Thanks for the insight in your replies.

It's kinda nitpicky, but in all the stuff I've read about the Finnish system (including the article in The Atlantic), the director of public schools describes the system as equity, not equality. There is the big difference between them and the US system. The US system is totally based on equality, i.e. No Child Left Behind. It's a huge cultural difference to support equity, not equality.
>> ^CreamK:

As a Finnish citizen and being in one the first to gain from the new system, i can say without a doubt that the main point here is not the way we teach: it's about equality!! Every kid has equal opportunity to educate them self for FREE in a schooling system where every school has the same resources and same level of teachers. No matter what color you are, no matter if your parents are rich or poor, you get the same chance in life.
For me, it's been always granted: everyone gets educated, in fact, here there is no chance of not getting educated. Everybody have to get 9 years of basic education, it's in the law. As a parent, you have to extreme lenghts to not get your kid educated. Our "No kids left behind" really means what it says. Literacy is close to 100%, everyone knows how to do basic math, know about the history, geography, all the basic knowledge we humans need to survive.
As for the cost of this system, well, it's cheaper than what US have. By a large margin too. Even when our teachers are considered to be in the upper middle class, one meal per day for free for kids in school, no tuitions until University, all the reading material is free for the first 9 years, you get pens and pencils, rulers and paper, all for free... As for University tuitions, they are not in the range of tens of thousands, it's in the range of hundreds. So by the time a person has got 16 years of education, his student loans are about 10 000€, living and eating here is not free but nobodys forced to do two jobs to pay up for tuitions or parents getting a mortgage to give their younglings a fair chance.
Did i say it's cheaper than what US have? How about treating your citizens truly equal and giving everyone the chance of that American Dream?

Haha exactly, no one wants a cop around until they need one.>> ^probie:

Why do I get the feeling this is the same type of asshole who sues the police department for not being on his doorstep in 15 seconds when he really needs them?

Do you mean driving unlicensed or that they just don't have their license on them. If it's the former then good. If they're driving without a license they shouldn't be on the road.
>> ^longde:

Some people just won't get it until it's their child under a police baton.
How many people in Australia are in jail or prison? In the US, we lock up more people than any other nation, including China. So when even the smallest, harmless seeming provocation can land you in jail, you learn to be wary of police overtures.
It's not a question of if, American police have indeed abused such checkpoints. They routinely arrest people for non DUI offenses, because the stop gets their foot in the door, so to speak. They can drum up probable cause, search the vehicle, and even impound it. In fact, in many checkpoints the people arrested or fined for non-DUI offenses dwarf the actual DUI offenses.
Here's a recent example of the revenue motive in checkpoint abuse in california:
The revenue comes in two ways. First, $30 million in federal funds pays for police overtime and operating costs at checkpoints like these. And then the impounded vehicles provide a profit. After fines are paid to the city along, with 30 days in storage fees, a vehicle typically produces $2,000 in revenue, sometimes more if it is not claimed and then auctioned.
........
An analysis of records obtained by the Investigative Reporting Program shows that, last year, impounds brought in over $40 million in revenue, shared by tow operators and municipal governments.
And documents reveal that, for every one DUI arrest at these sobriety checkpoints, there can be as many as 60 people cited for driving without a license, 60 vehicles seized.

I'm glad you Aussies don't have this problem.>> ^liverpoolfc:
Some people just won't get it until it's their child under the back wheel of a drunks car.
What's interesting about this conversation and random breath testing is that there is no argument in Australia against it, it's a non-issue. Aside from drink-drivers themselves you'd struggle to find anyone here that thinks random breath testing is a bad idea or that you should be allowed to refuse to take a breath test.
We accept that we have rights as well as responsibilites to other road users, the police are there to ensure we follow those rights and responsibilities and protect the rights and responsibilites of others. Appears to be a big culture difference between the way law enforcement is perceived here and in America.>> ^EMPIRE:
this guy is a fucking tool. And those cops were nothing but professional and corteous. In fact, if all the cops always acted like these did, they would just make morons like this guy look even worse.
They were just trying to keep the road clean of drunk drivers. As a living human being who walks around a city, and also drives, and as a husband of another living human being who does the same thing, and the father of an infant living human being who get driven and walked around the city, the least I expect from the police is to try and control if there aren't any worthless piece of shit drunk drivers on the roads endangering my family, myself, and my fellow citizens.
Yes, there's a lot of cases of cops abusing their power, but one can't simply think that all cops are in it to fuck people over and abuse power.

Some people just won't get it until it's their child under a police baton.

How many people in Australia are in jail or prison? In the US, we lock up more people than any other nation, including China. So when even the smallest, harmless seeming provocation can land you in jail, you learn to be wary of police overtures.

It's not a question of if, American police have indeed abused such checkpoints. They routinely arrest people for non DUI offenses, because the stop gets their foot in the door, so to speak. They can drum up probable cause, search the vehicle, and even impound it. In fact, in many checkpoints the people arrested or fined for non-DUI offenses dwarf the actual DUI offenses.

Here's a recent example of the revenue motive in checkpoint abuse in california:

The revenue comes in two ways. First, $30 million in federal funds pays for police overtime and operating costs at checkpoints like these. And then the impounded vehicles provide a profit. After fines are paid to the city along, with 30 days in storage fees, a vehicle typically produces $2,000 in revenue, sometimes more if it is not claimed and then auctioned.
........
An analysis of records obtained by the Investigative Reporting Program shows that, last year, impounds brought in over $40 million in revenue, shared by tow operators and municipal governments.

And documents reveal that, for every one DUI arrest at these sobriety checkpoints, there can be as many as 60 people cited for driving without a license, 60 vehicles seized.

I'm glad you Aussies don't have this problem.>> ^liverpoolfc:

Some people just won't get it until it's their child under the back wheel of a drunks car.
What's interesting about this conversation and random breath testing is that there is no argument in Australia against it, it's a non-issue. Aside from drink-drivers themselves you'd struggle to find anyone here that thinks random breath testing is a bad idea or that you should be allowed to refuse to take a breath test.
We accept that we have rights as well as responsibilites to other road users, the police are there to ensure we follow those rights and responsibilities and protect the rights and responsibilites of others. Appears to be a big culture difference between the way law enforcement is perceived here and in America.>> ^EMPIRE:
this guy is a fucking tool. And those cops were nothing but professional and corteous. In fact, if all the cops always acted like these did, they would just make morons like this guy look even worse.
They were just trying to keep the road clean of drunk drivers. As a living human being who walks around a city, and also drives, and as a husband of another living human being who does the same thing, and the father of an infant living human being who get driven and walked around the city, the least I expect from the police is to try and control if there aren't any worthless piece of shit drunk drivers on the roads endangering my family, myself, and my fellow citizens.
Yes, there's a lot of cases of cops abusing their power, but one can't simply think that all cops are in it to fuck people over and abuse power.

Some people just won't get it until it's their child under the back wheel of a drunks car.

What's interesting about this conversation and random breath testing is that there is no argument in Australia against it, it's a non-issue. Aside from drink-drivers themselves you'd struggle to find anyone here that thinks random breath testing is a bad idea or that you should be allowed to refuse to take a breath test.

We accept that we have rights as well as responsibilites to other road users, the police are there to ensure we follow those rights and responsibilities and protect the rights and responsibilites of others. Appears to be a big culture difference between the way law enforcement is perceived here and in America.>> ^EMPIRE:

this guy is a fucking tool. And those cops were nothing but professional and corteous. In fact, if all the cops always acted like these did, they would just make morons like this guy look even worse.
They were just trying to keep the road clean of drunk drivers. As a living human being who walks around a city, and also drives, and as a husband of another living human being who does the same thing, and the father of an infant living human being who get driven and walked around the city, the least I expect from the police is to try and control if there aren't any worthless piece of shit drunk drivers on the roads endangering my family, myself, and my fellow citizens.
Yes, there's a lot of cases of cops abusing their power, but one can't simply think that all cops are in it to fuck people over and abuse power.

I had watched this earlier on reddit.

An interesting article about the historical cultural difference between genders was referenced on reddit and I found it a very good read:
Is There Anything Good About Men?

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Holy moly. Interesting cultural difference between western talent shows. I couldn't help thinking, watching this, that human life seems to have a lower value in India.

It's deeply disturbing to me how much cultural difference there is between sifters. At least in this case. Don't get me wrong, these differences are the main reason why i'm here, i'm learning a lot about other people's views. But there are so many of you with whom it's ok to beat children, i'm really shaken by it. Also it seems that it's not just individuals' views but culturally accepted from where most of you are from. I've just learned that beating your kids isn't even illegal in the states (at least in Texas). WTF? Really? Physical punishment of kids in any way is outlawed by constitution in Germany. I can not think of any reason why i would beat my kid. Not just because it's against the law, i would even go so far and say it's because of the cultural common ground over here. It just wouldn't come to my mind. Maybe it's just the moment but right now i'm not sure what is more horrifying to me: the clip itself or so many of you being ok with beating children. I'm left speechless. No, it's the first time i'm disgusted by the sift. Please, i beg you, i BEG you don't beat your kids.

That's not racism. That's pointing out cultural differences between countries. You don't honestly believe American culture is the same as Irish or German culture, do you?

With that said, I don't like his analysis. He points to the idea of the Euro not being able to work because various European countries have different cultures. OK, and different geographic sections of the United States have the same culture?! We don't. Culture is different between the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Northwest, and Southwest. I just think that's horsecrap.

4 more comments have been lost in the ether at this killed duplicate.

he cites hitchcock and kubrick and in the same breath claims we "dont get him" cuz of cultural differences? american film goers "got" kubrick (mostly). american film goers "got" hitchcock. so whats your fucking excuse again?

@spoco2 That is so far removed from the point I was making that I wonder if you even bothered reading past the first paragraph.

Morality isn't black and white. You may think that there's some line like the "ethical treatment of people and animals" that some how transcends cultural differences, but there simply isn't. Whether it's discrimination of women, the 'immoral' treatment of animals or simply just how one behaves on the subway, it's all subject to be perceived differently in different cultures.

Our definition what is 'right' is different than a Japanese person's and you can't ignore that, simply because you can't understand it. What if I told you that in Japanese culture the perception of concepts like 'death' or 'pain' are completely different than ours?

I'm not trying to convince you it's "ok". Why do you think it's so hard to bring change on issues like whale-hunting? Because the Japanese are inherently immoral and take pleasure in the hunt? All I was saying is that some of the things you do in your everyday life may be twice as offensive to a Japanese person as this video was to you, does that mean that western morality is fucked?

Boy, this video brought back some really nice memories for me. I spent a year living in West Papua (the other half of the island that belongs to Indonesia). Although the people I worked and lived with were not seeing white people for the first time, it was still one helluva a culture difference.

>> ^KnivesOut:

This video gave me chills. The first contact, with the armed warriors approaching the camera-wielding white ghosts.... That could have gone really poorly. What brave people, on both sides.


Never once did I worry about anything like that. While it is true that there is near constant tribal fighting on the island, I would contend that the larger society is extremely peaceful. Always welcoming and trustful with huge smiles and even bigger feasts for anyone that came to their villages.

Basically, violence there comes in downward spirals that start with directed aggression. That mostly has to do with the fact that they believe wholeheartedly in equality. If one tribe raids a village and kills someone, then retribution must be made and one person form the attacking tribe must be killed. Of course, the raid that seeks retribution ends up killing two people, so then the attacks start again. This goes on and on until the numbers are equal on each side, which can take a while. However, if you come in peace, there is nothing to worry about.

As pointed out in Guns, Germs, and Steel, they are also an extremely democratic society. There is no chief, only a 'big man' whose job it is to facilitate discussions and carry out the final decisions. In this way, it is unlikely that one person would freak out and somehow cause something terrible to happen since they must rely on the consent of the entire tribe.

>> ^raverman:

I come bringing viruses and diseases you have no immunity to and no medicines to treat. Here eat my food and handle my possessions.


It's not quite the same situation as it was with Native Americans or those tribes still surviving in the Amazon. While these people may have never had direct contact with a white person before, they certainly had indirect contact. Europeans have been visiting the island since the spice trade began in the 14th century.

The tribes can be roughly divided into coastal peoples and mountain peoples. The coastal peoples have had contact with Europeans for hundreds of years and built up tolerances to their diseases. Mountain people sometimes comes to the beach, and vice-versa, so in this way, resistances to common European diseases are pretty well dispersed among the population.

Actually, it is the white people that are in much more danger of falling ill. We are poorly equipped to handle malaria, dengue, and yellow fever. This, in part, is why there were still 'uncontacted' tribes well into the 20th century.


It's been almost a year since I lived there, and I must say that it is the one place I constantly dream of returning to. They could really use the money from tourism so if you are looking for something off the beaten path without being extremely dangerous, I suggest you check it out. It really is a paradise.

>> ^GenjiKilpatrick:

Not even one of your comments on that video stated:
"I dislike this genre of music. The end. Thank you. Goodbye."
You applauded Enzoblue's comment meaning you agree with racist ideology.
You immediately began to mock someone else's culture - again asserting that their culture is inferior to yours.
If you don't wanna be called a bigot. Don't say bigoted things.
If you're gonna argue with someone. Stick to factual statements. Avoid fallacies.
Byyyyyye now.
In reply to this comment by Enzoblue:
this stuff makes me racist.
In reply to this comment by solecist:
i hereby promise not to disrespect any culture differing from my own, regardless of the amount of misogyny, violence, or lechery that these cultures may promote. now please excuse me, i have to skeet skeet skeet.


what were you saying about straw man arguments? goodbyyyyyyeeee.

>> ^GenjiKilpatrick:

Again, that's your ethnocentric mindsets speaking.
Im sure that both of your cultural backgrounds contain absolutely ZERO amount of misogyny, violence, or lechery whatsoever.
No Baywatch or War porn or Hooters restaurants at all, right.
If you guys are gonna be bigots..
At least be knowledgeable about societies and cultures, that way you can be a bigot by choice rather than ignorance.

>> ^bobknight33:
Just call it for what it is .... TRASH
Its not a cultural expression Its Trash!>> ^solecist:
i hereby promise not to disrespect any culture differing from my own, regardless of the amount of misogyny, violence, or lechery that these cultures may promote. now please excuse me, i have to skeet skeet skeet.


don't troll my trolling, man. not cool.

Again, that's your ethnocentric mindsets speaking.

Im sure that both of your cultural backgrounds contain absolutely ZERO amount of misogyny, violence, or lechery whatsoever.

No Baywatch or War porn or Hooters restaurants at all, right.

If you guys are gonna be bigots..

At least be knowledgeable about societies and cultures, that way you can be a bigot by choice rather than ignorance.


>> ^bobknight33:

Just call it for what it is .... TRASH
Its not a cultural expression Its Trash!>> ^solecist:
i hereby promise not to disrespect any culture differing from my own, regardless of the amount of misogyny, violence, or lechery that these cultures may promote. now please excuse me, i have to skeet skeet skeet.