Culture window.

[Cosmos]

Just killing time at work. But just because Im writing to you just to placate my boredom don't feel bad. There's this security guard here at work today, and he's something else.
here's some actual quotes from his infinite wisdom.
"They(arabs) are worse than all the N**g**s put together."...yep... thats right.. you heard like I did.


Cosmos: "Anything good in the paper today Ivan?"
Ivan: "Just reading on Bin laden and his bunch"
Cosmos: "oh?"
Ivan: "I figured something out about them, the other day"...
I'll save you his rant and cut to the juicy bit.
..."If they want to kill people, let them kill their own people, don't let them come over here and kill us."
Ivan proposed that the largest growing religeon in the world was thought up a couple years ago in a hotel over few too many beers. Based on the actions of fundementalists. Ivan fails to see the irony that his views are equally extremist.

isn't it something else hmm? This kind of ignorence is so ridiculously over the top It's become a cartoon of itself... Obviously uber-bigots are out there, and they're on the rise but it's something of a wake up call to hear somebody spew anectodal tidbits about this "...poor girl all mixed up with the blacks... how she supposed to get a white man now?"
yikes.
I tried arguing with him for a while.. but that seemed to just make him deffensive of his curious polititcs.
So I suggested that its a good idea for him to be more careful of who he's speaking to.
I won't tell you his interesting views on Homosexuality, prostittution, or Islam. needless to say he's an interesting guy to listen to, like being fixated on an image that is both horrifyinng and facinating.
I feel like Im looking at a spider, where I feel better seeing as opposed to not seeing it..
He is currently speaking to me while I type this, and I'd love to transcribe everything he's says in order to paint an appropriate picture.
"...Gays are two legged dogs..."
"they ('pakies') are animals, and they should be killed like animals, just drop'em"
"Pakie" and "Arab" are synonyms and refer to every person from Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, India, Syria, Isreal, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Serbia,... and every other person on the planet who doesn't deserve to live
Now don't get me wrong I beleive very much that he is entitled to his oppinion, and as enraging as this fellows percpective is, he is entitled to it, and Im sure there are tons of people in the western educated world who share his percpective, and with current events in world, more are joining the flock every day,

In my adventures in the world of bigotry I have beaten 4 times for being gay.
Curiously though, I am Heterosexual, but I took dance, and stereotypes are strong, and I have heard alot of heckeling fueled by hate.

but never I heard such adamant views in such detail.

I'm refreshed that Im surprised, and still shocked and I hope I stay that way.

[Zearatul]

Finally somebody says what needs to be said. good job and my hat is off to you Cosmos. May those described in your post find themselves placed in a room with someone as racial as themselves but from the other end of the spectrum so they realize how stupid it sounds.

[Gawdziller]

This reinforces something that's always been my answer to a great multitude of questions: people are stupid. How moronic can one person get?

Kind of reminds me of my stepfather. While he's not as bad about it as this Ivan, he seems to have similar views. But what's worse, he claims that he lives by the Bible (even though he hasn't been to church in years) and that it's written in the Bible that people of different races should "stay with their own kind" and people who disobey this rule have essentially bought themselves a one-way ticket to Hell. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the Bible says anything like that.

How such idiots can think the way they do and stick so adamantly to their beliefs is totally beyond me, but like I said before, people are stupid. But I'm all the time being surprised at just how stupid they can get, and how their numbers keep growing. Makes me sick.

[Project Pimp]

"They(arabs) are worse than all the N**g**s put together."...yep... thats right.. you heard like I did.

Don't we ALL hear stuff like this everyday? I don't know where you come from, but if you live in an urban area, I couldn't imagine not hearing that. So I don't see how you manage to be shocked over it. I mean, we have constant wars going on in the world, and you're suprised to hear someone hates another race or maybe even a religion?

[Raptor]

I wouldn't say such "views" are just confined to large cities. Even in the smallest communities, there are those that hold opinions I can't help but wonder where they got them!
Unfortunately, the Bible/"will of God" is often cited as a "basis" for certain beliefs and actions that are exactly the opposite of what their professed "religion" intends. These are the ultimate hypocrites IMO and to hear "preachers" spouting this kind of stuff (to HUGE audiences via television in many cases) is rather frightening. Can one yell "FIRE!" in a crowded public area and get away with it? I don't see the difference myself, only that hate crime is also being perpetuated, both by the speaker and those who take his words to heart.

[Emperor Violenjiger]

This reinforces something that's always been my answer to a great multitude of questions: people are stupid. How moronic can one person get?

Kind of reminds me of my stepfather. While he's not as bad about it as this Ivan, he seems to have similar views. But what's worse, he claims that he lives by the Bible (even though he hasn't been to church in years) and that it's written in the Bible that people of different races should "stay with their own kind" and people who disobey this rule have essentially bought themselves a one-way ticket to Hell. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the Bible says anything like that.

How such idiots can think the way they do and stick so adamantly to their beliefs is totally beyond me, but like I said before, people are stupid. But I'm all the time being surprised at just how stupid they can get, and how their numbers keep growing. Makes me sick.It's more than just stupid. The human race is arrogant, closeminded, and fears all that is different from themselves. They ridicule others who are labelled as "freaks," pollute the earth and destroy each other in pointless wars. People suck, or as one my favourite songs by Slipknot goes... PEOPLE = *****! That said, there are some exceptions in the world... but the majority of the world is made up of a people who deserved death but live away, while others who could have... and should lived, suffer...ed. Humanity is EVIL, right to the core! Stupid, lazy, pathetic, vile, vulgar and EVIL.

[Cole Deschain]

^ "Evil" would be giving too much credit in most cases.

[Goji Son]

It's more than just stupid. The human race is arrogant, closeminded, and fears all that is different from themselves. They ridicule others who are labelled as "freaks," pollute the earth and destroy each other in pointless wars. People suck, or as one my favourite songs by Slipknot goes... PEOPLE = *****! That said, there are some exceptions in the world... but the majority of the world is made up of a people who deserved death but live away, while others who could have... and should lived, suffer...ed. Humanity is EVIL, right to the core! Stupid, lazy, pathetic, vile, vulgar and EVIL.

You know LK, it's just as arrogant, ignorant and closeminded to make a generalization that the entire human race is evil. Honestly, think about it for a minute, the reason why these people are everything vile that you have listed is because they are fueled by hate, the same hate you carry for them. So therefore this whole name game is one chaotic circle of stupidity. True, there are some downright vile people in this world but then again there are those who see life differently, who are pure, intelligent and see each individual for what they are and accepts them for that whatever it is they believe in. I should know, I just took one such person out on a date the other day. Basically, we all have our faults but are character doesn't consist of just that.

[ALLOSAURZ]

I personally like the human race the world wouldn't be nearly as interesting if there were people like him around. Could you imagine a world where everyone got along and had the same opinion? It would be horrible as we would all be menatl clones.

[china]

Yeah, there is a lot of racism out there still. I know I have had to deal with it. It was hard being Chinese in Toronto during the Sars scare. I even has someone call me a stupid chink on a message board before. :(

[Zearatul]

Thing about the scare is that I heard on the news that the flew had killed more people total. I can't imagine what it must be like to be a minority in those kid of cases...

[Cosmos]

In the Prophetic words of Depeche Mode, "people are people so why should it be, that you and I would get along so awfully"...

I fear I sound like a bad 'heartstrings' commercial.

[Emperor Violenjiger]

You know LK, it's just as arrogant, ignorant and closeminded to make a generalization that the entire human race is evil. But then again there are those who see life differently, who are pure, intelligent and see each individual for what they are and accepts them for that whatever it is they believe in.LOL. I never said the entire human race was, I said there were exceptions and those are the same kind of people you're talking about. See, I am not as stupid and arrogant as you think GS. ;)

[Goji Son]

LOL. I never said the entire human race was, I said there were exceptions and those are the same kind of people you're talking about. See, I am not as stupid and arrogant as you think GS. ;)

When you say...

"The human race is arrogant, closeminded, and fears all that is different from themselves"

"People suck"

"PEOPLE = *****!"

"Humanity is EVIL, right to the core!"

Which are all broad generalizing statements and only have one little comment saying...

"That said, there are some exceptions in the world... "

which is instantly followed by...

"but the majority of the world is made up of a people who deserved death but live away, while others who could have... and should lived, suffer...ed."

I don't see how these comments are any different than the bigots you speak unkindly of it's just at the extreme opposite of the spectrum as their opinion. What I am trying to say is that no one person is pure evil, it's the ideas within his head that are evil. They can say it's their belief but that's just basically a radical idea and all ideas/beliefs/what have you can be changed.

Never thought you were arrogant or ignorant, just letting you know that you really didn't try to go as indepth of the exceptions to humanity as opposed the "majority" of the evil side that overrun the race.

[RexRaptor]

Im just like the Security guard...man..ive got more clones then i know what to do with..

[Evil alla Pure]

I despise racism very much. I see no reason how you can dislike a whole culture or race of people. When I want to make a friend I look at them not their skin color. As for racism around me, I'm surrounded. I got racists on the bus, at school, and even in my family. It's really quite sad actually, if a race people were like the way they said wouldn't the not be just as bad for hating them and wanting to exterminate them? It's a bunch of hipocritical nonsense IMO.

[Tokyo VigilanteX]

Who freaking cares if there white or Black?!
Its the PERSON that matters not what they look like.

[Evil alla Pure]

Who freaking cares if there white or Black?!
Its the PERSON that matters not what they look like.
Amen brother, amen.

[Tokyo VigilanteX]

Heh,Cosmos.
Why don't you have your buddy "Ivan" read what we think of his sad pathestic,close minded views?
I'd like to see his response to what we think of him.

[kent]

I too heavily despise racism. Some of my best friends are from other races. I grew up having a few african-american friends and I never thought anything else of it just the fact that they are my friends and they are human just like me despite the color differences of our skins. Hell, I work at a hardware store, and these two Arab gentlemen (who wear turbans and all), come in every week shopping to maintain their homes. I have helped them and they are some of the nicest people I have ever met.
Just because people look and dress like those in the Arab community, does not make them associated with Al Qaeda or any other terrorist organizations. Humans, though, by nature, do stereotype. Everyone does. I have even done it myself even though I knew that only a few bad apples in each race run around. There are just as many bad caucasians as there are arabs. But not everyone is bad. If everyone was bad, wouldn't be living in an anarchy?

[Emperor Violenjiger]

Never thought you were arrogant or ignorant, just letting you know that you really didn't try to go as indepth of the exceptions to humanity as opposed the "majority" of the evil side that overrun the race.Oh. Must have misread something, or something.

Well, that's because... the only exceptions I know, are few in number and freaks like me. But besides, I know more evil people than good.

[rodan70]

I don't care what color you are. It depends on how stupid you are. I work with several black people, and they refuse to wait on any black people. I think it's kind of funny.

[Raptor]

Hate to have to bring up yet another reality check but the actions of employees CAN reflect on the business, very often the supervisor or owner. Rodan70's situation is somewhat different from the bigot security guard (wonder how he got his job! :crazy: ) but sometimes you have to put your personal preferences aside and at least be somewhat tolerant of others.

It's come to the point where the U.S. government has had to implement non-discrimation laws so that should prove a LOT of people do have a "problem" with their neighbors and associates.

[Cosmos]

I'm afraid that non-discrimation laws may just encourage these ideas. Laws unfortunatly don't change the way people think, they just make people with these ideas angry, or it supresses it so that it surfaces in more violent forms.
I feel it's like putting a bandaid on cancer....for lack of a better metaphor.
As for our guard Ivan, I don't know how he got his job, but I doubt he will have it for very long, it seems he said to one of my female co-workers that his security company, shouldn't hire women, or 'foreigners'... this offended her and she reported him.

I was reluctant to report him because he is entitled to his beleifs, but I truly beleive that his beleifs are formed from an uneducated and highly emotional perspective.

remeber from his point of view, he's not a racist, you see, racists are bad, he's just stating facts.

[Baryonyx13]

I'm afraid that non-discrimation laws may just encourage these ideas. Laws unfortunatly don't change the way people think,How is that unfortunate? People are entitled to their own ideas, this is America. You just have to learn to ignore these types of people. The ability to have whatever opinion you want is what's great about this country (maybe not in this situation, I am in NO way supporting racism). Hate to say it but they can hate whoever they want, for whatever arrogant and stupid reasons they have. Most racists have been raised in a situation where either they learned it from family, school, ect, or something happened to them that makes them hate a race or religion. I actually feel sorry for them. They are stuck in a little box, only willing to experience their own races culture.

remeber from his point of view, he's not a racist, you see, racists are bad, he's just stating facts.
See? He was probably raised to feel that way. No one when they are born is a racist. NO one. It is something that is taught, intentionally or otherwise.

[Raptor]

His beliefs are truly "uneducated" as a lot of women (and "foreigners") have worked all kinds of private security details. A co-worker whose family hails from Ireland (and his wife, BTW) and I even moonlighted on a contract with the U.S. government. And the post lieutenant was Hispanic. :D
No doubt this guy is often in a highly emotional STATE due to his perspective which is why I doubt his credentials.
His bias is based on "facts"? Like so much other prejudice, I again wonder where THOSE came from. :laugh:

[kent]

No racism is based on "facts". Like Bary said, people are not born racist. They have this racist view towards some races because of either their lifestyle growing up, or they had an experience that made them think otherwise. Which, I think, is totally ridiculous.
To be honest, you're never going to get rid of racism. As long as there are people of different colors and race, you will always have racism.

[Emperor Violenjiger]

To be honest, you're never going to get rid of racism. As long as there are people of different colors and race, you will always have racism.But we can still fight racism and try to end it. Maybe it will never be 100% eliminated from this pitiful planet, but we can try to decrease it.

Sure people are closeminded, but, if they realize this they can try and change that. We just have to show them that. I try my best to be unbiased, especially in school. I look at them all as, people. Most of the kids in my class my hated Chris, and when Corey through something at Remi, they all blamed Chris. I said, "No. I believe it was Corey who threw it." Why did I say that. Because it was FACT. Then they told me to shut up, and stop picking up for my best friend... he wasn't even my best friend.

Ack.. what am I saying... it's hopeless, isn't it? All Hope Is Lost.

[Chayne]

There is still a lot of cultural, racial, and religious prejudice out there. Some of it is outwardly hateful and some of it is misguided or due to ignorance.

Race is more of a social concept than a significant biological concept though. Sure there are skin pigment, facial characteristic, and even some bone morphological variance between human populations and ethnic groups.

However there is as much difference within a given "race" as there are between them. Also there is an insignificant number of genes that determine these "racial" characteristics.

Another problem with the race concept is how many distinct racial categories are there and how would they be defined?

Anyways I'm minoring in Anthropology with the intent of going to graduate school to continue studying it.

Anthropology is the study of human cultural and biological variation and evolution.

There are 4 main subfields...

Cultural Anthropology- the study of cultural systems (kinship and family, subsistence, economy, gender issues, religion etc). A lot of focus is given to pre-literate and non-literate tribal societies. We look at things cross culturally contemporary and historic.

Biological Anthropology- the study of human evolution by looking at genetics, human variance, primates, primate evolution, and early pre-human species.

Linguistic Anthropology- study of the origins of language as well as studying the connections between language families, cross culturally.

Archaeology-the study of material remains of past cultures by excavations.

Its a really cool social science that also blends some aspects of the hard sciences and humanities.

In Anthropology we try to use cultural relativism when looking at other cultures. Judging another culture by the standards of your own is called ethnocentrism and we try to avoid that.

I've had some cool experiences thanks to Anthropology too.

I've gotten to hold real human skulls in a bone lab.

I've also been able to go to a Diwali celebration that the local Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs had in our town. I had never known about it. Diwali is a national holiday in India. And to the Hindus and Jains it is also a religious ceremony. We watched a religious ritual and then we ate some traditional Indian food (spicy and vegitarian) and then we watched some traditional Indian dancing and singing. They all wore traditional Indian clothes too. It was so cool.

I have also gotten to go to the local Mosque. Again, I didn't even know we had one. But we have a community of Syrian Americans who have a Mosque and a private Muslim school. It was really cool.

I hope to have some cool experiences this semester too.

I'll be taking...

Cultural Geography
American Indians: Historic and Contemporary Peoples
Introduction to Archeology
And I'll be taking a Sociology class too.

In my Anthro minor- I have also taken....

Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Intro to Biological Anthropology
Race and Ethnicity
Anthropological Theory
Anthropology of Religion
Research Methods

My major is Mathematics and I'm minoring in Psychology and Anthropology. :cool:

[Shin lvl2 Goji]

Race is more of a social concept than a significant biological concept though. Well put Chayne.I don't even like the term "race" because it really isn't accurate at all last time I checked the only race there is would be the human race something people of all different skin types or whatever are all a part of.It's almost like when calling someone "of a different race" like calling them an entirely different thing which is outright wrong and is the root and very bare-bones nature of racism.

[Raptor]

One of my favorite topics here in General Chat, probably because of our local archeological station and my interest in sociology - people science. ;)
The Goth discussion brought it to mind due to the use of the term "sub-culture". Would it be correct in this case?

[godzy]

I don;t get the culture much either, especially the part of having to do as the parents tell you-which means they pick out what your job will be. I got into an argument with one of my relatives about that. Let the kid be whatever he wants, as long it's a good career.


Being Mexican myself, I can tell you that the Latino culture values family above almost everything else. You do what your parents tell you, you NEVER EVER talk back to them, and you respect them. Above all, you never want to betray your family.

Heck, I'm the first generation of my family who was born in the US and did not learn Spanish as their primary language. Even still, I'm expected to respect my elders and obey my parents. That doesn't mean I'm a slave with no life either. It really isn't all that bad. They don't tell me to clean the house everyday or jump off a brdge or anything like that.


( PS. My dad tells me that while I was a llittle kid, he thought about arranging my marriage when I was older. I don't know if he's kidding or not. ;) )

[GMK12]

Filipinos are like that too, and I'm sure they picked that up from their spanish roots.

[OniGojira]

I know. First off respect should be earned not given. *rolls eyes* Hiya kubwisit. Yeah you don't demand respect all it does is make the reverse happen. Treat others the way you wish to be treated IMO.

It's the 21st Century, some cultures need to get with the times.


Sorry,but some things just really get on my nerves.

BTT.

On being filipino for me it's odd. I get asked if I speak Tagalog (which I'm teaching myself via books) or someone will come up to me and speak spanish.

[godzy]

It's the 21st Century, some cultures need to get with the times.


You know Oni, I take that offense to that. There is NOTHING wrong with my culture, so I demand that you not insult it. Especially since YOU know nothing of it.

[OniGojira]

My apology. I didn't mean to offend, I was venting a bit. Sorry dude. Please forgive me.

[GMK12]

Well, we all have our opinions, this is simply Oni's opinion. He may or may not have directed it at the mexican culture (which is truly a model of filial piety) but I'm sure he did not mean to make it a direct insult to you Mr. Godzy. My stand on the "cultures getting with the times" is not so much different than yours Godzy, I hope to uphold such a stand in the future, but you gotta admit, SOME and very few aspects of cultures in general "need to get with the times". This is not directed at either filial piety OR the Mexican culture I'm just saying some things about cultures in general. and to deter anything about me not knowing anything about the Mexican culture, I'm pretty confident in my knowledge of Mexican Culture, after all I had to study about the Mexican Culture for a school Global Studies project!

[godofPH]

I know. First off respect should be earned not given. *rolls eyes* Hiya kubwisit. Yeah you don't demand respect all it does is make the reverse happen. Treat others the way you wish to be treated IMO.

It's the 21st Century, some cultures need to get with the times.

What? You're saying that it's bad that Mexican cultures have high respect for elders/family/parents? Hell, I'm 31/32 Caucasian and I think that what godzy described is a good thing. My family has values like that too, and I really think there is nothing wrong with them at all.

[OniGojira]

No. I just don't agree with some stuff, like demanded respect or arranged marriages. Those are the only thing I dislike.

[godzy]

No. I just don't agree with some stuff, like demanded respect or arranged marriages. Those are the only thing I dislike.

I can understand if you don't agree with it. You are entitled to your opinon. What I am having a problem with was the way you generalized Mexican culture as primitive and how they need to "get with the times."

Well you know what Oni? It's worked for Mexicans for HUNDREDS OF YEARS. There is nothing wrong with demanding respect from your children. I can say that I'm a better person because my parents wouldn't let me give them crap and still don't. That respect for authority will stay with me the rest of my life. And, surprise surprise, NOW I AM MORE LIKELY TO OBEY THE LAW! I PROBABLY WON'T GUN DOWN AN OFFICER OR PUNCH MY BOSS WHEN HE PISSES ME OFF! And you know why? That respect for authority my parents drilled into me. So I advise you shut up untill you know what you're talking about, my good sir.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I can understand if you don't agree with it. You are entitled to your opinon. What I am having a problem with was the way you generalized Mexican culture as primitive and how they need to "get with the times."

Well you know what Oni? It's worked for Mexicans for HUNDREDS OF YEARS. There is nothing wrong with demanding respect from your children. I can say that I'm a better person because my parents wouldn't let me give them crap and still don't. That respect for authority will stay with me the rest of my life. And, surprise surprise, NOW I AM MORE LIKELY TO OBEY THE LAW! I PROBABLY WON'T GUN DOWN AN OFFICER OR PUNCH MY BOSS WHEN HE PISSES ME OFF! And you know why? That respect for authority my parents drilled into me. So I advise you shut up untill you know what you're talking about, my good sir.
*ahem*

Respect for authority is healthy...and bad. At the same time. Respect for *some* authorities is good...respect for all authorities is called "Fascism".

[OniGojira]

The reason I got that view was from seeing the movie Waiting. Seriously once you get to a certain age it's time to stop and learn things on your own. That is what bugs me.

[Gorjirus]

*ahem*

Respect for authority is healthy...and bad. At the same time. Respect for *some* authorities is good...respect for all authorities is called "Fascism".

And there's a difference between respect and "blindly following".

Not everything is fascism.

[godofPH]

There is nothing wrong with demanding respect from your children.

Yeah, you'd think they'd get the right to demand some respect for you after bringing you into this world, putting food in your mouth, a roof over your head, clothes on your back, etc...

[OniGojira]

Yeah. I see it as if someone is nice and respectful to you, you should give the mteh same. If the person is a jerk, then why bother even listening.

After a while you'd end up like this guy http://starburstcards.com/KarlswebVisual/images/scorp02.jpg as he will say "You listen to me John I don't care about your homeworld your entire species lives or dies means nothing to me." He has no respect for anyone.