UN Flunks Economics Again

[Cyclotron]

Wait, what does any of this have to do with cultural imperialism? I thought we (I) already established that this is just envy of Hollywood's profits by everyone else.

To quote DanS's sig, it's all about the Benjamins. Is there really any doubt? The fact that everyone is against the US (ok, and Israel too) isn't because the US "doesn't get it"; it's because Hollywood is making all the money and other countries want some too.

[Adam Smith]

Another related article that appeared yesterday in the Business section of the BBC.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4359516.stm

Crunch time for farm trade deal

The EU is coming under increasing pressure to make further concessions on farm subsidies as the dispute threatens to wreck global free trade talks. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said that "trade talks need a breakthrough in the next two weeks" or expectations should be "scaled down".

But US Trade Representative Rob Portman said "that the responsibility at this point rests squarely with the EU".
...
Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile said on Thursday that the EU's failure to make a "meaningful" offer on access to European markets had brought the Doha round to the brink of collapse. [AS: Oxfam was quoted in today's Washington Post as saying much the same thing.]
...
The EU's Peter Mandelson said that "the issue of market access in agriculture cannot be viewed in isolation" from other non-farm negotiations, such as opening markets in services.
...
At the same time, some EU member countries, notably France, think Mr Mandelson is making too many concessions. [AS: France lobbied strenuously to liimit Mr Mandelson's mandate to negotiate at all.]

So the European argument appears to be that we can't negotiate on agriculture unless we also consider opening markets in services. But we are not going to open markets in services because that destroys "cultural diversity".

edits: format

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Japher
Any ppl wonder why we hate the French

and Canada

You Hate US ?

and I thought we were so beloved

[Flubber]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
The French, Canadians, and various other insignifigant countries are intellectually banckrupt and incapable of getting better or even competing in the marketplace of ideas without rigging the game in their favor.

.1/10

[Flubber]

Originally posted by notyoueither


Canada's signature should be pointless, since your exports to us are already covered by NAFTA (can't **** wit 'em).

Ya and we know how the U.S. is so strictly adhering to NAFTA that Canada must as well

[Odin]

FILM quotas? Smells like thinly veiled nationalistic nonsense mixed in with Frenchies determined to show they are culturally superior to everyone else.

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by Odin
FILM quotas? Smells like thinly veiled nationalistic nonsense mixed in with Frenchies determined to show they are culturally superior to everyone else.

147 nations have adhered to this convincing theory.

[Cyclotron]

Greedy bastards, all of them.

[KrazyHorse]

Son, you have no idea what you're on about.

I have no idea why the French or Togoans are doing it, but the idea that Canada wants to make money on the deal is a joke. We make more than enough money off Hollywood films.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Japher

It's sheit like that which makes me want to spit. If you all so smart and aware of other cultures you would refrain from saying things like that because it only incites anger.

AS Canadian, we are generally very aware of US culture. Its difficult not to be aware of a country 10 times your size economically that shares such a long border. We are 10 times smaller than you and the corresponding awareness by US people of Canada is correspondingly smaller.


As well, I am betting the average Estonian knows more about Russian culture than the average Russian knows about the Estonian culture. Its a function of size, geography prevalence and economic clout and shouldn't suprise anyone.

Japher its not about smarts. Its just something that "is". I have travelled enough to your country to know this anecdotally and I believe there have been any number of polls etc that bear this out.

Again, its not about smarts. When half our TV channels are American, we are going to watch American news some of the time. How many Americans even have CBC or the BBC offered? And the world news on American stations is pathetically small. Watch a BBC broadcaset sometime and compare it to any US major broadcaster and you'll see what I mean.

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Son, you have no idea what you're on about.

I have no idea why the French or Togoans are doing it, but the idea that Canada wants to make money on the deal is a joke. We make more than enough money off Hollywood films.

Though Canada actively gives incentives for the Hollywood films you mentioned to be filmed in Canada, etc., I'm sure they'd much rather have the whole process be in house.

[DanS]

How many Americans even have CBC or the BBC offered?

Re the BBC, probably around 80%.

[Patroklos]

147 nations have adhered to this convincing theory.

Just because more people join a gang rape (attempted, like they have a chance in hell), doens't magically make it right.

[Flubber]

More generally, doesn't every country, including the U.S. , subsidize the arts to a certain extent? If "free market" was all that was desired, wouldn't a given country end their own subsidies.

The result might be that the most popular forms of expression survive. But the reality SHOULD be that even fringe expression would survive if enough people value it. Its like television. Many channels survive quite well even though only 0.5% of people ever watch them

[DanS]

subsidize the arts to a certain extent

A very limited extent in the US. Despite that fact, our art is doing just fine. Some better, some worse.