By the way, here in Sweden it's kind of hard to get them. The doctors are quite restrictive then it comes to prescribe happy-pills. It's not like in the USA where 15% of the population is on anti-depressives.
The US is restrictive on this issue as well. The only reason they might limit them more in Sweden is that you have a supply limited medical system. Ours is demand limited.
Individuals in our system that want more and are able to pay for it are more likely to get it.
15 percent of the US is not on anti depressants. I don't know where you read that, but I'm calling bs.
No, there's no supply limited medical system here and medicines are comparably cheaper in Sweden. But, the doctors are more restrictive. I'm not sure but i think it's the doctor that decides what medicines and how much a patient gets even in the USA. I read the statistic in a Swedish article, which got the numbers from a book called Artificial Happiness: The Dark Side of the New Happy Class. But you'll find the numbers on the internet if you look. Here's a link: http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/06/12/news/notes.php
And to let you in on a secret, there's a lot of differences between the countries here in Europe.
On what level? You're more similar to each other then anyone else in the world. You have different histories and languages, but your modern history is very similar, your legal, governmental, and economic systems are all but identical... You're less different then you probably think. Often Americans are told by europeans that we are less "worldly" because the europeans have contact with many different countries. Never mind that almost all of them are other european countries.
The cultural differences in Europe is big, even within many countries. EU has only tied the countries closer on an economic level. For example, Sweden has a lot in common with the other Scandinavian nations, but is very different to Greece. And our governmental system is very different to that of Britain.
Europe is merging into a single political unit as it has already merged into a single economic unit.
No, it is not. There are countries within the union that want more centralised powers but the majority is against it.
You'll be stronger and thus will be able to deal more independently with this very dangerous world without reflexively insisting on diplomacy long after it's been proven futile... only because your nations are not capable of doing anything but talking. Once you merge more fully you'll have some teeth... hopefully then you won't be so gun shy.
Or maybe we just don't want to go guns blazing around the world. The public opinion in most of the countries are clearly against it. As would the people of the USA have been if the government wouldn't have lied about the reasons for the invasion of Iraq. You know WMD:s and a link between Saddam and Al Qaeda.
The cultural differences between me and a Portuguese is as big as the difference between you and a Brazilian.
This is rank nonsense. The Brazilians make friends with enemies of my country... name an EU country that does that?
What has that to do with anything? The Norwegian and Swedish culture is almost the same even though we deported Norwegian freedom fighters (terrorists) directly to the Germans during the WW2. And, well, the enemies you have right now you have created yourself.
Further, I think you both share the same currency... correct me if I'm wrong? Your governments are closely coordinated. Your societies are merging.
No we have different currencies, Sweden is not part of the monetary union.
I would further point out that there is a greater degree of cultural diversity in the US then in any one country in europe. I don't know if we have as much as all of europe combined. But simply speaking a different language does not mean that you are a different people. There are differences in lifestyle, morals, religion, and ways of thinking.
Exactly. I was referring to the differences in lifestyle, morals, religion, and ways of thinking, not the languages.
Is there any part of europe as religious as the US "bible belt"? New York is easily as atheistic as most of europe... so right there we have one element that is more diverse then your whole continent.
Yep, there are parts in Europe that's more religious. Portugal, again, for example. We have our own bible belt here in Sweden, not far from where i was born. But they are not as fundamentalist. New York may be atheistic in your mind, but i never think a Atheist mayor would stand any chance to be elected.
Certainly you have a great deal of variation. But don't over estimate it. Your countries are comparatively small. Most of them have smaller populations then many of our cities.
No i don't think i overestimate it. I know there's more similarities between Sweden and Spain then it is between us and say Malaysia.
Europe has a population of 730 million. Your second largest city is Los Angeles with a population of 3,819,951. Only Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Macedonia and Slovenia have less population. And, as you know, these are all new nations formed since the 90:s.
And i don't slam back, just food for your thoughts.
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