Is America a poor example of western civilization?

Question

America has got crime problems. Serious problems. When I look at many Western European countries (Norway, Sweden, Switzerland) etc, they have got very little crime, strong economies and the people are fairly wealthy. These countries are also quite peaceful.

Unlike Saudi Arabia, these countries can get rid of crime while still having a democracy. They dont have to resort to barbaric acts to maintain peace.

What do you think?

Oh yeah Canada is quite good too.

Saudi ARABIA IS NOT A DEMOCRACY> I NEVER SAID SO.

As far as I know, I've never watched America news shows. I dont live there .

Answer 1

They're also largely atheist.

Answer 2

Actually... you have it backward... Asia was more then 2000 years more advanced then most of the rest of the world and the Middle East was even more advanced then them... What happened is that bad leaders (Both political and religious) took control and forced them back into the stone age through the willful destruction of knowledge. If Asia and the Middle East had continued at the rate they had been going they would have reached the "West's" CURRENT level of technology hundreds of years before we did. Writing and literacy started in the middle east... Agriculture started in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East... Asia invented Gun Powder... Medicine... Antiseptics... Before Religion, Power mongering, and Greed took control they were FAR FAR FAR advanced of Western Europe. Western Europe was dragged kicking and screaming into the enlightened era by the Romans... Even during Roman Control, they were hut dwelling savages. It took a HUGE amount of cultural exchange before they reached "Civilized" Status. Roads? Rome. Aqueducts and irrigation? Rome. Medicine? Rome. Western Europe was a scary place for a LONG LONG time after much of the rest of the world had started building Universities and discovered steam power… (That was the Greeks that discovered steam power by the way…) As for the Americas... They didn't develop along the lines of the rest of the world because they were so isolated. Europe, Eurasia, Asia, India... They were competeing with eachother and there was such a wide exchange of invention and information that it was inevitable that they would evolve faster then the Americas... It doesn't mean that Native Americans and South Americans were "Less" then the other races but they didn't have the wealth of compitition that the rest of the world did... And that goes for Africa as well... If you stay wrapped in your own little world for too long you will find that you have fallen behind those that are open to new information and technologies...

Answer 3

Kaddykat, PS have you checked the suicide rates for Norway and Sweden?? they are out of control. (I've been to Norway, it's a bit depressing).......... what on earth do you base that on, I have been to Norway main times, and its far from depressing, the only area where "some" people might get depressed is above the arctic circle, from Tromsoe and up through finnmark to the border with Russia, there because of the constantly dark winters some people get depressed, but the suicide rate is no higher than Alaska's for that region. Norway is exhilarating beautiful and clean and fresh (Outside of Oslo, where its turning into Karachi), the people look healthier than your average American and happier (THINNER) and when you can go catch fish and be cooking it an hour later, how can you call that depressing, what happened you did not find a TV with MTV on it ? By the way up until that point your post was pretty good, then you blew it.

I now live in America and it has its good points and its bad just like any country, but the critic this asker is giving America is way of the mark.

Answer 4

Yes, it is. The value of dollar is at depreciation and that tells us the good story about USA.
The countries you have mentioned, they have a right to live their own life freely and they can practice whatever they want,maintaining the limits where as in USA people does talk about Freedom but people face a lot of problems there. The economy of America is falling and its has not been able to maintain its Standard of Living or you can say the Quality of living by getting involve with the other countries like Iraq for example.
There is no comparison of Saudi Arabia with USA,Saudi Arabia is a rich country and far better than USA.

And you can see the major difference when you speak to an American or to a Canadian. Americans are always harsh. My point here is its the fault of people from different countries and of other countries who have made America a King. Had they been proud of their economy and country, America would have been just a country who has nuclear power, thats it. They have to import oil the major resource of any economy, yet America rules, Their crime rate is the highest of any, yet America rules, A central point of Discrimination, yet America rules...
In short, its the fault of many others who have entitled America as a God father and now many are suffering from their discriminations and diplomatic policies.

Answer 5

western civilization is an antiquated term, because it applies that the non west is not civil.

the term was made up, during the enlightenment, to create direct (and incorrect ties) of European culture with ancient Greek culture. (but they are not connected directly).

Also- the idea you have about the "Islamic city" is from the 80s orientalist school, which is now taught as... INCORRECT.

because societies work differently from yours does no mean that are uncivilized...

Do you know where the first civilizations arose? Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Have you ever been to Saudi Arabia?
Do you know how their laws are really carried out? Or is your information from FOX news- (all American news channels skew to serve the interest of the current administration).
In fact, all countries news is skewed, but that is a given. I will also admit that the news I see reported on my turkish news is very differnt than that of the same issue on american news- but were ever you are from, you shouldn't judge others based on something you have never experienced.

I am American, I live in Turkey. I don't see any crime on the streets. But I know in America, Americans are killing Americans.
Here people get on the bus, and then pass money forward to pay... they have honor and dignity.
PS have you checked the suicide rates for Norway and Sweden?? they are out of control. (I've been to Norway, it's a bit depressing).

So maybe you need to actually travel and experience something before you make assumptions about what you know nothing about.

Why is this under religion and spirituality? The question seems a bit more... political?... or do you have a hidden agenda?

Answer 6

The countries you mentioned are largely mono-cultures with educated people who are generally the same.

The United States has more problems because of the great differences in groups within the population, welfare-dependent underclasses, cultural indifference or resistance to education, illegal immigration, and politicians who choose to ignore the problems and cater to the underclasses in order to get more votes.

Answer 7

LMAO United States of America is one of the youngest countries,yet it has completly changed the world since its "birth" Every country has ups and downs,and to insult anyones country is just messed up.As for those of you that dont like America,but live here,move,simple as that.Or change it i guess,you know to fit your own whims and such.Yes America has problems,but name one country that does not.

Answer 8

I think that 'civilization' is an interesting word to use when talking about the US. It's a big country with the full range. And a vegetable for a president.

Answer 9

America has its highs and lows. Although crime rates are high, the American "way of life" is in many respects superior to that of other countries. It's a balancing test really.

Answer 10

Democracy brings nothing but increase in crime rates, you can see for yourself i dont need to specify.

Answer 11

With every passing decade America has lost ground as a role model to the world. I'm greatly saddened by this. We're capable of so much more.