Definition of a "fair split" varies across cultures

[MadImmortalMan]

Looking back on my life, I would've definitely been a different person in some ways had I not left Ukraine when I was 12.  I would've been more ruthless and far more corrupt.  Moving to US removed the pressure to continue developing those qualities.  Culture can be a vicious circle in good ways and in bad.

Like you did in this post, you sometimes still drop your articles, so my brain starts reading them in a Russian accent.   

[Jacob]

That doesn't really answer my question.  You just seem to be saying that the article Tim posted is completely invalidated by virtue of apparently racist language it used in some parts, and that Tim said something dumb by giving his take that the article made some valid points in spite of the racist language.

Tim brought racist twaddle into the discussion. That's good for a

What I want to know is why you think Tim's observations were dumb.

I didn't call Tim's observations dumb. Which is admittedly a change of pace.

What's your stake in this? Did you find Tim's observations particularly insightful or new?

[Jacob]

He calls East Asians mongoloids. More subtley it feels like he's blaming the people rather than the culture despite his calling out the influence of Confuscian tradition.

How do you feel about him describing the essential nature of broad cultures as monolithic and implicitly inferior; using sweeping, facile generalizations and the occasional just-so anecdote to do so?

[jimmy olsen]

He calls East Asians mongoloids. More subtley it feels like he's blaming the people rather than the culture despite his calling out the influence of Confuscian tradition.

How do you feel about him describing the essential nature of broad cultures as monolithic and implicitly inferior; using sweeping, facile generalizations and the occasional just-so anecdote to do so?

I specifically stated when I posted it that he overgeneralized. Although when talking about something as broad as national culture, how can you not generalize? There will be individuals in any society who don't go with the cultural flow.

Unless you're an acadmeic carrying out scientifically valid research, just so anecdotes is all people have. If we can't generalize and can't use anecdotes than the great majority of people will not be able to discuss culture at all.

[derspiess]

I didn't call Tim's observations dumb. Which is admittedly a change of pace.

It appeared to me that you did. 

[Jacob]

I specifically stated when I posted it that he overgeneralized. Although when talking about something as broad as national culture, how can you not generalize? There will be individuals in any society who don't go with the cultural flow.

Personally, my view is that most cultures are quite complex and have several often contradictory flows (to use your term) that individuals relate to; rather than there being one cultural flow that people go with or against.

Unless you're an acadmeic carrying out scientifically valid research, just so anecdotes is all people have. If we can't generalize and can't use anecdotes than the great majority of people will not be able to discuss culture at all.

That is very true, and that would be a pity. Still, it's worth looking for a bit of nuance, in my opinion; it makes the discussions more interesting.

[Jacob]

It appeared to me that you did.

An easy mistake to make

[Admiral Yi]

Personally, my view is that most cultures are quite complex and have several often contradictory flows (to use your term) that individuals relate to; rather than there being one cultural flow that people go with or against.

Interesting that the generalizations of the first article you posted didn't provoke the same response.

[Martim Silva]

Looking back on my life, I would've definitely been a different person in some ways had I not left Ukraine when I was 12.  I would've been more ruthless and far more corrupt.  Moving to US removed the pressure to continue developing those qualities.  Culture can be a vicious circle in good ways and in bad.

I am curious about your experiences.

Tell me, what have you noticed in American society?

From your post and some personal observations I get the idea that Americans would, in general terms, be weak, foolish people, who get easily offended. Not to mention obsessed with race.

As someone who is considered ruthless by Russians and Ukranians alike, I have a real hard time seeing the Russian/Ukranian population - of all classes and social tiers - as 'ruthless' in any way. If anything, I'd call everybody 'nice people who try their best' (and don't do a good job of it, but that's besides the point, nor do I care).

Incidentally, what is your Ukranian home town? Western Ukranians in particular are very soft. Softer than people from the East, who have close ties with Russia. I'm not counting Crimea in this, since it is really Russian population there.

(I won't delve much about Russia. Siberians in particular are very nice people, which means they tend to be overly naïve. And no, unlike western myths they are not impervious to cold)

Small joke: you know how I describe Horlika to Russians? "Vodka is the bottle you keep near you to wash down the taste of Horlika after you drank a small glass of it." 

[Valmy]

From your post and some personal observations I get the idea that Americans would, in general terms, be weak, foolish people, who get easily offended. Not to mention obsessed with race.

Is it just us?  I find that comforting.

And no, unlike western myths they are not impervious to cold

I was not aware we had myths about the people of Siberia.  Go figure.  But to be fair this is the first conversation I have had in any form about Siberians.

[DGuller]

Yeah, I'm so not dignifying that faux question with a response.

[Admiral Yi]

It's an interesting POV that weak and foolish are the antithesis of ruthless and corrupt. 

[Eddie Teach]

I like how he chides Americans about being obsessed with race and then goes on to make several broad generalizations about Russians from different regions.

[DGuller]

It's an interesting POV that weak and foolish are the antithesis of ruthless and corrupt. 

That's actually the perception in cultures that do encourage ruthlessness and corruption, at least the ones I'm familiar with.

[Admiral Yi]

That's actually the perception in cultures that do encourage ruthlessness and corruption, at least the ones I'm familiar with.

Yeah, I get that.

Thank God I don't live in a country where cheating on your taxes is considered sexy.