[Bagration]

Britain is not "European" any more than Australia or Canada are European.

[tieyourmotherdown]

It is true that when polled, Americans do come out as less socially progressive comapred with their European counterparts and their northern neighbours.

"Canadians & Britons are more open to same-sex relations than Americans"
"US, Britain & Canada endorse death penalty" (They all support it however America noticeably more)
"Global warming doubts dissolve in Britain, but Americans still sceptical"

etc. etc. you get the gist, HOWEVER ... it really isn't that simple ..

America is massive, with 300 million people, so obviously it varies from state to state. In other words, it's very easy to say that the UK is more socially progressive than America, because on average it is, but what we should really be saying is that the UK is more socially progressive than Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama etc, but not Rhode Island, Maryland, Maine etc.

[Made in the USA]

(Original post by alexs2602)
That is such a flawed statement. Europe is so hugely different culturally there is little need for us to venture away from our continent. America on the other hand is relatively similar culturally and is one half of one continent.

You're also probably forgetting the much quoted statistic about how many Americans own a passport.

It's flawed to think you are some kind of jet-setting international playboy because you put your car in reverse, backed up ten feet and crossed the borders of 8 different countries. You need a passport when you are surrounded by all those tiny little countries.

I don't think it's fair to fault Americans for not having passports. We've got an extremely geographically diverse continent to run around on.

[LaughingBro]

Americans are really ignorant and bad with geography.

[Made in the USA]

(Original post by tieyourmotherdown)
It is true that when polled, Americans do come out as less socially progressive comapred with their European counterparts and their northern neighbours.

"Canadians & Britons are more open to same-sex relations than Americans"
"US, Britain & Canada endorse death penalty" (They all support it however America noticeably more)
"Global warming doubts dissolve in Britain, but Americans still sceptical"

etc. etc. you get the gist, HOWEVER ... it really isn't that simple ..

America is massive, with 300 million people, so obviously it varies from state to state. In other words, it's very easy to say that the UK is more socially progressive than America, because on average it is, but what we should really be saying is that the UK is more socially progressive than Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama etc, but not Rhode Island, Maryland, Maine etc.

Did you read the articles you posted links to before posting them? "The global warming doubts dissolve in britain but americans still skeptical" headline is extremely misleading because there isn't a dimes worth of difference between US and UK numbers. It actually made me really proud of Britain, having not entirely bought into the global warming hoax. Maybe there is some hope for you guys just yet. Skepticism is a sign of a healthy and inquisitive mind.

[Bagration]

(Original post by LaughingBro)
Americans are really ignorant and bad with geography.

Black people are really ignorant and bad with geography.

Let's see who gets warned. Oh, wait. Huh.

[Made in the USA]

(Original post by LaughingBro)
Americans are really ignorant and bad with geography.

When I traveled through Wales I couldn't find anyone who had any idea where I was from. As soon as I told them what state I lived in, they got this deer in the headlights look I'll never forget. I don't think geography was their strong suit.

[alexs2602]

(Original post by Made in the USA)
It's flawed to think you are some kind of jet-setting international playboy because you put your car in reverse, backed up ten feet and crossed the borders of 8 different countries. You need a passport when you are surrounded by all those tiny little countries.

I don't think it's fair to fault Americans for not having passports. We've got an extremely geographically diverse continent to run around on.

We never said that but to claim only staying in Europe is on par with only staying within the US is ridiculous, there is no comparison. How about this for information; Britain is the 21st largest country in the world but it's tiny when you compare it to the US so when you think of that then you need to think how big other nations are bound to be and that size doesnt mean a country is necessarily worth visiting.

It is fair: geographical diversity doesnt mean a whole lot. Cultural, architectural diversity etc are amazing reasons to travel.

[tieyourmotherdown]

(Original post by Made in the USA)
Did you read the articles you posted links to before posting them? "The global warming doubts dissolve in britain but americans still skeptical" headline is extremely misleading because there isn't a dimes worth of difference between US and UK numbers. It actually made me really proud of Britain, having not entirely bought into the global warming hoax. Maybe there is some hope for you guys just yet. Skepticism is a sign of a healthy and inquisitive mind.

Yes I did read it, and it showed a 7 point difference between the US and the UK, which is significant (Besides which the 20 or so point difference for Canada backs up the original statement regardless). What's more the UK showed a 9 point increase in those who believed it was fact compared with just 1 point in the USA.

And yes, scepticism is healthy, however the point here is that those societies which are traditionally considered socially progressive (I.e Britain and more so, Canada), are less likely to believe global warming is a hoax, supporting the argument that America isn't as socially progressive overall. However like I said, you can't take the USA as a whole when it comes to social progressiveness, but I was just saying that technically the facts do support the original statement.

[Made in the USA]

(Original post by tieyourmotherdown)
Yes I did read it, and it showed a 7 point difference between the US and the UK, which is significant (Besides which the 20 or so point difference for Canada backs up the original statement regardless). What's more the UK showed a 9 point increase in those who believed it was fact compared with just 1 point in the USA.

And yes, scepticism is healthy, however the point here is that those societies which are traditionally considered socially progressive (I.e Britain and more so, Canada), are less likely to believe global warming is a hoax, supporting the argument that America isn't as socially progressive overall. However like I said, you can't take the USA as a whole when it comes to social progressiveness, but I was just saying that technically the facts do support the original statement.

And who says that being socially progressive is necessarily always a good thing? I'm proud that my countrymen are skeptical of a hoax like global warming. In ten years we are all going to be laughing at people like Al Gore, just like we laugh at the doctors who thought leeches could cure you of anything.

[Zhoupian]

(Original post by Made in the USA)
It's flawed to think you are some kind of jet-setting international playboy because you put your car in reverse, backed up ten feet and crossed the borders of 8 different countries. You need a passport when you are surrounded by all those tiny little countries.

I don't think it's fair to fault Americans for not having passports. We've got an extremely geographically diverse continent to run around on.

Europeans don't need a passport to travel within the EU.

[tieyourmotherdown]

(Original post by Made in the USA)
And who says that being socially progressive is necessarily always a good thing?

Well that's not really the debate here ... if I'm not mistaken the OP's question is why aren't Americans socially progressive, not whether or not being socially progressive is a good thing.

[Made in the USA]

(Original post by Zhoupian)
Europeans don't need a passport to travel within the EU.

That is only true of recent history though, right? Since the inception of the euro or thereabouts? We don't need passports for canada or mexico.

[Zhoupian]

(Original post by Made in the USA)
That is only true of recent history though, right? Since the inception of the euro or thereabouts? We don't need passports for canada or mexico.

I don't know about Mexico but I thought that the US-Canada border had been much tightened?

[adam_zed]

(Original post by Made in the USA)
You shouldn't stereotype people from the depths of the rural states. A lot of them are far more intelligent than you are. Huntsville, Alabama, located in the deep south of the US, has more PhDs per square acre than you could find anywhere else in the country.

Someone with a PHD is smarter then me? Well considering that I am 18 and yet to start even my own undergraduate degree I would say simply, no sh** sherlock.

I didnt categorically rule that all those in rural areas of America were stupid, rather we perceive them to be these irrational, backwards people from the south because for many of us, that is all we see of them.

I was actually trying to defend this sudden onslaught of anti-American sentiment, but obviously you seem so up for confrontation that you seem to ignore this, preferring to distort my words to turn it into something you can moan about.

[Made in the USA]

(Original post by adam_zed)
Someone with a PHD is smarter then me? Well considering that I am 18 and yet to start even my own undergraduate degree I would say simply, no sh** sherlock.

I didnt categorically rule that all those in rural areas of America were stupid, rather we perceive them to be these irrational, backwards people from the south because for many of us, that is all we see of them.

I was actually trying to defend this sudden onslaught of anti-American sentiment, but obviously you seem so up for confrontation that you seem to ignore this, preferring to distort my words to turn it into something you can moan about.

I see where you are coming from. All I ever saw of Colombia in my media was drug cartels and murder, then I went there and it wasn't anything like it was portrayed. Reporters focus on the negative because that's what sells.

[thisismycatch22]

(Original post by Bagration)
Britain is not "European" any more than Australia or Canada are European.

except in the sense that we are members of the EU, founding members of the council of europe, competitors in eurovision, and generally acknowledged to be geographically european if not part of the mainland... so actually we are very much more european than either of those countries.

[adam_zed]

(Original post by Made in the USA)
I see where you are coming from. All I ever saw of Colombia in my media was drug cartels and murder, then I went there and it wasn't anything like it was portrayed. Reporters focus on the negative because that's what sells.

Precisely, that depiction is what becomes our perception of that place. I mean how would we know that it is any different?

[Howard]

(Original post by Zhoupian)
Where's that statistic?

Also, regarding the cancer survival rate. This was originally posted by Captain Crash, but the point stands, Flawed stat. The US defines many things as cancer which are easily treatable and wouldn't kill you any way. One example in particular is early prostate cancer. Most men develop prostate cancer, but it more often than not doesn't develop seriously in the patients life. In the UK, such incidental cancers are ignored quite rightly. In the US, they are found, treated (usually with side-effects like incontinence and impotence) and clocked up as 'successes' despite the patient never being in mortal danger.

That seems a rather cavalier approach to take. In 2008 there were 10,168 deaths in the UK from prostate cancer. Prostate cancer accounts for around 12% of male deaths from cancer in the UK and is the second most common cause of cancer death in men, after lung cancer.

[No Man]

The racist and homophobic states are the ones in the south west (except maybe Florida). I have lived in North Carolina so I would know.

The black people there are ultra sensitive probably for that reason.