Do you think central Europe still exists?

[Token]

If you have been to Austria or Germany and also to any East-Central European country, then you will see quite a discrepancy in high development of the countries, and I'm not only speaking about urban areas, but especially rural areas. It is very clear to me that Western Europe already begins in Vienna. What is rather difficult though is that East-Central European countries are also very different from Eastern European countries. From this sole reason that a handful of European countries don't fit neither to what we think of Western or Eastern Europe, then we might as well use the term Central European for these countries only (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Czechia), rather than just East-Central European which was applicable more in the previous centuries, when Mitteleuropa also spread towards Germany and Switzerland.

But what does wealthiness has to do with culture? That is a very American way of seeing things.

[Jana]

But what does wealthiness has to do with culture? That is a very American way of seeing things.

Western Europe was heavily americanized culturally, especially Germany, Netherlands and Scandinavia.
They are not religious anymore nor care much about their traditional culture, thus economy is main way of dividing things for them.

[Dunai]

But what does wealthiness has to do with culture? That is a very American way of seeing things.

Wealthiness of a country does impact culture, infrastructure, mentality of people quite a lot. More wealthy a country is, the more secular people tend to be. Except Czech Republic all other East-Central European people are way more religious than Western Europeans, including German speaking countries. Also folk traditions are barely existing anymore in German speaking countries, while in East-Central Europe they are still somewhat important (although decreasing more and more), especially in rural areas. The German speaking countries became completely Westernized, contrary to East-Central European countries, which still constitute an amalgamation of East and West. This is why in my opinion Central European, as a term, if it has anymore real life worthiness to be used, then it should only be applied to East-Central European countries.

[Jana]

Wealthiness of a country does impact culture, infrastructure, mentality of people quite a lot. More wealthy a country is, the more secular people tend to be. Except Czech Republic all other East-Central European people are way more religious than Western Europeans, including German speaking countries. Also folk traditions are barely existing anymore in German speaking countries, while in East-Central Europe they are still somewhat important (although decreasing more and more), especially in rural areas. The German speaking countries became completely Westernized, contrary to East-Central European countries, which still constitute an amalgamation of East and West. This is why in my opinion Central European, as a term, if it has anymore real life worthiness to be used, then it should only be applied to East-Central European countries.

Gulf Arab countries and Saudi Arabia are among richest and most conservative/religious countries on the planet.
In comparison, poorest part of for example Germany (former DDR) is also least religious.

[Dunai]

Gulf Arab countries and Saudi Arabia are among richest and most conservative/religious countries on the planet.
In comparison, poorest part of for example Germany (former DDR) is also least religious.

We were talking about the Western world. There will always be unique cases to disprove a trend, but the trend I described is still mostly valid in Europe.

[Token]

Wealthiness of a country does impact culture, infrastructure, mentality of people quite a lot. More wealthy a country is, the more secular people tend to be. Except Czech Republic all other East-Central European people are way more religious than Western Europeans, including German speaking countries. Also folk traditions are barely existing anymore in German speaking countries, while in East-Central Europe they are still somewhat important (although decreasing more and more), especially in rural areas. The German speaking countries became completely Westernized, contrary to East-Central European countries, which still constitute an amalgamation of East and West. This is why in my opinion Central European, as a term, if it has anymore real life worthiness to be used, then it should only be applied to East-Central European countries.

I do agree that wealthiness impact culture, but in a destructive rather than transformative way. Developed urban societies tend to converge to a dysmorphic, global un-culture no matter where they are located at. I call this Modernization, not Westernization, and i refuse to equate this global culture to Western culture like Americans have historically done. Western to me means Roman law, democratic institutions, individualism over collectivism and Western Christian religion. Western Christianity as default is gone but its values are ingrained in Western mind, and fundamentalism will eventually rise again when this fragile modern culture starts to crumble. Humans have been religious since ever, and i don't think that these exceptional centuries will bring long-lasting changes. Like Huntington, i believe religious differences will be the main drive of conflicts in the future.

[Blondie]

Wealthiness of a country does impact culture, infrastructure, mentality of people quite a lot. More wealthy a country is, the more secular people tend to be. Except Czech Republic all other East-Central European people are way more religious than Western Europeans, including German speaking countries. Also folk traditions are barely existing anymore in German speaking countries, while in East-Central Europe they are still somewhat important (although decreasing more and more), especially in rural areas. The German speaking countries became completely Westernized, contrary to East-Central European countries, which still constitute an amalgamation of East and West. This is why in my opinion Central European, as a term, if it has anymore real life worthiness to be used, then it should only be applied to East-Central European countries.

I dont think hungarians are more religious than austrians or bavarians.

[Jana]

I dont think hungarians are more religious than austrians or bavarians.

I agree and think they (Hungarians) are less religious than both.

[Blondie]

I agree and think they (Hungarians) are less religious than both.

In Hungary nobody goes to temple, nobody, all are empty. South germans are more religious.

[Jana]

In Hungary nobody goes to temple, nobody, all are empty. South germans are more religious.

I agree ofcourse but you can't say nobody, my friend Blanka is very religious for example, goes to mass weekly and she is from Buda.