My original post was in response to another poster who claimed that all Americans were loud, arrogant and obnoxious, which isn't my experience. I think you've picked it up out of context which is probably part of the problem. That and the fact I think I posted in reply to the wrong thread. Doh.
Perhaps it was poorly put, and I apologise, it wasnt my intention to make a sweeping generalisation just to convey what my experience as a 3rd party had been.
Bizzarely enough tho I found your rude, confrontational and condescending style to almost exactly match the stereotype associated with the English.
Regardless of wether you agreed or disagreed with what I said saying things like I have no problem being rude and arrogant to you because, yes, you are a cock and I am better than you. don't lend any weight to your argument of 'dude, we know some english backpackers are twats, but if you are judging everyone on that subset then you need to think again' rather its like someone saying 'all the english people I've met are quite violent' and then you smacking them upside the head for it. It doesn't exactly help their perception.
Just a little cross cultural note for next time:)
Oh and by the way, the landscape in LOTR was heavily digitally edited, New Zealand ( or rather the South Island ) is much more impressive.
*shrug*, while you are possibly a troll I'll respond once more in the hopes of clarifying my position for you.
I said stereotypes can be applied 'to a degree', everyone is different and by no means would I ever judge someone on anything other than their personal merits. If you thought my post was about racism then you are mistaken.
Having said that most of the Englishmen I've met have come across as rude in *my personal experience* while most of the Americans I've met have not. ( Not all, most! )
I was trying to say that there is probably some sort of cultural rift that causes this perception on my part.
Perhaps an example is in order, in some Chinese dialects the polite way to pose a question is to give the recipient the option to refuse - but when translated into English this can be perceived as pushy ( 'You want beer or not?' ) - its not that the seller is being impolite, quite the opposite, its that there is a cultural gap.
If we understand that gap then we can better relate to people from that culture no? If I understand why people from England (not Scotland or Wales or Ireland, specifically England ) seem to come across as rude then won't I be in a better position not to feel offended if they do?
You'll also note that I was careful to say that that maybe things were different back in merry ol' England. Several other posters pointed out that there were problems like this with backpackers from any culture. So maybe its a backpacker thing, not an English thing at all?
Finally in your earlier post, you weren't rude to me personally, you attacked all of Australasia. And using exactly the xenophobic methods you claim to despise. I'd suggest that if you really care so much about good will between peoples ( a noble cause! ) then you should start by chilling out a little bit and taking a less confrontational approach. Perhaps you could try being friendly and easy going, like the Americans?:)
I have no problem being rude and arrogant to you because, yes, you are a cock and I am better than you.
Stereotyping cultures is equivalent to racism.
Remember, Jews love money and all Arabs are terrorists!
But a well known sterotype of the region you live in is the xenophobia you exude, which I guess is a sterotype you choose to reinforce.
You can't say that stereotypes can be applied to cultures, especially negative ones. Because it's these sterotypes which lead to the 'us and them' syndrome.
Thanks, you just reinforced my argument that the English come across to others as rude and arrogant.
Sorry, but for making comments like that, as a British person I am proud to be rude to you. Just because we all saw how beautiful New Zealand is in LOTR doesnt mean were prepared to forgive you for your total lack of culture. How do you like that stereotype?
I think stereotypes can be applied to cultures to a degree. If you grow up somewhere and the norm is to act in a certain way then you, and all the people from the place you grew up, will appear that certain way to people from a place where the norm is different.
I'm not English or American. But I have met many people from both cultures as they tend to visit here ( New Zealand ) in large numbers.
From my experience Americans are loud, but they are not arrogant, not individually anyway, the vast majority I've met have been friendly and quite easy going.
The English on the other hand ( to a greater or lesser degree ) come across as both rude and arrogant, their backpackers have an especially poor reputation down under.
Of course I could have just had a run of bad luck, maybe all the friendly easy going English stay home?
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My original post was in response to another poster who claimed that all Americans were loud, arrogant and obnoxious, which isn't my experience. I think you've picked it up out of context which is probably part of the problem. That and the fact I think I posted in reply to the wrong thread. Doh.
Perhaps it was poorly put, and I apologise, it wasnt my intention to make a sweeping generalisation just to convey what my experience as a 3rd party had been.
Bizzarely enough tho I found your rude, confrontational and condescending style to almost exactly match the stereotype associated with the English.
Regardless of wether you agreed or disagreed with what I said saying things like I have no problem being rude and arrogant to you because, yes, you are a cock and I am better than you. don't lend any weight to your argument of 'dude, we know some english backpackers are twats, but if you are judging everyone on that subset then you need to think again' rather its like someone saying 'all the english people I've met are quite violent' and then you smacking them upside the head for it. It doesn't exactly help their perception.
Just a little cross cultural note for next time :)
Oh and by the way, the landscape in LOTR was heavily digitally edited, New Zealand ( or rather the South Island ) is much more impressive.
*shrug*, while you are possibly a troll I'll respond once more in the hopes of clarifying my position for you.
I said stereotypes can be applied 'to a degree', everyone is different and by no means would I ever judge someone on anything other than their personal merits. If you thought my post was about racism then you are mistaken.
Having said that most of the Englishmen I've met have come across as rude in *my personal experience* while most of the Americans I've met have not. ( Not all, most! )
I was trying to say that there is probably some sort of cultural rift that causes this perception on my part.
Perhaps an example is in order, in some Chinese dialects the polite way to pose a question is to give the recipient the option to refuse - but when translated into English this can be perceived as pushy ( 'You want beer or not?' ) - its not that the seller is being impolite, quite the opposite, its that there is a cultural gap.
If we understand that gap then we can better relate to people from that culture no? If I understand why people from England (not Scotland or Wales or Ireland, specifically England ) seem to come across as rude then won't I be in a better position not to feel offended if they do?
You'll also note that I was careful to say that that maybe things were different back in merry ol' England. Several other posters pointed out that there were problems like this with backpackers from any culture. So maybe its a backpacker thing, not an English thing at all?
Finally in your earlier post, you weren't rude to me personally, you attacked all of Australasia. And using exactly the xenophobic methods you claim to despise. I'd suggest that if you really care so much about good will between peoples ( a noble cause! ) then you should start by chilling out a little bit and taking a less confrontational approach. Perhaps you could try being friendly and easy going, like the Americans? :)
I have no problem being rude and arrogant to you because, yes, you are a cock and I am better than you. Stereotyping cultures is equivalent to racism. Remember, Jews love money and all Arabs are terrorists! But a well known sterotype of the region you live in is the xenophobia you exude, which I guess is a sterotype you choose to reinforce. You can't say that stereotypes can be applied to cultures, especially negative ones. Because it's these sterotypes which lead to the 'us and them' syndrome.
Thanks, you just reinforced my argument that the English come across to others as rude and arrogant. Sorry, but for making comments like that, as a British person I am proud to be rude to you. Just because we all saw how beautiful New Zealand is in LOTR doesnt mean were prepared to forgive you for your total lack of culture. How do you like that stereotype?
I think stereotypes can be applied to cultures to a degree. If you grow up somewhere and the norm is to act in a certain way then you, and all the people from the place you grew up, will appear that certain way to people from a place where the norm is different.
I'm not English or American. But I have met many people from both cultures as they tend to visit here ( New Zealand ) in large numbers.
From my experience Americans are loud, but they are not arrogant, not individually anyway, the vast majority I've met have been friendly and quite easy going.
The English on the other hand ( to a greater or lesser degree ) come across as both rude and arrogant, their backpackers have an especially poor reputation down under.
Of course I could have just had a run of bad luck, maybe all the friendly easy going English stay home?