Random Culture Thread

[Prowler]

Everyone calls me by my first name. Never had anyone call me by my last name and I prefer it that way.

[vijayjohn]

Everybody calls me by either my first name or a nickname, unless they mistakenly believe that my last name is actually my first name. There's this one Indian guy I have on Skype who keeps forgetting and calling me by my last name. Probably one of those goddamn North Indians who knows literally nothing about South India, even though we South Indians are relatively likely to know about North India. Arrrghhhh.

[OldBoring]

Probably one of those goddamn North Indians who knows literally nothing about South India, even though we South Indians are relatively likely to know about North India. Arrrghhhh.

The same thing happens to me in China.
I mean, some Beijingers even think that Zhejiang and Jiangsu are the same province.

[linguoboy]

Probably one of those goddamn North Indians who knows literally nothing about South India, even though we South Indians are relatively likely to know about North India. Arrrghhhh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-zW6f63ZKo

[vijayjohn]

He forgot to mention that we're all ugly and smelly (and short and that there's a Hindi equivalent of the n-word for us).

I mean, some Beijingers even think that Zhejiang and Jiangsu are the same province.

Lots of North Indians think all South Indians are from Madras even though Madras doesn't even exist anymore!

[linguoboy]

He forgot to mention that we're all ugly and smelly (and short and that there's a Hindi equivalent of the n-word for us).

Isn't that all implied by "monkey men"?

[vijayjohn]

He forgot to mention that we're all ugly and smelly (and short and that there's a Hindi equivalent of the n-word for us).

Isn't that all implied by "monkey men"?

But the bearded fat guys are ugly, smelly, and short, too! (And huh, I didn't know monkey men were called by the n-word ). Also apparently we're of various colors, have variable numbers of eyes, and grunt while we walk around (although since we're Dravidian, we must be grunting pretty damn fast ). Or at least the BBC has been so kind as to portray the demon characters in the Ramayana this way so that even kids can understand that. Yay!

[OldBoring]

South Indians are real Indians. North Indians are a bunch of Arabized and Persianized barbarians that pretend to be Indians.
Long live the purity of the Indus and the Ganges Valley Civilization!

[vijayjohn]

South Indians are real Indians. North Indians are a bunch of Arabized and Persianized barbarians that pretend to be Indians.

There are Dravidian languages spoken up north, too, though.

Long live the purity of the Indus and the Ganges Valley Civilization!

The Ganges Valley Civilization?! You mean Mother Ganga may have been tainted by the bodies of those dark Dravidians?!?

[TeneReef]

Everybody calls me by either my first name or a nickname, unless they mistakenly believe that my last name is actually my first name. There's this one Indian guy I have on Skype who keeps forgetting and calling me by my last name. Probably one of those goddamn North Indians who knows literally nothing about South India, even though we South Indians are relatively likely to know about North India. Arrrghhhh.

North Indians don't know anything about NE India (Assam, Mizoram etc.) either,
so it's not only South India that is ''ignored'' by them.

[vijayjohn]

Because I totally said that North Indians ignored only South India.

[TeneReef]

Gujarat and West Bengal are pretty ignored by (central) North Indians themselves.
So, everyone is ignored,
except for native speakers of Hindi.

Now that Jaylaleetha is jailed,
Northernes might show respect for the stormy South.

There are exceptions to the rule,
Bangalore seems very much adored and talked about,
by the Northerners,
you can speak Hindi and be understood there,
that must be the reason why.
Even native Bangaloreans like Deepika Padukone
are happy to point out they suck at Kannada.

In India, due to cast system, many people are very likely to hang out only (or preferably) within their cast,
so a Brahmin from Chennai is more likely to hang out with a Brahmin from Delhi,
than with a Dalit from Chennai.

[loqu]

Is there any culture in the world where being nice is not encouraged?

I mean, I guess you guys know how we're all told that we must be nice to others, and how most people want to be liked. I'd say in Western culture it's a general trend, and lots of people blame it on the current times and give other absurd reasons.

Do you guys know if that of being nice is a cultural thing, or is it inherent to humankind?

[vijayjohn]

Is there any culture in the world where being nice is not encouraged?

I mean, I guess you guys know how we're all told that we must be nice to others, and how most people want to be liked. I'd say in Western culture it's a general trend, and lots of people blame it on the current times and give other absurd reasons.

Do you guys know if that of being nice is a cultural thing, or is it inherent to humankind?

I suppose it depends on what you mean exactly by "being nice." Being nice to who? Being nice in what ways? Do you mean explicitly telling people to be nice to each other? Or expecting them to be nice at all? Or what? I think every society relies on some degree of co-operation at least; I don't see how it would be possible for a society to exist otherwise.

[Ludwig Whitby]

Poor classes of the society are often more aggressive towards each other. Ghetto black people or Romas in Europe or simply the working class of every race aren't always nice. In those circles the most important thing is to appear tough and strong, but respectful. Being nice may make you seem weak, which is the last thing you'd want.

[linguoboy]

Here in the US, we also have the concept of being "nicety". This being outwardly nice in such an aggressive way that it's actually nasty. For instance, the pub near my old apartment had outdoor seating and homeless men would come by and panhandle customers. If the owner say this, she would come out and interrupt their shpil, saying "CAN I HELP YOU?" until they gave up and went away. On the surface, that's a very polite thing to say, but what she was really telling them was, "Go away!"

[vijayjohn]

In those circles the most important thing is to appear tough and strong, but respectful.

I'm curious as to what you mean by that. Respectful to who? To authority?

Here in the US, we also have the concept of being "nicety". This being outwardly nice in such an aggressive way that it's actually nasty. For instance, the pub near my old apartment had outdoor seating and homeless men would come by and panhandle customers. If the owner say this, she would come out and interrupt their shpil, saying "CAN I HELP YOU?" until they gave up and went away. On the surface, that's a very polite thing to say, but what she was really telling them was, "Go away!"

I always thought of this sort of thing as just trying to scare them away, I guess. (Also, that's the first time I've ever seen the spelling <shpil> ).

[linguoboy]

In those circles the most important thing is to appear tough and strong, but respectful.

I'm curious as to what you mean by that. Respectful to who? To authority?

To anyone. Because dis the wrong person and you'll end up dead.

For instance, the pub near my old apartment had outdoor seating and homeless men would come by and panhandle customers. If the owner say this, she would come out and interrupt their shpil, saying "CAN I HELP YOU?" until they gave up and went away. On the surface, that's a very polite thing to say, but what she was really telling them was, "Go away!"

I always thought of this sort of thing as just trying to scare them away, I guess.

That's what she's trying to do, yes, but in a way which won't upset the sensibilities of her customers. "Go away!" is a very rude command to give in our culture, and something you'd hesitate to say even to someone who was really bothering you.

[OldBoring]

The Ganges Valley Civilization?! You mean Mother Ganga may have been tainted by the bodies of those dark Dravidians?!?

Something similar happened in China. First, civilization began in Northern China. Then they immigrated to the South intermixing with them and bringing the Great Chinese Culture to Southern China. Later, Northern China was invaded by barbarians while Southern China preserved the traditional culture better.

[vijayjohn]

Oh, that's not what happened in India at all! First, civilization began in South India. Then they migrated north, then barbarians from the west(?) began pushing everyone towards either the east or back to the south and marginalized everybody who didn't move. Later, the barbarians fought each other again and again (and occasionally took over parts of South India, too), and North India was invaded by several more waves of barbarians while South India preserved the traditional culture better.