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submitted 1 year ago by Facelikeapotato@lemmy.ml to c/memes@lemmy.ml
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[-] zakobjoa@lemmy.world 96 points 1 year ago

Incidentally, both not native to Europe.

Europeans taking shit from other continents and making it theirs. It feels like there's a metaphor or something...

[-] cmbabul@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I just went through all the things I think Europe does well or is known for, and I can’t think of anything that doesn’t either originate somewhere else or has been made better elsewhere. With the exceptions of cars(which doomed us and is still debatable euro cars are the best), wine(depending on how you categorize Georgia), and olive oil. Someone correct me if I’m missing something

Edit: does French bread count?

[-] Hillock@kbin.social 29 points 1 year ago

Watches
Pizza
Lots of musical instruments such as piano and violin
Electronic music
Gold, while it's unknown when and where exactly gold started to be mined the oldest artifacts found are from Bulgaria.
Democracy

But you will struggle coming up with examples of others countries as well. There are few countries that invented something and are still the best at. So much stuff was just invented so long ago. The only county where this is somewhat easy is the US with some technology.

[-] cmbabul@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Watches is a really big one I missed considering how important the quantification of time is to human history. I didn’t include pizza because like OP said tomatoes ain’t European originally. I’ll take your word on electronic music as I know absolutely nothing about that, gold I don’t know if that counts at all since it’s a mineral. Maybe the best at working it? And yeah the Greeks invented democracy but is anyone in 2023 actually doing democracy well? Or well enough to brag on it, lots of money controlling the wheels of power around the world these days. Not saying you’re wrong I just don’t know if it’s clear cut.

Besides watches/time pieces you’re spot on there

And sorry for the edit I locked my phone and it posted before I finished

Second edit: I’ve had pizza from a bunch of different places and styles and while the best in my opinion is debatable depending on your palette, the absolute worst pizza is in Portugal, specifically at Tarantinos in Porto

[-] Hillock@kbin.social 12 points 1 year ago

Pizza predates tomatoes coming to Italy. There is a 2000 year old fresco that has a pizza in it (without tomato sauce obviously). Tomatoes made it to Italy around 500 years ago.

And there are still pizzas today that use a different base for their sauce than tomatoes. But taste is subjective so it's hard to say if those are "the best".

[-] cmbabul@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Damn! Today I learned, thanks for the info

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the absolute worst pizza is in Portugal

They have Papa John's in Portugal?

[-] cmbabul@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Glad I found a fellow Papa John’s hater, not saying any of the major American pizza brands are great but PJs is by far the worst

[-] CallumWells@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

palette

Just thought I'd point out that I don't think you meant palette, but palate. If you did in fact mean "palette" I apologize for my intrusion.

A lot of things are this way in English, if you haven't read the word in the correct context enough it's hard to write it the right way, and if you haven't heard it in the right context it can be hard to pronounce it right.

[-] cmbabul@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

No you’re right,a combination of beer and auto correct, I’ll leave it for learning though

[-] CallumWells@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

Not like it's hard to make such a mistake.

[-] Obi@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 year ago

Damn, Tarantinos catching some shade here.

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[-] neutronicturtle@lemmy.world 27 points 1 year ago

How far back does it count? Humans originate from Africa so everything we do can be seen as Africans doing things with stuff from all over the planet. Or perhaps even that is not far enough. What's the origin of the first mammal... The only contestant is change and life is good at mixing things up.

[-] Obi@sopuli.xyz 17 points 1 year ago

Everything was stolen from the first amoebae in the primordial soup!

[-] SirShanova@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Depends on you define best or known for when it comes to cars. Sure a BMW is nice but a Lexus will last twice as long for a fifth the price and is good.

And bread, for invention, depends on whether or not you count leavened and unleavened separately. In terms of best, French bread is definitely S tier though.

[-] cmbabul@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Those were definitely my thoughts on cars, although I give Germany some credit for inventing them. And yeah bread is tough since it’s been done all across humanity, the French do it best I think but i dunno if it should count

[-] SirShanova@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

Well, idk who invented sourdough or garlic bread but both of those should be examined as rivals. Baguette stills rocks heated and buttered though

[-] cmbabul@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

It’s either an Italian or New York Italian that invented garlic bread. Sourdough I think is Colorado but I have know idea where I heard that. But yeah you ain’t wrong

[-] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

Sourdough I think is Colorado

That may be where it became popular in the USA, but the sourdough method was widespread throughout medieval Europe.

[-] lauha@lemmy.one 3 points 1 year ago

French bread is fine I guess, but nothing beats the Finnish rye bread when you don't want to be hungry again in 5 minutes. Also nothing beats the taste.

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[-] RembrandtQEinstein@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago
[-] cmbabul@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Movies, jazz, and airplanes are still tops, even if movies are shit compared to ten years ago Hollywood is still the champ money and cultural impact wise, invention can be co-claimed by the French but the largest early exposition took place in Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Ga. Boeing and Lockheed have yet to be toppled despite both having serious issues recently and there being more competition. Jazz was invented here and while it’s good elsewhere I still thing it’s better along the Mississippi. Still amongst if not the largest exporter of food too.

The US is fucked and shitty but it’s not like we don’t do anything well

Edit: added a k to the end of took

[-] SirShanova@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Large scale electrification, nuclear deterrents, continental cargo rail

[-] cmbabul@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

The first and last are for sure good but I think Japan has it better on the first and Europe on the third but I could be wrong. The middle one for sure but I dunno if we can count that considering we struck first and last in the nuke race

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[-] Granixo@feddit.cl 49 points 1 year ago

Northern Europe:

Southern Europe:

[-] Chadohfax@lemmy.world 48 points 1 year ago

You can use exact same line for "Butter Europe/ Olive oil Europe" It was one of the many reasons for rise of Protestant movements because the Vatican wanted to classify butter as an indulgence, because olive oil was used for all the oils where they were. Butter was seen as gross and a sin.

[-] yata@sh.itjust.works 14 points 1 year ago

Other traditional historical culinary divisions of Europe are beer/wine and white bread/dark bread (or wheat/rye).

[-] bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 3 points 1 year ago

Based vegan Vatican.

[-] eggspresso@sh.itjust.works 21 points 1 year ago

Pre-1492 Europe: nonexistent

[-] yata@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 year ago

There are other possibilities:

butter/olive oil

wine/beer

wheat/rye

[-] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 5 points 1 year ago

Another, Pre-Columbian exchange, comparison would be butter Europe vs olive oil Europe.

[-] BobDole4Prez@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Post 1996 Europe: Bob Dole

[-] rockerface@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago

as a Ukrainian, I'm proud to confirm that we have both

[-] voidnutcracker@feddit.de 9 points 1 year ago

But do you pronounce it tomato or tomato?

[-] zaphod@feddit.de 7 points 1 year ago
[-] float@feddit.de 8 points 1 year ago

I've been travelling a lot in Spain and I'd consider it more a potato country than a tomato one. You get tortillas and patatas bravas everywhere.

[-] Mandy@beehaw.org 7 points 1 year ago

Me, from austria: interesting

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[-] mrbubblesort@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

Tomatoes are from America though

[-] GigglyBobble@kbin.social 13 points 1 year ago
[-] neutronicturtle@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago

Homo sapiens also doesn't originate from Europe.

[-] psyqology@slrpnk.net 7 points 1 year ago

South America specifically.

[-] cmbabul@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

They gave us all the good stuff besides tobacco

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[-] curiousaur@reddthat.com 5 points 1 year ago

Nightshade Europe.

[-] xavier666@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

Thus begins the Great Potatoe War. Technoblade would be proud

[-] CarlCook@feddit.de 4 points 1 year ago

At least for Germany, the line lies way more to the north (and it’s rather pasta vs. potatoes).

[-] Tvkan@feddit.de 10 points 1 year ago

No part of Germany is part of Tomato Europe.

(and it’s rather pasta vs. potatoes)

That's just a different map.

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this post was submitted on 21 Jul 2023
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