amillionpieces / Website (11.12.06 12:42) Of course it's considered racist, terribly so. However, in my experience, there has always been a reason for stereotypes, they don't sum up everyone of any group, but they're usually based in something.

em / Website (11.12.06 12:46) I don't think of Russians as being nasty. I see them as emotional and drunk. A bit like I see the Welsh. But I'm only teasing really, I don't really think it. I think of South Africans as being horrid but I actually know a few nice ones. So I guess it's sort of amusing to say people are like one thing or another but when you know tham at a personal level you find out really they're just people who are as annoying or sweet as the next person, but with a different accent. Although I think all the English are painfully repressed.

quips (11.12.06 14:20) interesting question, but i think it is too easy to find exceptions. Are the english all repressed? Compared to who? (I'm not criticising em's point, just using it since its there) I think it's very hard to make that sort of a statement and hold it out to be true, but there is room for it in discussion. i.e. the alleged logical nature of (native born) Germans. Nonetheless, as international boundaries disappear and language barriers dissolve, I think its probably quite likely that preconceptions will follow suit. The Germans would agree that this is the 'logical' conclusion.

Amy / Website (11.12.06 16:03) I think it probably would be considered racist but then it all depends in how you're using it..y'know whether in anger and grossly generalising about a whole nationality..(did that make sense?!) You haven't shaved your head have you?!

em / Website (11.12.06 16:55) no hands up who didn't think 'oh, actually in that case I will have a go' when they learned The Slides were crafted by German engineers?

JetCat / Website (11.12.06 23:22) I would have thought of that sort of thing as racist until I spent a year working with international students. While you can't categorise somebody's intelligence or individuality according to their nationality, there were certain generalisations that everyone in the office very quickly learned to make such as the Chinese being shy and the Indians being affable. The sort of religious, political, social, cultural norm somebody is surrounded by whilst growing up is definitely going to affect their manner and their opinions as an adult; it's no bad thing to recognise cultural differences, provided nobody's trying to use them to imply that anybody is better or worse because of them.

undercovercookie / Website (12.12.06 13:55) of COURSE people differ according to the culture theyw ere raised in. consider how different people were 50 years ago in their outlook, expectations, ambitions, reactions etc to now. It's not necessariy a racist thing it a cultural one. You are shaped by the prevailing attitudes around you. As to personal qualities, these all fit within a culture. Someone may be really outgoing but if their own culture frowns on this, they'll tone it down a bit and if they are in a culture that expects it, they'll big it up. But I suspect you wonder whether people (by their race) differ not just outwardly but have a genetic propensity to behave in a way. Well that IS abig question. I'd say: probably. if physical traits are handed down through the genes and your appearance is dictated by how your ancestors looked (or needed to look to survive) then personality traits are going to be in that mix, too. I DO think it starts to be a problem when people stick to negative stereotypes or make asumptions. Not all asians are studious, not all nigerians are scammers and not all all Germans put their towels by the pool early. Ok, maybe the Germans DO do that but not because they're mean.

quips (13.12.06 18:35) to conclude, there is no place in this world for vulgar and ignoarnt gemerlisations. unless you're talking about the Deutsch.

Oink (13.12.06 21:44) Heck, I saw a towel draped on the front of a German camper van, the other day. I laughed like a drain.

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