Harris Poll: Americans happier and more optimistic then Europeans
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First, I wasn't taking a shot at anyone. I merely quoted my friend. Considering that his background is from a country that was until recently occupied by Russia, a possible source of his feelings seem quite obvious. And who knows, maybe his sister only listens to right wing, paranoid radio personalities like our Rush Limbaugh. The only thing I had to point out is that some things that we in the US learn to take for granted are not taken for granted everywhere else. Obviously in Denmark, or at least in Copenhagan, there are no Jiffy Lubes and no $19.95 oil changes. I know that I take a certain level of service, efficientcy, and deferrence to the customer for granted. I also know that if I don't get it in one place, I take my business somewhere else where I will get it. rwestgraham wrote: I consider the Russians to be among the warmest and friendliest people I have met anywhere in the world. My experience is mostly with Ukranians here in the US and I agree whole heartedly. I've really enjoyed my personal relationships with all of them and my working relationships with all but one friggin' lunatic who on occasion would stand behind me and "hump" the back of my chair (shades of baboons establishing social status). I certainly can't say as much for my fellow Americans. Although, none of them has ever humped my chair. :)
Yes, most Estonians (Lithuanians, etc) don't get along well with the Russians. :-)
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Well, only knowing the US I don't have anything else to compare it to . . . BUT! A very good friend, orginally from Estonia followed his Swedish wife to Demark where she was offered a very nice job about a year ago. Here is an excerpt from a recent email he sent me. BTW: I haven't edited out his profanity but evedently The Code project does it automatically. Cool.:
Believe it or not I'm having hard time finding anyone who can change oil in my car. I tried in Sweden when I was there-everyone is busy.Like it is something that takes the whole day. In Copenhagen I went to a dealer made an appointment,brought the car today and was told that there is no appointment with my car showing in the system.WTF? And I wasn't too happy with mechanics in US. Compare to local service US is a fucking paradise. Nevertheless they took my car but nobody gave me any paper or anything confirming this. Tomorrow when I go there to pick the car up I will be told something like-What car? You left your car here yesterday? My wife is pissed with hairdressers. Every time she goes to do her hair it is hard to predict how she is gonna look like when she returns. Last time she looked like Donny Osmond or some other 70's pop star. And she picks most expensive places. As about Russians... Fuck'em. I read Russian media and I can assure you,it is full verbal assault on Americans. Americans are stupid, Americans are fat and so on. My sister lives in Russia and when I called her the other day she told me that Americans are brainwashed idiots without free press. Why without free press?- I asked. She said because they put in jail that reporter from NY Times. I said,- ask me instead, I lived there, I know America more or less. No, you brainwashed too, she said. FYI, my sister never been outside of former USSR except for two weeks in Germany in 1985. She doesn't speak any western languages so all this BS she is getting from Russian press or TV. It called NARROW MINDED PEOPLE OF RUSSIA. Don't want to talk to my sister because of all the aggravation she causes.P.S. When he went to pick up his car they charged him the equivelant of $140 and spilled oil all over the top of the engine. -
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=585[^] It seems the land increasingly plagued by self-doubts and in the midst of a downward spiral, drowning in guns, brutal crime and social injustice with people dying on streets that has become "as scary as Osama bin Laden" and embroiled in a hopeless civil war overseas, a land that lied to the world for oil and unbridled greed, mired in misery, crime and hopelessness - - - produces optimistic and happy citizens. Disclaimer: all the above adjectives for United States are (C), (R) and TM by German mainstream media and have not been invented by me. Since the European myths about the United States can't possibly be biased and completely out of touch with reality; something must surely be wrong with the poll so lets dang it down to China! Tomaž
When I lived in Europe during the 80's and Americans were worried about their safety and the the possibility of world war (again determined by polls), Europeans stated that we were cowards and always promoting the negative. Now, we're more optimistic than Europeans and we're considered ignororant and oblivious to the obviously horrible world around us :rolleyes: Tom Archer - Visual C++ MVP Archer Consulting Group.com
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All of which takes us right back to my original post. I have lived my entire life in the American heartland, the deepest depths of the bible belt. Yet, I have argued vociferously in favor of evolution, I have made no secret that I think there is much to be admired about paganism and saddened that we were forced to sacrifice so much of it to accept Christianity. I like the fact that we kept our pagan holidays even if we did have to reinterpret them as Christian ones. I have done all that on the vast southern plains of Western Oklahoma to born again Baptists, in the piney woods of Alabama, in little Mormon mountain towns of Utah and to a group of fundamentalist christians in eastern Indiana. And, far from getting killed, I have been embraced in all of those places, and by all those people, as a fellow child of God. We had long and interesting conversations and departed as friends. I've never seen the America you describe any where except from Hollywood. Have I occassionally encountered people that got angry about it? From time to time. When I was Fire Direction Officer for an artillery unit in the Oklahoma National Guard I had a sargeant who belonged to a fundentalist sect who, after finding out that I did not accept a literal interpretation of the Old Testiment, did every thing he could to undermine my authority until I finally had him transferred. So I am well aware that such people are out there. I am certain that somewhere in this vast nation there are ministers preaching hate and violence. To you those people are proof of the darkness and the evil that surrounds you, that you need protection from. While, to me, they are merely proof that we live in a free nation where the vast majority use their freedom for noble and productive purposes. I see openess and opportunity where you see nothing but darkness and dispair. That is the difference between a Real American and a European Wannabee. And explains perfectly your politics and my own. I believe in my country, I am proud of its history and its people, a think it is a wonderful decent place full of wonderful decent people. Maybe I'll build my own Shaman's wheel - I have no fear of my Christian neighbors. "Capitalism is the source of all true freedom."
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When I lived in Europe during the 80's and Americans were worried about their safety and the the possibility of world war (again determined by polls), Europeans stated that we were cowards and always promoting the negative. Now, we're more optimistic than Europeans and we're considered ignororant and oblivious to the obviously horrible world around us :rolleyes: Tom Archer - Visual C++ MVP Archer Consulting Group.com
Tom Archer wrote: ignororant Observation Of The Day: Typos are selective :) Never forget: "Stay kul and happy" (I.A.)
David's thoughts / dnhsoftware.org / MyHTMLTidy -
peterchen wrote: California Fried Brain:~ Do you mean like someone on drugs? peterchen wrote: We think ALL Americans are fat, because those who aren't starve themselves so thin they are overlooked.:wtf:
kgaddy wrote: Do you mean like someone on drugs? No. Think "Beach", "Sun", and people being there all day. I'm joking of couse :cool:
Pandoras Gift #44: Hope. The one that keeps you on suffering.
aber.. "Wie gesagt, der Scheiss is' Therapie"
boost your code || Fold With Us! || sighist | doxygen -
Ah of course - Utopia is getting someone to change your oil! I think Thomas More must have missed that one.
Your comment manages to be simultaneously pretentiously pseudo-intellectual and yet simplistically naïve. It’s ridiculous. Consider yourself ridiculed. ;P
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Jim A. Johnson wrote: bears an unfortunate, and entirely coincidental, similarity in appearance to our dear president It could be worse though - at least Bush doesn't look like the Pillsbury dough boy. "Capitalism is the source of all true freedom."
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You can always tell Real Americans from the European-wannabee Americans. The former are always optimistic and forward looking, people who believe in themselves and their own innate, god-given, abilities to percever against what ever hardships might occur. The latter are basically people who never quite mature, they want to be taken care of by an all powerful, and kindly father figure, who will always be there to catch them when they fall and to assure them that everything important will always be taken care of for them without them needing to worry one little bit. To the former the world is full of hope, goodness and opportunity, to the latter it is full of danger,evil and oppression againt which they need to be protected. "Capitalism is the source of all true freedom."
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When I lived in Europe during the 80's and Americans were worried about their safety and the the possibility of world war (again determined by polls), Europeans stated that we were cowards and always promoting the negative. Now, we're more optimistic than Europeans and we're considered ignororant and oblivious to the obviously horrible world around us :rolleyes: Tom Archer - Visual C++ MVP Archer Consulting Group.com
Unfortunately, it's human nature to denegrate and ridicule those we envy and/or fear. Cowboy George (Bush) doesn't help things by talking/acting more like a schoolyard bully than a statesman. (Dear God! When he said that Sadam had be in a "Hidey-Hole" it made me cringe.) But even if it weren't for him, the rest of the world would be still running us down just for being as big and successful as we are. Wait 10 years, it'll be China that everyone is crapping on. Will
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Unfortunately, it's human nature to denegrate and ridicule those we envy and/or fear. Cowboy George (Bush) doesn't help things by talking/acting more like a schoolyard bully than a statesman. (Dear God! When he said that Sadam had be in a "Hidey-Hole" it made me cringe.) But even if it weren't for him, the rest of the world would be still running us down just for being as big and successful as we are. Wait 10 years, it'll be China that everyone is crapping on. Will
Dude. Nobody minds that America is big and very successful as a nation. It has shaped the modern world in so many ways that it is almost hard to count. America is truly a great nation. Which makes it all the more sad when you look at whats been happening in the last 5 or 6 years. I wish the real America would stand up again and take charge of the problems we are all facing.
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Americans popping more happy pills?
Pandoras Gift #44: Hope. The one that keeps you on suffering.
aber.. "Wie gesagt, der Scheiss is' Therapie"
boost your code || Fold With Us! || sighist | doxygenor Europeans just popping too many pills/drugs altogether?
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or Europeans just popping too many pills/drugs altogether?
Unless numbers changed fundamentally since about 2002, USians should still be - pardon - "record poppers"
Pandoras Gift #44: Hope. The one that keeps you on suffering.
aber.. "Wie gesagt, der Scheiss is' Therapie"
boost your code || Fold With Us! || sighist | doxygen -
First, I wasn't taking a shot at anyone. I merely quoted my friend. Considering that his background is from a country that was until recently occupied by Russia, a possible source of his feelings seem quite obvious. And who knows, maybe his sister only listens to right wing, paranoid radio personalities like our Rush Limbaugh. The only thing I had to point out is that some things that we in the US learn to take for granted are not taken for granted everywhere else. Obviously in Denmark, or at least in Copenhagan, there are no Jiffy Lubes and no $19.95 oil changes. I know that I take a certain level of service, efficientcy, and deferrence to the customer for granted. I also know that if I don't get it in one place, I take my business somewhere else where I will get it. rwestgraham wrote: I consider the Russians to be among the warmest and friendliest people I have met anywhere in the world. My experience is mostly with Ukranians here in the US and I agree whole heartedly. I've really enjoyed my personal relationships with all of them and my working relationships with all but one friggin' lunatic who on occasion would stand behind me and "hump" the back of my chair (shades of baboons establishing social status). I certainly can't say as much for my fellow Americans. Although, none of them has ever humped my chair. :)
OldDog.Net wrote: Obviously in Denmark, or at least in Copenhagan, there are no Jiffy Lubes and no $19.95 oil changes. Seeing that the $19.98 is slighly less than what the mechanic gets paid per hour it's not surprising. As for the hairdressers: I've never been dissatisfied, if she goes from the shop with a different hairstyle than she wanted, then obviously she didn't pay enough attention. It's not like they blindfold you when you enter :-) "God doesn't play dice" - Albert Einstein "God not only plays dice, He sometimes throws the dices where they cannot be seen" - Niels Bohr
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OldDog.Net wrote: Obviously in Denmark, or at least in Copenhagan, there are no Jiffy Lubes and no $19.95 oil changes. Seeing that the $19.98 is slighly less than what the mechanic gets paid per hour it's not surprising. As for the hairdressers: I've never been dissatisfied, if she goes from the shop with a different hairstyle than she wanted, then obviously she didn't pay enough attention. It's not like they blindfold you when you enter :-) "God doesn't play dice" - Albert Einstein "God not only plays dice, He sometimes throws the dices where they cannot be seen" - Niels Bohr
Hi Jan, Maybe there's just more competition here. When you're providing a comodity that can be gotten in many places, the only thing you can offer to differentiate your business is superior service. Again, I have no personal experience in Europe but what I am hearing, including from you now, is that where the two cultures seem to be different is: in the US the customer expects to be served (hence the word service) and at least in Copenhagan the customer is supposed to be thankful for whatever the merchant decides to give them. When we go into a "hair dresser" we are asked, "What do you want?" Some women bring a photo or a picture from a magazine. Also, the salons usually have a lot of photos hung on the walls. The hair dresser doesn't do ONE style and everyone gets the same style. As far as the cost of an oil change, you're right. A mechanic gets around $50 an hour (well, shops charge that for labor anyway. Hopefully the mechanic gets the majority of that.). But, changing the oil takes about 10 minutes. I do my own oil changes at home in less than 20 minutes (another difference: we don't mind getting our hands dirty) and shops that specialize in that type of simple service (and it is oh so simple) can easily turn it around in far less time than that. I think we are more used to getting what we want and getting it easily and inexpensively. That might account for a somewhat more optimistic perspective. Will
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Unless numbers changed fundamentally since about 2002, USians should still be - pardon - "record poppers"
Pandoras Gift #44: Hope. The one that keeps you on suffering.
aber.. "Wie gesagt, der Scheiss is' Therapie"
boost your code || Fold With Us! || sighist | doxygenif you think people in the US do more hard drugs than euros. Then I suggest you are adding to their numbers even as we speak~
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Hi Jan, Maybe there's just more competition here. When you're providing a comodity that can be gotten in many places, the only thing you can offer to differentiate your business is superior service. Again, I have no personal experience in Europe but what I am hearing, including from you now, is that where the two cultures seem to be different is: in the US the customer expects to be served (hence the word service) and at least in Copenhagan the customer is supposed to be thankful for whatever the merchant decides to give them. When we go into a "hair dresser" we are asked, "What do you want?" Some women bring a photo or a picture from a magazine. Also, the salons usually have a lot of photos hung on the walls. The hair dresser doesn't do ONE style and everyone gets the same style. As far as the cost of an oil change, you're right. A mechanic gets around $50 an hour (well, shops charge that for labor anyway. Hopefully the mechanic gets the majority of that.). But, changing the oil takes about 10 minutes. I do my own oil changes at home in less than 20 minutes (another difference: we don't mind getting our hands dirty) and shops that specialize in that type of simple service (and it is oh so simple) can easily turn it around in far less time than that. I think we are more used to getting what we want and getting it easily and inexpensively. That might account for a somewhat more optimistic perspective. Will
OldDog.Net wrote: Maybe there's just more competition here. Can't say as I don't know, but why would that be? OldDog.Net wrote: only thing you can offer to differentiate your business is superior service. Or quality of service. Danish mechanics are highly educated. OldDog.Net wrote: and at least in Copenhagan the customer is supposed to be thankful for whatever the merchant decides to give them. Not really, no. OldDog.Net wrote: When we go into a "hair dresser" we are asked, "What do you want?" Some women bring a photo or a picture from a magazine. Also, the salons usually have a lot of photos hung on the walls. The hair dresser doesn't do ONE style and everyone gets the same style. I know only a few salons that do one style only, and they are not expensive as your friend claimed. To become a hairdresser requires years of schooling here. You can open a shop, but then you're not allowed to do fancy things like colouring and curling. The cheap shops are like that, and they primarily serves men who just need a haircut. OldDog.Net wrote: another difference: we don't mind getting our hands dirty Right, whatever you say :rolleyes: "God doesn't play dice" - Albert Einstein "God not only plays dice, He sometimes throws the dices where they cannot be seen" - Niels Bohr