Scandinavia is culturally conservative in a way it’s hard for non-Scandis to grasp. Left wing economically, sure, and socially tolerant due to very low religiosity even by European standards, but the idea of the Nordics as a cold hippie paradise is woefully outdated
Similar to the Netherlands as well. Liberal in a lot of ways, but there is a very deep undercurrent of conservatism everywhere, largely due to Calvinism still influencing even non-religious people. Yes they were the first country to legalize same-sex marriage and they have not-quite-so-illegal marijuana, but that happened over 20 years ago.
I'm not sure I understand. Does that fact that it happened over 20 years ago make the country more socially conservative than places that still haven't taken those steps or took them more recently?
I'm saying that while the Netherlands was progressive concerning same-sex marriage and recreational drugs, they are still socially conservative in many other ways, particularly regarding race issues and immigration. The idea of the Netherlands as a hippie paradise is outdated. In 2000 it could be considered very progressive compared to the rest of the world. In 2024 places not often considered progressive, like South Africa and Thailand, have caught up to the Netherlands on LGBT rights and drug policy.
I'm not sure why South Africa would not often be considered progressive. LGBT rights are guaranteed in their post-apartheid constitution, for example. But turning against immigration is not the same kind of social conservatism as supporting the criminalization of pot use, abortion, contraception or gay sex.
Scandinavia is culturally conservative in a way it’s hard for non-Scandis to grasp. Left wing economically, sure, and socially tolerant due to very low religiosity even by European standards, but the idea of the Nordics as a cold hippie paradise is woefully outdated
Similar to the Netherlands as well. Liberal in a lot of ways, but there is a very deep undercurrent of conservatism everywhere, largely due to Calvinism still influencing even non-religious people. Yes they were the first country to legalize same-sex marriage and they have not-quite-so-illegal marijuana, but that happened over 20 years ago.
I'm not sure I understand. Does that fact that it happened over 20 years ago make the country more socially conservative than places that still haven't taken those steps or took them more recently?
I'm saying that while the Netherlands was progressive concerning same-sex marriage and recreational drugs, they are still socially conservative in many other ways, particularly regarding race issues and immigration. The idea of the Netherlands as a hippie paradise is outdated. In 2000 it could be considered very progressive compared to the rest of the world. In 2024 places not often considered progressive, like South Africa and Thailand, have caught up to the Netherlands on LGBT rights and drug policy.
I'm not sure why South Africa would not often be considered progressive. LGBT rights are guaranteed in their post-apartheid constitution, for example. But turning against immigration is not the same kind of social conservatism as supporting the criminalization of pot use, abortion, contraception or gay sex.