The differences between cultures
I often get asked the question with regards to my nationality. In the USA Americans want to know the difference between Americans and Swedes, in Sweden it’s the reverse. I generally don’t try to answer these types of questions as there is no one answer that fits all perfectly. That one answer that can describe the two nations with absolute certainty. That is one of the main things I have learned in my life, living in different cultures and nations: Black and white answers rarely exist, and when they do, it’s usually debatable.
Since this is a generalized question usually made by people wanting to test their own programmed stereotypes, I will do my best to give a generalized, stereotype based answer. The truth is, what I find to be the one main difference between Americans and not just Swedes but most other people I have met is that Americans have a tendency and need to sound and present themselves as experts on any given field. I have tested this general hypothesis on many subjects from the USA and very rarely do I find the one person who doesn’t have that need. Read More