[lixtra]

HN guidelines say: Assume good faith. We should apply it to Sheryl here as well.

In Europe several of my acquaintances shared a bed with their professors/superior for various non-sexual reasons. It’s also a cultural thing.

[bullshitcaller]

< In Europe...cultural thing.

Go on, which culture is that? Most "cultures" in Europe I know of it would be a breach of many stated and unstated rules and norms (Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Poland, and Belgium).

[lixtra]

Example Finland. Could you end up in a nude Sauna with your superior? Yes, especially if it is same sex.

Example Germany. Which law would be broken? Internal compliance rules, yes, that would be often the case.

[wqaatwt]

> Example Finland

Example of a very different behavior than the claim above?

> Which law would be broken?

What is that supposed to mean? e.g. eating dogs or cats would be an even more significant taboo and its not even explicitly illegal in quite a few countries

[scrollop]

Coming from a European, this is definitely not normal.

I would examine why your acquaintances are normalizing such creepy behaviour.

[lixtra]

I agree it’s awkward. But I don’t find it creepy per se. It was a tradeoff to which all parties consented.

In one case there was just that one room available stranded in the middle of nowhere.

In other cases it was due to lack of financial resources.

[ltwdm]

I don't understand what is Europe-specific in those examples. Curious if it is any less awkward in any other culture?

[etc-hosts]

definitely not a cultural thing in United States.