Releasing the safety catch on my Browning
Because there is a eurobarometer study on, get this, 'European Cultural Values'.
Anyway, it is filled with amusing insights, starting with the 22% of Euromen and Eurowomen who deem culture either not very or not at all important. Good job Philistia has not joined, I think. Meanwhile spare a thought for the one per cent unable to answer whether culture, defined in their own terms, was important to them.
And which is the most culture-enthused nation in Europe? Poland - 92% of Poles judge culture important. Without more than top of mind recall, the best I can do with Polish writers is Mickiewicz, although composers are a little easier. Sticking with composers, what would Mozart make of the 47% of Austrians who do not deem culture important? Perhaps the Salzburg Festival only survives because of all the Poles attending. The Gauls, Cypriots and Italians all come in at 85%+, while more than a third of Germans and Finns are loosing the safety catch even as I type.
Meanwhile, be careful if in Sweden, as apparently 40% of Swedes claimed to have sung last year. Terms are not defined, but I am guessing this does not include singing in the shower. Similarly, toes will be imperilled in Bratislava, what with the 36% of Slovaks who claim to have danced.
When offered this, "Culture and cultural exchanges should have a very important place in the EU so that citizens from different member states can learn more from each other and feel more European", guess which country's citizenry comes bottom of the heap after Austria. Yes, us: 36%. Austria rates 30% , and Cyprus 71%. Maybe they are itching to experience Morris dancing, and as some 65% of Cypriots think that 'cultural exchanges can play an important role in developing greater understanding and tolerance in the world, even where there are conflicts or tensions' those Morris dancers would carry a heavy responsibility. Feel free to ruminate on Bax's comment on incest and folk dancing...
Much, much more of this later, but note that 84% of Luxemburgers enjoy eating foreign food. Given that the national dish is Kuddelfleck, "made from pre-cooked tripe or cow’s stomach, coated in breadcrumbs and fried in fat or oil", surprised I am not.
Anyway, it is filled with amusing insights, starting with the 22% of Euromen and Eurowomen who deem culture either not very or not at all important. Good job Philistia has not joined, I think. Meanwhile spare a thought for the one per cent unable to answer whether culture, defined in their own terms, was important to them.
And which is the most culture-enthused nation in Europe? Poland - 92% of Poles judge culture important. Without more than top of mind recall, the best I can do with Polish writers is Mickiewicz, although composers are a little easier. Sticking with composers, what would Mozart make of the 47% of Austrians who do not deem culture important? Perhaps the Salzburg Festival only survives because of all the Poles attending. The Gauls, Cypriots and Italians all come in at 85%+, while more than a third of Germans and Finns are loosing the safety catch even as I type.
Meanwhile, be careful if in Sweden, as apparently 40% of Swedes claimed to have sung last year. Terms are not defined, but I am guessing this does not include singing in the shower. Similarly, toes will be imperilled in Bratislava, what with the 36% of Slovaks who claim to have danced.
When offered this, "Culture and cultural exchanges should have a very important place in the EU so that citizens from different member states can learn more from each other and feel more European", guess which country's citizenry comes bottom of the heap after Austria. Yes, us: 36%. Austria rates 30% , and Cyprus 71%. Maybe they are itching to experience Morris dancing, and as some 65% of Cypriots think that 'cultural exchanges can play an important role in developing greater understanding and tolerance in the world, even where there are conflicts or tensions' those Morris dancers would carry a heavy responsibility. Feel free to ruminate on Bax's comment on incest and folk dancing...
Much, much more of this later, but note that 84% of Luxemburgers enjoy eating foreign food. Given that the national dish is Kuddelfleck, "made from pre-cooked tripe or cow’s stomach, coated in breadcrumbs and fried in fat or oil", surprised I am not.
Labels: EU fun and games, fun with statistics, The arts
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on Thursday, October 04, 2007 at 8:28 am.
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Kultur, guv? Lovin' it.
My bro used to go to a Celtic culture fest in Britanny every year. Great fun, apparently. His contribution? He played in one of Bridge teams.
This is no joke. Over here culture is also highly regarded and to call someone "byezkulturni" is the ultimate insult.
By the way, haven't seen you for some time, your lordship.
Good lord, have I been elevated to the peerage? I thought I was doing a reasonable job at blogging under somewhat constrained circumstances.
Byezkulturni was a big insult under the Sovietskis.
Plus c,a change, nye pravda?
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