What should a foreigner know about the US?
Nov 28th, 2015, 04:25 PM
#102
IMO a "foreigner" doesn't need to come here and criticize the way we eat, what we look like, how we speak, and all the rest of those rude things the same "foreigners" typically criticize "Americans" for doing.
Oh, and keep your voice down, too, so we can hear ourselves shouting at one another in restaurants.
Oh, and keep your voice down, too, so we can hear ourselves shouting at one another in restaurants.
Nov 28th, 2015, 07:43 PM
#103
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Yes, a foreigner's opinion is worthless. So, I would suggest stop posting on any travel board that is not American, as by our own standard, it is intrusive and wrong, even it is right.
BTW, OC went to college in the States and has a daughter who lives in the States and visits frequently, otherwise he knows nothing of American customs and culture. So what would be the tipping point, citizenship? A test 90% of Americans born here would fail.
BTW, OC went to college in the States and has a daughter who lives in the States and visits frequently, otherwise he knows nothing of American customs and culture. So what would be the tipping point, citizenship? A test 90% of Americans born here would fail.
Nov 29th, 2015, 09:22 AM
#106
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BTW, OC went to college in the States and has a daughter who lives in the States and visits frequently, otherwise he knows nothing of American customs and culture.
I think people were responding to his statements, which were cliched and offensive. They weren't responding to a perceived lack of knowledge. Though, if they were, it is likely because his statements suggested he does lack knowledge.
The stuff about treating workers like menial robots was, frankly, beyond laughable. Frankly, it is probably worse that he didn't say it to offend, because it suggests a level of cluelessness that he should be embarrassed by.
I think people were responding to his statements, which were cliched and offensive. They weren't responding to a perceived lack of knowledge. Though, if they were, it is likely because his statements suggested he does lack knowledge.
The stuff about treating workers like menial robots was, frankly, beyond laughable. Frankly, it is probably worse that he didn't say it to offend, because it suggests a level of cluelessness that he should be embarrassed by.
Nov 29th, 2015, 10:08 AM
#107
This clueless person with graduate degrees in the social sciences was managing director of a large American Corporation for over ten years, employing people of different backgrounds and nationalities. he was also the chairman of the board of a very large Italian Company subsuidiary in addition to having worked in partnership with French, Dutch, german and Japanese companies.
As you can see, i have had the chance to compare management styles.
Unfortunately only ignorant people with psychological problems find critical observation offensive because of their need to be on the defensive at all times against real and imaginary threats to their misconstrued self image and archaic ethnic, religious, national, etc. group identification.
I strongly recommend that people should try to just be "human" rather than British, American, French, Catholic, Jew or Moslem.
You may then be able to laugh, even at yourself, rather than living in a state of hate and enmity to "the other"
I should note that I also teach graduate classes, give counseling and coach as well as mentoring high school and university students.
Finally, unlike you, I am only proud to be human, to be able to laugh and enjoy life, to be compassionate and to have empathy not because of any identification to great people, great nations, great religions or great races, great history, or blue blood.
I also very infrequently respond to insulting attacks and will not demean myself by name calling.
As you can see, i have had the chance to compare management styles.
Unfortunately only ignorant people with psychological problems find critical observation offensive because of their need to be on the defensive at all times against real and imaginary threats to their misconstrued self image and archaic ethnic, religious, national, etc. group identification.
I strongly recommend that people should try to just be "human" rather than British, American, French, Catholic, Jew or Moslem.
You may then be able to laugh, even at yourself, rather than living in a state of hate and enmity to "the other"
I should note that I also teach graduate classes, give counseling and coach as well as mentoring high school and university students.
Finally, unlike you, I am only proud to be human, to be able to laugh and enjoy life, to be compassionate and to have empathy not because of any identification to great people, great nations, great religions or great races, great history, or blue blood.
I also very infrequently respond to insulting attacks and will not demean myself by name calling.
Nov 29th, 2015, 01:44 PM
#109
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The truth is the US is a study in severe contradictions. Since colonial days there has been deep rooted anti-intellectualism, racism, and other prejudice of all stripes. Of course this still exists today.
On the other hand we have produced some of the more exceptional universities in the world, won an extraordinary amount of Nobels, and have influenced the arts, high, low, and middle.
So basically whatever you say about the US is true.
On the other hand we have produced some of the more exceptional universities in the world, won an extraordinary amount of Nobels, and have influenced the arts, high, low, and middle.
So basically whatever you say about the US is true.
Nov 29th, 2015, 02:20 PM
#110
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I also very infrequently respond to insulting attacks and will not demean myself by name calling.
Nobody insulted you. Saying that you are misinformed is not an insult.
Unfortunately only ignorant people with psychological problems find critical observation offensive because of their need to be on the defensive at all times against real and imaginary threats to their misconstrued self image and archaic ethnic, religious, national, etc. group identification.
You seem awfully bent out of shape over the critical observation that you don't know what you are talking about. I will abstain from psychoanalysis as to why.
This clueless person with graduate degrees in the social sciences was managing director of a large American Corporation for over ten years
Then it would seem any responsibility for workers being treated like menial robots should fall to you, being managing director and all.
Nobody insulted you. Saying that you are misinformed is not an insult.
Unfortunately only ignorant people with psychological problems find critical observation offensive because of their need to be on the defensive at all times against real and imaginary threats to their misconstrued self image and archaic ethnic, religious, national, etc. group identification.
You seem awfully bent out of shape over the critical observation that you don't know what you are talking about. I will abstain from psychoanalysis as to why.
This clueless person with graduate degrees in the social sciences was managing director of a large American Corporation for over ten years
Then it would seem any responsibility for workers being treated like menial robots should fall to you, being managing director and all.
Nov 29th, 2015, 03:20 PM
#111
I do not believe that Fodorites are a a good statistical sample of Americans in general or any demographic or social sub-group.
But I find the people posting on Fodors threads and especially various sub-culture groups on the Lounge quite interesting and entertaining even when some are bereft of any sense of humor.
The country threads and the trip reports present very good examples of experienced and inexperienced travelers, all with a great deal to say to the readers, many extremely helpful and quite a few written with style and feeling.
A famous South African bridge player and writer, Victor Mollo wrote a series of very humorous and interesting bridge books, relating interrelationships between players at a club and the deals they played, giving an alias to each of the major players.
The first of these books was called "Bridge in the Menagerie.
I hope I will live long enough to put together such a volume and have it published based on my experiences on Fodors threads, with travel, love, envy, hate, oneupmanship, real and imaginary Americanism, Canadianism, Europianism and the strong ability to stick to one's guns no matter what ruling the conversation.
I promise that I will not write about any Fodorites whom I have met and that even if the reader recognizes himself or herself as one of the characters, he (she) will not be upset.
As an afterthought, I recommend Dukey1 and Travelgourmet to read some Bertrand Russel and Wittgenstein as well as Jerome K. Jerome and Georg Mikes.
But I find the people posting on Fodors threads and especially various sub-culture groups on the Lounge quite interesting and entertaining even when some are bereft of any sense of humor.
The country threads and the trip reports present very good examples of experienced and inexperienced travelers, all with a great deal to say to the readers, many extremely helpful and quite a few written with style and feeling.
A famous South African bridge player and writer, Victor Mollo wrote a series of very humorous and interesting bridge books, relating interrelationships between players at a club and the deals they played, giving an alias to each of the major players.
The first of these books was called "Bridge in the Menagerie.
I hope I will live long enough to put together such a volume and have it published based on my experiences on Fodors threads, with travel, love, envy, hate, oneupmanship, real and imaginary Americanism, Canadianism, Europianism and the strong ability to stick to one's guns no matter what ruling the conversation.
I promise that I will not write about any Fodorites whom I have met and that even if the reader recognizes himself or herself as one of the characters, he (she) will not be upset.
As an afterthought, I recommend Dukey1 and Travelgourmet to read some Bertrand Russel and Wittgenstein as well as Jerome K. Jerome and Georg Mikes.
Nov 30th, 2015, 09:01 AM
#112
But I find the people posting on Fodors threads and especially various sub-culture groups on the Lounge quite interesting and entertaining even when some are bereft of any sense of humor.>>
indeed OC. IME humour, like wine, has trouble travelling, especially over the Atlantic.
indeed OC. IME humour, like wine, has trouble travelling, especially over the Atlantic.
Nov 30th, 2015, 09:16 AM
#113
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IME humour, like wine, has trouble travelling, especially over the Atlantic.
What does travel with ease, though, are people that spout BS and then claim "I was kidding!" OC's problem in this thread are not about jokes that fell flat. His problem is that he said some stupid stuff.
What does travel with ease, though, are people that spout BS and then claim "I was kidding!" OC's problem in this thread are not about jokes that fell flat. His problem is that he said some stupid stuff.
Nov 30th, 2015, 11:31 AM
#115
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But I find the people posting on Fodors threads and especially various sub-culture groups on the Lounge quite interesting and entertaining even when some are bereft of any sense of humor.>>
indeed OC. IME humour, like wine, has trouble travelling, especially over the Atlantic.
________________
Worse than that, these boards have the the same humorless tone as those inhabited by supercilious oenophiles.
___________
Ann we have friends who live in Yorkshire and another that was a former presenter on the BEEB and while there are some cultural references that neither understand, for the most part we have a jolly old time.
indeed OC. IME humour, like wine, has trouble travelling, especially over the Atlantic.
________________
Worse than that, these boards have the the same humorless tone as those inhabited by supercilious oenophiles.
___________
Ann we have friends who live in Yorkshire and another that was a former presenter on the BEEB and while there are some cultural references that neither understand, for the most part we have a jolly old time.
Dec 1st, 2015, 12:53 AM
#118
Dec 1st, 2015, 02:52 AM
#119
annhig, regarding "The Atlantic", you are right. It ceased to have any humour since the beginning of the 21st Century, when it also dropped fiction and literature, together with the word "Monthly" from its title.
Fortunately, "Playboy" magazine is now starting to take up the slack (not slag) by becoming apublisher of literary fiction in favour of erotic photographs.
What is America becoming?
Fortunately, "Playboy" magazine is now starting to take up the slack (not slag) by becoming apublisher of literary fiction in favour of erotic photographs.
What is America becoming?
