Well ......
Consider this --- Japan a country with substantially higher density than
the US. A country with approximately the same degree of democratic institutions
and slightly higher average income, but basically the same when compared
to the rest of the world. One big difference - almost no crime in Japan.
Sure there is crime but in comparison to the US there is almost none.
There are however also to outrageous cultural differences - 1) Life as
art as nature is an integral part of Japanese education. 2) Utter and
complete conscience/conscioussness of the other, awareness of the individual
as an elemnt within society.
In the US - 1) Art is consider a past-time or associated with pleasure, if it is
condi/considered at all. and nature is somthing you go to on vacation. 2)
thye individual is set above and outside of society with goals and purposes
that are superior and preferenced over social concerns.
It isn't just a question of public funding. Indeed, that may not be the
question at all. It may instead be a question of the relationship between
the public and the individual. And wether or not this distinction is
really worth all of the sacrifice that we have made in its defences.
- ray
Consider this --- Japan a country with substantially higher density than
the US. A country with approximately the same degree of democratic institutions
and slightly higher average income, but basically the same when compared
to the rest of the world. One big difference - almost no crime in Japan.
Sure there is crime but in comparison to the US there is almost none.
There are however also to outrageous cultural differences - 1) Life as
art as nature is an integral part of Japanese education. 2) Utter and
complete conscience/conscioussness of the other, awareness of the individual
as an elemnt within society.
In the US - 1) Art is consider a past-time or associated with pleasure, if it is
condi/considered at all. and nature is somthing you go to on vacation. 2)
thye individual is set above and outside of society with goals and purposes
that are superior and preferenced over social concerns.
It isn't just a question of public funding. Indeed, that may not be the
question at all. It may instead be a question of the relationship between
the public and the individual. And wether or not this distinction is
really worth all of the sacrifice that we have made in its defences.
- ray