I have no idea if this is a true story, but i definitely hope it is. Unfortunately, as with most American cultural products, eventually Europe starts to import them (as we did with American culture war bullshit), and this toxic “hustle culture” is now slowly also becoming more normalized in some places in Europe, particularly in Germany. It’s definitely not the norm as it is in the US, and for the time being we still have laws against it (though with Blackrock Merz in charge who knows for how long…), but i am seeing signs of it popping up more and more.
agreed. having freezing winters and a climate that many fruits and vegetables can’t grow has not only inspired blandness in food, but general resentment and coveting of anything of taste and distinction. No wonder Europes history has been primarily of invasion, occupation and looting.
Let’s not jump straight to blaming Europe’s warmongering tendencies on climate. The Romans were pretty warmongering too and they came from a very mild climate where they have generally quite good food these days.
Though the demand for spices was an important part of the initial driving motivation of European colonialism it’s not the full picture.
Food is one thing - it can be quite logically connected to climate and what you can grow where - but i think that applying this same geographic determinism to macro-historic trends is a bit too simplistic.
You are right, I waa being hyperbolic and leaning into some anti western sentiments i’ve heard. I should have considered examples like the Romans, as well as the Aztecs, who practiced conquering and slavery to expand their empire, also in mild climates.