Ayn Marx wrote on May 12^th, 2021 at 1:47pm:


Let's not snipe at posters while in this thread if you don't mind, please be constructive and only offer some thoughts on the topic at hand

If the name "Western" is used to describe a culture, then it must be distinguishable from something else, in this case, "Eastern", with it's many variations

And I didn't claim there was only two cultures. My claim was that the two main cultures "East" and "West" are being amalgamated under Western influence and law in Western Nations (by way of immigration policies and multiculturalism).

Then I asked the question: "Will this succeed in the long term?"

How will Eastern cultures in Western nations fare while ever they are living under Western influence and Western law? Or aren't they worried. They might want Western laws changed eventually to fit with their cultures, they already have "cultural diversity", will they, at some time, go for "law diversity"?

Bias_2012 wrote on May 12^th, 2021 at 3:36pm:


So this thread is just another whinge against multiculturalism. What a surprise 

Your comments are still over-simplistic and reek of the "us" and "them" mentality.
Under a Liberal Western Democracy there are a set of secular laws that everyone has to abide by. Apart from that everyone can live their life as they please. The Government and police have no right to interfere in your religion, sexual preference, dietary preference or recreational activities etc (unless you are breaking a secular law)

Bias_2012 wrote on May 12^th, 2021 at 3:36pm:
 

The old slippery slope fallacy 
We only have to look at history to realize how paranoid and absurd your question is.
For one thing "cultures" don't live in Western nations, "people" do.
Another thing is that Western culture is not set in stone, it changes over time. Our culture now is very different to what it was 50 years ago or 100 years ago.
Remember back to when there was a great deal of rivalry between Catholics and Protestants in Australia.
Also remember when the Greeks and Italians first arrived here and the same things were said about them "they don't assimilate, they are all criminals". Well 3 or 4 generations down the track and we barely notice them any more.  Both cultures ended up changing.

Bertie wrote on May 14^th, 2021 at 12:18pm:

Yes... Greeks make the claim that their ancient ancestors were the inventors and architects of 'the west' itself (i.e. west of Asia).

Bertie wrote on May 14^th, 2021 at 12:27pm:

OK... Although the Italians may claim that their ancestors were the co-creators.

Bertie wrote on May 14^th, 2021 at 12:18pm:


No it means that people are free to behave however they please within the law.
That's something that Conservatives have trouble accepting. They have a very narrow minded view of how people are supposed to behave

Agatha, the problem with Western culture based on individualism  is its belief in its superiority.

But a rising Eastern one-party meritocracy is about to overtake the current leader of Western democratic culture, in terns of global power.

Why? 

Because elections based on a majority of votes by self-interested individuals (which we all are) result in a 50/50 L-R split in the community, not an efficient method of governance compared with a unified and consistent policy-setting government on behalf of community cohesion and rising living standards.










Bertie wrote on May 14^th, 2021 at 1:14pm:

Bertie wrote on May 14^th, 2021 at 1:14pm:


So bad manners will be the downfall of Western Culture 

This is some Western Culture from the 19th Century
Quote:


You can just imagine what they think of people's behaviour today

Agatha says China is not a meritocracy.

Well don't let's worry about labels then, and instead stick to the facts, eg,  China has raised its huge population out of absolute poverty at a faster rate than any nation in history.

"China also believes in its own superiority - so that's no argument".

No, China believes  its current one-party rule backed by the nation's ablest minds will produce the fastest development. China has no desire to enforce its own system on the West; and why would they, when they can see the results of the US's adversarial two-party hyper-partisan rabble which can't even decide how to build and pay for a high-speed rail system... despite being the richest  nation on the planet (but not for much longer: economists estimate China's economy will exceed the US within a decade).   

"To hell with a one party dictatorship that tells me what to think and say and do because it knows better."

You of course  know better than people who are experts in whatever field is relevant .....resulting in (as I noted) rule by blind-leading-the-blind, unstable, bare majorities in Left or Right coalitions  devoted to getting themselves re-elected in the next election, rather than adopting consistent 5 years plans to maximize the nation's sustainable development.

"Such places are invariably run by corrupt, mediocre psychos who imagine themselves the custodians of others".

Did you have Trump in mind?

"China has over a billion people and the first Nobel Prize to a Chinese who actually lived and worked in China was in 2010. And that was th Nobel Peace Prize. It's a close-minded, stupid society, lorded over by  thin-skinned bullies and notorious thieves of intellectual property. Unless watched like a hawke by Western companies they mass-produce a load of shoddy crap and add an earful of febrile rhetoric.
I don't want a bar of if nor am I seduced by their propaganda."

Whew... be my guest and stick with "progress" via your democracy rabble: btw, today China became only the 2nd nation to successfully land a rover on Mars - not too shabby technology, I would say...