Poland has a completely different culture from Western Europe or the US. It's rapidly Westernizing, but it's still a world of difference. I think it's a pity. I prefer Slavic cultures to Western. One of the things which bugs me most is how modern Poland is starting to have the same surface, insincere friendliness as the West.
- EU membership is clearly a net win, but doesn't help preserve Polish culture.
- Many of the cultural differences are not recognized on either side -- people say the same things sometimes, but it takes deep digging to understand that they mean very different things.
- Historically, Poles also looked up to and tried to emulate the West, which is part of the reason the culture is shifting so rapidly.
Poland has a completely different culture from Western Europe or the US. It's rapidly Westernizing, but it's still a world of difference. I think it's a pity. I prefer Slavic cultures to Western. One of the things which bugs me most is how modern Poland is starting to have the same surface, insincere friendliness as the West.
- EU membership is clearly a net win, but doesn't help preserve Polish culture.
- Many of the cultural differences are not recognized on either side -- people say the same things sometimes, but it takes deep digging to understand that they mean very different things.
- Historically, Poles also looked up to and tried to emulate the West, which is part of the reason the culture is shifting so rapidly.
So the change was rapid, but far from complete.