You're absolutely right Carla Sands has just as few brain cells as Donald Trump that is, none !!! And she was also employed under him, that says a bit about her
Imagine spending _4 years_ as an official ambassador to another culture, and somehow managing to learn _nothing_ about that culture along the way. I miss Rufus...
as she said, she can't fathom how someone would interact with the public if their wealth could allow them otherwise. She's just ben chauffeured around to dinners and events for 4 years, and she's little more than an overdue tourist.
what I do not understand is why she only spent 4 years there. Wouldn't it be better if she had 20 years of experience? Why do ye change your diplomatic corps every time ye get a new president? In Denmark our government employee are supposed to be apolitical. It is not that they do not have a political opinion, they just do not express it, nor let it colour their work.
@@angrypirate1094 that is the problem, no one works for the united state itself, it is all political. It was like this here to in the ancient past. People serviced and made deals with the individual kings, but upon succession all of these bounds were broken and the new king had to build his own one from skrats. Then we learned about the concept of The Crown, And that made it all much simpler as now loyalties and allegiances were to the crown itself, not the individual man wearing it. For us that progress happened when we reached the middle ages, for about 1000 years ago. Hopefully ye will be able to catch up to that point soon too.
@@lilithdvs13 She lived full years i a foreign country without cathing up on the basics for that particular country. Incompetent or retarded you choose. But it is at least one off those options. Considering she tweeted fake news that was bound to be debunked, incompetent might even be too nice off a description.
When I hear: "former US ambassador to Denmark" I think of Rufus Gifford. He made a lot of effort to understand the danish society and is likely the best know former US ambassador to Denmark. He was very well liked in the general public too. When I heard Carla Sands name I just thought: "Okay, now something weird will be said from someone who didn't take the time to understand Denmark or Scandinavia at all".
Eller du hører ''Rufus grifford'' en der siger de nemme ting som jeg kan lide og høre. ''Carla sands'' En der siger sandheder jeg ikke kan lide at høre
@@guffeluffe5987 Carla Sands har sagt så meget sludder, at det ikke er til at bære. Hun lader sin tro på Trump gøre sig helt blind for realiteter. Men du gør nok det samme, når du kalder det sandheder
...and Rufus Gifford did also a good job for America. He painted a nuanced and good picture of both Denmark and USA. Carla Sands tries instead to divide us.
One of my friends is actually an embassy driver in Denmark and he has a 6 figure yearly income converted into US dollars. It's a job that typically requires you to have been in the special forces in the military, have an inpeccable security record, be multi-lingual, and hone your work related skills annually. It is indeed strange that she would single out a fairly high paid, high skill set job as an embassy driver. Or maybe she just didn't know who he was or how much he made? With Carla Sands literally anything is possible. To me she's the embodiment of the stereotypical "clueless American".
Not to mention, her driver prolly relished the bike ride as a nice way to "warm up" before going to work ;) Also, I think I'd enjoy the bike ride as well if I knew I was gonna be sitting inside a "warm and stuffy car" for the next 8 hours of the day.
To all Danes who read this, I am deeply sorry for this woman's ignorant, rude and racist behavior. As I said, she has lived a very protected life and has not developed any sense of empathy, let alone nuance, that or she is so brainwashed by our country's corporate propaganda that she has become its own mouthpiece. I would give an advantage of doubt that this behavior is not common to us Americans, and and these "people" who do this are trying to score nationalist and populist points.
@@zzamorano1717 Don't worry about it. Luckyly your former Ambassador Rufus Gifford made such a positive impact that I'm pretty sure nobody will remember Carla Sands was ever an ambassador here, just some lady who said stupid things. At least that is how I feel, why focus on the negatives.
@@jimmyselsmark7346 it's not Sands herself that not just infuriating and embarrassing for my country but the fact people like her in positions of such importance for not just diplomacy but for global communications and trade is. Personally, this behavior is absolutely fucking unacceptable, this shit is usually expected with diplomats from China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia or ever North Korea. I mean, could you imagine tweeting THIS while being stationed in THOSE countries, either their leaders would have started a massive outcry, bringing it to all aspects of media (old and new) worldwide and/or half the populist would have stormed the embassy to have this woman's head. Like I said in my previous comment, THIS woman is probably some poorly educated, out of touch, spoiled, middle/upper class brat who has been sheltered in the suburbs all her life. Honestly, a uneducated inbred boomer hick straight from the goddamn Appalachian mountains would have more fucking class, grace, humility and understanding of etiquette then this "thing"(I refuse to called her person).
I am Danish but living in America. Have been for 37 years. I am 57 now and moving back to Denmark in 5 weeks. I have been following your videos because after 37 years I feel like I need an American perspective on life in Denmark. And you have definitely shown me that I am quite Americanized lol. I have a car here because I have to. Public transportation doesnt support my needs and biking isnt an option. Since I am moving to Horsens I already know I dont want a car again. I would rather sit back and read a book than drive in traffic. And yes...I am bringing my bike from here lol. It is nice though that you have picked up on the general Danish mentality and as a Dane I really appreciate this video in particular.
You may need to consider getting a car in DK anyway, it is not certain that the public transport system in Horsens is that good. Meaning that it may not run as often as you think. Often we hear/see when people talk about public transport they look at mostly Copenhagen, and yes they have it running almost 24/7, but lets look at Odense the 3rd largest city here it runs 2 to 4 times an hour depending on the route in the city between 8-17 on weekdays and less in the weekends. I use about 75 minutes to get from home to physio as an example with public transport, could be done in about 10 mins in a car or 20-25 mins on a bike. What I am trying to write, Horsens might be a bit worse then Odense, since it is a smaller city
@@bazzakrak I am bringing my bike too lol. I am not too worried. My nephew lives in Horsens and he says things are fine. That doesn't mean that I wont get a car at some point. But for now I will be happy not having to pay for gas and insurance for a while.
Thank you for the response :) She does represent the "Facts dont matter" cult, and she has apparently learned nothing about the country she was ambassador in...
Feeling content, loved and not having to go to bed hungry is all the wealth you need. You cannot take millions with you to the grave anyway. It's better to enjoy life with the people you love and cherish while you are in good health. To be honest, Carla Sands were never interested in learning anything about Denmark. Americans like Carla Sands is the main reason why USA remains to be so unpopular around the world which is a shame for all the Americans who are actually interested in the world outside USA.
Agreed.. American's most are intelligent, at times misinformed, but intelligent and very nice people... I never understood those who come here and don't want to learn new perspectives of life regardless of cultural upbringing, wealth or the lack there off...
For Danes her tweet is just a big joke and we have seen these fake news before. Doesn’t surprise us. I feel sorry for those Americans who actually believe in her lies. Carla Sands do us all a favor and just stay in the US, unless you intend to start as a comedian, you would do great here - you make us laugh 😂✌️ Cheers from Copenhagen 🇩🇰
Touching on politics was brave, and you did it very well. In my company, the CEO arrives on bike every morning, and my leader comes in by public transport. Sad to see that level of poverty 😁I live 4 km away from work, and i start up the car every day, because I'm lazy though.
But many people are able to a afford a car. It's just that people living Copenhagen don't need a car unless they work outside Copenhagen. The infrastrcture of busses, trains and the Metro makes it almost unnecessary to have a car. It's the people that live outside of Copenhagen that have to drive to work and park that makes it difficult to park. And the traffic in rushhour is terrible.
@@erikabirch7024 pretty sure, she meant the IDEA of, as in the good side to it would be... Living on CPH my car sit in the garage, most of the time. I only use it, to visit friends and family.
When I think "former US ambassador to Denmark" I'm thinking Rufus Gifford ... He's the only one worth remembering imo, and I suspect he'll be so for a long time.
@@oliverboisen7475 To all Danes who read this, I am deeply sorry for this woman's ignorant, rude and racist behavior. As I said, she has lived a very protected life and has not developed any sense of empathy, let alone nuance, that or she is so brainwashed by our country's corporate propaganda that she has become its own mouthpiece. I would give an benefit of a doubt that this best particular behavior is not common to us Americans, and these "people" who do this are trying to score nationalist and populist points.
As much as DR loved the LGBQT ambassador he was very specific about who and what he wanted to deal with, never really interacting much with non homosexual politician, and American citizens that did not belong to that segment. By far the most professional Ambassador that US has sent this millenium was James Cain, who did a tremendous job of outreach to schoolkids - arranging bicycle trips with kids from all walks of life, actually being a professional representative for the US both in business, interaction with society and he also serves as a warning to how far out in the extremes the US adminstrations have become. Carla Sands and Rufus Gifford are sadly prime examples of how extreme US politics has become!
And she just admitted,She didn't pay him enough to be able to buy a car! How does that reflect on her 🤔🤔 If I worked all day as a driver, the LAST thing I would want to do, is drive to work 🤷🤷
Your description of cultural differences between the USA and the Scandinavian countries - and Denmark in particular- is spot on! Especially the part, that happenines means content here in Denmark - and not extremely wealthy! And about being able to afford a car: There are around 3.5 million Danes in the age span 18 years - 65 years, which means the age span, that most eligible holder of a drivers license are in - and there are about 3 million cars in Denmark. And according to the banks, the Danes have more cash stoved away in their bank accounts now, because of the pandemic, than ever before! And finally regarding bikes: Those who really go for biking, owns bikes, that cost about the same as a used car! Some of these bikers were probably among the 16.000 , who rode across your favorite bridge in Denmark, the bridge across the Great Belt the other day! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
@@guffeluffe5987 Do they? Look around in the traffic. You don’t see many old cars on the streets. Of course the odd old heap of rust can be seen, but they are few and far between. There was sold 185.328 new cars in 2021 and at the moment there’s 3 mio cars registered
@@kasperkjrsgaard1447 There are certainly many new cars, and most cars look quite okay. But there is also quite a number of cars that is really old and crappy and have big fumes of smoke coming out of the exhaust. More than you will see in Germany for instance. And that is not surprising, considering the high cost of cars, and the need for a car when you live outside a city.
"Wealth is not what you see" really hits the nail on the head. I have a macbook air, and an iphone and an Ipad pro which means that my wealth in social capital (not sure you can use that in this setting but here we are) in the sense of appearance, is rather high. Meanwhile I am writing my masters and I am essentially a student in debt. My uncle on the other hand is a millionaire and he drives a small Toyota city car of some sort that is 15 years old and his only phone is his work phone.
@@AresDK11 Why do you think apple is still so popular? It is expensive as hell, a lot of other products are equal in quality if not better at the same price or even cheaper and yet apple still sells like hot cakes. Social capital is not based on what you like personally. in the SOME age, it depend on circles you move in or even where you are situated at any given moment. For example, I mentioned appearance specifically, as in, I am sitting at a café transcribing an interview at the moment. In this setting, a macbook arguably improve my "outwards image". Meanwhile I have a few friends who are designers so I got to be at some of the venues during Copenhagen fashion week last fall. I would not call myself a sloppy dresser exactly, but in terms of appearance, in that setting, I think it is safe to say my "social capital" basically flatlined.
@@kinuuni I guess I am old-fashioned. I like people that like me because of who I am and what I do...not what kind of products I use...or waste money on a brand name...and oh yeah...I live in Udkantsdanmark...or as we like to call it...waterside Denmark.
@@AresDK11 I grew up in Albertslund. Trust me, social capital is still at play in the suburbs. Social capital is not something you necessarily thrive for though. I have mac for very specific reasons. My tendency to break my cord and mac cords being the cheapest on the market, the noice level once it gets older as well as weight. I got an ipad because I find relaxation in drawing and the best art app on the market is exclusively for ipad pro. And the phone is because I have specific needs for my cover and with an iphone I can basically pick and choose no matter how old it gets. The social capital is a bi-product and again, only at play in specific settings. Trust me if I did not believe my friends like me for my personality, the fact that they want me along for fashion events certainly prove it as I am bound to be a strain on their social capital in that setting XD
Stupid question, she is a Republican businesswoman (and politician). HINT: Those get rich (or richer) by paying as low wages as they can get away with.
In the foreign dignitaries biz, usually all expenses are covered by the state Embassy chauffeurs tend to be hired and salaried by the office and then assigned to whichever diplomat
When I lived in the Copenhagen area, I dropped having a car, it worked better getting around by bicycle, public transport, occasionally a taxi, or walking. Having a car was just too much hassle due to parking and slow traffic. Now I got a nice house in the countryside, where having a car is a real benefit, longer distances, lower traffic and easy parking. Not using an expensive car, even if I could afford to "show off" ;-)
@@Litvan While you are right about that, I deliberately abstained from pointing out the monetary benefits of car-free metropolitan life, to keep my distance to the BS claim of people only choosing other means of transport because they can't afford to spend too much time in traffic jams.
This quote from the movie American Beauty comes to mind: "In order to be truly successful you have to project an image of success at all times." Seems to fit quite well with your talk about some of the typical American cultural traits.
An amusing note is that there was 8 days of snow in the entire period she was here, and none of it that hard to bike through... It's not that Carla Sands did not know better, she does - it's that she's speaking to a home audience who has less interest in truth and more interest in dogma.
Nice is being nice, not necessarily owning "nice" things. After just spending five days in Copenhagen I get the impression that Danes are very nice people.
I can’t really tell if Carla Sands judged a culture she doesn’t quite understand, or if she knows this full well and just constructed a false narrative to support her position in a domestic US debate. But she certainly mingled a lot less with ordinary Danes than her predecessor Rufus Gifford. I think you are correct in your analysis of this. Interesting episode 👍🏻
You're the first and only person who I've seen having the exact same thoughts as me. There isn't a doubt in my mind, that she's creating a false narrative. And the scary thing - it might work
Joshua you are just my favorite youtuber. The way you think and present your thoughts is sublime. I like it a lot. People's actions show who they are more than words, and I have to admit I sometimes get a little tired in my head when I see statements like this from Carla Sand. Joshua thank you for informing correctly.
some very interesting points about wealth .. thanx for that view.. On that note: have you considered visting Bornholm during the upcoming "Folkemøde"? I remember how Rufus Gifford mentioned it as a unique place for dialoque in a democracy and were very surprised by the form .. At Folkemødet all politicians, lobbyist, NGO's and the people meet for three days to discuss all kind of stuff..
You were spot on. A friend of my parents, who was a billionaire never bought a new car in his whole life, because in the first years the value of the cars drops about 35-45% , so he and his wife were always looking for a good deal.
@@Real_MisterSir Unless it is a taxi or a truck or you need it for work or that you treasure the freedom it give you, but sure a new car is one of the things that looose value the fastest, buy 2 years old once if you want the most value for you money.
Spot on, Joshua. It’s a choice here (also in Sweden) to ride a bike. There’s even a slogan from the city of Malmö saying “In Malmö, most things are ridiculously close” - promoting the healthy and environmentally friendly option - bikes. Also - 9 times out of 10, you reach your destination faster with a bike in comparison to go by car… So strange that she didn’t pick up on that culture during her time, did she ever go out in Denmark and had a look around? …or those tinted windows in her embassy car was hard to see through? ;)
I am danish and I don't have a car, course I don't need a car! Sure I can afford one, but I just don't need it. I find it much easier to go by bus or train or to ride my bike. To me (and so many other danes) it is not about money, it is a life style choice. Most people i know, they do have cars and they also have bikes, or they make a choice, just like me, to not own a car. Biking is healthy, there is no polution, you can always find a parking place and so on. Plus, as mentioned in this video, I really don't have a need to 'show of' what i can buy, in order to feel respected. Actually It makes me laugh to think of that, as i don't value people that way. It is just not how my culture works.
I have never owned a car ... have not been able to afford one (have been on welfare for many years but am now an early retiree) but have not needed one either ... public transport has got me where I need to go ... I recently bought an old cargo bike I am in the process of restoring ... this is my "car"
Small information. I use to Work at the embassy back When Rufus was there and 1 year When Carla was there. All the drivers In the embassy had their own car, the Choose not to use Them to Work because of parking, traffic and the fact that it was cheaper.
"In Denmark you don't need to be better than everyone else." That's true. My friend was an "exchange student" in Arizona for a year. The host family had a fairly large *yacht in their front garden.* To show off how "well off" they were. Even though they were literally hundreds of miles from the sea where they could use that yacht. It was just on display in their front garden. Well, Carla Sands, we don't have that in Denmark. We have a car, most of us, but we don't use it that much, for a multitude of reasons.
this is far from the first time she was wrong on her understanding of the Danish culture. when the Stanley Cup came to Denmark, the little talk she did at the event completely missed the mark on Danish culture and sport.
Also infrastructure. In the U.S. It is often necessary to have a car to commute, simple because of how cities are planned. Many european countries have more cycling-friendly infrastucture/better public transport.
Your understaning of Denmark and our culture is phenomenal. Thank you so much. It is ironic, when I was a student and at the lowest of my wealth ever I had a car. Bought it used for 45.000 dkk and had a budget for aroun 300 dk/m for fuel, ansvars insurance and maintenance.
Joshua, what a brilliant perspective! You are spot on and an excellent, trustworthy, communicator. We'd love for you to stay in Denmark, but should you at some point choose to return to America, you'd be a politician I would vote for ;-)
I maybe late to this comment thread, but I am so glad to see this video. Whether it was Carla Sands or another American missing out on the true culture/society in Denmark. The examples you have noted are spot on in understanding Denmark's way of living. I had worked for a few years on Jutland and came to love the country and the people. I found that the culture allowed me to have no fear to be myself. I was healthier, more social and understood how equal we all are and best of all, met my husband. After 25 years being back in the USA, Denmark makes a lot more sense. Of which, the future is basically coming home to DK. Thank you for all of the insight, great videos and allowing others to see that life is good. Looking forward to following your adventures.
Many people have problems understanding the Scandinavian model. I do know Bernie "The Mittens" Sanders is up to speed on the topic, besides him, I don't think many in the US system knows what Scandinavia is. But at least the majority keeps their mouth shut. Some days ago I stumbled over a video here on YT, it's called "How Denmark invented Social Democracy". Its not only about Denmark, also Scandinavian countries. No, it's not a commercial for Denmark, it just explained why Scandinavia is as it is. It is made by a German guys (video is in English), 36 minutes stuffed with knowledge. I learned a lot about my own country when a watched the video, and I have been here for 60 years. I can highly recommend this video.
Carla Sands tweet was meant for domestic purpose only in my opinion. She is running for Congress in November and needs a platform that goes well among republican voters.
@@SenemYucel19 Is there any hope that her US followers read the replies to her idiotic tweet? Because then one could hope that some of them realize she is stupid _and_ a big liar. (I know, maybe it's a bit much to hope.)
Another element is that many american cities are designed for cars. There are parking spots and wide roads all over the place. But older cities, like copenhagen, was not designed for cars, but have been modified for them. This means less parking space and a lot of one way streets to regulate the flow of traffic. So many times, if you are going from A to B, a bike is faster, because the time you save in a car, you lose trying to find a parking spot. So wouldn't we like american style cities instead? Well no, because even if it gets cramped i the inner cities, they still feel a lot better to be in. There is an intimacy in being able to walk around without the need of a car. American cities often have no cohesive center.
One "detail" is that it is outright *illegal* (restrictive zoning) to build safe walkable residential areas allowing for other ways of getting around than cars. The few remaining such places are often very popular places to live, and thus expensive.
I am happy that you have chosen to discuss this on your channel. I was desperat when I read in and I wanted to prostest, but did not know how or where ❤️❤️❤️
Carla Sands comments reminds me of a KGB officer in denmark who reported home, that there was a famine in Denmark - no meat! His reasoning - there were no ques in front of butchers shops, so there must be no meat for sale!!
My dad worked at an embassy before retiring. He would bike (an electric bike) from Amager to Hellerup most days because why not take advantage of the nice weather? Also if he didn't drive he wouldn't have to check his car for bombs.. He found it at nice break to do his commute by bike.
Some left-wingers in America Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have pointed to Denmark and Scandinavia as an example of a country with social benefits that works. This has angerede republicans. That si why they are trying to diminish Denmark and Scandinavia.
And also in general Scandinavia is just run very poorly. You almost never hear any good news coming from there. It’s always ghettos being taken over by terrorists and being rejected by NATO because they support terrorism.
@@lilithdvs13 That was weird. We do not have ghettos being taken over by terrorists. And when I told an American this area was considered a ghetto from a Danish standard he was puzzled. As he said: This is a nice place to live.
@@lilithdvs13 But nevertheless it is interesting to hear the American myths. They are somewhat laughable but they also tell a story about an uneducated and misinformed public.
@@lilithdvs13 And actually you never hear about any good news from The Banana Rebublic Of The Corrupted States. How is that section 8 working for the states. While in scandinavia sosial housing are more spread in all neighbourhods so we dont have ghettos. Stop listening to faux entertainment network.
Cycling is lovely. I prefer it to driving my car. Except for times like five minutes ago, when I was listening to your excellent analysis and got a bug down my throat... Still coughing.
Really interesting talk, Josh. Made me think of some of the theories I read while studying for my Master degree in Anthropology. If you want to read/listen to something relevant and extremely interesting, go for Pierre Bourdieu’s “Distinction”, which analyses how cultural capital is constructed through consumption patterns. As you say, this may vary not just between countries and cultures, but also subcultures within a society. Another great rabbit-hole to Google-jump into is the concept of “conspicuous consumption”, which is essentially the first theory of consumption as a social marker. Once you start noticing these cultural patterns of consumption, they are really difficult to un-see 😆
josh .. it's a little fun to read this tweet, because if you turn the picture and look from another side ... she writes: - that SHE as ambassador did not get paid enough to be able to let the driver take the car home .. -that SHE could not pay the driver enough to afford a car ... and suddenly it is not at all about the price of gas, but more about her and her view of the salary as an ambassador. it all depends on the eyes that see ...
As the Dutch person(from the Netherlands) living here in Denmark, it is very similar most families will have both a very nice car and bicycles and depending on where they are going and what they are doing determines which mode of transport will be used, a short trip to the shops, do errands, to visit friends or family and it's a nice day everyone gets on the bicycle and off they go, sometimes it's just quicker and easier to go to work on the bike, going on a long trip, vacation then that, of course, is done with the family car, and also both here and in the Netherlands where ever you want to bike to you have dedicated bicycle lanes so no danger of being run over by a car.
Thanks for your love, great job with the info, all the best from Denmark ❤🎵🇩🇰 Btw. Gas prices is crazy here, but for now we manage. 2nd. We have always had cycles, even if mine is gathering dust lately 😅
Oh, I'd like to see more videos like this one! It was personal, insightful, thoughtful and also really respectful. I love that it was about culture in a not tourist-y way, though those are good too. Thank you Josh!
I’m Danish grew up there… I have this year lived in the US for thirty years… I didn’t have a drivers license when I lived in Denmark… I didn’t need it as the public transportation was well developed that a car was not a necessary expense and yes I biked to work an hour every day when the weather was not really bad… I was able to take a shower at work and so this was my build in exercise to keep me healthy and fit… when moving to the US I was really missed being able to ride a bike and having a car was a necessity as they public transportation was none existing where I lived… When taking the train I could spend the hour commute to read or even nap 😜 So I do think Denmark tries in ways to minimize the amount of cars and most families have only one car vs here where every person (of driving age) in the house has to have a car to get to where they need to go… The amount of pollution it creates per household is just one aspect of it… in many ways I feel the US is so far behind on many things that Denmark does really well and have for many years now…
I think one side picks on Denmark, because the other side likes to use us as a good example. Both sides seem to constantly get our political system wrong. It's neither socialist, communist or democratic socialist. It social democrat/capitalist.
Exactly. It's a capitalist economy with a social democratic welfare state. Problem is Americans have been brainwashed since the 50's to think that socialism = comunism therefore socialism = evil
The wealth thing you speak about, is basicly the theory of Conspicuous consumption by Thorstein Veblen Sociologist and Economist. He also explains how a household would in general show off their wealth, (1900s)
Hi Joshua, however right You might be about how things might be understood in general, this is absolutely no excuse for someone who spent a few years in Denmark as an ambassador.
We’ve been here since October and minus moving apartment we haven’t really needed a car and I know my health is much better for having a bike over a car. I love exploring the city on my bike. I miss so much being in a car.
Hey Joshua. You hit the nail on the head with your observation and arguments. I think that it has to do with "the American Dream", where you have to get as rich as possible, and show it off too. Danes are not mentally built that way.
Great analysis! A lot of the points you mentioned, I think, is also the main reasons why we are voted one of the happiest nations in the world. Material wealth is not what makes us happy, but the choices that set us free to live and love how we want.
Im 37 and I never had a car, or even a drivers license, never needed either if them and I always used my bike. I think that the horror scenario that she tweets about riding your bike to work in the snow has been normal in Denmark for many people for a long time.
I may not be Danish (I’m Norwegian). I’m 48, have my drivers license but I’ve never owned a car. I live in the city center and I get around just fine by walking, public transportation and my trusty bike. The few times I actually need a car, I can easily borrow or lease one. Much easier and I don’t have to deal with the upkeep. Car free for life. Am I poor? No, solidly middle class with almost no mortgage
Biking in the snow is actually fun. At least with a half-decent bike and the right clothing. A bit cold, otherwise. For those not familiar with Danish infrastructure, there are bike lanes almost everywhere so winter cycling doesn't involve crazy shuffling in and out of traffic in the car lanes while trying not to slide and fall.
Living in Copenhagen I prefer to use my bike, as it is comfortable, faster and straight out fun. Even my kids prefer that I pick them up in our cargo bike than our car. Its a feeling of freedom to ride a bike. I have spoken with americans, that looked at me with pitty, when I said I rode my bike to work. And then looked at me with disbelief, when I told them, that I preferd my bike.
I totally agree with your “analysis” (and as a Dane owning a car I still commute by train and bike … because it is faster and I can spend my time doing other things).
Not sure if it's exactly the same today, but I once read that people in Lemvig has more money after expenses than people in Hellerup on average. The average income may be lower in Lemvig, but so are the expenses... So once you've paid for everything you must, you have more money for yourself. Edit: oh and btw, yesterday I saw a whole school class that couldn't afford to rent a coach for a field trip, so they were all on their own bikes with high-visibility vests and helmets on.
All this is exactly why all people in Denmark miss Rufus Gifford so much❣️ He would never be so ignorant or rude!!! Like a lot of other danish people I own a car, but if I’m going somewhere close, I’ll much rather take my bike than my car- or walk. It’s healthier, cheaper and (if it’s not raining) nicer at the same time. I actually walk 4 to 5 miles every day, just to exercise and enjoy the nature. This doesn’t make me poor or sad - it brightens my day. 🌞
Thank you for bringing sense into this nonsense. This is not the first time we/Denmark are being presented as idiots by high profile (shall we say) political and media representatives of US. To put it mildly: WHAT???
Nice video man! i agree with all of you guys its soo spot-on i always have a saying that gos like this "its not what you have its the way you have it". Cause you can have a nice car, a boat or something to display your wealth but if you cant buy food n stuff what good does it to have it anyway... And the there are the other way where you have the car and/or the boat and you go out for dinner almost everyday cause you can I hope you guys understand it the metaphor. im not good at translate form danish to english
Carla Sands has never been the smartest tool in the box. I remember reading an article after she arrived in Denmark where she called Trump "Reagan 2.0" and praised him like a leech. In her years as an Ambassador to Denmark she never once read the room.
I know, you know, we all know that an embassy driver in Denmark can afford the car he/she would want and need! IF he/she couldn’t afford it would say more about the US embassy’s wages than “poverty” in the Danish middleclass.
just spot on reflections on Carla Sands lack of perception on what it takes to be an ambassador. Your analysis on what wealth means is just world class precise.👍
...and biking is fun! Do the americans and europeans have a different view on what is "bad" weather? Video idea. It seems like they do. "There is no bad weather, just bad clothing".
1:30 I thinkg the reason why Denmark is being "picked" on is that Denmark has always been compared to USA. Denmark have been on the top of the "happiness"-scale for years if not decades and our social security net is what is missing in USA. This is what both Bill Clinton and Obama wanted to change with some success but was immediately reversed by the next president from the opposite side.
@@helmutkok7833 Bernie Sanders should just never have used the word "Socialism" since that will scare off most Americans even the moderate ones, he is not a Socialist at best he would be a "Social Democrat".
What snow … did they move the embassy? - we have not had any snow for real in many years. …. Never mind the cars, … most middle class families outside copenhagen (where i doubt she even visited) have 2 cars. Inside copenhagen - yup not all have, not even half, they dont need a car. …… But she managed to absolute NOT understand the country she was in. So that is kind of sad.
Is it Denmark where the King and Queen have been known to bike around the countryside? If I'm remembering correctly (and that's a big IF) then if I was an Ambassador trying to foster goodwill between the USA and Denmark... I think I would have tried to emulate the King and Queen. If I'm remembering the wrong nation, please accept my apology.
Spot on! One middle-class family chooses to drive an expensive Mercedes, in favor of often being able to eat at restaurants, pamper the children and go on good vacations. Others families choose the opposite. They ride to work by bike, but in return they can do what suits them daily.
The late shipowner, Maersk McKinney Møller, if any, could afford to drive in a Rolls Royce, but he chose to use a black Ford Fiesta (with a driver)! In his later years he used a little more roomy Ford car.
Reminds me of an old joke. An American and a Dane is talking. The American brags about their two car system and that all families in the state have two cars. The Dane turns to him and says: "Yes, but in Denmark we have a three car system!" "Oh!" The American reply: "I ever only saw one car with each family house?" "Yes," the Dane chuckles, "you see! Every time we buy one car, we pay for three!" 😆 - Joke a side. The wealthiest man is not the one having a lot of empty soulless things. - It is he whom wants for nothing! - To the American friends: "Why should anybody buy stuf they don't need just to show off? It sounds counter intuitive to me.
I think your textual/cultural analysis is spot on..and you are a better ambassador than Carla Sands ever was.
You're absolutely right Carla Sands has just as few brain cells as Donald Trump that is, none !!!
And she was also employed under him, that says a bit about her
Yes, too bad we can't vote for Josh 😂
That is nice of you to say :).
Josh for prez!!! 4 more years 🙌 I could also settle with ambassador.
hear hear... We have the freedom to chose not to. Social and other wise.
Imagine spending _4 years_ as an official ambassador to another culture, and somehow managing to learn _nothing_ about that culture along the way. I miss Rufus...
as she said, she can't fathom how someone would interact with the public if their wealth could allow them otherwise. She's just ben chauffeured around to dinners and events for 4 years, and she's little more than an overdue tourist.
what I do not understand is why she only spent 4 years there. Wouldn't it be better if she had 20 years of experience? Why do ye change your diplomatic corps every time ye get a new president?
In Denmark our government employee are supposed to be apolitical. It is not that they do not have a political opinion, they just do not express it, nor let it colour their work.
@@rphb5870 Because each president chooses how he wants to represent America to Denmark.
@@angrypirate1094 that is the problem, no one works for the united state itself, it is all political.
It was like this here to in the ancient past. People serviced and made deals with the individual kings, but upon succession all of these bounds were broken and the new king had to build his own one from skrats.
Then we learned about the concept of The Crown,
And that made it all much simpler as now loyalties and allegiances were to the crown itself, not the individual man wearing it.
For us that progress happened when we reached the middle ages, for about 1000 years ago. Hopefully ye will be able to catch up to that point soon too.
For a diplomat that have been in Denmark for multiple years, her tweet simply displays how incompetent she has been..
How is she incompetent? Her job is to impose American culture, not the other way around.
and stupid
Maybe she cleansed her inside like Trump proposed regarding covid,so was too hard on her brain?
@@lilithdvs13 She lived full years i a foreign country without cathing up on the basics for that particular country. Incompetent or retarded you choose. But it is at least one off those options. Considering she tweeted fake news that was bound to be debunked, incompetent might even be too nice off a description.
@@claesmansson9070 Well who knows. But tweeting a statement about a country where it is sure to reach is just impressive in how dumb it is.
I am an American who spends a great deal of time in Denmark. I agree with what you are saying 100%. I disagree wholeheartedly with Carla Sands.
When I hear: "former US ambassador to Denmark" I think of Rufus Gifford. He made a lot of effort to understand the danish society and is likely the best know former US ambassador to Denmark. He was very well liked in the general public too.
When I heard Carla Sands name I just thought: "Okay, now something weird will be said from someone who didn't take the time to understand Denmark or Scandinavia at all".
And now he is maybe one of the best ambassadors for Denmark in the US. :-) Funny symmetry.
He's probably the best known former ambassador of any country. And solely for good reasons
Eller du hører ''Rufus grifford'' en der siger de nemme ting som jeg kan lide og høre.
''Carla sands'' En der siger sandheder jeg ikke kan lide at høre
@@guffeluffe5987 Carla Sands har sagt så meget sludder, at det ikke er til at bære.
Hun lader sin tro på Trump gøre sig helt blind for realiteter.
Men du gør nok det samme, når du kalder det sandheder
...and Rufus Gifford did also a good job for America. He painted a nuanced and good picture of both Denmark and USA. Carla Sands tries instead to divide us.
One of my friends is actually an embassy driver in Denmark and he has a 6 figure yearly income converted into US dollars. It's a job that typically requires you to have been in the special forces in the military, have an inpeccable security record, be multi-lingual, and hone your work related skills annually. It is indeed strange that she would single out a fairly high paid, high skill set job as an embassy driver. Or maybe she just didn't know who he was or how much he made? With Carla Sands literally anything is possible. To me she's the embodiment of the stereotypical "clueless American".
Not to mention, her driver prolly relished the bike ride as a nice way to "warm up" before going to work ;)
Also, I think I'd enjoy the bike ride as well if I knew I was gonna be sitting inside a "warm and stuffy car" for the next 8 hours of the day.
All I see a washed up daytime TV "star", who based her life on her looks, and in no way was qualified for her job.
To all Danes who read this, I am deeply sorry for this woman's ignorant, rude and racist behavior. As I said, she has lived a very protected life and has not developed any sense of empathy, let alone nuance, that or she is so brainwashed by our country's corporate propaganda that she has become its own mouthpiece. I would give an advantage of doubt that this behavior is not common to us Americans, and and these "people" who do this are trying to score nationalist and populist points.
@@zzamorano1717 Don't worry about it. Luckyly your former Ambassador Rufus Gifford made such a positive impact that I'm pretty sure nobody will remember Carla Sands was ever an ambassador here, just some lady who said stupid things. At least that is how I feel, why focus on the negatives.
@@jimmyselsmark7346 it's not Sands herself that not just infuriating and embarrassing for my country but the fact people like her in positions of such importance for not just diplomacy but for global communications and trade is. Personally, this behavior is absolutely fucking unacceptable, this shit is usually expected with diplomats from China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia or ever North Korea. I mean, could you imagine tweeting THIS while being stationed in THOSE countries, either their leaders would have started a massive outcry, bringing it to all aspects of media (old and new) worldwide and/or half the populist would have stormed the embassy to have this woman's head.
Like I said in my previous comment, THIS woman is probably some poorly educated, out of touch, spoiled, middle/upper class brat who has been sheltered in the suburbs all her life. Honestly, a uneducated inbred boomer hick straight from the goddamn Appalachian mountains would have more fucking class, grace, humility and understanding of etiquette then this "thing"(I refuse to called her person).
I am Danish but living in America. Have been for 37 years. I am 57 now and moving back to Denmark in 5 weeks. I have been following your videos because after 37 years I feel like I need an American perspective on life in Denmark. And you have definitely shown me that I am quite Americanized lol. I have a car here because I have to. Public transportation doesnt support my needs and biking isnt an option. Since I am moving to Horsens I already know I dont want a car again. I would rather sit back and read a book than drive in traffic. And yes...I am bringing my bike from here lol. It is nice though that you have picked up on the general Danish mentality and as a Dane I really appreciate this video in particular.
You may need to consider getting a car in DK anyway, it is not certain that the public transport system in Horsens is that good.
Meaning that it may not run as often as you think. Often we hear/see when people talk about public transport they look at mostly Copenhagen, and yes they have it running almost 24/7, but lets look at Odense the 3rd largest city here it runs 2 to 4 times an hour depending on the route in the city between 8-17 on weekdays and less in the weekends.
I use about 75 minutes to get from home to physio as an example with public transport, could be done in about 10 mins in a car or 20-25 mins on a bike.
What I am trying to write, Horsens might be a bit worse then Odense, since it is a smaller city
Velkommen hjem :)
@@mettehansen9754 Tak skal du have :) Jeg glaeder mig.
@@bazzakrak I am bringing my bike too lol. I am not too worried. My nephew lives in Horsens and he says things are fine. That doesn't mean that I wont get a car at some point. But for now I will be happy not having to pay for gas and insurance for a while.
Thank you for the response :) She does represent the "Facts dont matter" cult, and she has apparently learned nothing about the country she was ambassador in...
Feeling content, loved and not having to go to bed hungry is all the wealth you need.
You cannot take millions with you to the grave anyway. It's better to enjoy life with the people you love and cherish while you are in good health.
To be honest, Carla Sands were never interested in learning anything about Denmark. Americans like Carla Sands is the main reason why USA remains to be so unpopular around the world which is a shame for all the Americans who are actually interested in the world outside USA.
Agreed..
American's most are intelligent, at times misinformed, but intelligent and very nice people... I never understood those who come here and don't want to learn new perspectives of life regardless of cultural upbringing, wealth or the lack there off...
For Danes her tweet is just a big joke and we have seen these fake news before. Doesn’t surprise us.
I feel sorry for those Americans who actually believe in her lies.
Carla Sands do us all a favor and just stay in the US, unless you intend to start as a comedian, you would do great here - you make us laugh 😂✌️
Cheers from Copenhagen 🇩🇰
Yeah, we laughed at her.. but deep inside we were also a bit pissed off by her level of disinformation.
Touching on politics was brave, and you did it very well. In my company, the CEO arrives on bike every morning, and my leader comes in by public transport. Sad to see that level of poverty 😁I live 4 km away from work, and i start up the car every day, because I'm lazy though.
I love your way of dealing with things: level headed, factual and intelligent! Thanks for enriching our small country.
What I like about no one being able to afford a car, is that the complete lack of cars makes parking in Copenhagen very easy.
🤣🤣🤣
But many people are able to a afford a car. It's just that people living Copenhagen don't need a car unless they work outside Copenhagen. The infrastrcture of busses, trains and the Metro makes it almost unnecessary to have a car. It's the people that live outside of Copenhagen that have to drive to work and park that makes it difficult to park. And the traffic in rushhour is terrible.
Please share your secret neighborhood where it’s easy to park in Copenhagen!
@@erikabirch7024 pretty sure, she meant the IDEA of, as in the good side to it would be...
Living on CPH my car sit in the garage, most of the time. I only use it, to visit friends and family.
Many families in Denmark have two car’s!
When I think "former US ambassador to Denmark" I'm thinking Rufus Gifford ... He's the only one worth remembering imo, and I suspect he'll be so for a long time.
Yes. We want Rufus back 🤞
I swear he must be the most popular American to ever arrive in Denmark. People from both political spectrums absolutely adore him still
@@oliverboisen7475 To all Danes who read this, I am deeply sorry for this woman's ignorant, rude and racist behavior. As I said, she has lived a very protected life and has not developed any sense of empathy, let alone nuance, that or she is so brainwashed by our country's corporate propaganda that she has become its own mouthpiece. I would give an benefit of a doubt that this best particular behavior is not common to us Americans, and these "people" who do this are trying to score nationalist and populist points.
As much as DR loved the LGBQT ambassador he was very specific about who and what he wanted to deal with, never really interacting much with non homosexual politician, and American citizens that did not belong to that segment. By far the most professional Ambassador that US has sent this millenium was James Cain, who did a tremendous job of outreach to schoolkids - arranging bicycle trips with kids from all walks of life, actually being a professional representative for the US both in business, interaction with society and he also serves as a warning to how far out in the extremes the US adminstrations have become. Carla Sands and Rufus Gifford are sadly prime examples of how extreme US politics has become!
And she just admitted,She didn't pay him enough to be able to buy a car! How does that reflect on her 🤔🤔 If I worked all day as a driver, the LAST thing I would want to do, is drive to work 🤷🤷
She has no idea what he was paid or who he was. I actually know the guy, and he couldn't stand her either.
Your description of cultural differences between the USA and the Scandinavian countries - and Denmark in particular- is spot on! Especially the part, that happenines means content here in Denmark - and not extremely wealthy! And about being able to afford a car: There are around 3.5 million Danes in the age span 18 years - 65 years, which means the age span, that most eligible holder of a drivers license are in - and there are about 3 million cars in Denmark. And according to the banks, the Danes have more cash stoved away in their bank accounts now, because of the pandemic, than ever before! And finally regarding bikes: Those who really go for biking, owns bikes, that cost about the same as a used car! Some of these bikers were probably among the 16.000 , who rode across your favorite bridge in Denmark, the bridge across the Great Belt the other day! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
That doesnt change the fact that most americans can afford to buy bigger, better, safer and newer cars than danish people can.
@@guffeluffe5987
Do they?
Look around in the traffic. You don’t see many old cars on the streets. Of course the odd old heap of rust can be seen, but they are few and far between.
There was sold 185.328 new cars in 2021 and at the moment there’s 3 mio cars registered
@@kasperkjrsgaard1447 Well you can just look it up, Denmark has one of the biggest amounts of old cars in europe.
@@guffeluffe5987 Define "old" because without a definition the term "old" can mean anything you want it to mean.
@@kasperkjrsgaard1447 There are certainly many new cars, and most cars look quite okay. But there is also quite a number of cars that is really old and crappy and have big fumes of smoke coming out of the exhaust. More than you will see in Germany for instance. And that is not surprising, considering the high cost of cars, and the need for a car when you live outside a city.
"Wealth is not what you see" really hits the nail on the head. I have a macbook air, and an iphone and an Ipad pro which means that my wealth in social capital (not sure you can use that in this setting but here we are) in the sense of appearance, is rather high. Meanwhile I am writing my masters and I am essentially a student in debt.
My uncle on the other hand is a millionaire and he drives a small Toyota city car of some sort that is 15 years old and his only phone is his work phone.
social capital because of Apple products, really ??
@@AresDK11 Why do you think apple is still so popular? It is expensive as hell, a lot of other products are equal in quality if not better at the same price or even cheaper and yet apple still sells like hot cakes. Social capital is not based on what you like personally. in the SOME age, it depend on circles you move in or even where you are situated at any given moment. For example, I mentioned appearance specifically, as in, I am sitting at a café transcribing an interview at the moment. In this setting, a macbook arguably improve my "outwards image".
Meanwhile I have a few friends who are designers so I got to be at some of the venues during Copenhagen fashion week last fall. I would not call myself a sloppy dresser exactly, but in terms of appearance, in that setting, I think it is safe to say my "social capital" basically flatlined.
@@kinuuni I guess I am old-fashioned. I like people that like me because of who I am and what I do...not what kind of products I use...or waste money on a brand name...and oh yeah...I live in Udkantsdanmark...or as we like to call it...waterside Denmark.
@@AresDK11 I grew up in Albertslund. Trust me, social capital is still at play in the suburbs. Social capital is not something you necessarily thrive for though. I have mac for very specific reasons. My tendency to break my cord and mac cords being the cheapest on the market, the noice level once it gets older as well as weight. I got an ipad because I find relaxation in drawing and the best art app on the market is exclusively for ipad pro. And the phone is because I have specific needs for my cover and with an iphone I can basically pick and choose no matter how old it gets. The social capital is a bi-product and again, only at play in specific settings.
Trust me if I did not believe my friends like me for my personality, the fact that they want me along for fashion events certainly prove it as I am bound to be a strain on their social capital in that setting XD
Paying over price for chinese components, lol, it's a marketing scam!!!
Yes to everything you said.
And if she thought her driver was poor, why didn’t she pay him a better wage???
Stupid question, she is a Republican businesswoman (and politician). HINT: Those get rich (or richer) by paying as low wages as they can get away with.
She didn’t think she was poor. She called him middle class.
@@cynic7049 And then blame it on the opposing political party
In the foreign dignitaries biz, usually all expenses are covered by the state
Embassy chauffeurs tend to be hired and salaried by the office and then assigned to whichever diplomat
Perfect analysis of our Danish culture. It is a pleasure to follow your experiences here in Denmark.
Thanks!
When I lived in the Copenhagen area, I dropped having a car, it worked better getting around by bicycle, public transport, occasionally a taxi, or walking. Having a car was just too much hassle due to parking and slow traffic. Now I got a nice house in the countryside, where having a car is a real benefit, longer distances, lower traffic and easy parking. Not using an expensive car, even if I could afford to "show off" ;-)
Not to mention, the monthly expense for using public transport in Copenhagen is prolly less than the monthly expenses for a parking permit ;)
@@Litvan While you are right about that, I deliberately abstained from pointing out the monetary benefits of car-free metropolitan life, to keep my distance to the BS claim of people only choosing other means of transport because they can't afford to spend too much time in traffic jams.
My goodness, the responses to her tweet are a hilarious read. Highly recommended. :D
This quote from the movie American Beauty comes to mind: "In order to be truly successful you have to project an image of success at all times." Seems to fit quite well with your talk about some of the typical American cultural traits.
An amusing note is that there was 8 days of snow in the entire period she was here, and none of it that hard to bike through... It's not that Carla Sands did not know better, she does - it's that she's speaking to a home audience who has less interest in truth and more interest in dogma.
Nice is being nice, not necessarily owning "nice" things. After just spending five days in Copenhagen I get the impression that Danes are very nice people.
If you just keep saying that we will be 😂
I can’t really tell if Carla Sands judged a culture she doesn’t quite understand, or if she knows this full well and just constructed a false narrative to support her position in a domestic US debate. But she certainly mingled a lot less with ordinary Danes than her predecessor Rufus Gifford.
I think you are correct in your analysis of this. Interesting episode 👍🏻
You're the first and only person who I've seen having the exact same thoughts as me. There isn't a doubt in my mind, that she's creating a false narrative. And the scary thing - it might work
Joshua you are just my favorite youtuber. The way you think and present your thoughts is sublime. I like it a lot. People's actions show who they are more than words, and I have to admit I sometimes get a little tired in my head when I see statements like this from Carla Sand. Joshua thank you for informing correctly.
There has hardly been any snow in Denmark the years Carla Sands was in the country.
some very interesting points about wealth .. thanx for that view.. On that note: have you considered visting Bornholm during the upcoming "Folkemøde"? I remember how Rufus Gifford mentioned it as a unique place for dialoque in a democracy and were very surprised by the form .. At Folkemødet all politicians, lobbyist, NGO's and the people meet for three days to discuss all kind of stuff..
You were spot on. A friend of my parents, who was a billionaire never bought a new car in his whole life, because in the first years the value of the cars drops about 35-45% , so he and his wife were always looking for a good deal.
Often the reason why rich people are rich, they don`t wast money easily.
@@Uriel-Septim. they simply look for the most profitable investments - and buying a new car is the furthest you can get from a sound investment.
@@Real_MisterSir Unless it is a taxi or a truck or you need it for work or that you treasure the freedom it give you, but sure a new car is one of the things that looose value the fastest, buy 2 years old once if you want the most value for you money.
Spot on, Joshua. It’s a choice here (also in Sweden) to ride a bike. There’s even a slogan from the city of Malmö saying “In Malmö, most things are ridiculously close” - promoting the healthy and environmentally friendly option - bikes. Also - 9 times out of 10, you reach your destination faster with a bike in comparison to go by car…
So strange that she didn’t pick up on that culture during her time, did she ever go out in Denmark and had a look around? …or those tinted windows in her embassy car was hard to see through? ;)
Well spoken.
Proud to have you guys here in Denmark
Wealth for me, is the ability to care about other people...
I am danish and I don't have a car, course I don't need a car! Sure I can afford one, but I just don't need it. I find it much easier to go by bus or train or to ride my bike. To me (and so many other danes) it is not about money, it is a life style choice.
Most people i know, they do have cars and they also have bikes, or they make a choice, just like me, to not own a car. Biking is healthy, there is no polution, you can always find a parking place and so on. Plus, as mentioned in this video, I really don't have a need to 'show of' what i can buy, in order to feel respected. Actually It makes me laugh to think of that, as i don't value people that way. It is just not how my culture works.
I have never owned a car ... have not been able to afford one (have been on welfare for many years but am now an early retiree) but have not needed one either ... public transport has got me where I need to go ...
I recently bought an old cargo bike I am in the process of restoring ... this is my "car"
Small information.
I use to Work at the embassy back When Rufus was there and 1 year When Carla was there.
All the drivers In the embassy had their own car, the Choose not to use Them to Work because of parking, traffic and the fact that it was cheaper.
"In Denmark you don't need to be better than everyone else." That's true. My friend was an "exchange student" in Arizona for a year. The host family had a fairly large *yacht in their front garden.* To show off how "well off" they were. Even though they were literally hundreds of miles from the sea where they could use that yacht. It was just on display in their front garden. Well, Carla Sands, we don't have that in Denmark. We have a car, most of us, but we don't use it that much, for a multitude of reasons.
this is far from the first time she was wrong on her understanding of the Danish culture.
when the Stanley Cup came to Denmark, the little talk she did at the event completely missed the mark on Danish culture and sport.
like most Trumpians: ignorant, bigoted and parochial
Just wanted to mention my boss and 2 other senior co-workers, they have spent over 100k danish kroner on their bikes, and all of them also have cars.
Also infrastructure. In the U.S. It is often necessary to have a car to commute, simple because of how cities are planned. Many european countries have more cycling-friendly infrastucture/better public transport.
Your understaning of Denmark and our culture is phenomenal. Thank you so much.
It is ironic, when I was a student and at the lowest of my wealth ever I had a car. Bought it used for 45.000 dkk and had a budget for aroun 300 dk/m for fuel, ansvars insurance and maintenance.
Joshua, what a brilliant perspective! You are spot on and an excellent, trustworthy, communicator. We'd love for you to stay in Denmark, but should you at some point choose to return to America, you'd be a politician I would vote for ;-)
Great observations... You're spot on! :-)
... and by the way... Thanks for showing the world what a great place Denmark is!
I maybe late to this comment thread, but I am so glad to see this video. Whether it was Carla Sands or another American missing out on the true culture/society in Denmark. The examples you have noted are spot on in understanding Denmark's way of living. I had worked for a few years on Jutland and came to love the country and the people. I found that the culture allowed me to have no fear to be myself. I was healthier, more social and understood how equal we all are and best of all, met my husband. After 25 years being back in the USA, Denmark makes a lot more sense. Of which, the future is basically coming home to DK. Thank you for all of the insight, great videos and allowing others to see that life is good. Looking forward to following your adventures.
Many people have problems understanding the Scandinavian model. I do know Bernie "The Mittens" Sanders is up to speed on the topic, besides him, I don't think many in the US system knows what Scandinavia is. But at least the majority keeps their mouth shut.
Some days ago I stumbled over a video here on YT, it's called "How Denmark invented Social Democracy". Its not only about Denmark, also Scandinavian countries.
No, it's not a commercial for Denmark, it just explained why Scandinavia is as it is. It is made by a German guys (video is in English), 36 minutes stuffed with knowledge. I learned a lot about my own country when a watched the video, and I have been here for 60 years.
I can highly recommend this video.
I think she forgot that we were biking everywhere BEFORE the gas prices went through the roof. Just like The Netherlands. Bikes everywhere.
Carla Sands tweet was meant for domestic purpose only in my opinion. She is running for Congress in November and needs a platform that goes well among republican voters.
The problem is that Twitter is not an US only thing... It's globale and everyone can read it...
@@GarmrsBarking But I would guess most of her followers are americans.
@@SenemYucel19 Is there any hope that her US followers read the replies to her idiotic tweet? Because then one could hope that some of them realize she is stupid _and_ a big liar. (I know, maybe it's a bit much to hope.)
Running for congress by lying. Who wants to vote for a person who doesn’t tell the truth!🤔
Another element is that many american cities are designed for cars. There are parking spots and wide roads all over the place. But older cities, like copenhagen, was not designed for cars, but have been modified for them. This means less parking space and a lot of one way streets to regulate the flow of traffic. So many times, if you are going from A to B, a bike is faster, because the time you save in a car, you lose trying to find a parking spot. So wouldn't we like american style cities instead? Well no, because even if it gets cramped i the inner cities, they still feel a lot better to be in. There is an intimacy in being able to walk around without the need of a car. American cities often have no cohesive center.
Most American cities have been super-modified for cars...
One "detail" is that it is outright *illegal* (restrictive zoning) to build safe walkable residential areas allowing for other ways of getting around than cars. The few remaining such places are often very popular places to live, and thus expensive.
I am happy that you have chosen to discuss this on your channel. I was desperat when I read in and I wanted to prostest, but did not know how or where ❤️❤️❤️
Yup, you nailed it. :) I didn't know about the podcast you mentioned, I'll go check it out, thanks! :)
Carla Sands comments reminds me of a KGB officer in denmark who reported home, that there was a famine in Denmark - no meat! His reasoning - there were no ques in front of butchers shops, so there must be no meat for sale!!
Good reflection. I showed the article to my wife. We had a good laugh for about 5-10min and continued on with our day.
My dad worked at an embassy before retiring. He would bike (an electric bike) from Amager to Hellerup most days because why not take advantage of the nice weather? Also if he didn't drive he wouldn't have to check his car for bombs.. He found it at nice break to do his commute by bike.
Some left-wingers in America Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have pointed to Denmark and Scandinavia as an example of a country with social benefits that works. This has angerede republicans. That si why they are trying to diminish Denmark and Scandinavia.
And also in general Scandinavia is just run very poorly. You almost never hear any good news coming from there. It’s always ghettos being taken over by terrorists and being rejected by NATO because they support terrorism.
@@lilithdvs13 and that is just not true at all... like anyting you said...
@@lilithdvs13 That was weird. We do not have ghettos being taken over by terrorists. And when I told an American this area was considered a ghetto from a Danish standard he was puzzled. As he said: This is a nice place to live.
@@lilithdvs13 But nevertheless it is interesting to hear the American myths. They are somewhat laughable but they also tell a story about an uneducated and misinformed public.
@@lilithdvs13 And actually you never hear about any good news from The Banana Rebublic Of The Corrupted States.
How is that section 8 working for the states.
While in scandinavia sosial housing are more spread in all neighbourhods so we dont have ghettos.
Stop listening to faux entertainment network.
I bike thru snow every day, to work at my cupcake shop.
Cycling is lovely. I prefer it to driving my car.
Except for times like five minutes ago, when I was listening to your excellent analysis and got a bug down my throat... Still coughing.
Ha, sorry about that :).
Spot on 👏 and thank you for discussing this topic.
Really interesting talk, Josh. Made me think of some of the theories I read while studying for my Master degree in Anthropology. If you want to read/listen to something relevant and extremely interesting, go for Pierre Bourdieu’s “Distinction”, which analyses how cultural capital is constructed through consumption patterns. As you say, this may vary not just between countries and cultures, but also subcultures within a society. Another great rabbit-hole to Google-jump into is the concept of “conspicuous consumption”, which is essentially the first theory of consumption as a social marker. Once you start noticing these cultural patterns of consumption, they are really difficult to un-see 😆
I’ll check out “distinction” sounds interesting. I hope you are well, let’s catch up soon in real life!
I love the way he explains things so that anyone can understand what the purpose is! I even agree with that!
josh ..
it's a little fun to read this tweet, because if you turn the picture and look from another side ...
she writes:
- that SHE as ambassador did not get paid enough to be able to let the driver take the car home ..
-that SHE could not pay the driver enough to afford a car ...
and suddenly it is not at all about the price of gas, but more about her and her view of the salary as an ambassador.
it all depends on the eyes that see ...
As the Dutch person(from the Netherlands) living here in Denmark, it is very similar most families will have both a very nice car and bicycles and depending on where they are going and what they are doing determines which mode of transport will be used, a short trip to the shops, do errands, to visit friends or family and it's a nice day everyone gets on the bicycle and off they go, sometimes it's just quicker and easier to go to work on the bike, going on a long trip, vacation then that, of course, is done with the family car, and also both here and in the Netherlands where ever you want to bike to you have dedicated bicycle lanes so no danger of being run over by a car.
Thanks for your love, great job with the info, all the best from Denmark ❤🎵🇩🇰
Btw. Gas prices is crazy here, but for now we manage. 2nd. We have always had cycles, even if mine is gathering dust lately 😅
A part of all you earn is yours to keep and grow.
Oh, I'd like to see more videos like this one! It was personal, insightful, thoughtful and also really respectful. I love that it was about culture in a not tourist-y way, though those are good too. Thank you Josh!
Thaks Josh !!
I’m Danish grew up there… I have this year lived in the US for thirty years…
I didn’t have a drivers license when I lived in Denmark… I didn’t need it as the public transportation was well developed that a car was not a necessary expense and yes I biked to work an hour every day when the weather was not really bad… I was able to take a shower at work and so this was my build in exercise to keep me healthy and fit… when moving to the US I was really missed being able to ride a bike and having a car was a necessity as they public transportation was none existing where I lived…
When taking the train I could spend the hour commute to read or even nap 😜
So I do think Denmark tries in ways to minimize the amount of cars and most families have only one car vs here where every person (of driving age) in the house has to have a car to get to where they need to go…
The amount of pollution it creates per household is just one aspect of it… in many ways I feel the US is so far behind on many things that Denmark does really well and have for many years now…
Even the crown prince of Denmark has recently been seen on a bike with some of his children..
It's not really "politics" ... she's just plain lying.
I think one side picks on Denmark, because the other side likes to use us as a good example.
Both sides seem to constantly get our political system wrong.
It's neither socialist, communist or democratic socialist.
It social democrat/capitalist.
Exactly. It's a capitalist economy with a social democratic welfare state. Problem is Americans have been brainwashed since the 50's to think that socialism = comunism therefore socialism = evil
Yes!
The wealth thing you speak about, is basicly the theory of Conspicuous consumption by Thorstein Veblen Sociologist and Economist. He also explains how a household would in general show off their wealth, (1900s)
Hi Joshua, however right You might be about how things might be understood in general, this is absolutely no excuse for someone who spent a few years in Denmark as an ambassador.
happy to have someone so mindful and understanding living here in Denmark with us
Danes like to be practical. a bike is pracitical in the city etc.
Wow you made me think and that is a fantastic view on the idea of wealth. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this.
We’ve been here since October and minus moving apartment we haven’t really needed a car and I know my health is much better for having a bike over a car. I love exploring the city on my bike. I miss so much being in a car.
Don't worry about Carla Sands. You are all much better ambassadors for the US than she ever was.
Hey Joshua. You hit the nail on the head with your observation and arguments. I think that it has to do with "the American Dream", where you have to get as rich as possible, and show it off too. Danes are not mentally built that way.
Love your angle and thoughts about this tweet.
Love Jordan Klepper...
Well said Sir.
Great analysis! A lot of the points you mentioned, I think, is also the main reasons why we are voted one of the happiest nations in the world. Material wealth is not what makes us happy, but the choices that set us free to live and love how we want.
Im 37 and I never had a car, or even a drivers license, never needed either if them and I always used my bike. I think that the horror scenario that she tweets about riding your bike to work in the snow has been normal in Denmark for many people for a long time.
I may not be Danish (I’m Norwegian). I’m 48, have my drivers license but I’ve never owned a car. I live in the city center and I get around just fine by walking, public transportation and my trusty bike. The few times I actually need a car, I can easily borrow or lease one. Much easier and I don’t have to deal with the upkeep. Car free for life. Am I poor? No, solidly middle class with almost no mortgage
Biking in the snow is actually fun. At least with a half-decent bike and the right clothing. A bit cold, otherwise.
For those not familiar with Danish infrastructure, there are bike lanes almost everywhere so winter cycling doesn't involve crazy shuffling in and out of traffic in the car lanes while trying not to slide and fall.
Living in Copenhagen I prefer to use my bike, as it is comfortable, faster and straight out fun. Even my kids prefer that I pick them up in our cargo bike than our car. Its a feeling of freedom to ride a bike.
I have spoken with americans, that looked at me with pitty, when I said I rode my bike to work. And then looked at me with disbelief, when I told them, that I preferd my bike.
I totally agree with your “analysis” (and as a Dane owning a car I still commute by train and bike … because it is faster and I can spend my time doing other things).
Not sure if it's exactly the same today, but I once read that people in Lemvig has more money after expenses than people in Hellerup on average.
The average income may be lower in Lemvig, but so are the expenses... So once you've paid for everything you must, you have more money for yourself.
Edit: oh and btw, yesterday I saw a whole school class that couldn't afford to rent a coach for a field trip, so they were all on their own bikes with high-visibility vests and helmets on.
All this is exactly why all people in Denmark miss Rufus Gifford so much❣️ He would never be so ignorant or rude!!!
Like a lot of other danish people I own a car, but if I’m going somewhere close, I’ll much rather take my bike than my car- or walk. It’s healthier, cheaper and (if it’s not raining) nicer at the same time. I actually walk 4 to 5 miles every day, just to exercise and enjoy the nature. This doesn’t make me poor or sad - it brightens my day. 🌞
Thank you for bringing sense into this nonsense. This is not the first time we/Denmark are being presented as idiots by high profile (shall we say) political and media representatives of US. To put it mildly: WHAT???
Nice video man! i agree with all of you guys its soo spot-on i always have a saying that gos like this "its not what you have its the way you have it". Cause you can have a nice car, a boat or something to display your wealth but if you cant buy food n stuff what good does it to have it anyway... And the there are the other way where you have the car and/or the boat and you go out for dinner almost everyday cause you can
I hope you guys understand it the metaphor. im not good at translate form danish to english
Carla Sands has never been the smartest tool in the box. I remember reading an article after she arrived in Denmark where she called Trump "Reagan 2.0" and praised him like a leech. In her years as an Ambassador to Denmark she never once read the room.
When I went to live in the States, my host family(of 4) had 4 cars!! I found that somewhat disturbing and an enormous waste of money and gas.
I know, you know, we all know that an embassy driver in Denmark can afford the car he/she would want and need! IF he/she couldn’t afford it would say more about the US embassy’s wages than “poverty” in the Danish middleclass.
Or maybe the driver choose to use his money on other things, saving up, travel etc. None of us know his situation.
I know the drivers, they have cars, they Choose to take train or bike because its easier and cheaper.
just spot on reflections on Carla Sands lack of perception on what it takes to be an ambassador.
Your analysis on what wealth means is just world class precise.👍
...and biking is fun!
Do the americans and europeans have a different view on what is "bad" weather? Video idea. It seems like they do. "There is no bad weather, just bad clothing".
Great talk. You are spot on.
1:30 I thinkg the reason why Denmark is being "picked" on is that Denmark has always been compared to USA. Denmark have been on the top of the "happiness"-scale for years if not decades and our social security net is what is missing in USA. This is what both Bill Clinton and Obama wanted to change with some success but was immediately reversed by the next president from the opposite side.
I would add Bernie Sanders to
@@helmutkok7833 Bernie Sanders should just never have used the word "Socialism" since that will scare off most Americans even the moderate ones, he is not a Socialist at best he would be a "Social Democrat".
i think a big differnce is that in denmark we dont need a car to get around. it might take time but its not a must.
Some bikes here in CPH costs more than nice cars.
What snow … did they move the embassy? - we have not had any snow for real in many years. …. Never mind the cars, … most middle class families outside copenhagen (where i doubt she even visited) have 2 cars. Inside copenhagen - yup not all have, not even half, they dont need a car. …… But she managed to absolute NOT understand the country she was in. So that is kind of sad.
Also if she cared to bike around herself, she would discover that you can get faster around on a bike in CPH than a car atleast to/from work.
Is it Denmark where the King and Queen have been known to bike around the countryside? If I'm remembering correctly (and that's a big IF) then if I was an Ambassador trying to foster goodwill between the USA and Denmark... I think I would have tried to emulate the King and Queen. If I'm remembering the wrong nation, please accept my apology.
@@bigskypioneer1898 Our latest king (Frederik iX) died in 1972, but if you say Crown Prince in stead you're on point :-)
Spot on! One middle-class family chooses to drive an expensive Mercedes, in favor of often being able to eat at restaurants, pamper the children and go on good vacations. Others families choose the opposite. They ride to work by bike, but in return they can do what suits them daily.
The late shipowner, Maersk McKinney Møller, if any, could afford to drive in a Rolls Royce, but he chose to use a black Ford Fiesta (with a driver)! In his later years he used a little more roomy Ford car.
politics aside carla sands never understood the danes nor did she ever try to.
Reminds me of an old joke. An American and a Dane is talking. The American brags about their two car system and that all families in the state have two cars. The Dane turns to him and says: "Yes, but in Denmark we have a three car system!" "Oh!" The American reply: "I ever only saw one car with each family house?" "Yes," the Dane chuckles, "you see! Every time we buy one car, we pay for three!" 😆 - Joke a side. The wealthiest man is not the one having a lot of empty soulless things. - It is he whom wants for nothing! - To the American friends: "Why should anybody buy stuf they don't need just to show off? It sounds counter intuitive to me.
Good comment. Your conception on welth and bicycle culture is obviously far more elaborated than your conception on the water in Stockholm!