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Captain_Fil
Joined: 06 Jan 2011
Posts: 604
Location: California - the land of fruits and nuts
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 Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Sashadroogie wrote: |
| Russia was beaten? News to me. This topic seems to be a little bit of an obsession, though. Worrying... |
Russia, the Soviet Union...same thing, really.
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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| The Americans that I know, both at home and abroad, tend to be like-minded and have similar experiences, or at least an interest in the broader world. |
Same here. I also have friends who would like to travel, but can't, for the reasons you gave. They, instead, tend to live through my travel experiences. I remember the time I stopped blogging about my adventures and subsequently, caught a lot of flack about it from many of my friends and former colleagues who apparently looked forward to reading my weekly writings.
In a way, some of us become cultural ambassadors, especially if we travel to countries Americans generally consider dubious or sinister. For example, last year when I announced to my US coworkers and friends that I was heading to Yemen to teach, most of the reactions weren't exactly positive. "Isn't that a terrorist country?" some asked. "Why would you go there?" Well, their tone changed once I sent them photos of Sana'a's charming, gingerbread-like houses and of smiling children. Sometimes putting a human face and story to the culture does wonders to change others' mindset away from the negative stereotyping and ethnocentric thinking. |
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steki47
Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 1029
Location: BFE Inaka
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| You might be thinking about collective guilt, Steki47. |
Yes, that's it. Thanks. And thanks to Johnslat for expanding upon that.
Can't believe I forgot that term. White guilt-50% right. |
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steki47
Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 1029
Location: BFE Inaka
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
Ironically, last week while at the drug store buying a few travel accessories, the cashier asked if I'd be taking a trip. When I said yes and explained that I teach English outside the US, her rather defensive response was, "What? You don't like it here?" |
I was back in the US two weeks ago visiting my sister out in a rural Mid-West town. Whenever I answered questions about Japan, the locals would say that was "weird". April is the start of the school year. "Weird."
My sister and her husband are well-educated and well-read and they battered me with really sharp questions about Japanese education, Buddhism, etc. What a difference.
Again, I have to point out that lots of my Japanese students laugh at me or say some fact about America is "weird". And don't know or care about the rest of the world. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I suppose it's something of a relief (in a way) to know that insularity and lack of curiosity about/interest in the rest of the world is probably a universal phenomenon.
I still can't fathom that mindset, though,
Regards,
John |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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| steki47 wrote: |
| I have to point out that lots of my Japanese students laugh at me or say some fact about America is "weird". And don't know or care about the rest of the world. |
No excuse for that mindset, but unlike Japan, the US is known as a nation of immigrants. The history and roots are so easily dismissed...
By the way, of all the core disciplines taught in US public schools, geography is the only one excluded from receiving federal funding under the No Child Left Behind Act. With this lack of attention and instruction, no wonder there isn't an appreciation or fair amount of knowledge about this world we live in and share. |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 5:26 am Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
Well, I suppose it's something of a relief (in a way) to know that insularity and lack of curiosity about/interest in the rest of the world is probably a universal phenomenon.
I still can't fathom that mindset, though,
Regards,
John |
I wouldn't say it's universal at all, Johnslat. Russians were for years not allowed out of their country, as is well known. Yet even in those days they had a serious interest in finding out about what was beyond their borders. Today, with only visa restrictions to overcome, Russians are well-travelled and well-informed, due mainly to sheer interest and curiosity. |
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wangdaning
Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 3154
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| Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 6:01 am Post subject: |
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