# What Countries Are You Favourable To? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 19, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271 "2011-03-19T19:14:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/61 "2011-03-21T15:26:31Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > The last time I saw it on a map the Indian subcontinent was indeed part of Asia. šŸ˜‰ In Barry Cunliffeā€™s excellent [Europe Between The Oceans, 9000 BC-AD 1000](http://www.amazon.com/Europe-Between-Oceans-9000-BC-AD/dp/0300119232/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300720226&sr=1-4), he repeatedly calls Europe a ā€œsubcontinent.ā€ Which is actually is! Of course, what people want to be called should be respected. In Texas, we call people from That Other Subcontinent ā€œSouth Asiansā€ & they donā€™t seem to mind. (They often use ā€œDesis.ā€) * * * **Suggestions to the OP:** ā€œFavourableā€ is the British usage; itā€™s also favored in certain ex-colonies, but not in California. You seem to idealize The British Empire; do you realize the sahibs would feel you were beneath them, since you have Asian blood? Two more: [ul] [li]Read more Kipling. Read him in depth. Yes, he favored The Empire. But he was a complex, intelligent & well-travelled man; hardly simplistic. [/li] [li]Read [G K Chesterton](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._K._Chesterton). An Englishman writing in your favorite/favourite era, he converted to Roman Catholicism. Again, those halcyon days at the turn of the last century contain more than you have yet learned.[/li][/ul] Both authors are liberally represented at [Project Gutenberg](http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page). ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/62 "2011-03-21T17:21:14Z")
> [@flodnak](#): > > Experts, schmexperts. The people who actually live in the countries involved never include Scandinavia as part of Finland. Itā€™s Nordic, but not Scandinavian. Similarly, many Americans do not think of themselves as ā€œYankees,ā€ but to most people outside the USA, all Americans are ā€œYankees.ā€ Itā€™s English; words have different meanings. ā€œScandinavianā€ varies in meaning depending on the speaker and context. Geographically, itā€™s reasonable to define Finland as being Scandinavian; ā€œNordicā€ is a bit more accurate but close enough. But if someone calls Finnish a Scandinavian language, they are just flat out wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/63 "2011-03-26T02:51:00Z")
> [@SeldomSeen](#): > > And theyā€™ve been POā€™d about it ever sinceā€¦ > > _ā€œTen thousand Swedes fled through the weeds > Persued by one Norwegian. > Ten thousand more ran for the shore > At the battle of Copenhagenā€¦ā€_ I donā€™t know that oneā€¦ Source? ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/64 "2011-03-26T04:46:16Z")
Slovenia, Nepal, South Korea, Tahiti and the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador are places I would like to visit. ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/65 "2011-03-26T17:36:56Z")
> [@flodnak](#): > > The people who actually live in the countries involved never include Scandinavia as part of Finland. Itā€™s Nordic, but not Scandinavian. [The cartoon version](http://satwcomic.com/how-the-north-works) ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/66 "2011-03-26T19:18:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by SeldomSeen > And theyā€™ve been POā€™d about it ever sinceā€¦ > > ā€œTen thousand Swedes fled through the weeds > Persued by one Norwegian. > Ten thousand more ran for the shore > At the battle of Copenhagenā€¦ā€ > [@](#): > > I donā€™t know that oneā€¦ Source? I donā€™t really know the source, itā€™s an old doggerel said to have originated with lumberjacks of Norwegian heritage in the North Woods. Apparently the was a bit of racial one-upmanship among those old boys. Iā€™ve heard the verse refers to events at the assault of Copenhagen ca. 1659, but donā€™t know the historical details. SS ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/67 "2011-03-26T20:26:31Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Canadaā€™s a great country, no doubt, call it number one if you like, but it doesnā€™t have everything the USA has. Yeah! For one thing, it doesnā€™t have that enormous chip on its shoulder about being number one! ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/68 "2011-03-26T20:35:25Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Yeah! For one thing, it doesnā€™t have that enormous chip on its shoulder about being number one! Are you kidding? Canadians are the biggest chippy shoulderers I know. There are exceptions, but it seems like as a general rule, you canā€™t even have a conversation with a Canadian without them reminding you that theyā€™re Canadian and not American and Canada is different (and better!!!) than the US every ten seconds. And Canadians know about American history but Americans donā€™t know anything about Canada! Etc. Good lord, itā€™s boring. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/69 "2011-03-26T20:39:23Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Are you kidding? Canadians are the biggest chippy shoulderers I know. Nah. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/70 "2011-03-27T23:37:13Z")
Peru, Cuba, Laos, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Chad, Mali, Fiji, Togoā€¦ You know, countries that donā€™t feel like they have to be letter hogs. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/71 "2011-03-28T02:04:29Z")
I love my home, the USA, though often in the way that I love an overly large, often stupid but adorable dog. I hold very positive feelings toward England (both because theyā€™re arguably the USā€™s closest allies as well as having friends there), Canada and Australiaā€“the usual suspects. Also Japan and Iceland, the last for no particular reason except for a general impression of awesomeness, and Bjork. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/72 "2011-03-28T02:43:10Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Are you kidding? Canadians are the biggest chippy shoulderers I know. There are exceptions, but it seems like as a general rule, you canā€™t even have a conversation with a Canadian without them reminding you that theyā€™re Canadian and not American and Canada is different (and better!!!) than the US every ten seconds. And Canadians know about American history but Americans donā€™t know anything about Canada! Easy solution. Surprise them. Learn about Canada and Canadian history, and use it the next time you get into conversation with a Canadian: Canadian: We burned the White House in the War of 1812. Nyah. You: Well actually, the burning of the White House was caused by British, not Canadian, soldiers. And we got the better of youā€“well, maybe the British, who were supposed to be representing youā€“in the 1903 Hay-Herbert Treaty, which fixed the Alaska-Canada boundary. They wonā€™t be expecting this level of knowledge from an American, and will consequently shut up, not knowing what else to do. Donā€™t know why this isnā€™t obvious, actually. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/73 "2011-03-28T03:41:43Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > ā€¦ And Canadians know about American history but Americans donā€™t know anything about Canada! > . That is not true. We Americans know all aboot Canada, we all saw \*\*Canadian Bacon \*\*which told us everything we need to know about Canada. ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/74 "2011-03-28T04:36:28Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > Peru, Cuba, Laos, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Chad, Mali, Fiji, Togo.. You know, countries that donā€™t feel like they have to be letter hogs. Did you by any chance get that list from [here](http://www.mentalfloss.com/quiz/quiz.php?q=1116)? šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/75 "2011-03-28T04:53:18Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > That is not true. We Americans know all aboot Canada, we all saw \*\*Canadian Bacon \*\*which told us everything we need to know about Canada. ā€œAbootā€ and Canadian bacon - the two things that US Americans always get wrong about Canada. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/76 "2011-03-28T05:07:32Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Are you kidding? Canadians are the biggest chippy shoulderers I know. There are exceptions, but it seems like as a general rule, you canā€™t even have a conversation with a Canadian without them reminding you that theyā€™re Canadian and not American and Canada is different (and better!!!) than the US every ten seconds. And Canadians know about American history but Americans donā€™t know anything about Canada! > > Etc. > > Good lord, itā€™s boring. Seconded. Itā€™s a fine country in many ways, but _lord_ do they have a superiority complex, particularly if an American is within 50 feet. Itā€™s obnoxious and, IMHO, rather psychologically unhealthy. ETA: In re. countries Iā€™m ā€œfavorableā€ toā€¦: just about any could qualify, but Iā€™m particularly fond of the UK, Germany, Poland, Romania, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, Argentina, Brazil. Lots more, but those are the first that come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/77 "2011-03-28T05:54:00Z")
Do you suppose thereā€™s any truth to the idea that what US Americans see as a superiority complex might be a, ā€œNot thinking weā€™re as great as we doā€ complex? šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/78 "2011-03-29T03:37:04Z")
> [@KinkiNipponTourist](#): > > Did you by any chance get that list from [here](http://www.mentalfloss.com/quiz/quiz.php?q=1116)? šŸ˜ƒ Not directly - itā€™s a pretty common geography quiz type question.. ---
**Author:** ![medicated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@medicated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medicated)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/79 "2011-03-29T03:48:35Z")
I like the Belgians. They spend a lot of time (recently, at least) agonising over their inability to form a stable government. And yet the country runs just fine without one. Also: the food is great, the beer rocks, and the architecture is often very interesting. Ignoring the concrete monstrosities found in certain parts of Brussels, of course. I also am impressed with Liechtenstein, Andorra, and Monaco. That a state managed to survive in Europe for several centuries with an army smaller than my local police force impresses me. And all three have such beautiful sceneryā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271/80 "2011-03-29T04:07:54Z")
When I lived in the quiet rural Fenlands on the coast of the Wash (England) for several months years ago I said to my self that it might be a good idea to retire here. I still wonā€™t rule it out. People were so laid back. On the other hand, Iā€™ve always had a hankering to live in the States especially San Diego or Hawaii and experience the fast pace of American life. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-countries-are-you-favourable-to/575271.md?page=5)