Cultural Traits

[Galaxy]

Coming from a local car show tonight, I got to thinking about the car market today, and all the "marquees" and where they come from (countries).

You look at Japanese cars, they are known for being extremely realiable and very "studious", almost perfectionist. You look at German cars, they are known for perfection and precision. You look at Italian cars, they are known for its beauty of art.

It got to me thinking, are certain cultures taught with a focus? Asians are very academic driven. Italians are very fashionable (from food to clothes, ect). Where do these underlying values come from? Do we have any certain traits? Any other countries known for traits?

[Leonidas]

In America we're all a bunch of violent cowboys who quiver at the thought of exposing Janet Jackson's boob on TV.

[fantastic flying froggies]

In America we're all a bunch of violent cowboys who quiver at the thought of exposing Janet Jackson's boob on TV.
True, but you forgot the part about not knowing anything about the world outside the US...:)

[fantastic flying froggies]

And obviously, the French are cowardly, smelly-cheese and snail eaters who don't wash very often...

[Leonidas]

True, but you forgot the part about not knowing anything about the world outside the US...:)

That's unfair. For example, these bombings in London. In America everyone knows London is a country in England.

[clintl]

Coming from a local car show tonight, I got to thinking about the car market today, and all the "marquees" and where they come from (countries).

You look at Japanese cars, they are known for being extremely realiable and very "studious", almost perfectionist. You look at German cars, they are known for perfection and precision. You look at Italian cars, they are known for its beauty of art.

It got to me thinking, are certain cultures taught with a focus? Asians are very academic driven. Italians are very fashionable (from food to clothes, ect). Where do these underlying values come from? Do we have any certain traits? Any other countries known for traits?

The Japanese auto industry developed its manufacturing techniques that led to superior reliability and quality after World War II. They were forced into greater quality and efficiency by resource shortages and political conditions, and developed sophisticated statistical quality management systems as a result. Those systems were then adopted by other industries in Japan. Oddly enough, the basic concepts behind those systems had been invented in the US, but US corporate managers never bought into them until the Japanese started kicking the US automakers' butts on quality in the '70s.

As for the general case - I think it's more complicated than that. Cultures develop and evolve a focus depending on local needs, conditions, and histories. Finding where those cultural differences originated, though, I would think would be enormously difficult, especially for old cultures.

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

And obviously, the French are cowardly, smelly-cheese and snail eaters who don't wash very often... you forgot "surrender monkeys" http://dynamic.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[Airhog]

Did you hear the french have a new tank?
It has 14 gears in reverse and 3 in forward. The 3 foward gears are incase they get attacked from the rear

I heard they werent going to shoot off fireworks anymore at Euro-Disney. Apparently after shooting them off one night, a local french military base surrendered.

Do you know why the frence boulevards are lined with trees?
So the germans soldiers can walk in the shade when they are marching.

[Raiders Army]

If American cars have a complete steering wheel, do Canadian cars only come with three-fourths of a steering wheel?