# nationalities **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 17, 2001, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577 "2001-01-17T22:07:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/1 "2001-01-17T22:07:43Z")
The number of posts a doper has made has some relevence, but I would have way more interest in the nationality of a respondent. There are so many different cultures on the globe, with differing views on topics which might be explained by what country, state or province a poster is from. I find myself often checking for a profile to confirm my assumption about where a person is from. I believe that by ascribing the country a poster is from to their post could illustrate just how global this forum is, and encourage its growth. On the other hand that might not be desirable. Just a suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/2 "2001-01-18T00:06:03Z")
well as long as one refrained from calling citizens of another country ‘spoiled softies’ I guess there could be some merit in the suggestion. However I would wonder if it would only reinforce some people’s tightly held prejudices… New Zealander living in Australia ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/3 "2001-01-18T13:07:59Z")
Let me weigh in here to say that the number of posts that a member has is irrelevant! IMHO, every voice here is equally important. If I see a post from someone who has, say, 6 posts, it doesn’t predjudice me in any way against his/her opinion… though sometimes it takes a while for a new member to feel their way around, and get used to the conventions of this boards (what is polite and what is not, etc.). As to nationalities, that might be relevant to some discussions, but not to others… so I’m ambivalent to that… ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/4 "2001-01-18T15:14:14Z")
Nationalities are interesting. grienspace thinks so, and so do I. They’re also an easy target when it comes to shouting matches. One particular ex-member refered to me as “Dutch Gnome” in an e-mail. I’ve been called worse, of course, and I don’t see the “Dutch” part as being an insult as well - this particular person wasn’t being very creative. I’ve never been secretive about my nationality, so he could have picked it up anywhere. Some people might not be willing to give out that information though, and it certainly isn’t important enough for us to _require_ members to reveal it. Which brings me to my final question. What sort of format were you thinking about? An extra line in the profile page? A little flag under a posters name (kinda neat, of course, but also bandwidth consuming)? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/5 "2001-01-18T19:00:17Z")
**Coldfire** Moderator Netherlands Registered: July 1999 Posts: 6154 * * * For example, in any discussion involving dykes, we can ascribe more weight to your opinion. We can also be more forgiving to those whose English is not that good, and not just assume a lower I.Q. Uh, your English is excellent though, I was talking about others. Of course the information would be voluntarily presented. I like the flag idea if it is affordable, but only in addition, because I have a hard time remembering those simple 3 bar flags of various colours. ---
**Author:** ![MattTheCroc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MattTheCroc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MattTheCroc)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/6 "2001-01-19T13:25:11Z")
I think these nifty ol’ boards would have that kind of option. I’ve seen other vbboards (at least I _think_ they were) with lots of superfluous information added. Usefulness is debateable, though… Australia, here. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/7 "2001-01-21T20:19:09Z")
I’m an American, but there are significant differences within this country. For example, a Montanan (like me) would have more knowledge about harsh winters than would an Alabaman. Of course, with people moving around so often, location is fast becoming the worst way to make predictions about someone. So it would be interesting to know which nation a person (claims to) hail from, but you’d have to put up a mini-biography for everyone to make it a useful feature. Neat toy you guys have dreamed up, but little good use can come of it. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/8 "2001-01-21T20:47:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > **…So it would be interesting to know which nation a person (claims to) hail from, but you’d have to put up a mini-biography for everyone to make it a useful feature…** Mini-biography - isn’t that what the optional ‘profile’ is for? I for one would like to know at least the country a person is from - if they wish to share more information than that, so be it. Would the administators have a way of making SURE what country someone is from, e.g., someone who claims to be from Bolivia turns out to be from East Podunk, USA? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/9 "2001-01-21T21:23:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Would the administators have a way of making SURE what country someone is from, e.g., someone who claims to be from Bolivia turns out to be from East Podunk, USA? To a degree, yes, but it’s a pain in the butt and not all that reliable in some cases. It’s certainly not something that we’d want to do for twelve thousand members. For that matter, we have absolutely no way of verifying someone’s profession, or gender, or any of a host of other things they say about themselves, but that doesn’t worry folks flirting, or seeking medical advice from one of our physicians, or otherwise trusting volunteered information. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2002, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/10 "2002-03-18T17:26:38Z")
Well, I didn’t get a flag, but I’m quite happy that the new forum allows for the option to display the location of the poster. (grienspace walks away happy in the knowledge that an international organization listened to his suggestion)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2002, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/11 "2002-03-18T19:21:26Z")
**grienspace** commented: > [@](#): > > For example, in any discussion involving dykes, we can ascribe more weight to your [Coldfire’s] opinion. Owing to the more liberal laws on homosexuality in the Netherlands? I don’t see how this follows – you might as well cite Clogboy as an authority on **poldergeists**! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/12 "2002-03-19T00:58:51Z")
Very cute **Polycarp** , but we are not done yet. There is a _ **flikker** _ of truth behind my point regarding \*\*\* dykes\*\*\* in The Netherlands.😃 ---
**Author:** ![kase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@kase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kase)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/13 "2002-03-19T08:15:02Z")
There’s a **pot** full of truth behind your point regarding dykes in the Netherlands. 🙂 nicht war?😉 ---
**Author:** ![Anahita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9a28c/32.png) [@Anahita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anahita)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/14 "2002-03-19T08:54:26Z")
You must also consider those of us who are long term expats, twice or three times over. Where someone comes from makes little or no difference to me. I still expect them to use logic and factual references when discussing a point. I have in the past been bashed for my country of residence presently. It’s as silly doing that as bashing me for my country of birth, the countries whose passports I hold, the country I’ve lived in for the longest time, etc. ---
**Author:** ![kase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@kase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kase)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/15 "2002-03-19T09:01:27Z")
Yes it is. Silly, I mean.;j ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/16 "2002-03-19T13:40:37Z")
Yeah - just to reiterate **Anahita’s** point - location is not equal to nationality. However it would be likely that someone located in Greenland would at least be a little more knowledgeable about that country than the average non-Greenlander, even if that person was actually Kenyan by birth. However sad to say that from meeting other expats here, it seems also very common for expats to “ghetto” themselves and create a mini-England/US/South Africa/whatever home-from-home, watch nothing but imported cable TV, eat from Western supermarkets, and know absolutely nothing about their host countries. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/17 "2002-03-19T13:57:24Z")
Also a long-term ex-pat. English currently living in Ireland (seven years), but have also lived for three years a piece in Wales, Texas, Hong Kong, and half a year in Connecticut. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/18 "2002-03-21T21:51:11Z")
Pardon me for the sentiment, but surely the whole idea of adding a separate “nationality” tag may be superfluous? If a Doper really wants to put his/her nationality up for view, it can appear in either the “location” tag, or in the profile. If a Doper wants to keep it secret, that can be done too. On the other hand, it’s hard to see how either a one-line “nationality” tag, or a flag, could adequately describe ex-pats like **'Flora** , **Anahita** , or myself. I was born in the US, and have lived in Canada, England, and now California. Whoops, I guess that _doesn’t_ make me an ex-pat. But I wouldn’t feel right with an “American” tag either. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/19 "2002-03-21T22:06:04Z")
Duke - I shall point out that the original post was made back when the board was running under vBulletin 1.x, which did not display the Location field under the username. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalities/50577/20 "2002-03-22T04:37:49Z")
**Arnold** : Whoops, sorry. My bad.