The best way to avoid diffusion of responsibility is - not surprisingly - to assume others won't act, and make a plan to act if you are in a similar situation.
I agree with many here: It can be a distraction. It can give a sense of drama and excitement. We tend to idealize the lives of others, and especially celebrities, so this is a way to balance that view. And we get to feel better about ourselves - "I may not be rich and famous, but at least I know how to not hit fire hydrants".
I am from Norway which is very similar to Sweden and Denmark in this respect.There is - of course! - no neccesary connection between religion and morality.
You can be religious and still act immoral (just look at fundamentalists in any religion). And you can be non-religious and still act from strong and clear moral guidelines.
It looks like a form of horseshoe, but I don't think it is for snow or mud (imagine what would happen when they step on more solid ground). Probably not for aerating soil either. But it could be a horseshoe for an injured leg, so the horse will keep the weight off that leg.
"(And, speaking of plagiarism, it's worth noting that Norway's national anthem is, essentially, "God Save the King" translated into Norwegian.)"
Weird. I am from Norway and don't see any such connection. The Norwegian national anthem is titled "Yes we love this country" and is largely about its natural features. The melody is not even close either.
Here is a translation of the first verse:
Yes, we love this country as it rises forth, rugged, weathered, above the sea, with the thousands of homes. Loving, loving it and thinking about our father and mother and the saga night that sends dreams to our earth. and the saga night that sends dreams to our earth.
More at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_anthem_of_Norway
http://www.dagbladet.no/2010/01/14/nyheter/haiti/utenriks/9919202/
You can be religious and still act immoral (just look at fundamentalists in any religion). And you can be non-religious and still act from strong and clear moral guidelines.
Weird. I am from Norway and don't see any such connection. The Norwegian national anthem is titled "Yes we love this country" and is largely about its natural features. The melody is not even close either.
Here is a translation of the first verse:
Yes, we love this country
as it rises forth,
rugged, weathered, above the sea,
with the thousands of homes.
Loving, loving it and thinking
about our father and mother
and the saga night that sends
dreams to our earth.
and the saga night that sends
dreams to our earth.
More at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_anthem_of_Norway