I think any view that tries to paint the whole US as obsessing over something is extremely incomplete. So extremely incomplete as to be basically pointless. It's just a lot more complicated than that, with different groups thinking different things are important.

[–] Tetsuo@jlai.lu 10 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I understand that critic.

That being said, I really have never visited a country where race is mentioned as frequently as in the US.

In many European countries I have visited it just didn't seem relevant.

Sometimes it's not just a cliché or a prejudice against a nation, it's just how it is.

I have no doubt at least that the peculiar history of the US has shaped the way racial discourse is prevalent or not in that society.

Would you agree that race is more commonly talked about in the US than in the rest of the world?

I think it's pointless to ask on Lemmy for an accurate depiction of the importance of race in the american society. You may say it's too reductive but I think it's a more productive conversation than your comment. I would much rather have someone politely argue and explain that I'm wrong rather than calling my comment "almost pointless" and basically presenting it as some outlandish and prejudiced caricature of the US.

The "your comment is too reductive and therefore is pointless" could probably be applied to every posts in there. Just saying.

[–] GiveMemes@jlai.lu 18 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I think the anti immigration right wing rise across several European countries rn shows that they've just never had the dialogue that the US does about race from being such a melting pot, and as such have ignored racial issues and racism in their societies bc they haven't had as terrible of a racist past as the US (Jim Crow laws, neoslavery, etc) that they have to confront. Now that the globalized world is causing more demographic change in Europe there's a loooot more anti-immigration and racist rhetoric. That's not a coincidence.

[–] rbhfd@lemmy.world 10 points 11 months ago

bc they haven't had as terrible of a racist past as the US

You do know the Holocaust happened in Europe right?

Other than that, I do agree with you. Europe is still very racist but we like to think we're not. Just because it's less talked about, doesn't mean it's not there.

[–] Candelestine@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago

Unfortunately, it's a complex topic that is sufficiently outside my specialization that I'm unwilling to really dive deeply into it. For instance, if I tried to say whether I personally thought race is more talked about in the US than in the rest of the world, that would just be one random guy's (me) opinion. What would I be basing it off of, personal travels? That's not good data.

The only even remotely honest answer I can give is "I don't really know."

I have to know what I'm talking about first, for there to be any kind of point.