Cultural Cringe

[Pilchard]

Doing some idle surfing and came accross this blog from last year.

Cultural cringe

How often have you been acutely embarrassed by the oafish, ignorant behaviour of fellow (insert your countrymen) abroad? You're not alone.

Who dosn't feel shame when confronted by the boorish acts of their countrymen? I call it cultural cringe; not in the sociological sense of feeling inferior to another culture but simply being totally ashamed by association.

I recall one such embarrassment in Thailand. A slovenly Aussie lout wandered shirtless and grimy into a temple in Bangkok, his fat gut bared above a pair of ragged shorts. Asked simply to remove his thongs once inside the temple, this indignant cretin emitted a stream of foul language. What an ambassador for our country!

Rest of article here http://blogs.smh.com.au/travel/archives/20...ral_cringe.html

[DFCarlson]

I'm an American... and the image of an "Ugly American" is unfortunately too well recognized. It affects how some people see Americans even if there is no reason to think that the particular individual falls into this category.

I'm an engineer, and I was visiting a company in Switzerland in the '80s checking out the performance of a CNC machining center before shipment to my company in the States. I found that the machine was seriously deficient in meeting two of the performance specifications.

I politely pointed this out to the engineers and the owner of the company and we all worked until late that night making measurements and determining what was wrong.

The GM of the plant asked if I would like to go out for a bite to eat that night, and during the meal he confessed that the owner and the engineers had expected me to yell at them and rant and rave about the problems (their picture of an American reaction) and that they were pleasantly surprised to find that not all Americans reacted that way.

Definitely, the way you present yourself reflects on your countrymen in the eyes of those in other countries.

Edited February 8, 2007 by DFCarlson

[Florin]

I'm Romanian, so a lot of the pickpocketing, begging & other such niceties being committed in Paris, Prague, Dublin, etc. is performed by my countrymen (& women)...I can tell you it used to suck to get a visa to the civilized parts of the world given these circumstances

Walked out of a subway station in Paris once and heard a couple of guys behind me chat in Romanian about the wallet they had just stolen...it sucks to have to live with a national bias, but then again, if someone can't treat you like the individual that you are and just tags you as an Aussie/Romanian/Nigerian, etc., that person would not be very worthwhile to be around

[sutnyod]

Doing some idle surfing and came accross this blog from last year.

Cultural cringe

How often have you been acutely embarrassed by the oafish, ignorant behaviour of fellow (insert your countrymen) abroad? You're not alone.

I am so embarrassed by my fellow countrymen I don't tell anyone where I am from... The more as I have no Thai wife, will never be bald and fat-bellied and am not interested in bars etc. :-(

[PhilHarries]

I am a Brit, so I don't have to tell anyone on this forum the "cultural" cross we Brits have to bear.

These days if a bunch of louts are around I just keep my mouth shut and make quetly for the door. I used to work in the States and have socialised with a lot of Aussies so if pushed to it can come out with a passable, to English ears, American or Aussie accent. But generally I just try and avoid the scum, fortunately here in KL it's so far escaped the attentions of the undesirables.

Sometimes I think that it would be a good idea if people had to sit a written and oral examination as part of the passport application process. That would exclude a lot of the neanderthals and keep them locked up in Saauuffffend on Mud.

[helicoptor]

I am British .......... say no more I think you can guess the rest

[sbk]

Interesting from another perspective. My husband is Thai and gets quite annoyed with people who insist on speaking English with me or who are always amazed that I can speak Thai or eat Thai food and this upon hearing that we have been married for 17 years. He also gets very annoyed at people who insist on informing him that I am being charged more (he doesn't care if we both pay extra but feels that we should both be charged the same).

So, the cultural cringe can work the other way too.

[kwamrakmaimeeraka]

I am American and for some somewhat obvious reasons I hate to even admit that when asked. Luckily most never guess that is where I am from. When I was in Singapore there was an obese young American that required a sweat towel on his neck at all times. In the plane, walking on the street, and even eating. You should never judge a person by there nationality until you spend a night out with them, but for most, it only takes 5 minutes to show that they are total asses.

[GuestHouse]

Worse than comming across an fellow countryman poluting his surroundings with his bad behaviour is being introduced to a fellow countryman on the grounds that 'well he comes from the same place as you do'.

As Thetyim once put it.

"Just because there is are very few of my fellow countrymen around here, that is no reason to lower my standards when looking for friends".

[mr_hippo]

I am from WNW of BKK. I do not mix with any Westerners, I cross the street to avoid them. When i was teaching, I was often invited to go out for drinks after work - Sorry, but I have been here with you for the past 8 hours and that's enough for me. Anti-social? No, very, very particular!

[tuky]

Ever woken up in the morning, worked out your in your own bed, then remembered...and cringed?

[marshbags]

I can never relate to individuals who seem to think Britain is a place to be ashamed of and unique in the way of anything anti social.

I am a frequent traveller abroad but i have always been proud of my country of origin.

The United Kingdom

I cringe not at my culture but at the fact that i am lumpted together with all the nationalites of the world due to the fact that i am white ( not a racist observation. ) and we all get classed under one umbrella with all the low lifes of the globe, due to this, especially in Thailand.

marshbags but

Edited February 8, 2007 by marshbags

[kwamrakmaimeeraka]

I am from WNW of BKK. I do not mix with any Westerners, I cross the street to avoid them. When i was teaching, I was often invited to go out for drinks after work - Sorry, but I have been here with you for the past 8 hours and that's enough for me. Anti-social? No, very, very particular!

I certainly agree with you.

[terry57]

well i must tell all of you, that to judge people because of where they come from is incredibly ignorant.

i have visited many country's and always try to be friendly until confronted by the said persons opinions, behaviour or actions.

if i dont like them i simply get up and leave or chat with someone else.

all country's have there good and bad people and i have met many great people in my travel's.

it's the same here in thailand and as you all know im always supporting the locals, but ive met a few floggers that have caused me to move on.

not a problem as i know there's more good ones then bad.

give it a crack punters.

[Ulysses G.]

We have an English friend who is known as "The Duke" and he only hangs out with Americans because he claims that he can't find anyone from England high-class enough to converse with. He is rather prissy, but we put up with him because he is funny as he11.

One time we were eating with him - at The Duke's Restaurant - and a buddy who was sitting at another table with an English couple yelled out, "Hey Duke, these people are from London - same as you". He slowly looked them over and then muttered, "so are 7 million other people" and went on to totally ignore them.

[Old Croc]

I am from WNW of BKK. I do not mix with any Westerners, I cross the street to avoid them. When i was teaching, I was often invited to go out for drinks after work - Sorry, but I have been here with you for the past 8 hours and that's enough for me. Anti-social? No, very, very particular!

You don't mix with any westerners, you cross the road to avoid them. "Anti social? No, very, very particular."

Sounds racist to me.

You've made up your mind about everyone from western countries without even treading the same side of the street!

Interesting, Mr Hippo.

Edited February 8, 2007 by Old Croc

[ColPyat]

I am from WNW of BKK. I do not mix with any Westerners, I cross the street to avoid them. When i was teaching, I was often invited to go out for drinks after work - Sorry, but I have been here with you for the past 8 hours and that's enough for me. Anti-social? No, very, very particular!

You don't mix with any westerners, you cross the road to avoid them. "Anti social? No, very, very particular."

Sounds racist to me.

You've made up your mind about everyone from western countries without even treading the same side of the street!

Interesting, Mr Hippo.

Once a while i see these sort of folks in my local dept. store. Usually they don a yellow shirt, and stare at my as if i am an alien invader into their fantasy when i smile at them.

My cultural cringe are both the louts with beach dress in the middle of Bangkok, and farang who are more Thai than the Thais - both extremes to be avoided at all cost.

[Robski]

I'm an Englishman and I think it is disgraceful that the loutish behaviour of Australians and Americans continue to give us a bad name by people mistaking them for being English.

[Ulysses G.]

I am from WNW of BKK. I do not mix with any Westerners, I cross the street to avoid them. When i was teaching, I was often invited to go out for drinks after work - Sorry, but I have been here with you for the past 8 hours and that's enough for me. Anti-social? No, very, very particular!

No loss.

Have you ever seen a Westerner who acts like this that you would want anything to do with?

[terry57]

I'm an Englishman and I think it is disgraceful that the loutish behaviour of Australians and Americans continue to give us a bad name by people mistaking them for being English.

love it mate. thats a classic. :D

[Old Croc]

I'm an Englishman and I think it is disgraceful that the loutish behaviour of Australians and Americans continue to give us a bad name by people mistaking them for being English.

It works both ways. The world will eventually realise that all the shorn, stocky, tattooed, loud mouthed, louts out there originate in the old blighted, and us Aussies can continue our dignified path through the worlds hotspots gaining the respect we deserve.

Edited February 8, 2007 by Old Croc

[Robski]

Haha. You know the score fellas, us Brits get the blame for all your mess.

Tell you what though, it's the Shermans that make me cringe and I aint even one of them.

Edited February 8, 2007 by Robski

[mr_hippo]

My sentence 'I cross the street to avoid them' seems to have been taken too literally. What gives any Westerner the right to come up to me, a complete stranger, and ask me where am I from, how long have i been here and other banalities? Would you approach a stranger in your home town and ask him? Am I racist? No, very selective about the company I keep.

[Ulysses G.]

My sentence 'I cross the street to avoid them' seems to have been taken too literally. What gives any Westerner the right to come up to me, a complete stranger, and ask me where am I from, how long have i been here and other banalities? Would you approach a stranger in your home town and ask him? Am I racist? No, very selective about the company I keep.

I am pretty sure that Mr. Hippo is taking the p*ss.

[terry57]

My sentence 'I cross the street to avoid them' seems to have been taken too literally. What gives any Westerner the right to come up to me, a complete stranger, and ask me where am I from, how long have i been here and other banalities? Would you approach a stranger in your home town and ask him? Am I racist? No, very selective about the company I keep.

I am pretty sure that Mr. Hippo is taking the p*ss.

cricky's MR G,

you dont have to be a brain surgeon to realise that the bloody hippo is having a top laugh.

i just wish a few other people could see that.

maybe me and you just have an advanced sense of humour.

[mr_hippo]

My sentence 'I cross the street to avoid them' seems to have been taken too literally. What gives any Westerner the right to come up to me, a complete stranger, and ask me where am I from, how long have i been here and other banalities? Would you approach a stranger in your home town and ask him? Am I racist? No, very selective about the company I keep.

I am pretty sure that Mr. Hippo is taking the p*ss.

cricky's MR G,

you dont have to be a brain surgeon to realise that the bloody hippo is having a top laugh.

i just wish a few other people could see that.

maybe me and you just have an advanced sense of humour.

Sorry, both wrong! No p1sstake, no joke.

Edited February 8, 2007 by mr_hippo

[Ulysses G.]

I'm sure that you are right Terry, but whenever I visit a small Thai town with no foreigners, I see guys like this running across the street and murmering to themselves so they won't have to say hello to another Farang.

[keenok]

My sentence 'I cross the street to avoid them' seems to have been taken too literally. What gives any Westerner the right to come up to me, a complete stranger, and ask me where am I from, how long have i been here and other banalities? Would you approach a stranger in your home town and ask him? Am I racist? No, very selective about the company I keep.

I am pretty sure that Mr. Hippo is taking the p*ss.

dont think he is ya know.sounds perfectly reasonable to me too. nothing wrong with being selective about the company you keep.after all look at all the weirdos the place attracts.

[calibanjr.]

I got into the habit when visiting Euroland (since 2001) at being introduced of skipping the America part and just telling people I'm from Boston. It cut down on the increasingly common stilted conversation when people try to figure out my view on the policies of my country, and they usually accurately understand my views on my most embarrassing (to put it mildly) countryman.

Of course with Thais I have to say America, since a blank stare is all I get with Boston (not a real big splash of a town, unless you like psychotic baseball fans like me), even though HM the king was born there.

Edited February 8, 2007 by calibanjr.

[keenok]

one thing that really does make me cringe is listening to farang who resort to speaking bar girl english (i use the word bargirl to avoid being told off by bronco) complete with ommited words." dahleeng we go buy potayyto" i know a guy who has been here for a few years and now even speaks this way to other english speakers,and yes i cross the street to avoid him !!