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Using concrete facts, we can come to the conclusion that life in Western Europe is objectively better than in Eastern Europe. That's all there is to it.
Conclusion is a personal decision, not something you take for others.
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It has nothing to do with Western superiority.
Then stop coming with things everybody knows, like life expectancy, and let the discussion follow its course or come with things others don't know.
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This talk of 'cultural richness' is not subjective, and not relevant to quality of life.
The more educated a person, the more interested is for the cultural aspects of a society.
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Rural Romanian life is not 'heaven' for anyone.
For hikers and other kind of tourists certainly is. For people living there could be, if they change their mind. Myself, I lived around an year in rural-like conditions, working at agricultural crops, taking care of farm animals etc. It was heaven.
US and Western Europe are relatively equal in respect to what they offer. One (US) is bad because of lifeless natural environment (with all those visually splendid landscapes) and culture, the other because of overpopulation and pollution (and in the case of NE because of cold). Eastern Europe on the other hand, is considerably better than both US and WE: healthy natural environment and food, friendlier people.
"Lifeless natural environment"? Tell that to my friend, who has mountain lions strolling through his property, as if they owned the place.
Bears, mountain lions, lynx, deer of various sorts, wolves here and there, buffalo, not to mention birds: herons, egrets, hawks, owls, a few condors in California, turkeys, various types of eagles, hares, possums, raccoons, etc.
"The more educated a person, the more interested is for the cultural aspects of a society."
So it stands to reason that Western Europeans will be more interested in cultural aspects of society - and they probably value their own culture more highly than Eastern Europe's. Not to imply that Eastern European culture is lesser, but certainly not better either.
"Lifeless natural environment"? Tell that to my friend, who has mountain lions strolling through his property, as if they owned the place.
Bears, mountain lions, lynx, deer of various sorts, wolves here and there, buffalo, not to mention birds: herons, egrets, hawks, owls, a few condors in California, turkeys, various types of eagles, hares, possums, raccoons, etc.
I was refering to the quality of air, soil, water, vegetation. Compare it with the ones from Russia, because Romania is not much different in this respect. Is planet's chernozem belt, the most fertile soil which has as consequences the best quality of water, vegetation and air. In Romania even more because of the mountainous relief, Danubian alluvia and warmer climate.
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Originally Posted by dunno what to put here
"The more educated a person, the more interested is for the cultural aspects of a society."
So it stands to reason that Western Europeans will be more interested in cultural aspects of society - and they probably value their own culture more highly than Eastern Europe's. Not to imply that Eastern European culture is lesser, but certainly not better either.
Not sure what are trying to say (not clear phrase). Idea is: in areas of EE, particularly in Romania, the folk and medieval culture have been formed on the ground of an extremely diverse cultural heritage, started from Neolithic, because of ther geographic position at the crossroads of Asian - Europe and north - south routes of migration and because of the proximity of many ancient civilisations. And also, because of late and only partial urbanisation, traditional lifestyle survives to these days, as well as ancestral customs etc.
Balkans are the oldest part of Europe. Civilisation appeared in neolithic in Near East and Balkans were the first colonised by Anatolian agricultors. Some of the greatest human discoveries didn't occur in Near East but in Balkans and Romania, and from here were spread into Near East: the proto-writing, the metallurgy and the wheel. Read about Vinca - Turdas and Cucuteni on Wikipedia.
Older culture means more valuable and interesting cultural heritage.
Also, Eastern Europe, Balkans especially, have always been the most culturally diverse part of Europe, having seen the migration and and settlement and suffering the influences of endless number of nations and cultures through their history. From middle age to modern times, no other country in Europe had the ethnic and religious diversity of Romania. Because of this, the arhitecture and folk culture in various zones in Romania have the higher diversity in Europe.
In all honesty, you are saying that the average Romanian feel in his everyday life the discovery of metallurgy and proto-writing?
Are you seriously saying that Romania, an interesting country, has more history/culture/heritage (call it as you prefer) than, let's say, Italy or France?
I mean, sure Romania has an interesting history and it saw countless invasions and settlements, but to say that Romania has more history than Italy is like saying that Italians are more organised and efficient than Germans.
Within 50 km from my hometown I have: Roman ruins, 5 medieval castles, prehistoric huts, dinosaurs' footprints, WWI museums and cemeteries, war museum, modern art museum, science museum, WWI fortresses, WWI trenches, medieval houses, XII century church, Venetian historic centre.
All of this for a marginal valley in Northern Italy which counts less than 150,000 inhabitants.
Natural enviroment and cultural heritage is more important (healthier for body and mind) than purchasing power.
You come without any argument or explanation about your claim which makes discussion with you impossible and classify you as a troll.
You initially posted a photo which you deleted:
The US has regions like this too, like Mississippi. I doubt poor people there are better off than in Romania. It is kindoff ironic that communism and capitalism both resulted in largely the same end effect.
In Europe, kids learn several languages whereas in America it's only English. People seem more educated and worldly. You can take a train for an hour and you land in another country. There is so much beauty and amazing food and culture in Europe. It is less wasteful, public transportation is all over, healthcare is free. I feel like America has zero appeal when compared to Europe. These are just a few....I currently live in America and sometimes I think about relocating, but I don't want to have to learn a language at my age (27), plus immigration would be another hoop. I immigrated when I was 9 years old from the middle east. As a woman I am glad to be in America versus where I came from, but I can't help but wonder how much better life would be if I was living in Europe.
Maybe your view stems from the fact that you live in Michigan so perhaps your world view is not as complete as it could be. I love the state of Michigan, I have family there and have spent many summers immersed in the culture there but I would not say that it is representative of a well rounded perspective on the U.S. in its entirety...hardly. It is just a small slice of American culture, a very small sliver from my point of view.
There are excellent aspects of living in Europe as well as the U.S., "pick your poison" as they say.
So, despite people in Western Europe living longer, being healthier, having access to better jobs, having more opportunities, having better educational & healthcare facilities, earning more, using better infrastructure, electing individuals into governments that aren't corrupt, unorganised or ineffective and, perhaps most importantly, having higher levels of self-reported happiness
These are all your subjective opinions, not objective facts.
How do Europeans "have more opportunities"? The economy is much worse, pay is much lower, taxes are much higher.
How do Europeans "have better educational & healthcare facilities"? I think it's generally agreed that the U.S., by a longshot, has the best universities and hospitals on earth.
How does Europe have "governments that aren't corrupt"? What does this even mean? You think there's no corruption in Europe? If anything, it's probably worse in countries like Spain and Italy.
These are all your subjective opinions, not objective facts.
How do Europeans "have more opportunities"? The economy is much worse, pay is much lower, taxes are much higher.
How do Europeans "have better educational & healthcare facilities"? I think it's generally agreed that the U.S., by a longshot, has the best universities and hospitals on earth.
How does Europe have "governments that aren't corrupt"? What does this even mean? You think there's no corruption in Europe? If anything, it's probably worse in countries like Spain and Italy.
that was about Western vs Eastern Europe and it's true.
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