I never said it was perfect, I only said it's the best. For the very reasons you also listed in your post. And maybe in the future other culture will surpass it, it's won't be the first time, but for the moment, it is what it is.
Did I claim that you considered it to be perfect? Perfection is an absolute. An extreme, and I respect your opinions far too much to place you in such a category of poster.
For all the bad things including, as you quite perfectly said, the love for our own farts, it's still the culture that did for mankind much more than all the others combined.
I'm not so sure of that. For the most part, other cultures and their progress was localised to their particular regions. Europeans are somewhat unique due to the ages of exploration, and colonialism, because they spread far beyond their respective regions, which isn't terribly common elsewhere. However, they took inspiration from other cultures, and that influenced the progression of thought in Europe. Many of our greatest philosophers, poets, dabblers in morality, held their own fascinations with oriental culture which influenced their own publications. Many of the "basic" inventions that emerged after the Dark ages, or during industrialisation, were founded elsewhere, but in Europe/America found the resources needed to reach their highest potential.
I don't think we can really separate western (or rather the foundational European) culture from the rest of the world... and those cultures that existed elsewhere continued to be glorious themselves, in their own regions. They just weren't granted the same scope that Western culture did.
No, I don't agree here. We have taken some steps that are maybe backwards, but we're still going ahead.
No. We're not expanding. We're reinventing. We're not growing. Tinkering with ideas and concepts from the past, and making them marginally different. Instead, the push is to demolish or destroy all the foundational core structures of traditional culture (the culture that made us stronger than others), while promoting ideologies/agendas that divide us into ever smaller groups of people each with their own prioritized agendas.
Look at the climate change threads. So many posters talk about all the expenditure of western nations, and talk about how the west should downsize it's consumerism, it's industry, it's... well, everything. Even though, all of those things contributed heavily towards us being the first world. And there's no appreciation that other non-western nations (which are the majority), will want to industrialise, and reach the standards of living we take for granted. It's like the desire for many in the west to reduce poverty worldwide, without acknowledging that such a result would cause population rates to increase dramatically.. all contributing to a greater strain on resources, both in those target nations, and in western nations as those people immigrate here.
We're not growing as a society. We're finding and establishing more problems to bite us in the ass at a later point. Self-sabotage. First world problems.
Capitalism and innovation. We're taking now because american capitalism driven innovation made it affordable for us to buy computers and connect to the internet. All the woke BS, all the BLM insanity, all these will pass, it's just noise anyway.
I don't agree. The movements relating to social change are increasing each decade, not decreasing.. as is the support from people, the resources allocated, and the government involvement. It's not just noise. They're attempts to reshape society, and bring in boundaries on behaviour.
As for capitalism, and innovation.. The US has fallen far behind many other countries in terms of innovation, except where it involves military applications. And capitalism? Err.. that's a rather vague discussion point, which I could add a pile of negatives, but I'd point out that American capitalism is not the same as European capitalism. In reality, it's not. In any case, the point was about "Western culture", not what America is best known for.. which is still a propaganda piece, and hardly reflects what they're truly known for in terms of culture.
Another chancer.
150 visits to the GP no less (approx €7,500) ....no doubt funded by gullible Paddy the tax payer
@[Deleted User] I never said it was perfect, I only said it's the best. For the very reasons you also listed in your post. And maybe in the future other culture will surpass it, it's won't be the first time, but for the moment, it is what it is. For all the bad things including, as you quite perfectly said, the love for our own farts, it's still the culture that did for mankind much more than all the others combined.
We're driving along on the fumes of past success
How does the US represent the idea of western values in practical terms?
Ahh.. err... I'd say the ideas of western values is superior, but the reality falls far short.
I do appreciate Western culture and it's values.. especially after living abroad, but I also see a shitload of arrogance, brutality, double standards, etc when it comes to how western cultures interact with other cultures, and how it applies to it's own citizens. That other cultures have their own positives, which are usually specific to the geographical regions they belong to and the ethnic groups there.
The thing is.. since I returned to the West after living in Asia, I've come to realise that so much of what we praise in western culture is just propaganda. It doesn't exist or if it does, it's applied in a vague or lacklustre manner.
Take the US for example. Sure, it's the extreme version for everything but they are supposedly the bastion of democracy, freedom, and morons. From them, we've gained the PC movement, woke, BLM, the largest manufacture and suppler of weapons, an abysmal literacy score, nutjob religious groups/messiah leaders, serial killers, etc. It's essentially a third world nation masquerading as a first world nation. It's a country of opposites, and double standards. Elitism, racial divisions, massive wealth inequalities, poverty, child marriage, etc.
How does the US represent the idea of western values in practical terms? Cause honestly, I don't think they ever did, except as a propaganda reel.
It's not that western culture is superior. It's simply that we got in ahead in terms of industrialisation, and modernisation. We managed to develop and then strangle religion, removing it from most governments, leading to a system of governance that left most ideologies outside. That's it really. We're ahead of the curve in development and that gave us an advantage over everyone else.
Like, China would be the primary competitor to western dominance, but China is still a century behind Europe. The country is just too damn large, it's culture still bound by traditions/values from the Ming Dynasty, and don't get me started with Confucius. Cultural and institutional corruption guarantees that they won't progress quickly, except as a propaganda piece. It's rise from poverty was mostly a publicity stunt. Culturally, and in terms of values, they're really messed up. Suitable for Asia, but it's not conducive towards building a united society, based on fairness, and respect. Which is why they're not a real competitor to Europe..
The Europe of the past, that is. If European nations were starting off at the same place as China, we'd be screwed now, due to all the rubbish coming out of the US, and the EU crapfest. We're driving along on the fumes of past success... and that's going to stutter out sooner or later.
TBH in spite of all the authoritarian governments, the major police presence, the restrictions on the internet, etc I felt more free in Asia, than I have in Europe. We're so regulated, and while we're not monitored, we don't need to be. Everything needs to be signed off by someone. Everything needs a professional to do it. We've allowed our society to create a range of prettified impenetrable steel bars around us.. forcing us to comply to an approved set of behaviours. Oh, we can see through the bars and pretend that we're free... but we're not. I realised this when I bought some land and a house. If I failed to pay the government charges, they could seize that property. It really made me think about what freedoms we have, and what's the limitation on them.. because there are always limitations on our freedoms.
We have embraced the propaganda that elevates western culture to some higher position.. because it's nice to believe it to be true. But in reality very few of our great ideas are implemented equally or effectively. Our courts and justice system is a joke. Our Health service has been struggling for decades. We're nowhere near actual gender equality, due to favouritism towards feminist agendas. We can point to human treatment of prisoners (whooptiedo) but then point to how Spain or Italy treats theirs... All western nations. Different strokes for different folks, but the overall catchall term of western culture is superior... maybe. I could go on, but there's little point.
We live in a culture that loves the smell of our own farts.
Of what benefit or asset to our country is this.
Honestly people have to wake up.
All of the court time, man hours, resources and effort put into that low life who just can't be arsed to leave. What a country we are and what a useless blight he is.
Gript had an article on him from April also. They say he is from Angola plus some more details about him and the cases.
"When a deportation order is issued, the obligation is on the person to remove themselves from the state…We can’t be precise about how many actually do because we don’t have exit checks.”
Michael Kirrane, director general of INIS at the Department of Justice
If some Irish person isn't complying with DaCors law, that's all DaCor is concerned about. Including link laws.
So surprise when I saw who wrote that article, that one won't be happy until half of Africa is living here.
That Henderson guy was on Drivetime this evening, McInerney just let him ramble on and didn't challenge one single thing he said.
I've heard it all now when these lads come with a story about being in fear of their lives and then want to go to other EU countries on a holiday!
Interesting part of the article was when this "refugee" contacted McEntee about the new visa requirments, they know she is the weak link in the chain.
My mother waited 12 hours in A&E.
I wonder how long it took for these two to get medical attention.
Wow. That's all that bothers you?
So Ireland have this sex offenders list which is a good thing because sex offenders virtually never rehabilitate, once that line is crossed it cannot be uncrossed. But a foreigner sex offender who comes here gets a fresh start. Why isn't this a huge problem?
You know you can link directly to the stories in question. Its usually a better idea as you are only allowed to paste excerpts from articles
Our old friend Chico back in the news...
>Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Monday that Makamda failed to leave the country as required after being released in January 2022 and has since accrued two convictions for failing to notify gardai of his address as required for registration under the Sex Offenders Act.
>Garda Ruth Finnegan said the Garda National Immigration Bureau had attempted to make several appointments with Makamda to assist him in leaving the country, but the information he gave them was incorrect and they do not know his nationality. He has been in custody since June.
They can't even figure out the nationality of a man whose been jailed for sexual assault with 15 prior convictions. Really demonstrates the extent of their vetting ability for foreigners.
Ireland is not a serious country, but least we know where this cretin is for the time being....
https://www.sundayworld.com/crime/courts/serial-sex-attacker-chico-makamda-jailed-again-after-failing-to-leave-the-country/1337745322.html
Sunday World love the diversity gore stories to the extent they'll doorstop this specimen at work to get his picture while it would be more useful questioning the dirt who facilitated his presence in the country and the judge who suspended his sentence.
Fighting over the Irishman's postcodes. Let them at it.
Well we need some Bloods and Crips* for proper cultural enrichment.
*crips, not crisps
I wouldn’t give a fcuk what you wear!
Maybe wear sunscreen, that’d be about it.
I really worry for my kids when we are letting 1000s in which we know none of their history.
Rapists, murderers, paedophiles you name it, we could be getting it.
Christ!
It was attempted rape as per the article but no matter there should not be free movent of people with previous convictions such as this in the EU. Also he came to Ireland in December 2017 and raped the victim in February 2018 he didn't last long before this breaking the Law again. It's a disgrace that violent sexual offenders are afforded free movent within the EU. A person like this brings nothing of benefit to a country. He should be sent back to Romania at the end of his sentence and never let in to this country again or any other EU country for that matter.
Previous for rape in other countries. Another great addition.
I'm also all for the one strike rule for immigrants. European and any other.
Commit a minor offence and you get a free flight home. Never to be allowed in again.
Commit a serious offence serve your time then free ride home or better still serve your time in your country of nationality
Biggest hurdle here would be our side making sure they don't get back in.
Also the amount some of these NGOs are getting is unbelievable.
God knows who else is profiting.
As I said it's a form of human trafficking but supposedly all legal.
I agree totally. I noticed you have a Polish name in your username also. 1 in 4 of them was on the dole as of 10 years ago, according to official stats. Not sure about since then. A stat I saw when an anti EE "patriot" made it. There does seem to be a split between people on the right in Ireland who consider EEs to be taking up housing and facilities and they also point to the dole stats and prison stats etc and want them out. There are others who seem not to mind them. I have seen EE migrants pointing the finger at other migrants as a way to ingratiate themselves with those types on the right and hope that they stay under the radar perhaps. The fact is many of the same (bad) arguments about Ireland not having housing/facilites, the dole stats, crime stats etc can all be used on EEs also, who are here in large numbers (and long may that continue btw!).
The end game in my opinion is to eliminate all social solidarity and reduce everybody to little more than a PPS number and algorythmically approved consumer habits. The commies used tohave a saying 'five fingers makes a fist!' and you know what, they were right. If our neo-liberal corporatist overlords can manage to break your fingers and scatter those metatarsals across the graveyard of what was once a functional cohesive society, just think how easy it will be to rule the serfs like the fuedal lords of old.
Great addition. Especially when we have enough of our own.
Worked with a few poles, slovakians and moldovans. Agreed very good workers and good addition to the country.
Suppose if I mention the migrants I have seen who have no interest in working or even wanting to be a part of society I would be classed as racist.
See it not as clear cut as all migrants are a drain on the country. But it is clear the ones that are should be shown the door.
The racist card is a great meal ticket for a big majority. Only my opinion of course.
I have never seen this level of sheer concern among people about the migration situation before.
The problems in recent months appear to have really swung opinion just based on my own casual conversations with people who would never raise it before. People seem genuinely worried.
The government has to act soon I reckon. What that is I don't know.
An outright cap?
I still don't see why you think that the fact that I'm an immigrant should stop me from saying anything. Or affecting my arguments.
Romanian surname, what a surprise
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