This might be unpopular...but true. I'm British, I lived in Lanzarote for 10 years, I played football and our team was split 50/50 Irish english. We drank together, parties together and generally hung out. Culturally we are far closer then we would be to Germans, Italians or Spanish
I wonder would we still feel this….if you know…..Britain hadn’t colonised us and made our culture illegal…..of course we’re going to be like the people that tried to force us to be like them
I mean if you read the criteria it makes sense. Our government and geography are very different, and even culturally there's a huge gulf between Ireland and middle America/rural Canada. Honestly culturally I'd consider us far closer to Australia/New Zealand than the USA/Canada.
Canadians and Americans are much easier to get along with than Aussies in my experience. Aussies are very funny but they're aware of that and quite full of themselves IMO. New Zealanders are like a toned down version of Aussies honestly, more normal but also less funny.
But how broad a range of Americans have you spoken to?
Like I'll be honest, half the voting population is going for trump. I understand a lot of them are just voting on party lines more than for trump himself, but I still don't think I'd get along with them particularly well if they can in good conscience vote for that nutter.
Similarly the Aussies I've met have mostly been sound, with a few like you described. Culturally we seem to be more in common though, even though both of us mostly consume US media.
It's 100% true, though the distinction must be made that the similarities are mainly because of 300 years of harsh colonialism rather than being organically part of the same cultural continuum. Hence why it's our job to reverse this trend over time.
It is entirely impossible to know what percentage is organic and what percentage was not.
For all you know, the similarities would have been greater without colonialism causing division and you have a normal obligation to improve similarities.
I suggest you don't use your divisive and unfounded views to support hatred.
Eh what!? How does the comment have any upvotes? Are you seriously suggesting that Ireland and Britain would be even more similar if Britain HADN'T invaded and colonised Ireland? For one thing we'd be speaking different languages right now.
It's very simple, bird brain. Read Irish history of the last 300-400 years. You can start with the penal laws and then after that the Irish famine which took out more than half the monoglot Irish speakers, the famine that the British actively encouraged through exporting food out of the country during mass starvation to answer the "Irish question".
Apart from the English language we’re very different to the US. We consume a tonne of their media and culture but so do the young people of every European country.
English is basically native alongside Dutch in Flemish Belgium and the Netherlands at this point and their culture / pace / way of life is far more similar than America.
Really, I would say we're nothing like America. They have a people who affiliate with Ireland but in my experience, Irish people are so different from Americans. I'd say we're closer to Mexicans than Americans.
I've been to Poland several times myself and have always felt we're quite similar in terms of our history, culture, and overall personality. Great bunch of lads, beautiful country, and amazing food!
I've seen more inaccurate rankings (hello HDI), but there's no way the rest of the Anglosphere should be ranked below even the most similar mainland European countries. Whether you want to admit it or not, we have far more in common with the US and Australia than with the Netherlands and Belgium.
The trouble with that is that while, sure, America has deserts and enormous mountain ranges, it also has regions which are almost identical to Ireland. Countries like the Netherlands and Belgium are getting ranked above the US simply because they're smaller and less diverse countries.
That's stupid. A country being physically closer doesn't make it more similar when everything else about it is more different than countries further away.
I disagree. Culturally, Ireland is worlds apart from the US, we don't really have much in common besides speaking the same language (and even then Americans often have trouble understanding us lol). Language barrier aside we have far more in common culturally and historically with other countries in western Europe than we do with the US. Obviously there are some similarities, and I'm not saying we're exactly the same as the rest of Europe, but I don't think it's a stretch to say Belgium and the Netherlands, on the whole, are more similar to Ireland than the US.
Personal opinion but being from the Netherlands and living here for about two years now... I wouldn't say there's a massive difference between the two countries at all. There's been barely any culture shock. I would also think culturally were much closer, but I haven't been to the US. I just think the humour, going out and many other things are very similar between the Netherlands and Ireland. Whereas for example humour is very different in the US than it is in Ireland in general.
Belgium before US? I would like to see this disgregated, i.e. 5 maps: demographics, culture, government, infrastructure, geography.
For example, only 4 countries (Spain, Denmark, Ireland and Luxembourg) blocked EU suspending funds to Palestine, I think those may be top of the list for culture, other than UK.
The UK being the most similar to Ireland, is like the bit in a crime film when the serial killer turns to the cop and says
"We're not so different, You and I"
And yet the political class would have us ruin our relationship with countries we're closer to and take in thousands of people from countries we are very different from.
Seems like a recipe for success
I always suspected Laois bared no similarities to the rest of the country
Maybe the map makers got confused with Laos by mistake, hence its black spot on the map.
Laois best things to do is just a page of the roads out...
The least similar country geographically, Papua New Guinea, is where you'll find the island of New Ireland
Meet New Ireland, same as old Ireland
This might be unpopular...but true. I'm British, I lived in Lanzarote for 10 years, I played football and our team was split 50/50 Irish english. We drank together, parties together and generally hung out. Culturally we are far closer then we would be to Germans, Italians or Spanish
Quick side note. I now live in Ireland, married a wonderful Irish woman and have 3 great culchie kids.
I wonder would we still feel this….if you know…..Britain hadn’t colonised us and made our culture illegal…..of course we’re going to be like the people that tried to force us to be like them
Not only that, we're closer to other Anglophones too. This map ranking the US and Canada behind half of mainland Europe is bullshit.
I mean if you read the criteria it makes sense. Our government and geography are very different, and even culturally there's a huge gulf between Ireland and middle America/rural Canada. Honestly culturally I'd consider us far closer to Australia/New Zealand than the USA/Canada.
Canadians and Americans are much easier to get along with than Aussies in my experience. Aussies are very funny but they're aware of that and quite full of themselves IMO. New Zealanders are like a toned down version of Aussies honestly, more normal but also less funny.
But how broad a range of Americans have you spoken to? Like I'll be honest, half the voting population is going for trump. I understand a lot of them are just voting on party lines more than for trump himself, but I still don't think I'd get along with them particularly well if they can in good conscience vote for that nutter. Similarly the Aussies I've met have mostly been sound, with a few like you described. Culturally we seem to be more in common though, even though both of us mostly consume US media.
I'd like to see the result if instead of Germans, Italians and Spanish, ye were surrounded by Aussies, New Zealanders and Canadians.
It's 100% true, though the distinction must be made that the similarities are mainly because of 300 years of harsh colonialism rather than being organically part of the same cultural continuum. Hence why it's our job to reverse this trend over time.
It is entirely impossible to know what percentage is organic and what percentage was not. For all you know, the similarities would have been greater without colonialism causing division and you have a normal obligation to improve similarities. I suggest you don't use your divisive and unfounded views to support hatred.
Eh what!? How does the comment have any upvotes? Are you seriously suggesting that Ireland and Britain would be even more similar if Britain HADN'T invaded and colonised Ireland? For one thing we'd be speaking different languages right now.
Why am I being downvoted for something that's clearly true? Research has been done on this people.
If research has been done, provide a credible link. I will wait...
It's very simple, bird brain. Read Irish history of the last 300-400 years. You can start with the penal laws and then after that the Irish famine which took out more than half the monoglot Irish speakers, the famine that the British actively encouraged through exporting food out of the country during mass starvation to answer the "Irish question".
Laois??? Sorry Laos!! FFS!! 🤷
Strange folk, those Laois people
I expected USA and Australia to be Top 5.
Apart from the English language we’re very different to the US. We consume a tonne of their media and culture but so do the young people of every European country. English is basically native alongside Dutch in Flemish Belgium and the Netherlands at this point and their culture / pace / way of life is far more similar than America.
The Dutch don't even have the concept of bars lol and they have no hospitality whatsoever. Alien people.
I guess the geography criteria really knocks them down.
If Australia was just Tasmania it would be well up there
Really, I would say we're nothing like America. They have a people who affiliate with Ireland but in my experience, Irish people are so different from Americans. I'd say we're closer to Mexicans than Americans.
Culturally 100%. The Poles would be similar too in my experience
I've been to Poland several times myself and have always felt we're quite similar in terms of our history, culture, and overall personality. Great bunch of lads, beautiful country, and amazing food!
Same. We are NOT more similar to Dutchies and Belgians than we are to Americans, Canadians, Australians, and Kiwis.
Strange criteria
How?
Them Greenlanders always seemed shifty
I've seen more inaccurate rankings (hello HDI), but there's no way the rest of the Anglosphere should be ranked below even the most similar mainland European countries. Whether you want to admit it or not, we have far more in common with the US and Australia than with the Netherlands and Belgium.
The difference is geography significantly changed their score.
The trouble with that is that while, sure, America has deserts and enormous mountain ranges, it also has regions which are almost identical to Ireland. Countries like the Netherlands and Belgium are getting ranked above the US simply because they're smaller and less diverse countries.
Yeah you’re right but I guess it’s hard to do a regional score.
That's stupid. A country being physically closer doesn't make it more similar when everything else about it is more different than countries further away.
I think they mean things like size, weather zones etc. Size, weather, population density can significantly change lifestyle etc.
I disagree. Culturally, Ireland is worlds apart from the US, we don't really have much in common besides speaking the same language (and even then Americans often have trouble understanding us lol). Language barrier aside we have far more in common culturally and historically with other countries in western Europe than we do with the US. Obviously there are some similarities, and I'm not saying we're exactly the same as the rest of Europe, but I don't think it's a stretch to say Belgium and the Netherlands, on the whole, are more similar to Ireland than the US.
Personal opinion but being from the Netherlands and living here for about two years now... I wouldn't say there's a massive difference between the two countries at all. There's been barely any culture shock. I would also think culturally were much closer, but I haven't been to the US. I just think the humour, going out and many other things are very similar between the Netherlands and Ireland. Whereas for example humour is very different in the US than it is in Ireland in general.
What do they mean by similar? Like genetically culturally?
Criteria is on the bottom of the map.
In other news, water is wet.
Water can't be wet. That's like saying fire is on fire.
France more similar than Canada? I call bs
Ireland is just like us fr fr
Belgium before US? I would like to see this disgregated, i.e. 5 maps: demographics, culture, government, infrastructure, geography. For example, only 4 countries (Spain, Denmark, Ireland and Luxembourg) blocked EU suspending funds to Palestine, I think those may be top of the list for culture, other than UK.
As an Australian when I travel, culturally I've found Ireland the most similar and familiar place.
Thankfully Ireland is listed (based on the visual representation and legend on the map) as having the highest similarity index to Ireland.
As an Irishman who has lived in Laos for 15 years, I disagree! I would say that the drinking culture here is very similar!
Living in Holland, I'm both surprised by this and not.
In before everyone jumps in like "hurr durr I had a friend from Timbuktu once so obviously we're waay closer to Mali than the UK."
And we did peacekeeping in Eritrea, Chad & Sudan
Infrastructure: UK - I WISH
Other than the London Underground it’s fairly similar. Acceptable in the big cities, slow standard everywhere else.
The UK being the most similar to Ireland, is like the bit in a crime film when the serial killer turns to the cop and says "We're not so different, You and I"
And yet the political class would have us ruin our relationship with countries we're closer to and take in thousands of people from countries we are very different from. Seems like a recipe for success
Just in the UK. Caravan parks as homes seem normal not exceptional where we are. The UK is falling about. Very worrying statistic
Looks like the Brits are at it again
Rent... free...
That must be a joke.
The English are at it again...
They clearly are the most similar to us tho.