Hey people, i wondered about prejudices. Often they are a huge part of what we know about foreign countries. Which prejudices do you have or know? And if you have some, do you really believe them? Would be interesting, what you all think about it. Do you think, the prejudices about your own country are true? Or half-true? Tell me :)
@Chris. I didn't catch the sense in your thoughts. If you base your opinion on a person, on some previous or average or statistical knowledge you have, it IS (pre) judging -> prejudice. Or I'll be completely confused about the use of this word! And I think it applies to the "racism" also. I've no doubt, that when you know someone well, you will have completely different, individual view on him, but the point is that if you want to be free of prejudice, you should avoid judging people you don't know at all.
And about the question: "And if you have some, do you really believe them?", should be " And if you know some, do you really believe them?" as it's apparent that if it's mine prejudice, I believe it. :)
Serg, and you are only one , who is creating bad prejudices about Russians here , I haven't seen a man ruder than you here.If you told me where I had been wrong correctly and peacefully, it would tell about me and my opinion , but as you just called a brainwashed by TV a teenage-girl , whom you even don't know in real , so it just told about your "good" breeding.Internet isn't a ground to forget principal decorum.)))
People , please , be friendlier and politer!
Irene,
points 4,5 are politics, not prejudices. It's something different. Of course Russian adore wars - conquest Crimea, trying to start civil war in Ukraine, and Putin is new Hitler. The old one also explained all annexations by care about poor Germans. These are facts and conclusions, not pre-judices.
Prejudice is to think that all Russian are like you - braniwashed by TV propaganda and without any ability to think by themselves. It's not true, it's prejudice. There a lot of Russians which understand what's going on.
There are things that are said about countries or people in general as an <em>average</em>. This does not say it is true for each individual. Also this is not a prejudice, if one is not (pre) judging individuals. Neither is the fact untrue for the common divider of the group. Some are even proven facts. Sometimes I think not mentioning these facts and constantly playing the racist card to silence people, is a lot worse than maybe saying something others consider offending and a prejudgement. And if you are <em>that</em> oversensitive about it, maybe there is even a core of truth in it? Who shall say?
You know, this is something I had to dealt here in italki. People had a creepy ideas about Islam and most of it inherited from crusades . Apparently, there are some people still believe in these lies . Once I started a discussion about my country (Iraq) and you couldn't believe what kind of stubied ideas I had got. Simply, it is hard to convence them since the crusade last for more than 1000 years against Islam and the land related to it. Bear in mind the current mass media also. People are simple brainwashed from long time. I tell my opinion sincerly and I hope you accept it.
Best!
