3.28.2006
Copenhagen: to the point
I just got back from a weekend in Copenhagen. Like the Time Out guide states, it really is like a giant middle class. Everyone is impeccably dressed in dark conservative colours. With wealth comes fur-clad ladies, many design and fashion shops and stupidly expensive restaurants, oh and a great number of proud statues. The streets are clean. Bikes are highly popular. You see bikes everywhere; not just in special bike parks but against lamp posts and buildings. Never secured with a chain. An unnecessary investment for a civilised, advanced people where crime is damn near non-existent.The train from the massively impressive and super-modern airport to Copenhagen central station was fantastic. Wonderfully clean, spacious and smooth-running. The seats were practically sofas. The railways tracks and grass banks leading up from the tracks were litter and beer can free (though a significant amount of graffiti). In the UK obviously many primitive Brits litter and the councils are far too stubborn and unwilling to clean up. The private railway companies... no way will/can they invest in regular clean-ups.
Over 25% of Danes have a degree making them one of the most educated people in the world, and it seemed all spoke English. They are also one of the most good-looking people of the world. The men and women can be strikingly handsome and refined. There is in fact a distinct lack of ugly people, fat people, chavs and 'ganstas'. Some of the tall blond women, riding past on their bikes, are simply stunning. They are not an outwardly friendly people; in fact, service providers can be quite direct. However, they are also very controlled and relaxed going about their business, something I realised at the airport. Some Brits tend to be frantic at the airport with big manly mothers bawling at their dumb husbands and sprawling ill-mannered shits... er I mean children (I know, harsh perhaps) as they piss off to the rest of the world they intend to explore in their life-time: being Spain.
Denmark has a small population, so mayhaps this is why crime is low and wealth and order is high. However, there are countries with low populations who are not successful, and then there is Japan, a country with a very high population density, but low crime and a dominating middle class. So, it would seem it is down to the people themselves; something intrinsic. It is also worth noting both these examples are quite closed countries.
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hhahahaha..copenhagan may be civilized, but at least we brits don't listen to EUROTRANCE in our "discotechs"...or 80's metal..."Ja, diese FINAL COUNTDOWN rocks hard, ja? let's partay in un discotech...right on ...wooo..etc"
# posted by 
: 8:45 am
: 8:45 am
Hi there!
Well a greeting from Denmark.
I agree with your comparison on Japan and Denmark. I my view it is due to the feeling amongst most Danes. It is a cooperative project running a country and in general people do care and participate in the society we have. I think that the most important thing in any society is to create a feeling of a common goal - if you have that, then you can have the tax we do - which is 52% on an average, and like it! My feeling is that the situation is basically the same in Japan. Of cause I have a lot of critic on the Danish system as well - but hey I live here!
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Well a greeting from Denmark.
I agree with your comparison on Japan and Denmark. I my view it is due to the feeling amongst most Danes. It is a cooperative project running a country and in general people do care and participate in the society we have. I think that the most important thing in any society is to create a feeling of a common goal - if you have that, then you can have the tax we do - which is 52% on an average, and like it! My feeling is that the situation is basically the same in Japan. Of cause I have a lot of critic on the Danish system as well - but hey I live here!
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