The discrimination thread

[Victor Ian]

I know this could be opening a can of worms. I hope people can discuss rationally and not have the thread closed down. I'm curious about which countries are most discriminatory.
In Australia we discriminate, often calling it humor. It is the minority that truly discriminates as most aussies will befriend anyone. I hear the US is terrible, but imagine their people are similar. It seems the Saudi discriminate, against everyone that is not Saudi much as their neighbour's over in Israel do even when their religion is the same.
My point is, that my experience in many countries is that if you are willing to try their customs, all people will embrace you. If you are not, then the discrimination is actually fear of the unknown, which I feel is kind of understandable.
Who has experiences of discrimination that they can tar a whole people with?
Now be reasonable.... give your experiences but don't get an infraction.

 

[DriveClub]

I discriminate against short people. From anecdotal evidence they tend to be malicious and nasty. You can say I'm a heightist but I'm changing after looking myself at the mirror.

 

[zorax]

Australians are all crooks/cheats/drunks/lawyers with no exceptions IMO

 

[Athlai]

I only choose to eat green apples.

 

[the big bambino]

I know this could be opening a can of worms. I hope people can discuss rationally and not have the thread closed down. .

I hope we can throw lighted matches on dry tinder doused in kero on hot summer's day with the wind blowing a gale without starting a bushfire.

 

[Victor Ian]

I hope we can throw lighted matches on dry tinder doused in kero on hot summer's day with the wind blowing a gale without starting a bushfire.

So I'm an optimist. Maybe the wind can blow the matches out.

I have an agenda, and that is to conclude that people are not inheritantly racist, rather it often appears so because of misinformation. Instead of just copping racism on the chin I should rather confront it and break down barriers. People are inheritantly good (most of them) and just need a prod to change irrational fears.

 

[Athlai]

But seriously, **** red apples.

 

[vitalogy83]

A big no to post And Justice For all.. Metallica

 

[brockley]

I have had runs in with a few ppl of different races.
Don't have anything against those races,I take ppl as they are.
We have all told racist jokes or racist comments.
I know that its not acceptable,not proud of it.
Have seen people of other cultures,could give examples.But somehow its more respectable,if a person of another race is racist.I just don't get it.

Yes I have been called a white ****.
Shrugged it off,what can you do.
I think the best thing is to be intro spective about youself.
I take this note as an example.I swear.Try not too.But am intro spective,and try 2 end this habit.
BTW love Justice for all,magic album.

 

[zorax]

So I'm an optimist. Maybe the wind can blow the matches out.

I have an agenda, and that is to conclude that people are not inheritantly racist, rather it often appears so because of misinformation. Instead of just copping racism on the chin I should rather confront it and break down barriers. People are inheritantly good (most of them) and just need a prod to change irrational fears.

I think people are inherently good and inherently distrustful of people from other communities/cultures

Tribal mentality is embedded in our DNA. If we don't use race, religion or nationality to divide ourselves, we use which sports team we support or which political ideology we believe in. If not that, then which brands we support or which apples we choose to eat.

We identify ourselves with a group, we turn conflicts into an us vs them scenario, and then we go to war. We discriminate and judge against those who aren't on our team. Its just what we do man. Its who we are. You can't change that.

 

[brockley]

Zorax you make relevant points.
I had hardly interactions with people outside the white cell apart from aboriginals,who I had good interactions at school.In Brisbane,I learnt some Moaris like to fight,I was quick not 2 disrespect them.
Then I went to uni,made friends of different cultures,even found some of the Chinese,and Malaysian women quite alluring.
I still struggle with different races I guess,but anyone I meet I treat them with respect.
As I said introspection is illuminating.Whether you get that from religion,or through just damn choice.

I have been disrespected from ppl from other cultures its not nice,however on the other side of the coin have great memories of interacting with ppl of other races and countries.
3 weeks ago i had a scare thought I had a minor stroke,shock me up,while waiting at the 24/7 from my friend 2 pick me up I had an illluminating conversation with a kid from Nepal(when I say kid he was 19/20),we talked cricket and culture,it was great.
Don't sell yourself short Zorax.

 

[harsh.ag]

zorax is right about the "winning" mentality. As long as you're focused on winning, you will find yourself making divisions and creating enemies to defeat. Changing it to a "win-win" mentality almost instantly makes you a better person to everyone you meet.

 

[Shri]

Meh, I have spent 27 years in India and can easily say that the place is racist as ****. But its still home and you can't hate home completely though, even if you hate certain qualities of it.

My current boss is an Asian immigrant and is not bad. My manager is turkish australian and he's a buddhist and is an awesome guy. My other two colleagues are Italian and Thai and they are swell as well. Maybe I need to spend more time here to see any of that infamous aussie racism. But until now, it has been a great place to live in.

 

[brockley]

1 thing I hate about Chinese,are they are so damn honest.
Remember 1 of my Chinese Aussie friends saying,why are you so fat?

 

[Victor Ian]

I heard this saying from somewhere in my dealings with others.

me versus my brother.
my brother and i versus our cousins
our cousins and i versus the other families
our families versus the town
our town versus the country
our country versus the world.

At first, it sounds combative. I like it. In a nutshell, everyone is closest to who they are closest to and unite against bigger problems, even if they squabble over little things between them. All we need is Martians, and then not too long after, Andromedians.

There is nothing wrong with difference, nor in acknowledging difference and even wanting to maintain difference. The golden rule cuts through all discrimination without needing everyone to be the same. So where does it come from? Is it a terrible byproduct of nationalism? Leaders would have people unite behind them and the basest way to do this is to make themselves feel superior and possibly even detest others as lower beings. Politicians are now unable to do anything but pander to this idea of Nationalism. Our TV does this on a daily basis too.

Is it purely from distrust? Why are we so distrustful? It is hard to trust someone when you know you are a **** yourself - you view everyone through your own filter. Is trust hard because we are stupid and focus on the 1% who are bad rather than the 99% who are good. Is trust hard because we are not humble? Is the modern trend to inflate ones ego the cause of discrimination?

Just some thoughts. It's always something I'm interested in.

 

[Victor Ian]

Zorax's idea of the winning idea is a weird one for me to get. My best friends all support different teams but we get along well. However, get a large group of people who support a particular thing and suddenly they become a mob of ****s. Is discrimination a numbers thing? Somehow, it doesn't really come out until numbers swell. Mob mentality is very dangerous because somehow it infects people to stop thinking as they usually do.

 

[brockley]

Here's 1, a Muslim electrician did my electricity at the house I was in Wollongong,before moving 2 Coota.
He was friendly we had a good chat and he said catch him in Young.
I didn't.I really didn't know him.And it may have been paranoia got the better of me.
Was that a racist thing to do?

 

[vogue]

I think people are inherently good and inherently distrustful of people from other communities/cultures

Tribal mentality is embedded in our DNA. If we don't use race, religion or nationality to divide ourselves, we use which sports team we support or which political ideology we believe in. If not that, then which brands we support or which apples we choose to eat.

We identify ourselves with a group, we turn conflicts into an us vs them scenario, and then we go to war. We discriminate and judge against those who aren't on our team. Its just what we do man. Its who we are. You can't change that.

I agree with most of this post,l but I think we can change , it just does take time.

 

[zorax]

Zorax's idea of the winning idea is a weird one for me to get. My best friends all support different teams but we get along well. However, get a large group of people who support a particular thing and suddenly they become a mob of ****s. Is discrimination a numbers thing? Somehow, it doesn't really come out until numbers swell. Mob mentality is very dangerous because somehow it infects people to stop thinking as they usually do.

it depends whats at stake. If there is nothing gained or lost then no one is going to hate each other based on any of these classifiers. But what if how much you earn is now somehow tied into your sports team. What if that now controls your opportunities at work, your access to food and shelter, or worse, your ego and identity?

It doesn't even actually have to affect you in any real sense - you just have to perceive that it affects you ("those damn immigrants are stealing our jobs!"). Once your team is losing something of value to the other team, you begin rooting against them and fighting for your own...and thats where the troubles start.

 

[vitalogy83]

I lived in Singapore for a few years and most rental ads strictly say "No Indian" Being Sri Lankan I often get lumped with the Indians (something a lot of Sri Lankan's don't particularly like to begin with)

I found this open racism quite strange..I think it was the first time I've experienced anything that to be honest. But the more I lived there I more I learned that most Singaporean Chinese are generally racist towards the Indians and look down on them due to the lower level of their economic circumstances..Yet somehow when they are doing well they all get along.