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0 points16594470919mo ago0 comments

I don't know much about "Reddit ignorance" as I don't use it except for a couple programming languages. But I understand the argument/point trying to be made.

Many states in the US are as large as countries in Western Europe. Both Texas and Alaska are larger than France in land size.

If the US broke apart, California and Texas would take 2 slots in the top 10 world economies (by GDP) with NY at 11 and Florida behind them beating out Spain. Less known states (in terms of world recognition) beat out many countries too. Illinois beating Switzerland & Pennsylvania running about even. Ohio, Georgia, Washington (the state, not dc) N. Carolina soundly outpacing Belgium, Sweden & Ireland. etc

For size, population and GDP, the combined countries of west Europe (that is fuzzily grouped together for these purposes) is comparable to the collection of states in the US. Thus, should either be compared by similar US State to single European country, or USA to the Western Europe conglomerate of countries.

That is how many Americans see the US. Culture, customs and even beliefs and language* can vary between states in ways one would think they are in a different country. This way of American's seeing the US vs Europe also relates to geography, sure, most Americans can't point European countries on a map and name them, but how many people outside NA can locate & name US states that are not CA, NY, or maybe TX?

* yeah it's pretty much all english, but there are a few distinctly different version of english where some could have trouble understanding each other (as can happen in large countries). Some 13% speaks Spanish. While it's all Spanish, Texas Spanish is not the same as California Spanish; try using your very limited Texas Spanish in Spain if you want funny looks.

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JohnKemeny9mo ago

I get what you're saying: stuff in the USA tend to be on the large side, but that's not what makes a country. The USA speaks more or less one language. In Europe, English is literally only spoken in UK. Other countries speak different languages and it is in fact very rare for two countries to speak the same language.

Moreover, USA have their supreme leader and (the former) constitution. In Europe, each country has their own parliamentary setup, presidents/ministers, their own legislature, fiscal politics, etc.

Of course someone from USA is of the opinion that Europe is some small homogenous entity, while each us state is unique in its own way, that's not at all surprising.

1659447091OP9mo ago

It's not only about language. Many are English as a 2nd, 3rd or even 4th language in Europe. There are hundreds of languages spoken in the US, as in Europe. And if one doesn't look too closely the EU can remind one of the US, particularly with the Schengen Area.

And to be fair, our Supreme Leader is also getting away with being Supreme Leader by proxy of western European states that keep capitulating to his whims on specific things; our hell is their hell. US states ave their own equivalent of parliamentary setup, presidents/ministers, their own legislature, fiscal politics, etc. In some states women have bodily autonomy, in others they are a miscarriage away from being suspected criminal.

> Of course someone from USA is of the opinion that Europe is some small homogenous entity, while each us state is unique in its own way, that's not at all surprising.

If you are suggesting that is my view, then you completely misread what I wrote.

Americans seeing each state as its own little country neatly grouped together in a geographical region does not equal Americans seeing Europe as a single country. I was pointing out why the individual states can be comparable to individual countries in Europe based on size, population, laws and economies.

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