I don't know man, a lot of Americans seem to have a culture of swallowing whatever their party's leader spews out, even if he says 2 + 2 = 5. I see a culture of blind, negative partisanship more than individuality there these days. It's sad. If there were way more independent voters that would be great. We could use more independents in Canada too.
- Zezel

I know a few Americans. (obviously not that many) But each one of them has the same mentality of "you can't tell me what to do"

Like, if there was a warning that a beach was unsafe due to a bad undertoe - they wouldn't go to the beach.

But if the beach was closed due to the dangerous undertoe - they would go just because they were told they can't.

I know a few Americans. (obviously not that many) But each one of them has the same mentality of "you can't tell me what to do"

Like, if there was a warning that a beach was unsafe due to a bad undertoe - they wouldn't go to the beach.

But if the beach was closed due to the dangerous undertoe - they would go just because they were told they can't.
- Leafs43

undertow

The numbers are much lower than they would be because of procedures in place.
- Zezel

You are correct..

There has to be a time when you start to see what can and cannot be done... open things up.. #'s increase .. close stuff back down.. It's all in the approach.. but the fear mongering has gotten way out of control relative to the risk here.

Well no...The bar and restaurant owners did that, the government just didn't stop them. And the patrons went there of their own free will.

I'm fine with politicians taking action to slow the virus. I just don't agree with directly blaming them for a virus they did not cause.
- Leafs43

No. Things were closed. Then state governments decided to allow them to open before CDC guidelines said it was safe to do so. Governments said things were safe when they weren’t safe. Governments had the information.

It was predictable that the US would be the hardest hit country from the virus, because they have a culture of individuality and freedom.

Americans aren't going to do what their politicians tell them. They never have.

I will agree the bolded makes no sense. Although I believe the WHO as well as Canadian medical officials were also inexplicably saying not to wear masks in March.
- Leafs43

This is right on the money: the United States is a hyper "loose culture" that promotes personal freedom as the most important aspect of their society. Hell, the First Amendment codifies freedom of speech and expression to a degree that no other country on Earth can match.

Then you have "tight cultures" such as China, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, etc. where social norms are bound to authority and group acceptance rather than being informed by individual autonomy.

Loose cultures are far more susceptible to fail in scenarios where group cohesion and obeisance to authority is the best and only winning strategy.

Couple that with a government that plays fast and loose with fact and fiction and you have a recipe for a colossal nightmare. Enter COVID(frank)ing-19. Trump is the worst possible leader in a crisis like this during a period where political partisanship has never been so strident and divided.

Per the WHO, there has either been willful collusion with Chinese authorities or catastrophic incompetence. Perhaps a mixture of the two?

Hopefully, when the next potential pandemic arises, the World will be better prepared and less willing to acquiesce to the complicity of China (it's a good bet this is where it will come from). I'm not holding my breath though - I won't need to, as I'll be in a full Hazmat suit.

I too love stereotypes

I too love stereotypes
- RickJames77

All Bruins fans do

All Bruins fans do
- Zezel

Ziiiiing

I too love stereotypes
- RickJames77

Same here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQSX-w2shcw

I know a few Americans. (obviously not that many) But each one of them has the same mentality of "you can't tell me what to do"

Like, if there was a warning that a beach was unsafe due to a bad undertoe - they wouldn't go to the beach.

But if the beach was closed due to the dangerous undertoe - they would go just because they were told they can't.
- Leafs43

That’s a complete and incorrect generalization. There was widespread following of lockdown orders through the northeast US, especially NYC. You just have to look at how the numbers went down to understand that people did exactly what they were asked to do and it saved thousands of lives.

That’s a complete and incorrect generalization. There was widespread following of lockdown orders through the northeast US, especially NYC. You just have to look at how the numbers went down to understand that people did exactly what they were asked to do and it saved thousands of lives.
- Canada Cup

Well ya. It was based on like 4 guys I know.


Honestly, I really don't know sh!t. I just thought we shouldn't blame politicians for virus deaths.

Regardless, I really don't know why I'm arguing so much. Blame whoever you want for whatever you want.

I too love stereotypes
- RickJames77

Nice.. What types of stereo?

Well ya. It was based on like 4 guys I know.


Honestly, I really don't know sh!t. I just thought we shouldn't blame politicians for virus deaths.

Regardless, I really don't know why I'm arguing so much. Blame whoever you want for whatever you want.
- Leafs43

Then why say it at all? I’m not really trying to get into an argument or anything and I’m not attacking you or anything like that here, but when I and everyone I know have been in quarantine for > 4 months, it’s pretty (frank)ing annoying to continuously read that “we don’t do what we’re told, don’t care about anyone, have a selfish individualistic culture”. There are parts of my country that are treating this as a joke. There are parts that are not. Our federal government, is the real joke right now. Our President didn’t want to wear a mask into a medical center for veterans. A (frank)ing medical center. Left, right, on the moon, I don’t care, if you can’t admit that is beyond stupid, then you’re an absolute oxygen thief. But there are plenty of us states that are doing the right thing, but instead it’s Americans this, Americans that. Guess what? You and anyone else generalizing a country of nearly 400 million, is no better than any other generalization I’m sure you scoff at.

At least call us fat...that’s at least statistically accurate.

This is right on the money: the United States is a hyper "loose culture" that promotes personal freedom as the most important aspect of their society. Hell, the First Amendment codifies freedom of speech and expression to a degree that no other country on Earth can match.

Then you have "tight cultures" such as China, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, etc. where social norms are bound to authority and group acceptance rather than being informed by individual autonomy.

Loose cultures are far more susceptible to fail in scenarios where group cohesion and obeisance to authority is the best and only winning strategy.

Couple that with a government that plays fast and loose with fact and fiction and you have a recipe for a colossal nightmare. Enter COVID(frank)ing-19. Trump is the worst possible leader in a crisis like this during a period where political partisanship has never been so strident and divided.

Per the WHO, there has either been willful collusion with Chinese authorities or catastrophic incompetence. Perhaps a mixture of the two?

Hopefully, when the next potential pandemic arises, the World will be better prepared and less willing to acquiesce to the complicity of China (it's a good bet this is where it will come from). I'm not holding my breath though - I won't need to, as I'll be in a full Hazmat suit.
- mjones242

There’s no way you can blame what’s happening in the States on a loose culture. Other than a few flare ups from Memorial Day weekend and we’ll publicized parties, things were tracking properly and numbers were coming down. The curve was flattening because people were doing what was expected of them. You can see that though April and May were holding steady until some of the States jumped the gun and opened things up. People were told they could go to bars and restaurants and beaches and that’s were they went and that’s when the numbers took off again.

It’s not freedom obsession, it’s political malfeasance.

Then why say it at all? I’m not really trying to get into an argument or anything and I’m not attacking you or anything like that here, but when I and everyone I know have been in quarantine for > 4 months, it’s pretty (frank)ing annoying to continuously read that “we don’t do what we’re told, don’t care about anyone, have a selfish individualistic culture”. There are parts of my country that are treating this as a joke. There are parts that are not. Our federal government, is the real joke right now. Our President didn’t want to wear a mask into a medical center for veterans. A (frank)ing medical center. Left, right, on the moon, I don’t care, if you can’t admit that is beyond stupid, then you’re an absolute oxygen thief. But there are plenty of us states that are doing the right thing, but instead it’s Americans this, Americans that. Guess what? You and anyone else generalizing a country of nearly 400 million, is no better than any other generalization I’m sure you scoff at.

At least call us fat...that’s at least statistically accurate.
- RickJames77

I hate Belgians

I hate Belgians
- Canada Cup

More of a pancake guy?

The difference is Auston. If he's not playing, it will be like playing Carolina without Sundin...and Spezza is our McCauley

Then why say it at all? I’m not really trying to get into an argument or anything and I’m not attacking you or anything like that here, but when I and everyone I know have been in quarantine for > 4 months, it’s pretty (frank)ing annoying to continuously read that “we don’t do what we’re told, don’t care about anyone, have a selfish individualistic culture”. There are parts of my country that are treating this as a joke. There are parts that are not. Our federal government, is the real joke right now. Our President didn’t want to wear a mask into a medical center for veterans. A (frank)ing medical center. Left, right, on the moon, I don’t care, if you can’t admit that is beyond stupid, then you’re an absolute oxygen thief. But there are plenty of us states that are doing the right thing, but instead it’s Americans this, Americans that. Guess what? You and anyone else generalizing a country of nearly 400 million, is no better than any other generalization I’m sure you scoff at.

At least call us fat...that’s at least statistically accurate.
- RickJames77

What you guys did in NY, Boston, NJ, etc saved thousands of (frank)ing lives

More of a pancake guy?
- RickJames77

They put mayo on fries!

Then why say it at all? I’m not really trying to get into an argument or anything and I’m not attacking you or anything like that here, but when I and everyone I know have been in quarantine for > 4 months, it’s pretty (frank)ing annoying to continuously read that “we don’t do what we’re told, don’t care about anyone, have a selfish individualistic culture”. There are parts of my country that are treating this as a joke. There are parts that are not. Our federal government, is the real joke right now. Our President didn’t want to wear a mask into a medical center for veterans. A (frank)ing medical center. Left, right, on the moon, I don’t care, if you can’t admit that is beyond stupid, then you’re an absolute oxygen thief. But there are plenty of us states that are doing the right thing, but instead it’s Americans this, Americans that. Guess what? You and anyone else generalizing a country of nearly 400 million, is no better than any other generalization I’m sure you scoff at.

At least call us fat...that’s at least statistically accurate.
- RickJames77

Well said, but you did argue with him pretty good there.

Then why say it at all? I’m not really trying to get into an argument or anything and I’m not attacking you or anything like that here, but when I and everyone I know have been in quarantine for > 4 months, it’s pretty (frank)ing annoying to continuously read that “we don’t do what we’re told, don’t care about anyone, have a selfish individualistic culture”. There are parts of my country that are treating this as a joke. There are parts that are not. Our federal government, is the real joke right now. Our President didn’t want to wear a mask into a medical center for veterans. A (frank)ing medical center. Left, right, on the moon, I don’t care, if you can’t admit that is beyond stupid, then you’re an absolute oxygen thief. But there are plenty of us states that are doing the right thing, but instead it’s Americans this, Americans that. Guess what? You and anyone else generalizing a country of nearly 400 million, is no better than any other generalization I’m sure you scoff at.

At least call us fat...that’s at least statistically accurate.
- RickJames77

I have a feeling you aren't actually that angry with me.

But if you are - sorry man. I was really just shooting the sh!t about some of my American buddies.

undertow
- Aetherial

I'll raise you, a "Kamaltoe"

I have a feeling you aren't actually that angry with me.

But if you are - sorry man. I was really just shooting the sh!t about some of my American buddies.
- Leafs43

No, I’m not angry with you at all. I get your post and I too know people that are of that mentality. It’s more of a reaction to some of the posts that have been tossed around on here and was just making a point.

When I was using the word you, by the way, it was more of a general you. Not actually you. Sorry for picking your post

It probably should’ve been a different one.

Anyways, carried out from my favorite Italian place. Tiramisu - oh hell yeah

Anyone watching these fights tonight?

No, I’m not angry with you at all. I get your post and I too know people that are of that mentality. It’s more of a reaction to some of the posts that have been tossed around on here and was just making a point.

When I was using the word you, by the way, it was more of a general you. Not actually you. Sorry for picking your post

It probably should’ve been a different one.
- RickJames77

No it was him. It was all him and only him. Damn him.