Well, I wouldn't know how to answer your question because I'd need to have experience of living in a bigger country than mine, but I can tell you that my country isn't culturally homogenous. Sure, it may be racially or ethnically homogenous (more or less) but it's still extremely diverse, culturally. It's a country with 4,3 million people and regardless of that fact, there are 3 separate cultures. There's the Central-European culture in the North, the Mediterranean/Southern European culture in the south and purely unique Croatian culture all over the place. Just so there's no confusion, the Central European and the Mediterranean/Southern European cultures that are in my country aren't purely the same as in other countries... it's a generalization.
So yeah, at risk of being hanged for this, I'm going to say my country is more homogenous, culturally, than the US. The US wins when it comes to race and ethnicity.
Edit: I've completely forgotten to say that there are 4 different dialects here, 3 of which are individually so different from each other that you wouldn't understand if you spoke any one of them or the fourth, which is standard Croatian.
Geographically, there are the plains and forests in the north, the mountains between and the coastal Greece/Italy/Spain type of geography in the south. As well as 9 national parks on a surface of 60 000 square kilometers. Compared to the American 10 million square kilometers, the US would need to have 1500 national parks to match that. It has 59. So when you say that a country like mine is automatically geographically homogenous compared to the US while you know nothing about it is a bit ignorant.
Last edited by Wikiy; 2013-02-24 at 06:24 PM.
Then there you have it then.
If you look at each state as their own country, then you can basically have it the same as how it is to live in a small country.
We are diverse here in Norway, we have a lot of different "Cultures" despite our size and population.
I really wouldn't have it any other way.
Originally Posted by Crabby
Understanding what it's like to live in a small country is a good first step for Americans in understanding why our nation is viewed the way it is by much of the world. The smaller your country, the more like-minded are your neighbors, family and strangers on the street. Smaller countries have closer societies and more shared interests and beliefs. The size of the U.S. allows for a different form of balance. Can you imagine if everyone in the U.S. had a Texan mentality? There would have been no Cold War, just a lot of casualties. Or if everyone were Californian? The U.S. would be bankrupt. Or if we were all from Mississippi? Segregation might still be a part of our culture.
Living in a small country must feel awfully stifling for those people and groups that want and work for change.
What's that got to do with anything? You're talking about size. European borders are just political anyway and if you knew your history you'd know that as recently as 1870 Europe was a very different place in terms of countries and borders - it basically comprised Great Britain, Prussia (Germany), France, Italy and Austro-Hungary, but even those countries we recognise the names of were very different places with distinctly different regions. Take a look as Spain for an example (which was basically a third world country at the time). Google Alsace-Lorraine for another example of imposed borders. Africa is the same - artificial borders that bear no real relation to cultural and linguistic differences.
It was only the First World War that resulted in the creation of a Europe we would recognise today.
Europe 1870:
Last edited by Daedelus; 2013-02-24 at 06:25 PM.
First things first: North America is a Continent.
Anyhoo, its just like someone said. Just think of our individual states as small countries. Tis easy as that
it's quite allright...
The US is the most geographically diverse nation in the world. I wouldnt say we're culturally homogenous either. I don't relate to people from Mississippi very much. I can't compare if to Croatia as I've never been though.
Belgium is really different. I'd like to go there again. Other than English speaking nations, I've only been to France, Spain, and Belgium.
Last edited by GreatOak; 2013-02-24 at 06:32 PM.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Going from Norway to Sweden isn't really a big cultural shock.
It's a different country, but it's not that different.
Geographically, going from California to say, Nevada, is bigger in cultural difference than it is for me to go to Denmark, Sweden or Finland.
If I where to go to say, Spain, then it would become different.
It is the same, it's just that each of your states are part of one country.
Go from one side of Russia to the other, you will notice a cultural difference.
Originally Posted by Crabby