Socially engineering the US to be like Western Europe

[NWO Sentryman]

It's often been commented that the US should be more like Western Europe, especially in terms of criminal justice, gun policy, healthcare, welfare and social attitudes. I'm just wondering what level of social engineering it would take for the US to be more like Western Europe.

 

[Garrison]

It's often been commented that the US should be more like Western Europe, especially in terms of criminal justice, gun policy, healthcare, welfare and social attitudes. I'm just wondering what level of social engineering it would take for the US to be more like Western Europe.

It would probably have to start with nuclear strikes on several states...

 

[MattusMaximus]

We need more death panels. Thanks Obama!

 

[Spindrift]

It's often been commented that the US should be more like Western Europe, especially in terms of criminal justice, gun policy, healthcare, welfare and social attitudes. I'm just wondering what level of social engineering it would take for the US to be more like Western Europe.

What do you mean by social engineering?

 

[NWO Sentryman]

In this case, transforming US culture to be more like that of Scandinavia.

 

[Pope130]

I think you would have to start with a consensus that it would be a good idea, or the power to force people to submit.

 

[Ryokan]

As a Scandinavian, there's a lot we can learn from the USA. Some things they do a lot better than us. But, at the same time, I think the USA could learn a lot from us.

 

[theprestige]

It's often been commented that the US should be more like Western Europe, especially in terms of criminal justice, gun policy, healthcare, welfare and social attitudes. I'm just wondering what level of social engineering it would take for the US to be more like Western Europe.

In the case of gun policy, the US constitution places a limit on the extent to which it can be made more like Europe. Going beyond that limit would require amending the constitution. Amending the constitution would require an epic level of social engineering. Seriously, look it up.

 

[Ladewig]

I am going to agree with thepresige and I may even go farther by saying: it would be easier to get all of Western Europe to adopt U.S. gun policies than it would to get all of the U.S. to adopt Western European gun policies.

 

[Jules Galen]

In this case, transforming US culture to be more like that of Scandinavia.

We should be so lucky.

Seriously, if we could end up as well as Scandinavia or most parts of Western Europe, then I'm ready to be Socially Engineered.

 

[Upchurch]

In this case, transforming US culture to be more like that of Scandinavia.

Without commenting on the worthiness of the goal, you can't get acceptance for a new idea without exposure and US exposure to foreign countries and cultures are generally either presented in TV/movies as something mystical or the enemy, but always something alien. So, your first step is to provide enough exposure that most Americans can find a foreign people, with different customs, language, etc., seems completely normal and can be identified with.

As a side note, this will probably have to be done though entertainment media, as massive amounts of physical exposure has not seemed to bring Mexicans up to this level of identification with many, of not most, Americans.


eta: You know what you need? You need a Will & Grace for Scandinavians, that takes the "alien other" and shows them as human and likable.

 

[MikeG]

.......the US constitution places a limit on the extent to which it can be made more like Europe.........

Why would any sensible country feel constrained by a centuries old document? If it doesn't work properly, change it.

 

[Dcdrac]

Death panels are a myth they do not exist.

 

[Spindrift]

In this case, transforming US culture to be more like that of Scandinavia.

Exactly who has said that the US culture should be more like that of Scandanavia?

If anything people see an issue that they view as a problem, be it gun control, healthcare, welfare, or whatever and look to places that have addressed those issues successfully. I don't think they care about the culture as much as addressing a problem. Is there anything wrong with cultural changes if it addresses a problem?

 

[Spindrift]

Death panels are a myth they do not exist.

You've never heard of insurance companies?

 

[Mark6]

You've never heard of insurance companies?

Or of triage, or of organ allocation?

 

[DavidJames]

As a Scandinavian, there's a lot we can learn from the USA. Some things they do a lot better than us. But, at the same time, I think the USA could learn a lot from us.

Well said, bravo.

Unfortunately a sizable chunk of the U.S. population is falls for the U.S. Exceptionalism myth to the point of xenophobia and refuses to consider other countries could do things better.

 

[Dcdrac]

You've never heard of insurance companies?

Death Panels were often touted as being part of the UK's NHS that was the myth.

 

[NWO Sentryman]

Without commenting on the worthiness of the goal, you can't get acceptance for a new idea without exposure and US exposure to foreign countries and cultures are generally either presented in TV/movies as something mystical or the enemy, but always something alien. So, your first step is to provide enough exposure that most Americans can find a foreign people, with different customs, language, etc., seems completely normal and can be identified with.

As a side note, this will probably have to be done though entertainment media, as massive amounts of physical exposure has not seemed to bring Mexicans up to this level of identification with many, of not most, Americans.


eta: You know what you need? You need a Will & Grace for Scandinavians, that takes the "alien other" and shows them as human and likable.

So, how would you try to get the US to be more accepting of Scandinavian policies on:

Education?

Criminal Justice?

Healthcare?

Welfare?

 

[Loonatic93]

As a Scandinavian, there's a lot we can learn from the USA. Some things they do a lot better than us. But, at the same time, I think the USA could learn a lot from us.

Care to give an example? I am honestly curious what someone from Scandinavia (or really any other first world country) would consider a positive attribute of the U.S. Especially in comparison to their own country.