Interesting Comment on Indians

steven_ber

He was spending his time in a public urinal in Mysore, strangely enough I was at the same urinal about 5 or 6 years ago, I was casually having a pee when I noticed the route the pee was taking (men do this, we like to see where it's going ), mine was flowing straight onto a dead dog, not a great thing to see on my first trip, but one thing I did notice, the dog wasn't barking.

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spicetrekker

Well I have seen around 25 countries in the world and worked with around nationals from 35-40 countries so while I agree generalisations are dangerous territory but if I have to make one it is that more the sun-shine in any country the more the people seem to be jovial... so average Indian, south American, carribean etc are outwardly more friendly than say Nordic people who seem to be on the outside more reserved.

Aishah

LOL, Steven!!! You might have a point about the sunshine, spicetrekker. I knew some Norwegians once and very dour, depressed people they were - they actually told me it was because they had such long nights in the winter and not much daylight. They were aware of how 'down' they were, and the husband was on anti-depressants. They had come to Oz to brighten themselves up. Well, we can't generalize of course, but it is an interesting point...

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Nick-H

This is, of course, a can't win situation, because even if we think that this is blurb for an Indian Tourist Board ad, at least we're not jumping on him like we might if he had generalised about some of the bad stuff.

But it is still a shallow nonsense.

To be honest, shallow nonsense was good enough for me. The guy might fall in love with India. It's like that: it is a pretty face and a smile that catches the eye --- then you get to know each other, discover some the warts, and stick around, or not.

Hey Ho...

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spicetrekker

I think before people from the "not so bright" countries start piling on me - let me highlight that the operative was "Outwardly" more friendly...

karuna

For me it's not that it's shallow- it's a short-term visitor's take on India, nothing wrong with that, it's a big part of this site. It's the condescending, ego-filled me me me of the piece. He didn't fall in love with India, he fell in love with the idea that by going there he was doing "real" travel (I didn't see another white face for two weeks!) and that he was meeting "real" Indians and having meaningful conversations with them, understanding them, and what's more was able to teach them something of his own wisdom.

Uckity uckity uck.

AwayFromHome

Agree - its a short term perspective.
But, there is truth in what's written. I feel, at least in the US, people tend to be very aggressive about their goals, and many times in a nasty way. Before I get royally flamed, let me hastily interject that that doesn't mean they aren't nice people - just aggressive.
I honestly believe that Indians are incredibly generous and kind to guests (guests of their own or of the country). There is a very famous saying in Sanskrit (someone please help me out here), about a guest being the equivalent of God (or something similar).
And yes, Nick_H, I have seen the warts. More on that early next week - I have a topic I'd like to start.

Sama

Jay Nordlinger is a conservative writer and the National Review is one of the most politically conservative magazines in the US. So what bugged me was that he felt compelled tell the Indians that he met that Bush isn't such a bad guy after all:

"And these are not Bush voters, these guys. They don’t like him at all. Why? Because he’s killing innocent people in Afghanistan. I give a contrary opinion: George Bush is the world’s foremost opponent of people who kill innocent Afghans — starting with the Taliban government. The guys listen respectfully, somewhat wonderingly, and nod. They seem never to have heard such a viewpoint before."

as for the article being a generalization, he admits that in the beginning of the article and basically says, if you don't like that, tough, it's his perspective on things in two weeks. don't forget that people can also generalize the other way, spending two weeks in India and leaving it feeling that India is a total sh**hole. I know two people who feel exactly that way and never saw anything good in India. we all have a different perspective and as far as I am concerned it changes with each trip. I know it has for me.

really can't agree with his comments about America. I've traveled a lot across the US and have always found people to be friendly and helpful to this tourist-in-my-own-country. maybe it's just me, but people always strike up conversations with me when I travel around here. despite Chicago being one of America's largest cities, it always gets high points for its friendliness and the average Chicagoan's willingness to go out of their way for a lost or confused tourist on the street. I've seen it happen a lot.

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PeakXV

It's really not unlike any 'first-time' experience and, as a result, there should be a disclaimer in the heading of his article to 'save face' from us Old India Hands.

The road rage bit in the first segment clearly emphasizes that the writer is 'Indian Green' and must have spent very little time on (traffic)location.

The short pants (never done) comment in the second article is some more misinformation.

....otherwise not a bad little 'wide-eyed' newbie report.

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Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

AvidTrekker

मातृ॑ देवो॒ भव ।
पितृ॑ देवो॒ भव ।
आचार्य॑ देवो॒ भव ।
अतिथि॑ देवो॒ भव । Taittiriiya UpaniShad, Shikshaa valli.

(Your)
mother is God,
father is God,
teacher is God [teacher of veda]
unannounced guest is God...

so on... it says further "treat them with Love honour and respect".

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brishti

NICK - an I-S day is it?




:brishti

just cant resist:
i am sooo happy for you rangers - this thread must've made your day/week/month/year

the opoponax

I don't really get the attempt to say "no, people in India are actually not especially kind, generous, hospitable, etc..." The outward display of all this doesn't make them better human beings, but it's true that there really are differences, and these differences can't be explained away by saying "you're an exotic foreigner", or "but people in Indian metros are just as preoccupied as city folk worldwide" or whatever.

This is not so much about the article, which is the usual "Brown People Live To Serve" B.S. crossed with silly green-horn cliche. Just about the basic notion of Indian social life and how it compares to that of other cultures.

Nick-H

I'm being thick, perhaps: I-S, Brishti?

brishti

naaay nick - thick you're not

india syndrome... remember??? !!! [cant remember the thread ]

its a fantastic term very apt for IM and can be used in lieu of bad-hair-day

hope all is well with the cap'n - that he's on vacation and nothing more serious is keeping him away. [just concerned]



:brishti
[have u got a comma in the wrong place?]

Kingstonian

Hi Opoponax,

I think what makes me about this article, and the others of his that I've read, is the tactic of taking particular experiences, and applying them to the general.

So, after a couple of weeks, a visitor might very reasonably say "During my visit, I found Indian people to be whatever whatever whatever", but to apparently make a judgement, after such a short time, that "Indian people are whatever whatever whatever" is the offense.

The reverse is, of course, equally offensive (taking a generalisation, and applying it to an individual!). Confusing the general and the particular is the problem, for me. To talk convincingly about the general requires huge research and statistical exercises to make even vaguely "reliable" judgements about the whole. Anything else is personal opinion, however well-informed.

Jay Nordlinger says: "I will indulge in some generalizing — some more generalizing. But necessary and true generalizing." This is just bs.