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GeneralRe: So I was thinking of getting a tattoo Pin
Mycroft Holmes1-Jul-22 12:36
professionalMycroft Holmes1-Jul-22 12:36 
GeneralRe: So I was thinking of getting a tattoo Pin
Daniel Pfeffer1-Jul-22 0:49
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GeneralRe: So I was thinking of getting a tattoo Pin
Gerry Schmitz1-Jul-22 3:54
mveGerry Schmitz1-Jul-22 3:54 
GeneralRe: So I was thinking of getting a tattoo Pin
Daniel Pfeffer1-Jul-22 5:00
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GeneralRe: So I was thinking of getting a tattoo PinPopular
PIEBALDconsult1-Jul-22 6:01
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GeneralRe: So I was thinking of getting a tattoo Pin
trønderen1-Jul-22 8:25
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GeneralRe: So I was thinking of getting a tattoo Pin
BernardIE53174-Jul-22 8:47
BernardIE53174-Jul-22 8:47 
GeneralRe: So I was thinking of getting a tattoo Pin
trønderen4-Jul-22 16:06
trønderen4-Jul-22 16:06 
I frequently point out that Americans manage to tolerate people who are undisputable different from themselves. My American host family mother (often) expressed it as "Oh, well, it takes all kinds to make a world ...". Norwegian 'tolerance' is not done by accepting that others do things differently, but themselves having expanded their activities, tastes or whatever. "We have tolerated garlic for years - we use it a lot!" - until we started using garlic in our cooking, Norwegians were bitching all the time about that terrible garlic smell of immigrants. Black Metal was just terrible noise until some Norwegian bands made great success. And so on. We are condemning anything that is different, until we start doing it ourselves. This is most certainly not to say that 'tolerance' is perfect in the US, but that element that says "It takes all kinds to make a world" I wish we would see more of here in Norway.

You can say that Norway (and many other European countries) have social structures that takes far better care of people who need support, whether being unemployed, pregnant, sick or old. That definitely holds true. But it has taken away a significant part of the empathy, the social responsibility and concern for neighbors, friends and relatives. If they run into problems, we hope that the authorities will come to help (and they will). But the very American idea of 'fundraising', while deeply rooted in the average American, really doesn't echo very well in Norwegians. You just don't go and knock on your neighbors door to check if he is OK. You don't share your surplus with your relatives. You are not responsible for others in that way. Of course Americans may be very selective in who they want to support, but strange as it may sound: Sharing, in some forms, is much more important in the US than in socialist Norway!

(Remark: My one year stay with an American family was in a small rural village, where half of the entire population knows who you are, whoever you are. Of course huge cities are different - but I often recognize the concern for your neighbors within your local district.)

You can say that it is very easy to make friends with Americans - but difficult to make deep friends, that everything is on the surface. Yet ... Making deep friends with Norwegians generally takes years. In comparison, we are very unwilling to trust almost anyone. OK, I will never fully trust anyone I met for the first time yesterday, but we definitely could learn a little from the typical American about getting out of our shells and open up at least a little bit!

I could add a few more points, but this post is big enough. I could also point out a lot of American ways I dislike, but in the spirit of "It takes all kinds to make a world", I guess I should accept it without complaining.
GeneralRe: So I was thinking of getting a tattoo Pin
Gary R. Wheeler1-Jul-22 13:29
Gary R. Wheeler1-Jul-22 13:29 
GeneralRe: So I was thinking of getting a tattoo Pin
jmaida1-Jul-22 17:23
jmaida1-Jul-22 17:23 
GeneralRe: So I was thinking of getting a tattoo Pin
Choroid4-Jul-22 7:47
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GeneralWSO CCC OTD 2022-07-01 Pin
yacCarsten30-Jun-22 22:02
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OriginalGriff30-Jun-22 22:11
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GeneralRe: WSO CCC OTD 2022-07-01 Pin
yacCarsten1-Jul-22 0:16
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OriginalGriff1-Jul-22 0:32
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Craig Robbins1-Jul-22 1:09
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GeneralRe: WSO CCC OTD 2022-07-01 Pin
OriginalGriff1-Jul-22 1:41
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GeneralRe: WSO CCC OTD 2022-07-01 Pin
pkfox1-Jul-22 2:08
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GeneralSound of the Week Pin
Sander Rossel30-Jun-22 20:40
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yacCarsten1-Jul-22 0:40
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David O'Neil1-Jul-22 18:09
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Sander Rossel5-Jul-22 2:58
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David O'Neil2-Jul-22 8:57
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Sander Rossel5-Jul-22 2:57
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