This is something that puzzles me since I was a child.
And since I was a child I found this claim at the very least very arrogant.
The next thing I thought about it was that it is also very ignorant.
So I guess we could debate.
Not why Westerners seem to feel such an urge to claim that “West is Best” … Because that is something everybody claims now and then about the own background and culture.
But the point of debate is:
Why do they feel such an urge and are that arrogant to claim that “West is Best” needs to
be accepted by the rest of the globe
be enforced on the rest of the globe
form the happyness of the population of the rest of the globe.
I compare this with the behaviour of fundamentalists who claim that their religion/version of a religion is the one and only and needs to be enforced on the rest of the world in order to “save” humanity. (Same can be said of course about some non-religious people but in my experience they are less vocal about it.)
Salaam. A
Well, aside from the fact that you haven’t proven that ‘The West’ is either a unified organization that HAS an opinion, nor that this is how the majority of them think, you already kind of answered your own question. ALL cultures think this way, and if there WAS a unified ‘West’ they would of course feel THEY were superior, and that their ways were also superior.
I, for one, being from ‘The West’ think that democracy is the ultimate form of government. I think Capitalist systems are superior economically to any other system, though I conceed that a PURE Capitalist system sucks big time. Capitalist systems moderated by socialism though is, in my biased ‘Western’ opinion, the ultimate economic system. I make absolutely no claims to culture though, nor claim ‘Western’ culture is superior in any way to anyone elses.
I think that the rest of the world WOULD be happier under a social democracy that fits in with their own culture (in case it slipped your mind, ‘The Western’ democracies come in all different sizes and colors), with a modified Capitalist system. But, I’m a product of my own culture Aldebaran, just as you are. Of COURSE I would feel this way, as its the system I KNOW. I don’t know very much about ‘the rest of the world’ though, so maybe they WOULD be happier under their own systems.
The desire for Western popular culture and Western technologies is coming from the East, not being imposed on them by the West. Indeed, it was mostly the desire for the high standard of living and political freedoms of the West that caused the downfall of the USSR.
This is especially so when one contrasts the prosperity and freedom of Western society with the unpleasant mix of incompetence, corruption, repression, and socialism that forms the governments of, say, Africa.
Everyone wants to live like Americans. This isn’t something we are forcing on them.
Why does the Middle East have to play the perpetual martyr?? Why can’t it get its head outta its ass and sort itself out?? And how about spending that Oil money on something worthwhile for a change, instead of another luxury boat eh?
Define “democracy” and why do you think this must be the same for the rest of the world.
Why do you think that a “money culture” is better then for example a system were there isn’t even any money known.
In a capitalistic system the capital and the capitalist rules. That isn’t democratic at all to begin with. Even when there is influence of socialistic ideals asis the case in for example Blegium, those who are wealthy still have all advantages and those who are poor are victimized.
Why?
Nothing slipped my mind, but there is a general “West” and what is percieved as its ideals and culture in general.
Ne need to point out to me the culture shock I undergo when I travel from Europe to for example the US. And I think there aren’t that many people in the US who can actually understand this.
There is also no need to point out the culture shock I undergo everytime I travel from my country to for example Europe and vice versa. I’m a child of two cultures from which one is the Western culture. I’m even what people in the West would easily call capitalist. Which is a very wrong labelling since it is not what my goal in life was and is.
And that is actually a point of the debate:
Why are so many “Westerners” so convinced that what they see as the ideal forcibly needs to be the ideal for the non Western world. And why are they not capable to understand that not everybody wants to be like they are.
And for the US’ers here an additional question: Why are you so convinced that “everybody” wants to “live in the USA”.
I don’t. And nobody I know would want to move overthere.We are not unique cases.
Salaam. A
Technology isn’t something exclusive “Western”. To limite myself to the USA and one single example: Take every foreigner working in for example the Silicon Valley out of there and you can close the business.
And I’m not sure what you mean by “Western popular culture”.
The failing of the communist system that caused its fall.
And when it comes to your example “Africa”: The failure of those societies to implement the imported “Western way” proves actually to a certain extend my case.
Salaam. A
How about educating yourself on the ME instead of going on with your illusion that they are all “oil nations” and “oil sheiks”?
By the way; I didn’t “hate” my mother and I don’t “hate” her family and I don’t “hate” half of myself, actually.
I made somewhere on this board a remark about this strange attachment to the word “hate” by some many people who speak English. The use of such a word, as if to hate is a normal thing in your life, is your problem. Not mine.
Salaam. A
Aldebaran, try to get those foreign workers to leave and see what happens.
Image your shock traveling between “Western” Japan/Korea and “Western” Poland. Yet both have opted for representative democracies, managed capitalism, rule of law, concept of property rights and secularism.
Africa opted to embrace Marxism. The results follow.
Sorry but no, not “everyone want to live like Americans”.
It would pure horror to me and to everyone I know if we would be forced to go live there, let be to live “like Americans”.
And I’m sorry but I have to add: it would be completely impossible for me to be “like an American” for several reasons.
Salaam. A
Alderbaran, no one likes ure pretentious ass, how you bitch and moan on how we ‘The West’ have corrupted and destroyed whatever society you come from, well u know what, instead of whinging and moaning on how ‘evil’ our institutions and ideas are, how about goin and doing something about it??!?!?!
You see thats the problem with you kinda people, the pretentious kind, all mouth and no trousers. Either put up or shut up.
And you do hate Western society and ideals, your jealous your bitter about what you are, I think you hate yourself, I think that you cannot bear to think that people are happier and much more productive with their lives than you are.
The “democratic, capitalist states with basic human rights” are in the majority for best places to live. UN Report Human Development.
I suppose “Westerners” could stop wanting others to achieve their level of “Human Development”, but then I would image we would railing about that too.
The only thing why those people are there is because of the agressive brain drain comitted by the US capitalism on the rest of the world. Try to pay them less and you shall see what happens.
And if you call Japan and Korea “Western” I guess you were never there nor do you have any idea about these countries, their history and culture.
If you call Poland “Western”: the same. It may come closer to the rest of Europe but it has a long way to go before they “fit in”.
Try for example to pay with a credit card a few meters outside one the large towns or even outside your hotel.
Or try to find a bank as we imagine ourselves such an institution.
I wasn’t there since a few years but I don’t think that much has changed since my last visit.
And your view on Africa also needs some updating.
By the way: How come so many people posting here seem to equal socialism with communism?
Salaam. A
Yes and the money has nothing to do with it. Hell I’m tempted to head down.
Well it’s your debate. If you don’t think that democratic, capitalistic systems based on rule of law and ultimately basic human rights as outlined in the UN charter are “Western” then may I ask what a “Western” country is?
You have nothing else to say then what usually comes from people who lack any argumentation.
May I suggest that you don’t spend time on repeating your utterly nonsense.
Bye. See you when you are over your frustration.
Salaam. A