe and the Orient are very diverse regions, but in general, I think one similarity between most (but not all) (Western) European cultures is individualistic way of thinking, and between most or all Asian cultures is a collectivistic approach to life.  So there is more of an emphasis on the "I" in the West, and more of one on the "we" in the East.  Wikipedia has a good article about this, and another good overview can be found here.


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## luis masci

Pivra said:
			
		

> Here, I see that people with religions really do participate with their believes. Over there, lots of us say we are Buddhists, we are Muslims but most of us only have religions because we needed to put something into our citizen ID cards.


This is what has surprised me most. I always have thought people in Western world are quite less religious than Eastern people. Am I wrong?


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## Pivra

luis masci said:
			
		

> This is what has surprised me most. I always have thought people in Western world are quite less religious than Eastern people. Am I wrong?


 

 Thais are more like superstitious than religious. I don't know about others. Lots of people I know don't really believe in karma but they really believe that ghosts do exist lol.


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## coconutpalm

Chinese people are not religious. A lot of us are more or less influenced by superstitious beliefs. 
There are many people who "claim" to believe in God, or Buddhism, or Taoism, but I don't really think they(or most of them) truly believe in them deep in heart.


As for cultural differences, well, there are many trivial things that may prove to represent the huge cultural difference between the west and the east.
For example, Chinese people don't think it's rude to pose this question to an acquaintance:"Where have you been? Where were you?" But the westerners may think:" Hey, none of your business!"
The different attitude toward this question may stem from the collectivism&individulism difference?
Um, probably.


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## djchak

coconutpalm said:
			
		

> As for cultural differences, well, there are many trivial things that may prove to represent the huge cultural difference between the west and the east.
> For example, Chinese people don't think it's rude to pose this question to an acquaintance:"Where have you been? Where were you?" But the westerners may think:" Hey, none of your business!"
> The different attitude toward this question may stem from the collectivism&individulism difference?
> Um, probably.



Isn't the response different, depending on HOW you ask though? To say it in a stern way is totally different than in a sweet way. 

For Pivra: Canada is kind of like the USA's little sister, all grown up at the family re-union. The "big brother" USA would tease little sis, but at the same time you know he was looking out for her and loved her know matter what. But as the little sister grew up, she grew somewhat defensive and cynical. The big brother backed off and tried to keep relations good, but not too close...even though it was OBVIOUS that they were part of the same family. 

So, i'm not suprised you hear how rude, arrogant, and ignorant the "Americans" were. It's just what little sis would say, but we don't take it too seriously.


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## coconutpalm

djchak, I was just trying to illustrate that there indeed exist many differences between two different cultures with different geographical conditions and of different people with different colors.
Maybe my example doesn't apply to all of the situation, thus not a good example. I apologize for that.

All in all, I don't think these differences are "vital". They are important, but far from crucial. What's crucial is to which far extent any of us/you wants to understand each other.


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## djchak

No,there is no need to apologize. I was just commenting on what you said.

You are right, there are lots of differences between cultures, it's what makes the world an intresting place. That's what scares people about "globalism". Fear of one "Uni - culture" where everything is so mixed in and diluted that the other cultures just disapear. No one really wants that. People just want stabilty and success, while getting to practice thier own culture. (I think) 

übermönch: I think it was more than concern for western tourists that drove the releif operation. Anyone who thinks New Orleans was a part of "rich hemishere"....well , it seems ironic, as NO is one of the poorest cities in the USA. The only thing it's rich in is history and arts.


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## KittyCatty

Etcetera said:
			
		

> You're speaking about Beslan, am I right?
> If so, then I'd like to add that here we come to further differentiation. Beslan is farther from Moscow and St. Petesrburg than London fron Rome. The difference between people living in the South and North of Russia is more dramatic then, say, the difference between the Dutch and the Spanish. Totally different cultures, totally different attitudes. The Southerners are more ready to show their emotions.
> Alas, the topic of this discussion is too broad...


 
Hi,
Yes, I was speaking about Beslan (thanks! I couldn't remember the name). I hear what you're saying about the differences and the broadness of the subject, and I didn't want to make unfair generalisations. Russia is a gigantic place, and so are "the East" and "the West".


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## natasha2000

djchak said:
			
		

> No,there is no need to apologize. I was just commenting on what you said.
> 
> You are right, there are lots of differences between cultures, it's what makes the world an intresting place. That's what scares people about "globalism". Fear of one "Uni - culture" where everything is so mixed in and diluted that the other cultures just disapear. No one really wants that. People just want stabilty and success, while getting to practice thier own culture. (I think)
> 
> übermönch: I think it was more than concern for western tourists that drove the releif operation. Anyone who thinks New Orleans was a part of "rich hemishere"....well , it seems ironic, *as NO is one of the poorest cities in the USA.* The only thing it's rich in is history and arts.


 
But it is IN the one of the first world countries, isn't it?
Tzunami victims countries couldn't afford seizmic appliances that could warn them of the approaching disaster, but New Orleans diques could have been repaired with money that is spent only one day in Irak.... Doesn't this make you mad? Me, yes, sincerely.


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## Etcetera

Thanks, Kitty.
It seems that it was rather easy to speak about the differences between the East and the West in the past, when Asia was more separated from Europe (in cultural, historic, linguistic aspects, not geographically), then it is today. Today, those differences aren't so obvious, and especially when we come to comparing some _features _and _aspects_, not the whole.


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## Oche Gruso

I think that the majority of the people see everyone else as just that--other people.  What I am facinated with tis the eastern take on medicine.


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## maxiogee

djchak said:
			
		

> For Pivra: Canada is kind of like the USA's little sister, all grown up at the family re-union. The "big brother" USA would tease little sis, but at the same time you know he was looking out for her and loved her know matter what. But as the little sister grew up, she grew somewhat defensive and cynical. The big brother backed off and tried to keep relations good, but not too close...even though it was OBVIOUS that they were part of the same family.
> 
> So, i'm not suprised you hear how rude, arrogant, and ignorant the "Americans" were. It's just what little sis would say, but we don't take it too seriously.



What an arrogant, condescending, boorish, irritating load of bilge.

How absolutely spiffing to have a family member who knows better than you what's best for you and who doesn't take you seriously!

Were you my big brother, I'd disown you!
Were you my neighbour, I'd move!


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## Poetic Device

It is not fair to say that Americans are rude or that Canadians are rude and so forth.  If it was then it would be very safe to say the same things about every person in the world.  I find that the first person to say that people from a particular country are the most closed minded.  Yes, Americans are rude and such (look at New York or any other major American city  lol) but that does not mean that everyone in every city is obnoxious.  Then again, you do have those people that use rediculous analogies...  

Long story short, I totally agree with maxiogee and could not have said it better myself.


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