Public Research: Civilizations
 

This survey is a supplementary to Public Research: Religion thread and leans mainly on definition and classification of Civilizations as provided by Samuel. P. Huntington in his The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. According to Huntington, after the end of Cold War the world has entered the new stage of development, and is no more politically bipolar, but contains several civilizations competing with each other. Leaving competition out, as it is not of interest in this survey, I’d like to learn what Civilizations Tolkien readers (as represented in this here board) belong to.

Civilization as used here means relation/unity of language, religion and culture.

Western Civilization includes U.S., Canada, EU, Australia and New Zealand (excluding Greece)
Latin American is self-explanatory, however, Latin American is not clearly separated from Western, so, if one feels oneself better placed in one or the other, one is free to do so.
African excludes North African Arabic countries, as these are parts of Islamic Civilization
Sinic includes China and its circle of influence, excluding Tibet
Hindu is largely contained within single country – India, as well as Japanese contains Japan
Orthodox views Russia as the core state and includes European and Oriental countries where Orthodox Christianity is the mainstream confession.
Buddhist includes Tibet, Mongolia and countries in the South-East Asia outside of China’s circle

‘Other’ is for those who don’t agree with classification and/or adhere to their own, or for those who are cosmopolitan and view themselves citizens of the Galaxy, or find it hard to place themselves due to other considerations. I do not, however, invite you discuss different classifications - the survey is supplementary to one linked to above, as was said :)

This survey does not inquire about your living place. One may live in Islamic country and consider oneself belonging to Buddhist Civilization (or any other dichotomy of your choice). Countries are listed merely as an indication of places where Civilizations as listed are dominant.

I voted "other." Out of those listed, I would consider myself Western with Hindu heritage but... well, to be honest, I think the whole breaking down into civilisations is stupid. :p Citizen of the World.

I votet western, but I don't think that I share culture wiht Portugal and even the us. (I don't like defining the us. as one culture)There are just so hughe differences. Maybe frome an outsider they seem alike, I don't know.

I live in Yorkshire, but can we call it civilised? :p (taking advantage of davem being ill and reviving some regional friction.... ;) ).

Western.

I am a Canadian, of European ancestry, of a strong Catholic faith, affluent by international (albeit not local) standards. My cultural influences are those of Britain, America, Germany, and Italy.

The only extent to which I would say that I'm somewhat of another group is that I have ancestors (albeit German Catholics) who lived in Russia for a century and a half, and the stronger, more traditional faith typical of the "Orthodox" countries is rather more evident in my family than in most Western, secular, homes.

Even though my siggie is somewhat of a joke, I am from Latin America... the only problem is that either you consider most countries in Latin America as their own civilization or you consider all of them western. My differences with someone from Mexico are probably just as big as my differences with someone from Spain. (I'm using those examples as in both countries Spanish is the first language and one is Latin American while the other Western)

Yet if I need to choose, I'll say I'm Latin American. It's more of a concept of self-definition rather than a clearcut concept.

Interesting that the "religion" poll has drawn so many more comments than the "culture" poll.

For my part, I'm a middle-class, white, east coast (of the U.S.) liberal. On my father's side, I'm a third generation American, my great-grandparents having immigrated in the 1910s or 1920s. On my mother's side, I have ancestors that lived in America going back to the early 1700s. Ethnically, I'm a bewildering mixture of German, Russian, Ukrainian, Irish, Scottish, Frisian, and possibly English.

Pure German on side and a mix of Scottish, Irish, and I'm told the smallest bit of Navajo. But that might just be my grandpa joking with me. But, I've heard elsewhere too. So who knows? But whatever bit of Native American I may or may not have in me doesn't affect my culture at all. In fact, there's very little Scottish culture in my family, and only German with my paternal grandfather. He still prays in German. But I don't know anymore than Guten Tag and other such things one learns in the three week course I had in school when I was 12.

I voted (will be voting, actually) Other.

Despite the wealth of Spanish, American, Chinese, and a-dash-of -whatever-else influence in the Philippines, I like to think that we have developed a culture of our own.

Malayo-Polynesian, perhaps?

Western thought is far too rooted in my nature to make me anything but 'western.' Though I do like to travel... ;)

The lines between these civilizations is rapidly getting fuzzier.

I agree.

Although there are still areas that try to remain in their imagined original state of cultural unity and national identity (f.ex. most of Finland, where I live). Though I don't think this is due to the exceptional cultural resistance or richer tradition of these areas, as people living in these places oftentimes like to think. Maybe they are just so far away from other people? Living "behind God's back" as the Finnish saying has it? ;)

Nationality: British
Racial Stock: Caucasian
Ancestry (as far back as I know): English, Welsh and Italian
Outlook: Decidedly English :D

Which puts me pretty much squarely in the Western category ...

To follow Saucey's description:

Nationality: American
Race: As white as they come (No, I can't dance. Don't rub it in.)
Ethnicity: Half Scotch-Irish, Quarter English, Quarter Polish
Outlook: Dinstinctly American, but so tied to my Irish heritage my blood is green. I'm fairly certain that makes me Western, though perhaps not the same Western as Saucey. In fact, I would say we're very different sorts of Western.

Taking a leaf out of Saucepan's book...
 

Nationality: American
Race: Caucasian
Ancestry: English, Scottish, Irish, French French (as in, not Canadian French)
Outlook: Certainly Euro-centric. Definitely Tolkien-centric. Most likely Anglo-centric. (Am I making up words again?) It seems Saucepan and I are alike; I'm Western...yee-haw!

Now that Saucepan has hit upon a nice standardised format:

Nationality: American (i.e. "United States of". I do realize that there are some 22 different nations in America).
Race: Caucasian
Ancestry: Russian, Ukrainian, German, Hebrew, Scottish, Irish, Frisian, and English
Outlook: I would not say "American" simpliciter. I think that East-coast liberal and blue stater describe me fairly well (links provided for those non-US people who don't know what I'm talking about). I'm also a bit of an Anglo-phile (as the discerning among you might have guessed from my spelling of "standardised").

If it ain't broke... use it!

Nationality: Canadian
Racial Stock: Caucasian
Ancestry (as far back as I know): German and Dutch- albeit the German part lived in Russia for 150 years.
Outlook: General Canadian, with a broad touch of Vatican City, and a certain nostalgic cultural longing for England.

Which Equals: Squarely Western. Part North American, Part Catholic, Part wannabe-Saucie, but still Western.

You took the words right out of my mouth...it must have been when you were kissing me
 

Seeing as you find not embarassing to indicate it, I'm going to start Race Poll - the treat I felt hesitant to do up to now.

Othodox... Not that I like it. :rolleyes:

The religion, that is.

I'm mighty cool with Kiev though! :)

Nationality: American
Racial Stock: Caucasian
Ancestry: Highland Scots, MacDonald clan, German, and English/Welsh, with a rather medieval smattering of French.
Outlook: Right-wing nut job politics. Not bloody-nutty, but pretty nutty. Like a squirrel, really. A crazed squirrel with too much free time. Centrist-conservative philosophies.

That Bush guy we've got for president? LOVE him.

Oh my God! Another one! *hugs Jenny* I love you!

Reminder!
 

Tie up Bush and politics with Tolkien (i.e. whether Tolkien has influenced your being the right-winger etc), otherwise, please do abstain from taking the discussion in that direction. Thank you :)

Actually, I would refrain from discussing politics here altogether. After all, it is not relevant to the subject of this thread.

Sorry...but...

*hugs back* I love you too, Roa_Aoife! AND I love Tolkien. :D

Sorry, it was not my intent to take the thread in a political direction- just "shouting out" to a fellow conservative. I wouldn't dare get into a political debate here.

Western
born/raised United States

Nationality: American
Racial Stock: Caucasian, very slightly Native American
Ancestry: Belarussian, Hungarian, Russian, Irish, French, German, English, Scottish, Peoria Native American
Outlook: American, with the overlapping sub-categoizations of Midwestern, Conservative, and Catholic. So it all boils down to Western, despite half my ancestry falling into the 'Orthodox countries' category.

Nationality: kiwi
Racial Stock: Caucasian
Ancestry:english i guess...
Outlook: i guess im Western but i thought i always thought i was south.

Nationality: Scottish
Racial Stock: Caucasian
Ancestry: Scottish, Irish and a smidgen of English that I don't speak about in polite company (joking, joking)
Outlook: Left, liberal, atheist, cynical

hooray for the west! :D

Nationality: I can't really consider where I live to be one big group. Oh well, Pacific Northwest will do.
Racial Stock: Mixed Race, I guess. (or whatever the population polling is calling me these days. Assimilation? :rolleyes: )
Ancestry: From Inuit to Czech. Glad to be related to almost everyone, makes things much easier in a way.
Outlook: Depends, pretty much eclectic, what I pick up here and there. I just enjoy learning and experiencing vast amounts of culture anywhere.

~ Ka

Nationality: American
Racial Stock: well, I usually check Caucasian when filling out surveys, though once I checked Mediterranean (I was surprised that was an option)
Ancestry: Greek, Australian, English, Irish, Scottish, German, and possibly a tad Spanish (there's a story behind that...hehe :rolleyes: )
Outlook: artistic (I had to put that), Left Liberal ....I don't know if I really have a typical American outlook, but at least you can consider it Western...