> fastest growing European country by many metrics
Countries grow in secondary matters and the primary ones (civilization) remain unattended.
And by the way, when something "grows fast", do not misunderstand the indicator... Ethiopia had a 13% annual growth recently; Guyana has a 16% annual growth at this time: you are not thinking that "life is good there" and "Miami videoclip vibes everywhere", right?
> Countries grow in secondary matters and the primary ones (civilization) remain unattended.
However this has not been the case for Spain. Spain is deemed a full democracy by all objective and independent metrics. I am debating whether to even post this reply since your point to compare it to Ethiopia is so absurd you're likely not going to agree with facts. And yes, "life is good there", by also topping some, albeit, not objective quality of life metrics.
What is your definition of "civilization"? Arguing that cash payments equate to being "civilized" is honestly, very weird. Nordic countries got rid of cash payments for the most part, do you view those as uncivilized, then?
In context, the amount of awareness, and related cultivation, distributed in the population.
Among the signs I would check the perceived and tolerated pollution: light pollution, sound pollution etc. For example, the awareness of the importance of rest is basic (the awareness of the importance of health even more), so the perception and condemnation of background noise, especially in the night, is telling. A civilized country is one in which librarians speak with a proportionate, quiet voice, not one in which they chat loudly or speak loudly on loud ringing phones.
Around these parts in Europe (that the magazine The Atlantic revealed extend to the Americas) people are increasingly driving using blinding headlights: that is not just infra-human, but infra-animal: dogs are supposed to recognize a foul smell, birds are supposed to recognize disturbing noises, and if vision-based primates cannot recognize a bothersome light, they are spoilt and wasted.
Then of course you have the higher levels of awareness (good luck). For example, the awareness of what is licence vs what is freedom, the awareness that judgement requires extra steps in thought. People who act as liabilities because "they directly adopt the behaviour that requires less effort", etc. - that is "uncivilized".
Awareness comes before the cultivation that is supposed to create it - before Borges' enraged "¡No saben lo que es un centauro!".
More complete theoretical and operational definitions could be given - but not here and now.
> Nordic countries got rid of cash payments for the most part, do you view those as uncivilized, then
Yes, certainly, absolutely. Things that evaluate as normal and acceptable to have their daily transactions recorded are clearly alien to developmental basics. It is unawareness of the sense of Dignity first, then of prudence (etc.) - and above them of the absurd.
> weird
"Weird" is "what happens", and what happens is that people live expressing larger and larger lacks of awareness about what is proper and what is not.
Countries grow in secondary matters and the primary ones (civilization) remain unattended.
And by the way, when something "grows fast", do not misunderstand the indicator... Ethiopia had a 13% annual growth recently; Guyana has a 16% annual growth at this time: you are not thinking that "life is good there" and "Miami videoclip vibes everywhere", right?