• cmbabul@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      I just went through all the things I think Europe does well or is known for, and I can’t think of anything that doesn’t either originate somewhere else or has been made better elsewhere. With the exceptions of cars(which doomed us and is still debatable euro cars are the best), wine(depending on how you categorize Georgia), and olive oil. Someone correct me if I’m missing something

      Edit: does French bread count?

      • neutronicturtle@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        How far back does it count? Humans originate from Africa so everything we do can be seen as Africans doing things with stuff from all over the planet. Or perhaps even that is not far enough. What’s the origin of the first mammal… The only contestant is change and life is good at mixing things up.

        • Obi@sopuli.xyz
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          2 years ago

          Everything was stolen from the first amoebae in the primordial soup!

      • SirShanova@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        Depends on you define best or known for when it comes to cars. Sure a BMW is nice but a Lexus will last twice as long for a fifth the price and is good.

        And bread, for invention, depends on whether or not you count leavened and unleavened separately. In terms of best, French bread is definitely S tier though.

        • cmbabul@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          Those were definitely my thoughts on cars, although I give Germany some credit for inventing them. And yeah bread is tough since it’s been done all across humanity, the French do it best I think but i dunno if it should count

          • SirShanova@lemmy.world
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            2 years ago

            Well, idk who invented sourdough or garlic bread but both of those should be examined as rivals. Baguette stills rocks heated and buttered though

            • cmbabul@lemmy.world
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              2 years ago

              It’s either an Italian or New York Italian that invented garlic bread. Sourdough I think is Colorado but I have know idea where I heard that. But yeah you ain’t wrong

        • aname@lemmy.one
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          2 years ago

          French bread is fine I guess, but nothing beats the Finnish rye bread when you don’t want to be hungry again in 5 minutes. Also nothing beats the taste.

        • cmbabul@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          Movies, jazz, and airplanes are still tops, even if movies are shit compared to ten years ago Hollywood is still the champ money and cultural impact wise, invention can be co-claimed by the French but the largest early exposition took place in Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Ga. Boeing and Lockheed have yet to be toppled despite both having serious issues recently and there being more competition. Jazz was invented here and while it’s good elsewhere I still thing it’s better along the Mississippi. Still amongst if not the largest exporter of food too.

          The US is fucked and shitty but it’s not like we don’t do anything well

          Edit: added a k to the end of took

            • cmbabul@lemmy.world
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              2 years ago

              The first and last are for sure good but I think Japan has it better on the first and Europe on the third but I could be wrong. The middle one for sure but I dunno if we can count that considering we struck first and last in the nuke race

              • SirShanova@lemmy.world
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                2 years ago

                Europe has better passenger rail. America has superior cargo rail. That’s why US passenger rail is inferior, the trains all have to run in cargo company’s tracks. Additionally, due to the ubiquity of power even of a country 26 times the size, I’d say America does it better. Plus, Japan has two grids and thus incompatible appliances between north and south, I do NOT consider that a win!

      • peanut_boy@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        The whole world is interconnected, so it’s hard to find anything that is the exclusive domain of one continent. Europeans aren’t innately superior to the rest of the world, but they aren’t innately inferior either. And even if they were, the idea that something only “counts” if you never interact with and learn from foreigners is a bizarre and arbitrary rule that goes against most of the important innovations throughout human history.

  • Chadohfax@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    You can use exact same line for “Butter Europe/ Olive oil Europe” It was one of the many reasons for rise of Protestant movements because the Vatican wanted to classify butter as an indulgence, because olive oil was used for all the oils where they were. Butter was seen as gross and a sin.

    • yata@sh.itjust.works
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      2 years ago

      Other traditional historical culinary divisions of Europe are beer/wine and white bread/dark bread (or wheat/rye).