What country, civilization, culture, or race do you think has contributed most to modern society?

[Doggiedog]

It can be anything, positive or negative. Medicine, engineering, religion, technology, girls, whatever.

Discuss.

 

[loup garou]

Aliens

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: loup garou
Aliens

I concur :beer:

 

[TheoPetro]

mayans in south america they developed the comcept of zero

 

[kogase]

Germans. Damn good food, best music, best literature, Einstein (although I guess we'd have to throw Jews into the mix with that)... Hitler.

 

[kogase]

Originally posted by: TheoPetro
myans in south america they developed the comcept of zero

Wow, Mayans really got the bottom of the barrel when they picked for the "Things my culture is good at" list.

 

[dethman]

china. i dont know why.

 

[ed21x]

It really depends on where you are:

In the West:
Civilization: European
Culture: European

East:
Civilization: Asian
Culture: Asian

 

[Shawn]

The Greeks and Romans contributed an awful lot.

 

[chambersc]

Originally posted by: kogase
Germans. Damn good food, best music, best literature, Einstein (although I guess we'd have to throw Jews into the mix with that)... Hitler.

seconded

 

[Turkish]

You guys gotta be kiddin. Romans for sure.

 

[Epic Fail]

Vatican City

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: chambersc

Originally posted by: kogase
Germans. Damn good food, best music, best literature, Einstein (although I guess we'd have to throw Jews into the mix with that)... Hitler.

seconded

Also people that caused 50-100 million deaths in the 20th century, almost wiped an entire race, destroyed tremendous amounts of historical items, distorted history, brainwashed a whole entire generation, caused so much misery worldwide.

I guess good food, best music, best literature, Einstein definately offset that.

Wait, the Germans have the best music?

 

[necine]

Romans.

 

[kogase]

Originally posted by: raildogg

Originally posted by: chambersc

Originally posted by: kogase
Germans. Damn good food, best music, best literature, Einstein (although I guess we'd have to throw Jews into the mix with that)... Hitler.

seconded

Also people that caused 50-100 million deaths in the 20th century, almost wiped an entire race, destroyed tremendous amounts of historical items, distorted history, brainwashed a whole entire generation, caused so much misery worldwide.

I guess good food, best music, best literature, Einstein definately offset that.

Wait, the Germans have the best music?

Oh, aren't you a Negative Nancy? Sure, focus on all the bad. You know, the Greeks and the Romans, not to mention the Jews (read the Old Testament) weren't all peaches and cream and sweet chocolate dreams, they did some pretty fvcked up sh|t in their day.

 

[raildogg]

Umm, I don't it is possible to know. Some have contributed more in some ways while others have contributed in other ways. If everyone contributed equally, then things wouldn't be right. People who you think don't contribute much actually do.

 

[imported_Scourge]

Canada.

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: kogase

Originally posted by: raildogg

Originally posted by: chambersc

Originally posted by: kogase
Germans. Damn good food, best music, best literature, Einstein (although I guess we'd have to throw Jews into the mix with that)... Hitler.

seconded

Also people that caused 50-100 million deaths in the 20th century, almost wiped an entire race, destroyed tremendous amounts of historical items, distorted history, brainwashed a whole entire generation, caused so much misery worldwide.

I guess good food, best music, best literature, Einstein definately offset that.

Wait, the Germans have the best music?

Oh, aren't you a Negative Nancy? Sure, focus on all the bad. You know, the Greeks and the Romans, not to mention the Jews (read the Old Testament) weren't all peaches and cream and sweet chocolate dreams, they did some pretty fvcked up sh|t in their day.

No, but your points are solely based on opinion.

Good food? That is your opinion and I'm sure it is in the minority. Best music? Highly doubtful. Best literature? Compared to what?

They do have a foothold in the sciences and technology, at least they did.

 

[AlienCraft]

The Chinese.

 

[Proletariat]

Originally posted by: TheoPetro
mayans in south america they developed the comcept of zero

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0_(number)

 

[kogase]

Originally posted by: raildogg
Good food? That is your opinion and I'm sure it is in the minority. Best music? Highly doubtful. Best literature? Compared to what?

They do have a foothold in the sciences and technology.

Notice I said "damn good" for food rather than perfect?

Best music... Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Wagner, Mahler, Strauss (two of them), Schoenberg, the list goes on and on. Unless, of course, you're someone who thinks Aerosmith and Styx made the greatest musical contribution in recorded history... well, you're welcome to your opinion. Best literature, compared to... what? The rest of the world.

 

[fitzov]

What, you never saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding?

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: kogase

Originally posted by: raildogg
Good food? That is your opinion and I'm sure it is in the minority. Best music? Highly doubtful. Best literature? Compared to what?

They do have a foothold in the sciences and technology.

Notice I said "damn good" for food rather than perfect?

Best music... Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Wagner, Mahler, Strauss (two of them), Schoenberg, the list goes on and on. Unless, of course, you're someone who thinks Aerosmith and Styx made the greatest musical contribution in recorded history... well, you're welcome to your opinion. Best literature, compared to... what? The rest of the world.

Most people don't listen to those people you listed, but that doesn't mean much. They did produced great music and have influenced artists worldwide. But artists from from other places influence artists in other ways as well. Look at everything broadly. Aerosmith? Nah, I prefer Britney Spears.

Tell a person in Nepal how great Bach is. Or tell a person in India how great Wagner is. Just because they don't know about these people doesn't mean they contributed any less. I'm sure a person from Russia will tell you how great their musicians are.

Literature? Well, we can list all the pieces of literature from every country and debate about that.

I still don't think one country or civilization has contributed more than any other. They all contribute in different ways.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: necine
Romans.

I think Romans were amazing and probably accomplished the most on their own, but for total contributino, I don't know...

They did collapse and basically take all of their advances with them only to be discovered later, so I don't know how much they actually contributed.

 

[kogase]

Originally posted by: raildogg

Originally posted by: kogase

Originally posted by: raildogg
Good food? That is your opinion and I'm sure it is in the minority. Best music? Highly doubtful. Best literature? Compared to what?

They do have a foothold in the sciences and technology.

Notice I said "damn good" for food rather than perfect?

Best music... Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Wagner, Mahler, Strauss (two of them), Schoenberg, the list goes on and on. Unless, of course, you're someone who thinks Aerosmith and Styx made the greatest musical contribution in recorded history... well, you're welcome to your opinion. Best literature, compared to... what? The rest of the world.

Most people don't listen to those people you listed. They did produce great music and have influenced artists worldwide. But artists from from other places influence artists in other ways as well. Look at everything broadly. Aerosmith? Nah, I prefer Britney Spears.

Literature? Well, we can list all the pieces of literature from every country and debate about that.

I still don't think one country or civilization has contributed more than any other. They all contribute in different ways.

Obviously this thread is going to be rife with opionated claptrap, so I'm giving you mine. What's the problem? One country has not contributed more than any other? Maybe, but a handful of countries sure contributed a hell of a lot more than the remaining 20394802. Germany happens to be my favorite.

Also, the composers (there are plenty more prolific and beloved German composers) I listed... Germany has contributed a great number of very influential, accomplished, and critically aclaimed composers. Even if other countries have a few oustanding composers/musicians, I can't think of any (without the possible exception of America), who match Germany in sheer number and influence.