Is US the most tolerant/culturally progressive country in the world?

[Zeze]

This is a serious question with a genuine curiosity. So far I think the answer is a yes.

Lots of monoracial Asian countries (Korea, Japan, China, SE Asia, etc) are quite xenophobic. I don't particularly blame them because they grew up without direct exposure to other races.

I also hear Europe and their 'white elitism' can be prevalent in some parts. I've heard directly from a Asian-German friend that US is far more friendlier. And a black friend told me being 'black' in UK is tougher than in US.

US is a country founded on the very definition of diversity and the melting-pot mentality is well ingrained in our culture. Sure US, has lots of backward areas, but let's take the country as a whole.

I'm actually genuinely curious, is my personal experience, speculation and hearsay true?

Can some UK/AUS/NZ ATOTers also chime in? I know we got a few.

 

[Mixolydian]

No.

 

[DAGTA]

No. Not even close.

 

[Zeze]

No.

No. Not even close.

Care to elaborate and share your thoughts? What countries? And by what examples? I'd love to learn.

 

[Mixolydian]

Care to elaborate and share your thoughts?

No.

 

[Zeze]

No.

Reported for intentional trolling. gtfo.

 

[Mixolydian]

 

[MaxPayne63]

No, the US just has the best domestic PR campaign.

 

[Charlie98]

No. Not even close.

^^^^

...and I would say this belongs in P&N, cause you know this is going to turn into a political shitfest.

 

[rasczak]

Absolutely not.

 

[Mixolydian]

^^^^

...and I would say this belongs in P&N, cause you know this is going to turn into a political shitfest.

That was my initial thought as well.

 

[Zeze]

^^^^

...and I would say this belongs in P&N, cause you know this is going to turn into a political shitfest.

Ugh, you may be right. For a second, I thought we would get some sensible, non-biased answers- often seen in OT for other topics.

It already looks like it'll just be a blind nationalistic shitfest.

 

[videogames101]

Which country is the best, if not the US.

<----Completely unaware of international culture.

 

[QueBert]

Hold on let me go ask this to the skinhead chick outside my store with her Bluenose Pit that she gives racist commands to in German so nobody knows what she's saying

/brb

 

[DAGTA]

Care to elaborate and share your thoughts? What countries? And by what examples? I'd love to learn.

The best example I've had was New Zealand. I was there for a month. There were pieces of their society that I found to be a step backwards from the US. However, almost all of the people I met there were very accepting of other people regardless of their differences.

I have several friends that are much more traveled than I am. I've asked about their experiences and listened to their stories. They've been to several European countries, Africa, Asia, etc. My impression is that the US is the backwards hick compared to most 1st world countries in terms of tolerance and cultural expression.

 

[SSSnail]

I'd say ATOT is where it's at.

 

[Zeze]

The best example I've had was New Zealand. I was there for a month. There were pieces of their society that I found to be a step backwards from the US. However, almost all of the people I met there were very accepting of other people regardless of their differences.

I have several friends that are much more traveled than I am. I've asked about their experiences and listened to their stories. They've been to several European countries, Africa, Asia, etc. My impression is that the US is the backwards hick compared to most 1st world countries in terms of tolerance and cultural expression.

Thank you.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I'd say the Netherlands, Denmark, and other Nordic countries are probably more progressive than the US. Western Europe (UK, France, Germany) are maybe about the same, possibly more progressive in some ways but less in others.

 

[Zeze]

I'd say the Netherlands, Denmark, and other Nordic countries are probably more progressive than the US. Western Europe (UK, France, Germany) are maybe about the same, possibly more progressive in some ways but less in others.

What are some examples? Again, my black friend in UK said she 'feel's her skin color more than working in US (pretty shitty example, but it's her personal experience).

 

[nehalem256]

I'd say the Netherlands, Denmark, and other Nordic countries are probably more progressive than the US. Western Europe (UK, France, Germany) are maybe about the same, possibly more progressive in some ways but less in others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech#Norway

Norway prohibits hate speech, and defines it as publicly making statements that threaten or ridicule someone or that incite hatred, persecution or contempt for someone due to their skin colour, ethnic origin, homosexual orientation, religion or philosophy of life.

Sweden prohibits hate speech, and defines it as publicly making statements that threaten or express disrespect for an ethnic group or similar group regarding their race, skin colour, national or ethnic origin, faith or sexual orientation.[42][43] The crime doesn't prohibit a pertinent and responsible debate (en saklig och vederhäftig diskussion), nor statements made in a completely private sphere.[44] There are constitutional restrictions pertaining to which acts are criminalized, as well limits set by the European Convention on Human Rights.[45]
The sexual orientation provision, added in 2002,[46] was used to convict Pentecostalist pastor Åke Green of hate speech based on a 2003 sermon. His conviction was later overturned

Don't exactly seem too tolerant to me.

 

[glenn1]

I'd say Canada.

 

[SSSnail]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech#Norway




Don't exactly seem too tolerant to me.

Do you know what ”prohibits” mean?

 

[PowerYoga]

Definitely depends on the areas you are in.

The south? Fuck no.

In most major cities? People are a lot more tolerant.

There's no "average american" for these cases. If you want to say the average american city folk as whole? Pretty tolerant and up to date on their world views. This is excluding the crazies in P&N of course.

 

[Murloc]

What are some examples? Again, my black friend in UK said she 'feel's her skin color more than working in US (pretty shitty example, but it's her personal experience).

because black or asian americans are no less american than white americans.

European countries are mostly inhabited by people who have been living there for 1000+ years (except for zones that had population transfers due to wars), so your piece of paper (passport) is in most cases linked to your culture and language.
Even if you're perfectly integrated, you are still an immigrant or a descendant of an immigrant. That gets under the skin of some foreigners. Second generation immigrants sometimes react by becoming all out diaspora nationalists and trying to be as noisy as possible, making it worse for everybody. This is usually southern slavs, albanians, kosovars and southern italians (being guidos and everything).
Intra-european immigrants get some hate too so it's not a question of race.


Anyway some stuff I read on the internet (the level of religiousness, the racism, the jew-hating, the ban on prostitution, the high age limit for drinking, puritanism etc.) makes me thing the US is not that progressive and that Canada is similar but more progressive.
Germanic countries in general are the most progressive, Germany and the nordics are hard to beat in this regard.
Zürich is a progressive city too (lesbian mayor, avant-garde policies (boxes and parking meters for prostitutes, needles rooms)) but the country as a whole not so much.

 

[Platypus]

Nope, the 'freest country in the world' still doesn't treat all its citizens equally. We're still dealing with issues in 2013 that are embarrassingly indicative of that. The US certainly isn't the worst on the tolerance scale but it's far from the best too.