• AItoothbrush@lemmy.zip
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        5 days ago

        Europe is a geological region where most countries share a lot of cultural ties with each other, including the smoking culture.

      • syreus@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        Potentially, they could have visited multiple countries. Or maybe they don’t want to partially doxx themselves.

      • Steve Dice@sh.itjust.works
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        5 days ago

        Are you seriously trying to argue that “europeans” isn’t a valid characterization of a group of people with some common traits, you absolute muppet?

        • diffusive@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          As someone you would call “European” there are massive cultural, behavioural and religious differences in Europe.

          Not the differences you imagine like NJ vs California vs Texas, much more

          And you know what? It’s a good thing and nobody wants to change that. After centuries we even stopped having fun at each other.

          Diversity is scientifically and provably good for creativity that in turn is good for everything humans do

          In the case of smoking, you can go to an extreme (Berlin) where people smoke in the clubs (even if it is forbidden) to another extreme (Dublin) that is pretty much like US

          • person420@lemmynsfw.com
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            5 days ago

            While I agree with most of what you said, I think you are underestimating the huge cultural differences between NJ, CA, and TX. They very much feel like entirely different countries. Very big differences in culture, linguistics, religion, etc.

            USA -> States is very similar to EU -> member countries. I understand that within the EU, member countries have their own concept of “states” that are very similar to the US, but I don’t believe most EU countries prioritize local regions over their country as much as the US does. Keep in mind, Europe as a whole is only slightly bigger than the USA (10m sq k vs 9m sq k)

            For instance, someone from Texas self-identifies as a Texan first, and then an American second. It’s why one of the first things an American asks when meeting a new American is “where are you from”. The state they’re from will (usually but not always) tell you a lot about them, their priorities, what their culture is, etc.

            Personally I think it’s stupid (I’m not a big fan of “states rights”), but I’m very much in the minority in that.

          • HalfSalesman@lemm.ee
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            5 days ago

            Not the differences you imagine like NJ vs California vs Texas, much more

            Dude, Texans fucking hate Californians and and East Coasters.

            They share the same citizenship and language but they almost certainly hate each other more than a typical European country hates it’s neighbors because of core value differences.

            UK+EU members might hate each other for historical reasons but generally they all hold similar core values. Good ones BTW. Democracy is good.

            I live in the midwestern US and if I could I’d have it’s culture swallowed up by the east coast’s culture (except maybe the food) because its pretty fucking boring and backwards in many respects anyway. The only reason I still live here is because I’m poor but I kind of hate midwestern culture.

            Diversity is scientifically and provably good for creativity that in turn is good for everything humans do

            Diversity is good, smoking is bad. So are Texas’s anti-abortion and anti-trans bills, which is fueled by Texas’s reactionary culture which diverges from Cali and NJ. Including unhealthy or even straight up death cult ideas as a form of “diversity” seems… ill advised.

            My point is, sometimes things are just bad and serve no beneficial purpose and can’t be justified on the basis of “diversity”. Smoking culture is one.

        • hector@sh.itjust.works
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          5 days ago

          Maybe y’all Americans all have the same commodified culture managed by a hedge funds but in Europe, every country has a rich culture and its own identity+way of life.

          I don’t get the same vibe at all from France and Germany or the Netherlands. I see similarities and a common history which makes the cultural ramification even more telling and insightful

            • nyctre@lemmy.world
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              5 days ago

              Finland 20.7%, USA 23.6%, according to world population review.com and one of the few sources I could find that mentions both the USA and finland. So you’re wrong there. (Globalactiontoendsmoking.org has similar numbers, btw)

              Also, you said traits. Plural. But yeah, easier to make up shit and pretend you’re right and then stop replying when proven wrong than just be mature and say “my bad”.

              • Steve Dice@sh.itjust.works
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                5 days ago

                Whoops. I pulled a statistic from 2009. Anyway, here’s another one: they both love public baths. Do you really think you’ll come out on top while arguing Finland and Greece have zero common traits? Do you realize how insane that is?

                • nyctre@lemmy.world
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                  5 days ago

                  Saunas are popular in Finland, true. Not so much in Greece. And the Hellenic/Roman public baths, which are quite different from saunas, btw, haven’t actually remained popular in modern Greece nor Italy.

                  I never said they have zero common traits, but not enough for us to be one big culture or anything close to that. Common traits you can find between Norway and Zimbabwe. Or USA and Japan. Or Nepal and Argentina. Saying “europeans do x” is like saying “Asians do x” or “black people do y”. That’s what’s insane… That you somehow fail to see that. I was recently in Thailand. I guess I know what Asians are like now. AmA!

                  • Steve Dice@sh.itjust.works
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                    5 days ago

                    You implied there were zero common traits when you asked me to list them. Don’t try to weasel your way out of it because you were wrong. Here’s another common trait between them: they’re both part of a geopolitical block of countries that has been trading culture for more than a thousand years. So yes, there’s bound to be some similarities and suggesting otherwise is asinine. One more thing: comparing “Europeans” and “Asians” as groups to “black people” is very racist.

        • Bogus007@lemm.ee
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          4 days ago

          It increases the risk of getting cancer! Your sentence implies that you get it each time you are exposed. However, there is a subtle difference between being really attacked by a lion or being in the territory of a lion. In the first case you are highly likely done, in the second you have a chance to get out complete and healthy. And also: when and how are often two important questions.

          Why I am saying this: I knew two guys in my family, who smoked from young like chimneys. They died old (>90) and not due to lung cancer! But perhaps in their times (50-90) the cigarettes were less toxic, who knows 🤷‍♂️