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Americans, what is something that Europeans have/do that makes no sense to you? (programming.dev)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

what does it mean that europeans consider NGOs to be undemocratic?

An NGO has its own policies and its own governance, which may or may not align with the wishes of the wider populace (for instance, a religious NGO in a secular society, or an NGO treating particular groups preferentially). A majority disagreeing with the policies of that NGO would achieve nothing, whereas with a governmental body they could exert democratic control.

if your ancestry is from belgium/north france then you would be belgian/french with dutch nationality.

Why? Good grief, do you have any idea how complicated that would be? Secondly, I don't identify with that ethnicity you're foisting upon me at all!

I suppose when we refer to France we mean French before the 19th century immigration.

Why? As I said: France was always a mixture of ethnicities, the 19th century didn't change anything other than the skin colour of some of the French citizens (or is that what you're hinting at?).

For me personally, someone being Dutch is based more on their attitude towards the Netherlands and other Dutch people: anyone who is loath to run into other Dutch people when abroad and who loves to complain about specific stupid policies of the Dutch government counts as Dutch to me.

Speaking frankly, if you look chinese, you would be considered HKer right off the bat, if you look any other skin colour (white, other asian, etc) you will be considered a foreigner living in HK even if your family has been there for generations.

Excluding people based on how they look, irregardless of what else (intelligence, special talents) they bring to the table, is widely considered to be racism and not acceptable in European society. I'm sure there are Europeans who think like you do, however, it's not something that wider society considers acceptable (not to mention can be illegal).

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Why? As I said: France was always a mixture of ethnicities, the 19th century didn’t change anything other than the skin colour of some of the French citizens (or is that what you’re hinting at?).

"France's population dynamics began to change in the middle of the 19th century, as France joined the Industrial Revolution. The pace of industrial growth attracted millions of European immigrants over the next century, with especially large numbers arriving from Poland, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, and Spain.[10] In the wake of the First World War, in which France suffered six million casualties, significant numbers of workers from French colonies came. By 1930, the Paris region alone had a North African Muslim population of 70,000. Right after the Second World War, immigration to France significantly increased. During the period of reconstruction, France lacked labor, and as a result, the French government was eager to recruit immigrants coming from all over Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. "

This is what i'm referring to (the quote is from wikipedia). People from Poland, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Spain, North Africa, Asia, and Africa would be considered French to a French person right? but to us they are expats who've moved to France. We wouldn't consider them French necessarily.

For me personally, someone being Dutch is based more on their attitude towards the Netherlands and other Dutch people: anyone who is loath to run into other Dutch people when abroad and who loves to complain about specific stupid policies of the Dutch government counts as Dutch to me.

Yes, this is the kind of thing that seems distinctly European to me.

Excluding people based on how they look, irregardless of what else (intelligence, special talents) they bring to the table, is widely considered to be racism

ethnic minorities being segregated/excluded is a separate issue (this ties with being able to speak Cantonese, govt policies for education, etc.). I wouldn't say that ethnic minorities/skin colour minorities are excluded from things in society per se, it's that they are viewed as foreigners and not "real HKers". Racism is very much a thing in Asia, i would say more so from older generations, i think younger generations are more open minded and understanding.

Thanks for the other explanations as well