Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tance of their social contract. Any society needs to subscribe to a social
contract—basically, what you agree to give up in order to live together
peacefully. Densely populated Europe generally embraces Rousseau's social
contract: In order to get along well, everyone will contribute a little more
than their share and give up a little more than their share. h
en, together,
we'll all be i ne.
h e Danes—who take this mindset to the extreme—are particularly
conscientious about not exploiting loopholes. h ey are keenly aware of the
so-called “free rider problem”: If you knew you could get away with it, would
you do something to get more than your fair share? h e Danes recognize
that if everyone did this, their system would collapse. h erefore, they don't.
It seems to me that the Danes make choices considering what would hap-
pen to their society (not just to themselves) if
everyone
cheated on this, sued
someone for that, freeloaded here, or ignored that rule there.
the US would
speak only English,
rather than Nor-
wegian or Span-
ish as well? Am I
wrong to lament
districts of London
that have a disdain
for all things Brit-
ish? Immigrants
energize a land—
but they do it
best (as is the story of the US) when
their vision is a healthy melting pot.
Melt, immigrants...treasure your heri-
tage while embracing your adopted
homelands. But it's more than just an
“immigrant issue.” Europeans (like
Americans) fearful of encroachment,
change, and dif ering hues of skin
need to show tolerance, outreach,
and understanding. From what I've
seen, with these attitudes, it works
better for all involved.
A Muslim Dane catches the changing of
her country's guard.
exhibit, as if his own ancestors pio-
neered the city. Thinking of assimi-
lation, I got emotional. Surprised
at being choked up, I was struck
by the beauty of a Pakistani Dane
as opposed to a Pakistani living in
Denmark.
Am I wrong to wish that a
Muslim living in Denmark would
become a Dane? Am I wrong to wish
