A question about intolerance?

Question

How far, in your opinion, can you go before generalising the population of a country/ creed becomes second nature.

For instance, whilst on holiday I met a large contingent of other tourists from another country. They were, without exception, acting like as*holes, but I told myself, 'these guys are just bad ambassadors for their country- it's bound to be a nice place in reality,'. Them some months later, I visited their country (well, only one city) and, as before everyone I met had the same intolerant, anti-social traits. So I said, 'no, they aren't all like this- I'm just biased because of my previous encounter,'.

Then I get back home, and this country is on the news, and everyone around me is saying, 'what as*holes!'

So my question is, even though it might not be ethical, can you reach a stage where it is understandable to categorise an entire country, even though there might still be 1 or 2 good souls there?

Answer 1

Yes, I think you can reach a point where you stereo-type people based on past experiences and interactions. I find it admirable that you are able to recognize what you are feeling.

The first step to change is recognizing the problem. As hard as it may be, try not to lump a whole country into one group. As you said, there are a few good people in each culture.

I hope your next interaction with this ethnicity is a positive experience for you!

Answer 2

Are you sure that the nasty ones weren't just much more noticeable than the nice ones? I have an American cousin who was over here on holiday a couple of years ago, and we were in a restaurant where a number of wives of American servicemen from the nearby base were at the next table. My cousin was terribly embarrassed by their conversation and behaviour. No country is entirely populated by either obnoxious or charming inhabitants. And someone who is horrible to you today might just be having a really bad day. They could go home, have a good cry, and be OK later. It might be that if you'd happened to meet that person a few days later, you'd have thought they were very nice.

Answer 3

I think we all generalize when are frustrated or fearful. What helps is remembering that cultures and countries are made up of people, and people are both good and bad.

I am fortunate to live in an affluent country with an abundance of freedoms, to be well educated, to have my physical needs met, to have my family and friends be safe from harm and to have a comfortable lifestyle. Some of those people in other countries don't have those things. Maybe that is why some of them act like assholes. I don't know.

what I do know is that intolerance only breeds more intolerance. I would rather contribute to a solution than to contribute to a problem.

Answer 4

Yes, in bible times the lord said, "go into the city and kill everybody the men, women and children." In other words none of those people deserved to live. You have to wonder but then think about it this way. Some children are taught hate from an early age. That killing of others is meaningless to them. Or even a good thing. Those would be dangerous people, when they grew up they would be like their parents. The same with immoral people, Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed and even the children. But they took children as temple prostitutes.
So that immoral behavior was in them from birth.
Some cities even today exhibit a certain spirit of violence or immoral behavior or both. Some are more inclined to be modest and truthful and none violent. The bible speaks of the spirit of the city.

Answer 5

chavs,yobs and general nuicence makers are our weakness well the ones who cause anti social behaviour i thinkand yobs or just general nuicence makers some ppl r just plane rude im sorry to hear u didnt meet nice ppl on ur trip but i thin its a fault of the modern world unfortunatly ppl been aloud to become like that therefore bringin future generations up like that i am not sayin all our chavs our bad i know some very nice ones but there r some horrible ones 2 i think its just luck of the draw a contributing factor could b the country ur from coz of the war in iraq and everythin

Answer 6

Technically, no, but understandably, yes. Too often the good voices are silent and let the immoral voices speak for them, not always with reason better than great cowardice and laziness. If you are wrong to judge, they are wrong to put you into that position.

Answer 7

Sometimes you just can't help it.
Where i work there are a lot of women from one country and they all just stick together making no effort at all to speak to us and join us at break times even though we made every effort to be nice and friendly to them when they first came to work at our place.

Answer 8

Well that will teach you not to go to France again!!!!!!!

Answer 9

I guess so