It’s gotten much better, but for for a year or two there every other topic on the Dope was some variation on “Why does the world hate America?” or “What does [country here] think of Americans?”. Besides being bored with these topics, I also found them a little too narrow in scope. Stepping away from America for the nonce, I find myself wondering what the general feeling is in other countries towards each other.
For example: China and Russia share a HUGE border. But you never hear anything about the relationship between the two nations, either politically or with regards to what their citizenry think of one another. Russia and Japan fought a war (albeit 100 years ago), what’s their opinion of one another today? From what I can tell, it seems like most of Asia holds some resentment towards Japan for it’s wartime atrocities (and not entirely without reason). Or Iran and the Arab states – is being Muslim enough for them to overlook differences in ethnicity and the Shia/Sunni divide.
I’m terribly curious to know how these nationalities regard one another, but I can’t find much information on what they think about their neighbors. What of China and India, two countries that are separated by the Himalayas and ancient cultures worlds away from one another. Or Russia and the nations of the former Soviet Union. Or Turkey and the rest of the Middle East, or Turkey and Hungary considering their long history. I met some Hungarians who mentioned their nation’s occupation by the Turks, but they didn’t seem to have any resentment for it. I’m interested not just in politics, but also general sentiment between their citizenry.
The list is endless. Some examples, where there is much colorful cross border animosity: what the Russians think of the Poles, what the Poles think of the Germans, what the English think of the French*, what the Scots think of the English, what the French think of the Belgians, what the Swiss think of the Germans… Name a country with borders, and you’ll find some stereotyping and name calling.
I won’t speak for any other nationality. In America, where our states are as big as countries, we have a lot to work with. What do people who live in Oregon think of people who live in California? What do people who live in Illinois think of people who live in Indiana? What do people who live in Vermont think of people who live on New Hampshire? Endless name calling. Did you know that people who live in Minnesota make Iowa jokes? Don’t get me started on Pennsylvania!
China and Russia have had issues. There is disputed territory that both nations claim historical ownership of. Back when Russia was still the main part of the Soviet Union, there were ideological conflicts too. Mao felt that after Stalin died in 1953, he should have been acknowleged as the leader of international communism.
That’s an interesting one, but I don’t have an answer. I remember Puerto Ricans and ?Colombians? not liking each other for some reason either, but maybe I’m thinking of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans.
From my experience, the Aians think the Benoids are kind of stupid, and have created a series of jokes centering around that misconception. The Benoids on the other hand mainly think the Aians overly agressive and rude. It does create tention between the two countries and limit trade a tourism somewhat, however they both really hate the Ceiers, so that helps bind their nations together.
You don’t even need a border for this sort of thing. Northern Californians have stereotypes of Southern Californians, and nobody seems to know just where the border between the two is.
There ain’t nothin’ wrong with people from Mississippi. Really there’s not. Why, some of my best friends are from Mississippi.
I mean, I wouldn’t want my sister to marry one of ‘em or anything like that, but Mississippi folks are OK by me, ya’ know?
I’ve always wondered what Canadians think about that little part of Minnesota which is completely cut off from the U.S. land Mass by Canada and the Sioux Narrows/Lake o’ the Woods. Does anyone live there? If so, they can’t walk to the rest of Minnesota without crossing two international borders. Why did they they include just that little place in the U.S. Does it bother Canadians? Seems kind of rude if your neighbor had to go through your living room to get to his bathroom.
… not to mention one 66 years ago and another one 60 years ago.
Australians and New Zealanders are about as alike as any two peoples on earth and yet there’s a fierce rivalry that can border on hatred in some cases. NZers feel that Australians are patronizing and crass, and Australians think NZers are parochial hicks with risible accents. It was a NZ Prime Minister “Piggy” Muldoon who said that the migration of NZers to Australia raised the average IQ of both countries.
I’m reading Jared Diamond’s Collapse. Last night I read about how the Haitians and the Dominicans dislike each other, although they share the island of Hispaniola. Some differences which lead to their alleged mutual disdain for each other:
Haitians speak Creole, Dominicans speak Spanish.
Haiti rejected foreign investments after throwing out the French, while the Dominican Republic welcomed overseas investment. For that and several other reasons, Haiti is very poor, and the Dominican Republic is not.
Haitians are darker skinned than the Dominicans.
Haiti is more subject to drought than the Dominican Republic - the rain comes from the east, falls on the Dominican Republic, and doesn’t make over the mountains to Haiti, on the western side of the island.
