Serbia vs. America
Dänk 1010011010
the similarities and differences between the two countries:
Serbian politics are very similar to American, dominated by rival
factions of Fascists and Communists. The Fascists are extremely
nationalistic, and use religion (Orthodoxy) to define their country
and political movement.
Serbians smoke a LOT more than Americans, and the only time you will
see a Serbian without a cigarette in his hand is when he is holding a
beer instead.
Serbian coffee shops sell cigarettes, and beer is sold in 2l bottles.
There seems to be no age limit on alcohol and tobacco purchases, and
I've seen 14-year-old teenage boys purchasing beer and 12-year-olds
smoking cigarettes in front of their teachers on school field trips.
There are very few chain stores in Serbia, and almost all businesses
are small independent operations. There are no Wal-Marts, and the
streets are full of small shops selling fresh produce, meat, fish,
baked goods, and household items. Restaurants galore, and not a
single Jack-in-the-Box to be found, though there is a McDonald's
downtown (yuk).
The Serbian economy is service-based, but differs somewhat from the
American model in that almost all the businesses are sole
proprietorships. Compare this to America, where everyone works for
Wal-Mart and shops at Wal-Mart.
Serbian trains are overcrowded and frequently late, but this is still
better than in the USA which has no trains at all.
The capital city of Belgrade is a very lovely and modern city, and
unlike the U.S. capital of Washington D.C., Belgrade is safe to walk
around in even late at night.
My first impression of Serbia was an industrial zone near the New
Belgrade train station, but I've since realized that the post-
apocalyptic landscape was really no worse than Detroit.
Serbians love graffiti, and you can see everything from creative tags
to political slogans to very elaborate murals. I love graffiti, and
find it more interesting than boring old monuments and statues. The
bourgeois capitalist elite want to define what art is, and then lock
it up in museums that only they can afford to patronize; but graffiti
is People's Art, and its out there in the streets and in your face,
and this is why the Bourgeoisie consider it a crime.
Serbia reminds me a bit of America in the 1980s. The people are
obsessed with appearance, and spend lots of money on designer
clothes. Cable television is still analog, and CRTs are still in
use.
Serbian cars are made by the government, just like in the USA. I
don't know if Yugos are still being made, but lots of Serbian-made
Zastavas are on the road, as well as Russian-made Ladas. Unlike GMs
and Chevys, Yugos and Zastavas seem to hold up well, lasting for
decades while Americans cash their clunkers in after a few years.
Unlike America, Serbia has 'free' national health care for all
citizens, and Serbians with money prefer to pay for private
treatment. Now that Serbia has embraced capitalism, Serbian consumers
have learned that you get what you pay for.
Like America, Serbia is a national security state, and police have the
power to stop people and demand identification in the name of fighting
'terrorism.' The police rarely bother tourists, though, because just
like the American government, the Serbian government is more afraid of
its own people than foreigners.