NationStates Jolt Archive


The French are Snooty, say Brits

Minaris
17-09-2006, 14:21
In a British poll, Brits elected France the least cultured country, followed closely by Germany.

Which country, in your opinion, is the LEAST cultured?
The Potato Factory
17-09-2006, 14:23
Germany, less cultured than Britain? This is coming from the country that confiscated vegetables at the airport for being "unidentified and suspicious objects."

Oh, and least cultured? Um... all those muslims countries.
Bratwurstburg
17-09-2006, 14:29
I guess those countries in the heart of Africa, who seem only to exist for riots, civil wars and atrocities against humanity, are the least cultured.

If you reduce the poll to the Western hemisphere, I would vote the US.
The Potato Factory
17-09-2006, 14:29
I guess those countries in the heart of Africa, who seem only to exist for riots, civil wars and atrocities against humanity, are the least cultured.

Yeah, those too.
Philosopy
17-09-2006, 14:30
I said that?

Funny, I don't remember doing so.
Minaris
17-09-2006, 14:30
Germany, less cultured than Britain? This is coming from the country that confiscated vegetables at the airport for being "unidentified and suspicious objects."

Oh, and least cultured? Um... all those muslims countries.

I don't think the poll included Britain... otherwise it'd be on top, if only becaues the poll was taken there.
Templa
17-09-2006, 15:15
Least Cultured? Antartica!
Minaris
17-09-2006, 15:16
Least Cultured? Antartica!
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Ifreann
17-09-2006, 15:20
What kind of country doesn't have a culture?
Yootopia
17-09-2006, 15:21
The US?
Hugohk
17-09-2006, 15:23
How about sweden?
Heard they're all like vikings there.
Yootopia
17-09-2006, 15:24
How about sweden?
Heard they're all like vikings there.
*sighs profusely*
Lunatic Goofballs
17-09-2006, 15:26
In a British poll, Brits elected France the least cultured country, followed closely by Germany.

Which country, in your opinion, is the LEAST cultured?

Definitely China. No cheese, no yogurt. Definitely the least cultured. :p
Hugohk
17-09-2006, 15:32
Joke aside i am from sweden myself.
Define cultured.
Do you mean cultured like in cities and law and so on?
In any case i say The US.
I dont find countries fighting illegal wars,
Accusing other countries for being wussies for not sending out hundreds of thousands of their soldiers to die for no special reason,
Help dictators to come to power just to Fight them 10 years later
Lock people away for 60 years in prison.
I do not find this cultured...
If you think it is cultured, Then you must be crazy.
Kanabia
17-09-2006, 15:33
I doubt there's much popular culture in North Korea.
No Mans Landia
17-09-2006, 15:46
In a British poll, Brits elected France the least cultured country, followed closely by Germany.

Which country, in your opinion, is the LEAST cultured?

Source.
New Stalinberg
17-09-2006, 16:15
Joke aside i am from sweden myself.
Define cultured.
Do you mean cultured like in cities and law and so on?
In any case i say The US.
I dont find countries fighting illegal wars,
Accusing other countries for being wussies for not sending out hundreds of thousands of their soldiers to die for no special reason,
Help dictators to come to power just to Fight them 10 years later
Lock people away for 60 years in prison.
I do not find this cultured...
If you think it is cultured, Then you must be crazy.

Do you seriously think this represents the American people? Could it be that our government is doing it because they have their thumbs so far up their asses that it will never be possible to take them out? Naw, couldn't be. According to the internet, God hates your country. I better form my opinion off this website created by racist bigot backwater Baptists.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/frisbeeteria/modedit.jpgDon't link to hate sites that promote genocide.
Laerod
17-09-2006, 16:17
In a British poll, Brits elected France the least cultured country, followed closely by Germany.

Which country, in your opinion, is the LEAST cultured?Since when are the British experts on culture? So we don't do binge drinking in Germany. Pity, I suppose that means we have no culture :D
Templa
17-09-2006, 16:18
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

You say...smiley that? But there are people there, and portions of it are owned by other countries.
German Nightmare
17-09-2006, 16:18
In a British poll, Brits elected France the least cultured country, followed closely by Germany.

Which country, in your opinion, is the LEAST cultured?
I didn't expect anything else from monkey island. :rolleyes:

Once the British learn how to cook and drive on the right side of the road, I might even consider them to have a civilised culture... :mad:

BTW, could you please provide a link to that "poll"?
Markreich
17-09-2006, 16:18
The US?

Yet everyone complains about "Americanization". Funny, that.
Gorias
17-09-2006, 16:28
Yet everyone complains about "Americanization". Funny, that.

usually people mean by that is, a dull plastic culture. no substance.

to comment on britian being uncultured. britian is has pretty wide range of culture in it, its just that british people usully dont have a knowledge of the culture.
Hugohk
17-09-2006, 16:33
Do you seriously think this represents the American people? Could it be that our government is doing it because they have their thumbs so far up their asses that it will never be possible to take them out? Naw, couldn't be. According to the internet, God hates your country. I better form my opinion off this website created by racist bigot backwater Baptists.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/frisbeeteria/modedit.jpgDon't [ quote] links to hate sites that promote genocide.

Im sorry if i offended you offcourse i didnt mean that the entire populace thinks like what i wrote ofcourse i meant the government of the united states. I apologize. But let me just ask you you dont think this do you? I must say i have never been this angry before. And as an american rolemodel you support this site???:eek:
Please say that it isnt so.

You come up with a very fucked up website that says that our king is a sodomite? I would like to meet the person that created that website and smash him so hard in the face over and over again with a metal baseball bat so he will never do anything racistic against any other country ever again.
P.S i know that our king isn't the smartest man alive. I dont love him either but i still think it's unneccesary to say this about my country. DO you stand for this?
Markreich
17-09-2006, 16:44
usually people mean by that is, a dull plastic culture. no substance.

to comment on britian being uncultured. britian is has pretty wide range of culture in it, its just that british people usully dont have a knowledge of the culture.

Yet the people keep watching our movies, listening to our music, and reading our books. Damnest thing. :p
Laerod
17-09-2006, 16:47
Yet the people keep watching our movies, listening to our music, and reading our books. Damnest thing. :pAh, so when they're protesting the war, hollywood actors are the damn traitors, but when said actors play in movies aired all over the world, their yours? :p
Markreich
17-09-2006, 16:50
Ah, so when they're protesting the war, hollywood actors are the damn traitors, but when said actors play in movies aired all over the world, their yours? :p

Please dig up a post of mine complaining about Hollywood actors protesting the war. I'd like to see it. I remember complaining about Cindy Sheehan's warped view of the universe, but that's about it.
Laerod
17-09-2006, 16:52
Please dig up a post of mine complaining about Hollywood actors protesting the war. I'd like to see it. I remember complaining about Cindy Sheehan's warped view of the universe, but that's about it.Serious doesn't suit you either ;)
Markreich
17-09-2006, 17:01
Serious doesn't suit you either ;)

Oh, come now. If you're gonna flame me (or, worse, confuse me for somebody else), at least back it up! Sheesh.

Just for that, you get the smallest slice of cake:

http://countingsheep.typepad.com/gastronomy/2005/04/BakingXIRaspberryCrown_slice_small.jpg
Bel - Hephnic
17-09-2006, 17:12
I doubt there's much popular culture in North Korea.

Oh no, I'm sure the culture there is VERY popular. In that it's the only culture the state allows.

- Z

duchy scribe/translator
German Nightmare
17-09-2006, 17:14
Don't eat it, Laerod - that frosting is laced!
Embrough
17-09-2006, 17:36
Once the British learn how to cook and drive on the right side of the road, I might even consider them to have a civilised culture... :mad:

The British driving on the wrong side of the road? That's an interesting point to make, since more of the world drives on the left, and the only reason some countries choose to drive on the right is after Napoleon, who thought it was a good idea to make himself appear different from everyone else by marching on the right. The reason that everyone historically drives on the left is the same reason that medieval spiral staircases go down anti-clockwise and up clockwise. Most people were, and are, right-handed, and so that was their sword arm. If you are defending a staircase, you have more room to swing your right sword arm if it is on the outside, whereas an attack fighting up the stairs would be impeded by the cental column. As for roads, a right-handed swordsman would have his scabbard on his left side, so that he could draw his sword across his body (makes it easier for drawing long swords). When climbing on to your horse, you can't get on from the horse's right because your scabbard gets in the way, so you climb on from the left. This is why people march, ride and drive on the left. There is no reason for driving on the right except to rebel against those who drive on the left.

As for cooking, since when couldn't the British cook? I'm fairly sure that there are far fewer dishes invented by or traditionally associated with America than there are of Britain. Germany, I submit, probably has more unique dishes than Britain, however. Anyway, to name a few well-known British dishes: Yorkshire Pudding, Haggis, Lancashire Hotpot Full English Breakfast, Parmos, Fish & Chips, Bangers and Mash, Spotted Dick, Black Pudding, Toad-in-the-Hole, Shepherd's Pie, Ploughman's Lunch, Cumberland Sausage. :D
Dontgonearthere
17-09-2006, 17:39
Don't eat it, Laerod - that frosting is laced!

Laced with GOODNESS!

Anyway...

For those saying the US lacks culture, you should come to southern Arizona. We have too much culture. We have Mexicans, Asians, Blacks, Spaniards, a small Jewish community (OH NOEZ TEH JOOZ!), at least three Germans that I know of, a family of five that recently moved here from Canada and an old Portugese guy.
And they ALL have their own neighborhoods, including the Portugese guy. Hes a neighborhood of one.
You walk into a different neighborhood, you walk into a different country.

So, unlike European countries with their piddling 1-3 cultures, some US towns have about thrity cultures. And as many languages.
Dontgonearthere
17-09-2006, 17:41
As for cooking, since when couldn't the British cook? I'm fairly sure that there are far fewer dishes invented by or traditionally associated with America than there are of Britain. Germany, I submit, probably has more unique dishes than Britain, however. Anyway, to name a few well-known British dishes: Yorkshire Pudding, Haggis, Lancashire Hotpot Full English Breakfast, Parmos, Fish & Chips, Bangers and Mash, Spotted Dick, Black Pudding, Toad-in-the-Hole, Shepherd's Pie, Ploughman's Lunch, Cumberland Sausage. :D

Oh, the British can cook, they just seem to think that making their food LOOK good is a sin >_>
French fries should NOT be grey.
Embrough
17-09-2006, 17:50
French fries are the thin, overly salty things that you get from McDonald's, which is incidentally American. Chips, on the other hand, are chunky and golden and often served with gravy in wholesome wintery meals, or served with fish in seaside towns.

So, unlike European countries with their piddling 1-3 cultures, some US towns have about thrity cultures. And as many languages.

Have you ever been to London? The majority of people there do not speak English. :)
Saint Revan
17-09-2006, 17:50
the western world sucks. just leave it at that. western culture sucks. east asia is definently more cultured than any western nations :mp5:
Ariddia
17-09-2006, 18:36
The question itself is absurd. There is no such thing as an uncultured country, simply because each country has its own culture (or cultures). Speaking as someone who does research in the field of cultural studies, I can tell you it's ridiculous to try and compare the cultures of... say... Germany and Nepal (or Spain and Oman, etc...) to try and determine which is most "cultured". Even if you define what you mean by "cultured" (and I'd like to see someone try!), the question remains inherently meaningless.

A poll is especially silly, given that the vast majority of people in Britain (and elsewhere) are fundamentally ignorant of the cultures of foreign countries. Ask your average Brit what they know of the culture of Nepal or Oman, Luxembourg or Papua New Guinea, Mauritania or Peru. You'll either get no reply at all, or some ignorant, misinformed platitude.
Ny Nordland
17-09-2006, 19:02
In a British poll, Brits elected France the least cultured country, followed closely by Germany.

Which country, in your opinion, is the LEAST cultured?

One of African or muslim countries.
Minaris
17-09-2006, 19:04
The British driving on the wrong side of the road? That's an interesting point to make, since more of the world drives on the left, and the only reason some countries choose to drive on the right is after Napoleon, who thought it was a good idea to make himself appear different from everyone else by marching on the right. The reason that everyone historically drives on the left is the same reason that medieval spiral staircases go down anti-clockwise and up clockwise. Most people were, and are, right-handed, and so that was their sword arm. If you are defending a staircase, you have more room to swing your right sword arm if it is on the outside, whereas an attack fighting up the stairs would be impeded by the cental column. As for roads, a right-handed swordsman would have his scabbard on his left side, so that he could draw his sword across his body (makes it easier for drawing long swords). When climbing on to your horse, you can't get on from the horse's right because your scabbard gets in the way, so you climb on from the left. This is why people march, ride and drive on the left. There is no reason for driving on the right except to rebel against those who drive on the left.

As for cooking, since when couldn't the British cook? I'm fairly sure that there are far fewer dishes invented by or traditionally associated with America than there are of Britain. ITALY, I submit, probably has WAY more unique dishes than ANYONE ELSE, however. (THEY ALSO MAKE THE BEST TASTING FOOD, BUT...) Anyway, to name a few well-known British dishes: Yorkshire Pudding, Haggis, Lancashire Hotpot Full English Breakfast, Parmos, Fish & Chips, Bangers and Mash, Spotted Dick, Black Pudding, Toad-in-the-Hole, Shepherd's Pie, Ploughman's Lunch, Cumberland Sausage. :D

Edited for accuracy. :p
IL Ruffino
17-09-2006, 19:09
USA and all dem der usians.
Farnhamia
17-09-2006, 19:25
The US?

*sighs profusely*
New Xero Seven
17-09-2006, 19:33
Every nation has culture in one way or another. Some cultures are similar, most are different.
Embrough
17-09-2006, 19:43
A poll is especially silly, given that the vast majority of people in Britain (and elsewhere) are fundamentally ignorant of the cultures of foreign countries. Ask your average Brit what they know of the culture of Nepal or Oman, Luxembourg or Papua New Guinea, Mauritania or Peru. You'll either get no reply at all, or some ignorant, misinformed platitude.

Is it more likely that residents of another country are more likely to answer, except if they are nearer to those countries? The British are hard-pressed to comment on foreign cultures because sometimes it is difficult to tell where British culture ends and where imported or migrant cultures begin. Often they are the same thing, espcially in London and the South.
Markreich
17-09-2006, 20:57
Have you ever been to London? The majority of people there do not speak English. :)

London seems to be a strange suburb of Boston, with its own currency and a very early last call at the bars.
Pledgeria
17-09-2006, 21:02
What kind of country doesn't have a culture?

Canada. They have U.S. culture with hatred of all that is from the U.S. (It's always sounded vaguely schizophrenic to me.)

Well, most of them do, anyway. There are the Frenchies. ;)
Dakini
17-09-2006, 21:17
Canada. They have U.S. culture with hatred of all that is from the U.S. (It's always sounded vaguely schizophrenic to me.)

Well, most of them do, anyway. There are the Frenchies. ;)
Oh please, stop trying to pretend like Canada is obsessed with the US. It's that sort of American arrogance that people around here don't like.

We also have a much nicer and richer culture than most of the US, but it varies widely from region to region.
Pledgeria
17-09-2006, 21:24
Oh please, stop trying to pretend like Canada is obsessed with the US. It's that sort of American arrogance that people around here don't like.

We also have a much nicer and richer culture than most of the US, but it varies widely from region to region.

Dude. Only kidding. Calm yourself.
Dakini
17-09-2006, 21:48
Dude. Only kidding. Calm yourself.
It didn't seem like you were kidding, it seemed like you were writing off the culture of my country as some watered down version of your country's culture.
Philosopy
17-09-2006, 21:50
It didn't seem like you were kidding, it seemed like you were writing off the culture of my country as some watered down version of your country's culture.

Yeah, don't do that.

It's a watered down version of British culture.
Minaris
17-09-2006, 21:50
It didn't seem like you were kidding, it seemed like you were writing off the culture of my country as some watered down version of your country's culture.

Actually, it kinda is...

Just Kidding! :p :p :p
Dakini
17-09-2006, 21:52
Yeah, don't do that.

It's a watered down version of British culture.

:rolleyes:
Similization
18-09-2006, 00:21
Every nation has culture in one way or another. Some cultures are similar, most are different.To be uncultured does not imply a lack of one or more cultures. It means the peoples of [insert country] are unsophisticated & ignorant.

In my opinion, most of the ME region & large parts of the African continent are uncultured. America, and to an insignificantly smaller extent the rest of the wealthy nations, may be the most hypocritical, but we can hardly be accused of being uncultured in general terms.
Undivulged Principles
18-09-2006, 00:27
I wouldn't let the Brits judge this sort of thing. They are not the most cultural out there.

The French have an immense culture but they are snooty.

I will never forget the French guy in Egypt when we were walking up to Queen H (don't want to butcher the name) temple. there were a bunch of kids there who like to collect pens from foreigners. This guy had a bunch and the kids were surrounding him. What does he do? He proceeds to throw the pens into a jumble of rocks and then watch the kids knock each other down and step on each other to get to them. He sits there watching them. A real piece of work.

Plus, when I was in France they were very arrogant.
Markreich
18-09-2006, 01:18
I wouldn't let the Brits judge this sort of thing. They are not the most cultural out there.

Yeah. I mean, who considers Shakespere, Byron, Wordsworth, Johnson, The Beatles, Jane Austen, Sherlock Holmes, Motorhead, I Claudius, William Blake, The Tower of London, Doctor Who, John Tunnard, Monty Python, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hardy, Saint George The Dragon Slayer, Punch & Judy, Robin Hood, King Arthur, Boxing Day, fish & chips, fox hunting, JRR Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Dickens, The Spitfire, Winston Churhill, Magna Charta, Charles Darwin, JK Rowling, Big Ben or The Notting Hill festival to be cultural? :headbang:

The French have an immense culture but they are snooty.

They also rarely bathe, designed "Le Car" and eat frogs. So?

I posit that just about ANY nation is rich in culture. It's just that the longer lived ones have collected a bigger attic's worth.
Psychotic Mongooses
18-09-2006, 01:47
They also rarely bathe, designed "Le Car" and eat frogs. So?

And all Americans are stupid, overweight and generally ignorant- right? :rolleyes:
Kerblagahstan
18-09-2006, 02:02
Once the British learn how to cook and drive on the right side of the road, I might even consider them to have a civilised culture... :mad:

They have kitchens in their cars?!?!
Avika
18-09-2006, 02:15
Yeah. I mean, who considers Shakespere, Byron, Wordsworth, Johnson, The Beatles, Jane Austen, Sherlock Holmes, Motorhead, I Claudius, William Blake, The Tower of London, Doctor Who, John Tunnard, Monty Python, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hardy, Saint George The Dragon Slayer, Punch & Judy, Robin Hood, King Arthur, Boxing Day, fish & chips, fox hunting, JRR Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Dickens, The Spitfire, Winston Churhill, Magna Charta, Charles Darwin, JK Rowling, Big Ben or The Notting Hill festival to be cultural? :headbang:



They also rarely bathe, designed "Le Car" and eat frogs. So?

I posit that just about ANY nation is rich in culture. It's just that the longer lived ones have collected a bigger attic's worth.

I have no idea what the hell Boxing Day is about, /i think Tower of London's history makes Gitmo look like Disneyland, and fox hunting just seems like an exciting sport with an bloody and anti-climantic end.

All countries have something wrong with them.
France seems to have become an unstable country since it began to become a but more socialist.

The United States did have Andrew Jackson as president once. Not only did he support the genocide against Native Americans, he also ignored the Supreme Court's rulings because he did not like them, violating America's Constitution. Yes, I said America. Deal with it.

The UK did have such a great and friendly relation with Ireland and the Irish.

The entire Middle East is a hellhole. They all hate eachother there.
Neo Undelia
18-09-2006, 02:42
usually people mean by that is, a dull plastic culture. no substance.

to comment on britian being uncultured. britian is has pretty wide range of culture in it, its just that british people usully dont have a knowledge of the culture.

Same with the US.
Theoretical Physicists
18-09-2006, 02:48
One of those African countries with 10 year olds fighting in civil wars.
Heculisis
18-09-2006, 02:58
It didn't seem like you were kidding, it seemed like you were writing off the culture of my country as some watered down version of your country's culture.
Oh stop whining. The only reason that canada isn't part of the U.S. is cause Britain protected it for so long.
Andaluciae
18-09-2006, 03:19
I doubt there's much popular culture in North Korea.

There's Kim Jong Il culture in North Korea! If he says he likes it, everyone likes it!
Undivulged Principles
18-09-2006, 03:47
Yeah. I mean, who considers Shakespere, Byron, Wordsworth, Johnson, The Beatles, Jane Austen, Sherlock Holmes, Motorhead, I Claudius, William Blake, The Tower of London, Doctor Who, John Tunnard, Monty Python, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hardy, Saint George The Dragon Slayer, Punch & Judy, Robin Hood, King Arthur, Boxing Day, fish & chips, fox hunting, JRR Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Dickens, The Spitfire, Winston Churhill, Magna Charta, Charles Darwin, JK Rowling, Big Ben or The Notting Hill festival to be cultural? :headbang:



They also rarely bathe, designed "Le Car" and eat frogs. So?

I posit that just about ANY nation is rich in culture. It's just that the longer lived ones have collected a bigger attic's worth.



Ooh you got me you ninny! I said the most culture, and what the British have is taken from others. Who did the British ape for much of their history? The French! French fashion, art, whatever, the British ate it up. Now where were we?

Your big cuisine is fish and chips! You actually tried to sneak that in there. Yes, I forgot about British culture --- Bad cuisine!

Frogs are very good and the French aren't the only one to eat them. You might several nations known for their cuisine do, while the Brits don't. Might tell you something.

lol
Nonexistentland
18-09-2006, 03:51
It didn't seem like you were kidding, it seemed like you were writing off the culture of my country as some watered down version of your country's culture.

How can anyone seriously get offended through an anonymous username on an anonymous forum about such a paltry statement? You can complain all you want, I guess, but at the end you're still staring at a computer screen...
Anti-Social Darwinism
18-09-2006, 04:17
I guess those countries in the heart of Africa, who seem only to exist for riots, civil wars and atrocities against humanity, are the least cultured.

If you reduce the poll to the Western hemisphere, I would vote the US.

Least cultured? Verklich? I suppose our massive melting pot, which incorporates aspects of all cultures from food, to music, to literature counts for nothing. Go to New Orleans for Jazz, New York for theater, San Francisco for cuisine - we have it all.
--Somewhere--
18-09-2006, 04:37
I don't really think this country is in much of a position to call other countries uncultured. We may have made some great cultural achievements in the past but we're in a pretty sad state now. The country is infested with chavs. We're in a situation where the elite celebrate the way our cities have been divided into ethnic enclaves and towns have ended up looking more like Pakistan. Hardly the hallmarks of an advanced culture.
Laerod
18-09-2006, 05:02
I don't really think this country is in much of a position to call other countries uncultured. We may have made some great cultural achievements in the past but we're in a pretty sad state now. The country is infested with chavs. We're in a situation where the elite celebrate the way our cities have been divided into ethnic enclaves and towns have ended up looking more like Pakistan. Hardly the hallmarks of an advanced culture.And when exactly hasn't it been like that?
--Somewhere--
18-09-2006, 05:06
And when exactly hasn't it been like that?

The islamisation of this country has been occuring only in the last 50 or so years. And the whole chav culture is only a very recent thing.
Laerod
18-09-2006, 05:13
The islamisation of this country has been occuring only in the last 50 or so years. And the whole chav culture is only a very recent thing.I'm not talking about the specifics. I kinda doubt that there was a ever a time in British history where there wasn't some layer of society complaining about social change. The chavs had their equivalent during the Norman invasions and in the Victorian age. A culture's collective memory merely blots that particular part out.
JuNii
18-09-2006, 05:25
Least Cultured? Antartica!

believe it or not, the culture in Antartica is actually an Ideal one. each nation's research team has an unwritten pact to assist the other. even tho they have to obey the borders, they know that being isolated down there, they cannot follow the policies of their countries in the event of an emergency...
Avika
18-09-2006, 05:32
The only nations with any culture are:
the nation whose inhabitants are all made out of cheese
Same as above, only with yogurt people
Cheesekurdistan
My fridge gained its independence from the US.
The butter people of Butteria

Stupid uncultered meat peoples.
JuNii
18-09-2006, 05:36
In a British poll, Brits elected France the least cultured country, followed closely by Germany.

Which country, in your opinion, is the LEAST cultured?

it took me a while to come up with an answer... so here it is.
Canada.

think about it. Canada could've had...
1) British Culture
2) French Cusine
3) American Technology...

but they ended up with
1) British Cusine
2) French Technology
3) American Culture.


[joking!]


The worst culture goes to the Aztecs... after all, their culture hasn't changed for over a hundred years!

:D :D :D :D :D
Bodies Without Organs
18-09-2006, 05:38
it took me a while to come up with an answer... so here it is.
Canada.

think about it. Canada could've had...
1) British Culture
2) French Cusine
3) American Technology...

but they ended up with
1) British Cusine
2) French Technology
3) American Culture.

Not bad, but I still prefer the pithier Canada: too much geography and not enough history.
German Nightmare
18-09-2006, 09:46
The British driving on the wrong side of the road?But I said "right" side of the road, not "wrong" side. I left a word pun right there.
That's an interesting point to make, since more of the world drives on the left, and the only reason some countries choose to drive on the right is after Napoleon, who thought it was a good idea to make himself appear different from everyone else by marching on the right.
No, simply not true: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_on_the_left_or_right
As for the Napoleon anecdote - it's a nice story, but lacks the historic proof.
The reason that everyone historically drives on the left is the same reason that medieval spiral staircases go down anti-clockwise and up clockwise.
Hahaha. There's no connection between driving on one side of the road and defending the keep. While I am aware of the staircase thing, it's ridiculous to compare those two.
Most people were, and are, right-handed, and so that was their sword arm. If you are defending a staircase, you have more room to swing your right sword arm if it is on the outside, whereas an attack fighting up the stairs would be impeded by the cental column.
Yes, that much is true. And? Even today, most staircases are built that way, and we haven't used swords in quite a while...

As for roads, a right-handed swordsman would have his scabbard on his left side, so that he could draw his sword across his body (makes it easier for drawing long swords). When climbing on to your horse, you can't get on from the horse's right because your scabbard gets in the way, so you climb on from the left. This is why people march, ride and drive on the left. There is no reason for driving on the right except to rebel against those who drive on the left.
You're a funny guy. Having your scabbard on the left side only means you'd have to mount your horse from the left. Nothing else. You can still ride your horse on the left or right side of the road unimpeded. You could also ride down center lane. No difference whatsoever! It simply is a matter of choice.
Drawing the conclusion that this leads to marching, riding, and driving on the left is more than farfetched.
As for cooking, since when couldn't the British cook? I'm fairly sure that there are far fewer dishes invented by or traditionally associated with America than there are of Britain. Germany, I submit, probably has more unique dishes than Britain, however. Anyway, to name a few well-known British dishes: Yorkshire Pudding, Haggis, Lancashire Hotpot Full English Breakfast, Parmos, Fish & Chips, Bangers and Mash, Spotted Dick, Black Pudding, Toad-in-the-Hole, Shepherd's Pie, Ploughman's Lunch, Cumberland Sausage. :D
Yorkshire Pudding is only a side dish.
Haggis. Scottish Saumagen. Not as unique as you might think: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saumagen
Lancashire Hotpot. Just another Eintopf (stew) variety...
English Breakfast is good :D Then again, it has to last for the whole day :p
Parmo. If deepfrying everything makes it typically British (which apparently it does), fine. How that is a sign of a great cook is beyond me, though ;)
Fish and chips, if you follow its true origins, came to the isles as a Sephardi dish in the 17th and 18th century.
Spotted Dick, I might say, seems to be a typical British appearance, though (*insert bad pun here*) :eek:
Black Pudding is not typically British. We've got Blutwurst as well...
Toad-in-the-Hole - yes, this one actually is a typical dish, same goes for Shepherd's Pie.
I don't see how Ploughman's Lunch is particularly British, though.
And while I grant you the Cumberland Sausage, I believe that Bangers and Mash are nothing but Bratwurst mit Kartoffelpüree :)

Thanks for the excursion into the British cuisine - I enjoyed that.

To be honest, I just got a little upset about that ignorant poll and thus slandered the British cooking and poked some fun at driving on the left. All is good :D

it took me a while to come up with an answer... so here it is.
Canada.
think about it. Canada could've had...
1) British Culture
2) French Cusine
3) American Technology...
but they ended up with
1) British Cusine
2) French Technology
3) American Culture.

[joking!]
That's funny!!!
Philosopy
18-09-2006, 10:15
-snip-
I thought your initial response was uncharacteristically harsh. Don't forget, not only can you prove anything with statistics, the OP didn't even provide a link to this survey.

...

...


Driving on the right is stupid! ;)
German Nightmare
18-09-2006, 10:21
I thought your initial response was uncharacteristically harsh. Don't forget, not only can you prove anything with statistics, the OP didn't even provide a link to this survey.

...

...


Driving on the right is stupid! ;)
I know. That's why I typed up this long response to clear that up ;)

Problem was, I couldn't post it because my internet provider decided to run a maintenance shift last night...

...

...


Driving on the left is stupid! :D
Ariddia
18-09-2006, 11:10
Yeah. I mean, who considers Shakespere, Byron, Wordsworth, Johnson, The Beatles, Jane Austen, Sherlock Holmes, Motorhead, I Claudius, William Blake, The Tower of London, Doctor Who, John Tunnard, Monty Python, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hardy, Saint George The Dragon Slayer, Punch & Judy, Robin Hood, King Arthur, Boxing Day, fish & chips, fox hunting, JRR Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Dickens, The Spitfire, Winston Churhill, Magna Charta, Charles Darwin, JK Rowling, Big Ben or The Notting Hill festival to be cultural? :headbang:


If you consider the Tower of London, fish'n'chips and torturing foxes "culture", you have a strange definition of the concept. (Oh, and it would help your case if you could spell Magna Carta correctly.)


They also rarely bathe, designed "Le Car" and eat frogs. So?


Funny, that. I'm French, I wash every day, and don't eat frogs.


I posit that just about ANY nation is rich in culture. It's just that the longer lived ones have collected a bigger attic's worth.

I agree with you there. Since it's what I said earlier.
Ariddia
18-09-2006, 11:13
I have no idea what the hell Boxing Day is about,

December 26. Traditionally, it was the day on which servants received Christmas presents.


France seems to have become an unstable country since it began to become a but more socialist.

France began experimenting with socialist policies mainly in the 1930s, and has become increasingly less "socialist".


The entire Middle East is a hellhole. They all hate eachother there.

Such a nuanced, in-depth and intelligent analysis of that diverse and complex region; it truly does you credit.
Ariddia
18-09-2006, 11:21
There's Kim Jong Il culture in North Korea! If he says he likes it, everyone likes it!

Hehe...

That aside, North Korea actually has a rich, proud and ancient culture. People tend to forget that North Korean culture predates North Korea itself by a few thousand years; not for nothing do most Koreans tend to think of themselves as 'Korean' first and North or South Korean second.

Pre-DPRK Korean culture is still a vital part of the culture of North (and South) Korea.
Harlesburg
18-09-2006, 11:28
MY HELL!
The Germans are the Police, the Swedes the Comedians and the Italians the Defence Force!
Avika
18-09-2006, 11:38
If you consider the Tower of London, fish'n'chips and torturing foxes "culture", you have a strange definition of the concept. (Oh, and it would help your case if you could spell Magna Carta correctly.)

right on. How does having one of the most infamous sites of torture and execution, eating fish, and blasting native(I think) species to kingdom come all in the name of enjoyment constitute culture. I guess it's culture in the sense that any way of life is culture. This also means that people in insane asylums are all cultured too.

Funny, that. I'm French, I wash every day, and don't eat frogs.

Really? I guess that could be true. I mean, Sweden does have a mafia and France's history is very colorful, mostly red, and the US does have some brilliant people, somewhere. :p

I agree with you there. Since it's what I said earlier.

Duh. Why would you not agree with yourself? You did say you said it, after all.

I'm not cultured because I'm niether cheese nor cheese kurd nor yogurt. I don't know about you cheese and yogurt people.
German Nightmare
18-09-2006, 12:01
MY HELL!
The Germans are the Police, the Swedes the Comedians and the Italians the Defence Force!
Hey, what's wrong with German police? I would have understood if you had said us being the comedians, although even that ain't true. We do have a sense of humor, even though it goes against the common stereotype :D
Harlesburg
18-09-2006, 12:07
Hey, what's wrong with German police? I would have understood if you had said us being the comedians, although even that ain't true. We do have a sense of humor, even though it goes against the common stereotype :D
Well if i had a need for a Police force i'd pick Germans, but as a mere citizen i'd fear them.
German Nightmare
18-09-2006, 12:12
Well if i had a need for a Police force i'd pick Germans, but as a mere citizen i'd fear them.
Yeah, true, true.

Ask DK about how well he likes them http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/Boing.gif
Harlesburg
18-09-2006, 12:20
Yeah, true, true.

Ask DK about how well he likes them http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/Boing.gif
Deep Kamichi?
They look so tall and uncomprimising.
German Nightmare
18-09-2006, 12:32
Deep Kamichi?
They look so tall and uncomprimising.
I think he told a story about how he got a little cheeky and them not liking that a bit...
Boonytopia
18-09-2006, 12:50
Least cultured? Has anyone else been to Dubbo?
Harlesburg
18-09-2006, 12:53
I think he told a story about how he got a little cheeky and them not liking that a bit...
:D
Brilliant!
Dorstfeld
18-09-2006, 12:58
Since when are the British experts on culture? So we don't do binge drinking in Germany. Pity, I suppose that means we have no culture :D


We don't?

Concerning this poll, one also has to bear in mind that what most Brits have ever seen of France is the Tesco's in Calais.
Melayu
18-09-2006, 13:05
culture is a matter of perception and definition... why are we arguing on who is the most cultured? there can be no answer because there is no clear and precise definition... and if sum of u come up with 1... doesnt really mean that everyone will accept that definition.........
Kanabia
18-09-2006, 13:56
Least cultured? Has anyone else been to Dubbo?

It couldn't possibly compete with Port Pirie.
Mighty satyrs
18-09-2006, 14:00
We don't?

Concerning this poll, one also has to bear in mind that what most Brits have ever seen of France is the Tesco's in Calais.


True, that's why a lot of the french people living near Calais think that Brits are a bunch of alcoholic tramps (because of all the cheap beer they buy in Calais)

Like they say, "chacun voit midi à sa porte".
Andaluciae
18-09-2006, 14:17
Ooh you got me you ninny! I said the most culture, and what the British have is taken from others. Who did the British ape for much of their history? The French! French fashion, art, whatever, the British ate it up. Now where were we?

Your big cuisine is fish and chips! You actually tried to sneak that in there. Yes, I forgot about British culture --- Bad cuisine!

Frogs are very good and the French aren't the only one to eat them. You might several nations known for their cuisine do, while the Brits don't. Might tell you something.

lol
Oh, thilly. Just because the primary facet of a culture is that it's integrative doesn't make the culture any less of a culture.
Allers
18-09-2006, 14:20
back to the middle ages
Boonytopia
18-09-2006, 14:30
It couldn't possibly compete with Port Pirie.

I haven't been to Port Pirie, but Dubbo really sticks in my mind as the arse end of the world.
Minaris
18-09-2006, 22:04
Bomb
Underground
Moles
Please
Kerblagahstan
18-09-2006, 22:12
Oh please, stop trying to pretend like Canada is obsessed with the US. It's that sort of American arrogance that people around here don't like.

http://www.filibustercartoons.com/archive.php?id=20060912

Oh, yes, very un-obsessed...
Meath Street
18-09-2006, 22:45
In a British poll, Brits elected France the least cultured country, followed closely by Germany.
That is taking the piss, they had all the countries of the world and they chose France?
Funkdunk
18-09-2006, 22:49
In a British poll, Brits elected France the least cultured country, followed closely by Germany.

Which country, in your opinion, is the LEAST cultured?

Least cultured??? I don't like the French snobbery, and contempt for the english language, HOWEVER I wouldn't say they are 'LEAST cultured', since that term sounds highly racist
Unified Sith
19-09-2006, 00:00
Yet the people keep watching our movies, listening to our music, and reading our books. Damnest thing. :p


Well, if the movie has a bad guy in it, he's certainly going to be British. So the movie stops being American culture and suddenly becomes British culture backed by the not so mighty $ :)
Markreich
19-09-2006, 02:24
And all Americans are stupid, overweight and generally ignorant- right? :rolleyes:

Um... you take a counter-example of me responding to someone disparaging a country's culture and shoot it back at me?

wtf? :confused:
Markreich
19-09-2006, 02:27
Ooh you got me you ninny! I said the most culture, and what the British have is taken from others. Who did the British ape for much of their history? The French! French fashion, art, whatever, the British ate it up. Now where were we?

Your big cuisine is fish and chips! You actually tried to sneak that in there. Yes, I forgot about British culture --- Bad cuisine!

Frogs are very good and the French aren't the only one to eat them. You might several nations known for their cuisine do, while the Brits don't. Might tell you something.

lol

Thank you for taking my reply in the spirit that it was intended. :rolleyes:

Yeah, the Brits did import some aspects of the culture from the French. After all, they did OWN a good chunk of if for awhile, after all.
Markreich
19-09-2006, 02:35
If you consider the Tower of London, fish'n'chips and torturing foxes "culture", you have a strange definition of the concept. (Oh, and it would help your case if you could spell Magna Carta correctly.)

The Tower, as the Bastille, the Welsh longbow or the guillotine, is most certainly cultural.
Fish and chips is no better or worse than frogs or a Big Mac.
Torturing foxes? Did you know that fox hunting is still legal in France? Nice moral high ground.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/428122.stm

BTW, culture often contains things which are NOT necessarily considers to be a positive thing by all.

Oooo! I added an extra H? I'm fhucking shorry abhout that! I was just typing down everything I could think of and didn't notice! :rolleyes:

Funny, that. I'm French, I wash every day, and don't eat frogs.

I was making a point AGAINST stereotypes. Sheesh!

I agree with you there. Since it's what I said earlier.

At least that was clear.
Markreich
19-09-2006, 02:38
MY HELL!
The Germans are the Police, the Swedes the Comedians and the Italians the Defence Force!

An old one but:

Heaven is where...
The police are English
The cooks are French
The mechanics are German
The lovers are Italian
...and everything is organized by the Swiss.

Hell is where...
The cooks are British
The mechanics are French
The police are German
The lovers are Swiss
...and everything is organized by the Italians.
Carnivorous Lickers
19-09-2006, 03:51
Yet everyone complains about "Americanization". Funny, that.

all the while desperately scraping up the money for American jeans or taking a two week holiday to stink up Disneyworld
Markreich
19-09-2006, 03:58
all the while desperately scraping up the money for American jeans or taking a two week holiday to stink up Disneyworld

Not sure what you mean by that, but do you know how hard it is to buy American jeans these days? *VERY* few manufacturers left, barring Carhartt. :(

(Never been to the people trap run by the mouse, either.)
M3rcenaries
19-09-2006, 04:18
http://www.filibustercartoons.com/archive.php?id=20060912

Oh, yes, very un-obsessed...

I didnt know 23% of canadians were so stupid:p .
Embrough
19-09-2006, 15:45
Your big cuisine is fish and chips! You actually tried to sneak that in there. Yes, I forgot about British culture --- Bad cuisine!

What's wrong with fish and chips?
Refer to my earlier post:

As for cooking, since when couldn't the British cook? I'm fairly sure that there are far fewer dishes invented by or traditionally associated with America than there are of Britain. Germany, I submit, probably has more unique dishes than Britain, however. Anyway, to name a few well-known British dishes: Yorkshire Pudding, Haggis, Lancashire Hotpot Full English Breakfast, Parmos, Fish & Chips, Bangers and Mash, Spotted Dick, Black Pudding, Toad-in-the-Hole, Shepherd's Pie, Ploughman's Lunch, Cumberland Sausage. :D

To German Nightmare: I didn't say the foods originated in Britain. I said they are traditionally associated with it. Everyone knows that if you trace anything far back enough it starts off somewhere else. If culture was based on what originated in a country, America wouldn't have any at all. As for driving on the left: I was right about that, even if driving on the right I was inaccurate about. My comparison to staircases was valid. There are also other parts of culture based on historic times which no longer apply today (e.g. Scouts handshake - use your left hand so that you can still hold your spear in your right)