I am more than my nationality

ksand24:

In NYC we are very much known for 'ribbing' each other. We have a sort of tradition of giving slightly mean nicknames to people, that they must live with for the rest of their lives. Balding teens were renamed 'Hairy" and heavy people are called 'Slim.' My friend is totally flat chested and she was called "Dolly" after Dolly Parton. I was called "Negra" which means black, in Spanish, (and I am sometimes still called that when I go back to the old hood) because I am biracial, but I was the 'whitest looking' person on my block.
Stuff like that.

And, New Yorkers TOTALLY take the piss out of people from New Jersey!

I know my cousins from New Jersey HATED visiting our neighbourhood because they were relentlessly teased about being from 'JOyZee.'

And, the other kids, who endlessly teased my cousins, actually liked them as people.

It was just a part of the culture there, to tease people, about their differences.

So, maybe it is just sort of the same thing here?

Anyone get this 'rude to americans' from folks in Scotland?

The girl who insulted me for criticizing the BBC was Scottish.

My hubby and I have a friend who is sometimes REALLY obnoxious (which is why we don't see him that often! My hubby puts him in his place though!) that came over last weekend and we were watching the ending Olympic results as to which I cheered "Yay America! Yay  UK!!!" and then my friend spouted off that "the ONLY reason we won was because we are such a big country and are BOUND to find some good athletes!" It had nothing to do with training, nothing to do with hard work...It was PURELY because we were just lucky to be a big country that was bound to have a little option between all the "lazy, overweight and stupid people" if we were smaller, it would have been a different story... I was wishing I had this photo to show him while he was spouting off! (Luckily my hubby told him to cool it or walk!) Anyways, it made me giggle this morning when I saw it and thought I would share!

Stealing that and posting on FB RIGHT NOW!   

Stealing that and posting on FB RIGHT NOW!   

Haha! I posted it on mine hoping the friend would see it!

Amberelle11... Maybe he was actually sort of on to something with his comment... This is a very small country with a smaller talent pool... And, many of the award winning 'BRITISH' Olympic metals were won for them by... IMMIGRANTS!!!

 

Amberelle11... Maybe he was actually sort of on to something with his comment... This is a very small country with a smaller talent pool...

Don't get so cocky, Americans. 

If you look at the medal table per capita, The US comes in at #49 and Team GB at #23.

Not so impressive, is it?

Oh, and #1? Grenada.

Have you ever stopped to think that your defensive and what appears to be cocky behavior is actually adding to the problem?  People tease to get a response. If they dont get a response, they usually stop teasing. If it bothers you, dont play your part in the game.

If you look at the medal table per capita, The US comes in at #49 and Team GB at #23.

Not so impressive, is it?

Math hard.  USA on top of list, thus USA! USA! USA! 

Math hard.  USA on top of list, thus USA! USA! USA! 

 

mirrajay, yup that is one theory... But, there are other theories... Like, 'you teach people how to treat you' for example.

Because, teasing can turn into bullying. Even with adults.

Recent international psychological research on 'Bullying' has actually found that ignoring insulting and offensive comments by both adults and children often inadvertently contributes to the comments and situations escalating, due to the newly empowered perpetrators feeling of control and superiority actually increasing over their victims, based upon, and socially reinforced by, a lack of consequences for their actions. 

So, it could also be dependant on the extent of the teasing, and the personality of the person doing the teasing... And, of course, intent. 

Sometimes 'ignoring it' can actually make the situation much worse.

Of course, NOT all teasing is bullying! But, if it is consistent teasing, from one person or one specific group of people, it might be 'bullying' rather than teasing.

But, for the most part, random UK people generally teasing random Americans would not be considered 'bullying.'

Now, if it is one person, any person from anyplace, doing it over and over again... We all might want to look at it a bit closer.

I just found that research outcome to be interesting... 

Don't get so cocky, Americans.  

If you look at the medal table per capita, The US comes in at #49 and Team GB at #23.

Not so impressive, is it?

Oh, and #1? Grenada.

Whatever. We still landed on Mars.  


(I'm positive other countries helped as well, so it wasn't just an American accomplishment)

Have you ever stopped to think that your defensive and what appears to be cocky behavior is actually adding to the problem?  People tease to get a response. If they dont get a response, they usually stop teasing. If it bothers you, dont play your part in the game.

That's victim blaming. There's nothing wrong with being offended when people are rude to you and normal people are sorry when they realise they've crossed a line. Anyone who enjoys hurting your feelings or making you uncomfortable is a bully and the correct behaviour isn't to condone their behaviour or make it more challenging and thus more rewarding to get a rise.

Well, to be fair, in the 1970's and 80's, "Just ignore them and they will lose interest" was a very popular theory, and fairly common 'parental advice' found mainly in westernised societies, usually within middle class households.

I think it was more of an attempt to keep the peace, rather than placing any blame, ya know?

Like, for silly playground stuff!

In context, it was not horrid advice at all.

Well, to be fair, in the 1970's and 80's, "Just ignore them and they will lose interest" was a very popular theory, and fairly common 'parental advice' found mainly in westernised societies, usually within middle class households.

I think it was more of an attempt to keep the peace, rather than placing any blame, ya know?

Like, for silly playground stuff!

In context, it was not horrid advice at all.

I know the context and the advice was as terrible then as it is now. "Keeping peace" by enabling bullies is not keeping peace. It's saying "I don't want to get involved so keep your suffering to yourself and if you can't suffer quietly than you, not your tormentor, will be the one to get in trouble." And it's wrong.