Things that piss you off that shouldn't

[CVByrne]

This talk of France has brought up something I hate.

The total preconceptions people have or countries they've never been to. Fair enough not liking the French based in experiences in France. But people saying I'd never go to X because it's very dangerous etc..

It really does my head in especially with relation to South and Central America. When I say I was in Colombia some people reply oh isn't that very dangerous. Instead of. Oh how was it, what is it like etc..

You'd expect ignorance from Americans but you'd hope people over here would not jump to such easy preconceptions that are usually based on one shred of outdated news.

This is a really interesting topic.

People are allowed to gather together opinions based on third party information. How would you decide where you wanted to go on holiday / travelling otherwise? I think it's only natural to paint a picture of the world according to information you have at hand. You've kind of displayed your own pre-conception with regards to America in your own post, for example.

Well no, I've been to America 7 times so it's based in experiences that they are staggeringly ignorant of other countries.

I did have preconceptions about South America before I went there. But they were mainly in my mind and when I got there I was inquisitive about other people's experiences. People I met from Europe who were there and had travelled there.

I have formed my own opinions of the countries I've been to in the world. But it has taught me that preconceptions are stupid and usually very wide of the mark.

For example to go back to Colombia. Preconceptions and misconceptions of that Country can only be a hindrance to their tourism. When travelling South America and hearing first hand how great Colombia is I went there.

It's unquestionably the best Country I've ever been to in my life. Yet it suffered by the most misconceptions of any country I've ever visited.

[Shillzz]

 

 

This talk of France has brought up something I hate.

The total preconceptions people have or countries they've never been to. Fair enough not liking the French based in experiences in France. But people saying I'd never go to X because it's very dangerous etc..

It really does my head in especially with relation to South and Central America. When I say I was in Colombia some people reply oh isn't that very dangerous. Instead of. Oh how was it, what is it like etc..

You'd expect ignorance from Americans but you'd hope people over here would not jump to such easy preconceptions that are usually based on one shred of outdated news.

This is a really interesting topic.

People are allowed to gather together opinions based on third party information. How would you decide where you wanted to go on holiday / travelling otherwise? I think it's only natural to paint a picture of the world according to information you have at hand. You've kind of displayed your own pre-conception with regards to America in your own post, for example.

Well no, I've been to America 7 times so it's based in experiences that they are staggeringly ignorant of other countries.

I did have preconceptions about South America before I went there. But they were mainly in my mind and when I got there I was inquisitive about other people's experiences. People I met from Europe who were there and had travelled there.

I have formed my own opinions of the countries I've been to in the world. But it has taught me that preconceptions are stupid and usually very wide of the mark.

For example to go back to Colombia. Preconceptions and misconceptions of that Country can only be a hindrance to their tourism. When travelling South America and hearing first hand how great Colombia is I went there.

It's unquestionably the best Country I've ever been to in my life. Yet it suffered by the most misconceptions of any country I've ever visited.

 

 

I think we're wandering towards the same point.

 

My point is that it's reasonable for people to have pre-conceptions of places they've never visited. You even admit to this yourself. Pre-conceptions can, and often are, wide of the mark. But we do all make them, without exception, because they're the only option much of the time.

[BOF]

A prejudice (that is to say the dictionary definition of the word, not the usual interpretation) is just a defence mechanism. A pre-judgement of something. For example it's no harm going to a place believing it to be dangerous. All that means is you might be more on your guard than normal. If you find you are wide of the mark then you let your guard down. It's a lot better than say going in with no guard and finding out the place was very dangerous in the first place.

Where I would agree with Conor is if a prejudice meant you didn't visit a place at all for no good reason. Obviously there are exceptions (i.e. damn good reasons). I'm not planning any trips to Kabul or Damascus any time soon for example.

[CVByrne]

Yes I think I'm more talking about preconceptions that are based in little and would be reason for people to stick by them and never visit a county despite people telling them those preconceptions are wrong.

Like me saying how amazing Colombia is and how staggering it is to find a country with people so genuinely nice and helpful they make a mockery of the Irish friendliness.

For the person to still turn around and say. I'd still never go there. Etc..

It's that kind of thing that pisses me off. Sticking to the misconceptions.

[Stevo985]

But can't your incorrect preconceptions be alleviated by some correct information and experiences from people who have actually been to those countries.

Or are preconceptions unalterable?

But my point is if your preconception is that a place is dangerous, why on Earth would you want to go and see if your perception is correct?

[CVByrne]

But can't your incorrect preconceptions be alleviated by some correct information and experiences from people who have actually been to those countries.

Or are preconceptions unalterable?

But my point is if your preconception is that a place is dangerous, why on Earth would you want to go and see if your perception is correct?

If people who have actually visited the place tell you that your preconception is wrong. That it's not like you think it is. To stick by your preconception is daft and really annoys me.

[bickster]

All 3 of them spoke English and the 2 women even had shaved armpits

C'mon stop getting your stereotypes mixed up, its the krauts who don't shave their armpits

[chrisp65]

another stereotype / self parody example

 

BUT first off, there is no attempt on my part to reinforce a stereotype here. All types of people exist in all countries. Rather, I thought it was a funny self parody and did actually wonder at first if it was staged.

 

I was in the minerals and rocks room of the Natural History Museum on the weekend, it was suitably quiet and respectful, when a very large north american lady breezed in shouting down her phone Dom Jolly style. What topped it off was the comment from her, at about 120dB:

 

'yeah yeah, I'm in the British Museum, THE BRITISH MUSEUM, what? nah, boring, I SAID ITS BORING' 

 

made me chuckle.

[chrisp65]

 

All 3 of them spoke English and the 2 women even had shaved armpits

C'mon stop getting your stereotypes mixed up, its the krauts who don't shave their armpits

 

neun und neunzig luft balloon

[AVFCforever1991]

another stereotype / self parody example

 

BUT first off, there is no attempt on my part to reinforce a stereotype here. All types of people exist in all countries. Rather, I thought it was a funny self parody and did actually wonder at first if it was staged.

 

I was in the minerals and rocks room of the Natural History Museum on the weekend, it was suitably quiet and respectful, when a very large north american lady breezed in shouting down her phone Dom Jolly style. What topped it off was the comment from her, at about 120dB:

 

'yeah yeah, I'm in the British Museum, THE BRITISH MUSEUM, what? nah, boring, I SAID ITS BORING' 

 

made me chuckle.

 

[bickster]

All 3 of them spoke English and the 2 women even had shaved armpits

C'mon stop getting your stereotypes mixed up, its the krauts who don't shave their armpits

neun und neunzig luft balloon

nena to you an all

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Jeez, I hate a certain poster in the "change to posting guidelines thread"...

[Risso]

Jeez, I hate a certain poster in the "change to posting guidelines thread"...

 

Indirectly, I think he's an arse as well. 

[BOF]

I'm way too fragile for this kind of abuse

[StefanAVFC]

A certain person at work (within guidelines? )

 

I jest, but there's this guy at work who's a **** moron. My boss is letting him live in the pub for free because he's spent all his money and is seemingly incapable of getting a job so he's making him work in the pub. However, he's a moron, leaves my bar in a mess (as I've stated) and is constantly making digs at me and telling me how to do my job (even though I'm above him within the pub). 

 

He was in the other day talking about football with a group (including my boss and his family) so I chipped in from the bar. He said 'what do you know about football?', so I calmly replied, 'well I'm a ST holder, played for years etc'. He then went on to say that I know nothing because im a villa fan, we haven't played in the CL etc. I said, 'well we've won it'. He goes on about how it was a different competition. The best bit, he's a Celtic fan. I walked away and I heard him bitching that I was winding him up, then he was jabbing at me and I was calmly ripping him to shreds.

 

Now today I popped in (after being in school all morning) because I'd bought a few fittings for the pub and the pub was in panic mode because the 2 staff that were on are useless. I jumped on the bar and calmed it all down, then went to leave an hour later. As I was leaving, he pipes up 'next time you're in, try making friends with an iron' with a giant shit eating grin on his face. Just **** off you massive rocket polisher.

[Xela]

I think that the global city classifications are basically on the money.

Alpha++: London & New York City

Alpha+: Hong Kong, Paris, Singapore, Tokyo, Shanghai, Chicago, Dubai, Sydney

Alpha: Milan, Beijing, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Madrid, Mumbai, Los Angeles, Moscow, Frankfurt, Mexico City, Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Brussels, Jakarta, San Francisco; Washington, D.C.

Alpha-: Miami, Dublin, Melbourne, Zurich, New Delhi, Munich, Istanbul, Boston, Warsaw, Dallas, Vienna, Atlanta, Barcelona, Bangkok, Taipei, Santiago, Lisbon, Philadelphia, Johannesburg

Beta+: Dusseldorf, Stockholm, Prague, Montreal, Rome, Hamburg, Manila, Houston, Berlin, Athens, Tel Aviv, Bangalore, Copenhagen, Cairo, Bogota, Vancouver

Beta: Budapest, Beirut, Luxembourg, Guangzhou, Seattle, Caracas, Ho Chi Minh City, Auckland, Oslo, Kiev, Chennai, Bucharest, Manchester, Karachi, Lima, Cape Town, Riyadh, Nicosia, Minneapolis

Beta-: Abu Dhabi, Montevideo, Birmingham, Rio de Janeiro, Brisbane, Geneva, Kolkata, Detroit, Denver, Monterrey, Bratislava, Port Louis, Casablanca, Manama, Stuttgart, Sofia, Cologne, St. Louis, Helsinki, Panama City, San Diego, Lagos, Perth, Shenzhen, Cleveland, San Juan, Calgary, Guatemala City, Osaka

 

Karachi higher than Rio or Osaka? Hmmmm

[snowychap]

It was my entire experience of the place so it's no myth IMV. I've also heard plenty of similar experiences from others to back it up. I don't doubt there must be some nice French people. There are about 50 million of them after all.

Not just to be contrary but my experience of France and the French is completely the other way.

In my experience they're perfectly nice, friendly, helpful people unless they're the arseholes that one would find anywhere.

And the attempting to speak the language thing goes a long way everywhere there for me, too.

Just don't expect good customer service from the supermarchet manageress if you drop your box of beers because of their shite carrier bags in the car park and they're just about to close for lunch (admittedly that was a long time ago and in arse end of nowhere somewhere between Remuolins and Orange, I think).

Edit: Apologies, just caught up with your change the subject request. Oops.

Edited July 16, 2013 by snowychap

[Xela]

 

 

But can't your incorrect preconceptions be alleviated by some correct information and experiences from people who have actually been to those countries.

Or are preconceptions unalterable?

But my point is if your preconception is that a place is dangerous, why on Earth would you want to go and see if your perception is correct?

If people who have actually visited the place tell you that your preconception is wrong. That it's not like you think it is. To stick by your preconception is daft and really annoys me.

 

 

Preconceptions can be good though, from a selfish level. I'd have no problem going to Colombia and I have looked into it in the past. I'd rather people think it was dangerous as that means less people go and it doesn't become ruined by tourism. Parts of SE Asia have been ruined by rampant tourism in recent times... the world is a lot smaller nowadays thanks to the internet. 

[tonyh29]

All 3 of them spoke English and the 2 women even had shaved armpits

C'mon stop getting your stereotypes mixed up, its the krauts who don't shave their armpits

Thought krauts were lack of humour and towels over the sunbeds

Are nations allowed 3 stereotypes ?

[StefanAVFC]

 

 

All 3 of them spoke English and the 2 women even had shaved armpits

C'mon stop getting your stereotypes mixed up, its the krauts who don't shave their armpits

Thought krauts were lack of humour and towels over the sunbeds

Are nations allowed 3 stereotypes ?

 

 

It's not a stereotype if it's true