discussion Are North Americans the most ethnocentrists people in the world?.

[vale9001]

"

What is the meaning of ethnocentrism?

: the attitude that one's own group, ethnicity, or nationality is superior to others,according to preconceptions originating in the idea standards and customs of one's own culture are applicable to any culture. 

 

 

 

I always notice here and in the social networks North Americans tend to judge every society and every tradition like everyone is american, every society has same history as them and every social phenomenon is present in every culture  with the same identical rules, conditions and human interrelations than in their society.

 

Some days ago there was a thread about "what is the food for white people in the same way white people think fried chicken is for what black people". But no one in the world think fried chicken is black americans food. In most of the world food is seen as something specific of a culture, not a race. So fried chicken and hamburgers are just americans. But americans seems to see almost everything upon races lens..I'm not saying it's wrong and maybe there is a reason, but it's just your specific history. That thread was intended to explain how it works in "all the world". Like if italians have the same culture of germans (???). 

 

 

Yesterday there was a thread about black face. Some of them tried to explain people from mongolia can't perform "as black people" cause black face is wrong. I would say Mongolia has a different story than Usa + Canada?. They can feel things different? They can have a different attitude and different intention since they never had segregation again a certain race?. It's your history, you SHOULD BE MORE THAN ASHAMED for that. But again it's your history, you shouldn't force what you did on others?. They didn't that. 

 

The peak is when they  try to explain why someone from another race or country shouldn't perform with a japanese kimono cause is "appropriation". But japanese people always explain a person from another culture wearing their dress is the most strong form of respect you can show for that culture. If in your society that feels as appropriation for some reason I respect that and you can have your moral rules. Yours.

In Italy we have an holiday called carnevale and everyone wears as japanese, mexican, a jedi, lady gaga, spanish, chinese, marlon brando, a dog?. Since we have never killed any mexican just for being mexican and any lady gaga just for being lady gaga can we decide what it's wrong or not for us?. 

 

I'm not even starting to talk about everything revolves around the sex sphere cause that it's when they think every culture should be judged with their lens.

Should american stick more to just explain themselves and should try less to explain to others how to live?.

Why they think they're the moral compass of the world?.

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by vale9001

[Antisocialites]

"Do black people care too much about racism?"

Edited May 1, 2023 by Antisocialites

[Azulito]

Blackface is offensive regardless of where it happens. Just because there isn’t a large population of people that criticize it doesn’t mean it’s okay… especially in places that are known for being anti-black. 

 

As for the rest, no. Europeans have an obsession with Americans and love mentioning how they’re better every chance they get (this thread being proof of that). 

[SlowGinFizzzz]

You've raised some excellent points, especially the whole "cultural appropriation" thing that outside of North America simply isn't an issue. Like you said, most other countries consider this a sign of respect and appreciation, and historically we as a society never would've evolved the way we did if different cultures hadn't influenced and inspired each other. 

 

Regarding your question, I believe the answer is yes. 

[Bloo]

No? Literally every culture is ethnocentric as hell. The argument that Black people correctly calling out Black Face is an example of ethnocentrism because they’re not understanding of another culture making a mockery of people of another ethnicity… is quite literally the opposite of ethnocentrism. 

[byzantium]

I’m not reading all that, but I can assure you that Eastern Asia and Europe have North America beat in the ethnocentric Olympics.

[MadonnasBoyfriend]

I dunno I don't get out of Orlando much and we have DeSantis

[YellowRibbon]

Isn't Israel ethnocentric by definition?

[Pikachoo]

25 minutes ago, vale9001 said:

"

What is the meaning of ethnocentrism?

: the attitude that one's own group, ethnicity, or nationality is superior to others,according to preconceptions originating in the idea standards and customs of one's own culture are applicable to any culture. 

 

 

 

I always notice here and in the social networks North Americans tend to judge every society and every tradition like everyone is american, every society has same history as them and every social phenomenon is present in every culture  with the same identical rules, conditions and human interrelations than in their society.

 

Some days ago there was a thread about "what is the food for white people in the same way white people think fried chicken is for what black people". But no one in the world think fried chicken is black americans food. In most of the world food is seen as something specific of a culture, not a race. So fried chicken and hamburgers are just americans. But americans seems to see almost everything upon races lens..I'm not saying it's wrong and maybe there is a reason, but it's just your specific history. That thread was intended to explain how it works in "all the world". Like if italians have the same culture of germans (???). 

 

 

Yesterday there was a thread about black face. Some of them tried to explain people from mongolia can't perform "as black people" cause black face is wrong. I would say Mongolia has a different story than Usa + Canada?. They can feel things different? They can have a different attitude and different intention since they never had segregation again a certain race?. It's your history, you SHOULD BE MORE THAN ASHAMED for that. But again it's your history, you shouldn't force what you did on others?. They didn't that. 

 

The peak is when they  try to explain why someone from another race or country shouldn't perform with a japanese kimono cause is "appropriation". But japanese people always explain a person from another culture wearing their dress is the most strong form of respect you can show for that culture. If in your society that feels as appropriation for some reason I respect that and you can have your moral rules. Yours.

In Italy we have an holiday called carnevale and everyone wears as japanese, mexican, a jedi, lady gaga, spanish, chinese, marlon brando, a dog?. Since we have never killed any mexican just for being mexican and any lady gaga just for being lady gaga can we decide what it's wrong or not for us?. 

 

I'm not even starting to talk about everything revolves around the sex sphere cause that it's when they think every culture should be judged with their lens.

Should american stick more to just explain themselves and should try less to explain to others how to live?.

Why they think they're the moral compass of the world?.

 

[Katamari]

americans  bad 

[Pendulum]

Oh absolutely. It's not okay when non-American issues are viewed through the lens of an American and how American concepts are applied to non-American things. Every culture has its own nuances, traditions or whatever and it's highly ignorant and offensive to look down on this. A few days ago I saw some tiktok of (presumably) an American rambling about those Catholic pointed hats people wear during Easter celebrations in Spain. The ones that resemble KKK attire. It's unfair to look at something like this and say, "no, that's wrong". 

 

But to claim this is a North American-only issue is not okay. It's more of a chronically-online people thing. People should look up the definition of cultural relativism and touch grass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BGKC]

I think it’s all just conditioning and propaganda. It’s not as though they’re universally cultured and ethnocentric like some Europeans are. They’re just ignorant lol. 

[shyboi]

Some points were made by the OP 

[cockatoo]

Discussion of some racial issues is definitely weird in the US. I remember Americans having a meltdown over Adele's outfit at the Notting Hill Carnival, which to people here wasn't really considered offensive (it was just a bit funny).

 

Having said that if you don't know blackface is offensive in 2023, then you're simply not paying attention. I don't really care where you live, we (almost) all have access to the internet.

[Legacy]

I think they need better geography and history classes at school.

[Aethereal]

Japan and China are the most ethnocentric counties in the world, IMO. 

But this answer is largely influenced by a country's power. A poor nationalist country (and they are quite numerous) does not hold that much power to considered as "ethnocentric" in comparison to Western Countries, China, Japan etc.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Aristotle

[Specter]

Some of you will misappropriate and lowkey incoherently use clearly defined words only to then make flimsy defenses of black face

[Headlock]

Why do Europeans want to defend blackface this badly?  

[Specter]

7 minutes ago, Headlock said:

Why do Europeans want to defend blackface this badly?  

Xhdbdbb it's like this urge they all have to write poorly constructed essays about how akshually, it's all good that someone decided to rub brown paint on themselves for uhh lipsyncing Drake

The hysterical "IT'S YOUR CROSS TO BEAR" as of Europe was just absent during chattel slavery

[EtherealCat]

everyone is bad 

[Scars]

Are we going to pretend that isn't common for people of non-english speaking nationalities, including you annoying europeans, to feel some type of way whenever their culture or country are inaccurately portrayed in Hollywood movies? People rightfully have an issue with insensitive stereotypes, fake accents, poor history research and so on, you can always look for Youtube/Facebook comments if you don't believe me. 

 

Having that in mind, why is it so difficult for you white gays from all-white villages to understand that black people have every right to point out insensitive deceptions of their own racial group in media? If you want to portray someone from a cultural background, trying your best to understand that culture in order to avoid issues is a must.

 

If you didn't care enough to research the basics about someone or a group of people before you've decide to put on some messy impersonation of them, well, that's on you. Toughen up, quit the self-victimizing language and use the negative criticism as a learning moment on how to better interact with the rest of the world. The overdefensive act is tired.

 

OT: In my experience, europeans and english-speaking north americans are equally self-absorbed. Most of the time europeans scream "there's more to the world than the US!", y'all are just upset because european narratives weren't included. Both groups couldn't care less about the Global South.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Scars

[harwee]

OP aren't you from the UK?

[Desire]

What the **** is this thread that's basically trying to defend blackface??? doesn't matter where you live or where you come from, it's 2023 and it should be known that blackface is not okay in the slightest 

[Orsay]

other countries are worse in terms of ethnocentrism, like Japan or France. Americans in general do suffer from being some of the most insular people though, because we're the most powerful/wealthy/media dominant country and so what goes on in other parts of the world seems irrelevant or unimportant to many here. this can make takes on international issues from Americans come off as very arrogant or uninformed; but it should also be noted that not ALL americans are ignorant when it comes to international affairs

 

I do wish more Americans would look outside our own culture to see how race, gender, etc are conceptualized in completely different ways in other parts of the world. It would push back against the conservative notion that perceived differences between races/gender groups all boil down to science, which is categorically false to anyone with a solid understanding of the topic

[bliaz]

Los gringos se creen los reyes del mundo