12 Readers on What the Rest of the World Does Better Than the U.S.
This is an edition of Up for Debate, a newsletter by Conor Friedersdorf. On Wednesdays, he rounds up timely conversations and solicits reader responses to one thought-provoking question. Later, he publishes some thoughtful replies. Sign up for the newsletter here.
Last week I asked, “If you could change one thing about the culture of your country by adopting a practice or attitude or folkway from another country, what would you change and why?”
Meg recommends “the Japanese practice of bowing, not only to each other as a way of greeting or farewell, but also to the rooms one enters and exits.” Here’s her pitch for wider adoption:
This moment of mindful respect for the people and spaces we encounter strikes me as a way to affect all of our interactions in ways that foster a deeper connection and a pathway to peace. On the giving or receiving end of this simple gesture, I feel blessed and honored.
Simone wants people in the United States to eat like the French:
If possible, I would change the American way of treating mealtimes as “on the fly” (eating at desks, fast food, lousy school-lunch choices). In France, people take time to eat together. They enjoy their meals. Families talk about their day, what happened at work
