The most irritating part is that there *are* respectable things about European culture, but those are not what the political class cares about. For example, most Americans can't imagine their nation without its government, or at least its founding documents; say "we should get back to the Constitution" and most people agree, but say "we should go all the way back to the Articles of Confederation," and everyone loses their minds! Europeans (well, most Old-Worlders, really) understand that governments come and go, but cultures last as long as the people do. The American people have been duped into thinking "the government is us," though I think that brainwashing is starting to wear off, whereas the political class as well as the common people of Old World nations understand "the government is separate from and adversarial to the common people." Sadly, we're told that trust in government is much higher in Europe because the governments lie about how much their subjects are happy with them. The only governments that the western hegemon say should be distrusted are the ones adversarial to them, like Russia or Iran, which doesn't piss me off nearly as much as the compulsive contrarians (leftist and rightist alike) who think that the Russian or Iranian governments are remotely trustworthy.
"Want to know why the French are thin? One, it’s because they’re too poor to afford a ton of food, and two, their food is gross compared to other countries’ spinoffs of their food like America’s and even Vietnam’s." In Italy, a co-worker once told me that a pizzeria refused service to customers (tourists usually) who request additional pizzas in one visit because they eat too much. The life expectancy of a restricted diet is healthier than one with more. I also think that the ultra-rich are more likely going to prefer to be thin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Burns There are a number of billionaires like that.
The most irritating part is that there *are* respectable things about European culture, but those are not what the political class cares about. For example, most Americans can't imagine their nation without its government, or at least its founding documents; say "we should get back to the Constitution" and most people agree, but say "we should go all the way back to the Articles of Confederation," and everyone loses their minds! Europeans (well, most Old-Worlders, really) understand that governments come and go, but cultures last as long as the people do. The American people have been duped into thinking "the government is us," though I think that brainwashing is starting to wear off, whereas the political class as well as the common people of Old World nations understand "the government is separate from and adversarial to the common people." Sadly, we're told that trust in government is much higher in Europe because the governments lie about how much their subjects are happy with them. The only governments that the western hegemon say should be distrusted are the ones adversarial to them, like Russia or Iran, which doesn't piss me off nearly as much as the compulsive contrarians (leftist and rightist alike) who think that the Russian or Iranian governments are remotely trustworthy.
Because “the grass is greener” is the laziest world view available which is why it's the default for basic mf's
"Want to know why the French are thin? One, it’s because they’re too poor to afford a ton of food, and two, their food is gross compared to other countries’ spinoffs of their food like America’s and even Vietnam’s." In Italy, a co-worker once told me that a pizzeria refused service to customers (tourists usually) who request additional pizzas in one visit because they eat too much. The life expectancy of a restricted diet is healthier than one with more. I also think that the ultra-rich are more likely going to prefer to be thin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Burns There are a number of billionaires like that.