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View Full Version : I wasn't racist until I moved to China.



Quindiana Jones
07-26-2013, 05:01 PM
Bit of a catchphrase of mine nowadays. Along with my assumption of the Chinese motto: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And if it is broke, don't fix it, either." :monster:

Everybody has stories of their travels in which they met that Brit/Yank/Frenchie/German/etc person who pissed them off and thus based their entire opinion of the country on that one awful bastard. Let's talk about those bastards, because they are usually the most hilarious examples of a complete lack of courtesy.

I was in Yangshuo, here in China, and there was an American. He was magnificent. Fat, loud, short-tempered and annoying. The stereotype in all its splendour. First off, my friends and I are at a pizzeria, waiting on our food. He comes over to the same restaurant with two Chinese people we assume are his friends. No conversation occurs. He sidles over to another group of Chinese tourists and tries to engage them in conversation, and they pull the greatest "Oh, sorry, no speak-a your language" shtick on him ever. But, if nothing else, he's a persistent bugger. He keeps trying. He asks them about their food; what did they get? Is it good?

He then takes it a step further. "Can I try some?" he says, reaching for the plate before waiting for a response. The local tourists continue to desperately try to blank him, but eventually they give up and just leave. While all this is going on, the two people he came with are chatting to each other, clearly talking about what a cock-end this random bloke is. As soon as the tourists stand up, he reaches over and takes their food, noshing down with impressive relish.

I'll not even bother with the random fights he tried starting with locals trying to peddle their wares (albeit annoyingly), nor how his default facial expressions was one of pure, unbridled :bou::bou::bou::bou:iness.

God damn, I miss that guy.

noxious.sunshine
07-26-2013, 05:34 PM
This teacher who one of my favorite Karen refugees had the misfortune of having for 3rd grade got a new student from Thailand named Qew. And she talked looouuuddd and slooooow and in his face. and I'm like "..... He's not -deaf-, he just doesn't speak English. DUH."

Unbreakable Will
07-26-2013, 05:42 PM
Well I met PG. I think I don't have to say anything more on the subject.

Jinx
07-26-2013, 07:09 PM
When I worked at McDonald's and later as a server, I encountered a shit ton of rude people. Basically I hate all white people, Christian people, atheist people, rich people, poor people, fat people, black people, Asian people, Mexican people, and Middle Eastern people because all of them are goddamn trash.

Honest response: I don't hate someone unless they're a shit. Then I hate you regardless of your race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender. But I try not to judge an entire race/country based on shitty people from that race/country. It's hard when you're caught up in the moment, but I just figure they're poor examples of the race they're a part of/country they're from. I've known awesome people from all above mentioned races/creeds, and have built strong friendships with them.

noxious.sunshine
07-26-2013, 08:17 PM
I don't discriminate, I hate everyone equally. XDDD

41-Inches-Wide
07-26-2013, 11:10 PM
"Foreign people are evil", this was the wisdom passed on by the 41-Inch clan.

Pumpkin
07-27-2013, 03:41 AM
I do find it funny when I run into people who fit a negative stereotype. I know better than to judge everyone for it, but it's amusing. It would be like running into a Canadian wearing a flannel shirt, a tuque, pouring maple syrup on their bacon, and playing hockey at a Tim Horton's all at the same time.

I mean we do those things, but not all at the same time. I've also only ever heard like 4 people say eh and one of them isn't even Canadian.

But yeah, here in the south I have seen some of the fattest people I have ever seen in my life. Like fat enough I don't know how they walk. And yes, there are obese people in Canada, but I've personally never seen any THAT big. And it's been more than one person. I mean what

Also sharky has a friend who's like a stereotype basically. He has a thick accent, says y'all and Yoter and wears cowboy boots and the hunting hat with the fishhook in it, has a pickup truck (among other vehicles), goes hunting and loves fried chicken.

Raistlin
07-27-2013, 04:11 AM
When I was in Bermuda for my dad's remarriage, we stayed in a fairly upscale area, and the area was very majority white. While exploring the island, I came across a KFC -- the main food of which is, of course, fried chicken. The place was packed, and every single customer inside was black.

I mentally facepalmed on behalf of blacks everywhere.

comma
07-27-2013, 04:18 AM
I like everyone. I think everyone is really great.

DMKA
07-27-2013, 04:31 AM
I'm not racist, but I'm definitely sexist.

That's what Tumblr feminists keep telling me anyway.

Madame Adequate
07-27-2013, 04:37 AM
When I was in Bermuda for my dad's remarriage, we stayed in a fairly upscale area, and the area was very majority white. While exploring the island, I came across a KFC -- the main food of which is, of course, fried chicken. The place was packed, and every single customer inside was black.

I mentally facepalmed on behalf of blacks everywhere.

A Jamaican girl I knew in college told us about how in Jamaica KFC is by far the most popular fast food place, and how you can't walk a block without finding one.

My experiences online have taught me the following:
Anglos are all massively arrogant and tend to wind people up because we all love a bit of ribbing, be it bombastic American style or drier British style, but on the whole aren't terrible, unless you get either a crazy conspiracy theorist or a crazy religious nut.
The French absolutely detest anyone who speaks English and will be provoked into a defense of France at the slightest hint of disrespect.
Germans are bros.
Poles are usually bros but get really really wound up about strategy games if they are believed to slight Poland (the greatest country in history).
Scandinavians of all stripes all seem to put [NOR] or whatever into their usernames and tend to be complete pricks.
The Irish fall into two totally separate categories with no overlap: The raving nationalist who hates England and will rant about them until the cows come home, or the maximum bro who will be funny, friendly, and always have your back.
Romance-origin people like Spaniards, Italians, and Latinos are usually laid back to the point of absolute silence.
Exception to the above: South Americans if you get them talking about either America or in Argentina's case, the UK. Then you're in for a massive shitstorm.
Russians are enormously racist and homophobic but outside of that tend to be fairly decent.
Anyone from an ex-Soviet country is absolutely convinced of two things: In the twenty-odd years since the USSR collapsed, their particular country has not only become the best of all former Soviet Bloc states, but the greatest in human history; second, Russia is going to invade again within a week or two.
Balkans holy shit just don't even, they are to a man completely insane. If all you get is pro-genocide nationalism you've met a moderate.
The Japanese very rarely condescend to speak to non-Japanese, but they're not nearly as bad as the French about it, and when they do they will be extremely polite and beg utmost forgiveness for their English (which will be either completely incomprehensible or completely impeccable; no in-betweens).
People from tiny or poor countries with little online presence are usually bro, whether they be from the Congo to Guam.

Rebellious Eagle
07-27-2013, 04:53 AM
I try really hard not to stereotype people...but I live around a ton of Indians and Chinese people (Asians are over 50% of the demographic in my town). And a lot of Indians really do smell like curry and spices. And a lot of Chinese people really are serious about academics and are strict with their children. Many, not all. Just observations I've made from going to high school that also has many more Asians than any other race.

Mirage
07-27-2013, 05:29 PM
I'm not racist, but I'm definitely sexist.

That's what Tumblr feminists keep telling me anyway.

Don't worry too much about that.

noxious.sunshine
07-27-2013, 10:04 PM
What the hell is "yoter"? Hunting isn't necessarily a stereotypical Southern thing, though, is it? At least I don't think so. Idk. I don't go hunting, so.

I guess I can say I'm a somewhat stereotypical Irish person... I get a short temper sometimes and I like to drink & I can hold my alcohol. Winning.

Jinx
07-27-2013, 10:10 PM
And a lot of Indians really do smell like curry and spices.

A stereotype, sure. But smelling like curry and spices is a great thing, not something bad!

Mirage
07-27-2013, 10:11 PM
I wouldn't be surprised of someone smelling like curry if curry was the main dish they ate :p.

Besides, curry is great.

noxious.sunshine
07-27-2013, 11:19 PM
My Friend Pobz works for an Indian. He says the lobby of motel he works at smells like burnt food and syrup and curry.

Faris
07-27-2013, 11:33 PM
Coming from Canada, I've seen just about every stereotype and some follow their stereotypes more than others. Even the Canadian ones, eh.