[elle]

Originally Posted by Pekkerhead

LOL, yes, until he started posting again as PerryCo. And then got banned again. I will keep my eyes open for his next incarnation.

You probably missed it - I think it was rebelrouser. Since he was banned too the weird messages I was getting together with the red/gray dots disappeared.

[Pekkerhead]

Originally Posted by elle

You probably missed it - I think it was rebelrouser. Since he was banned too the weird messages I was getting together with the red/gray dots disappeared.

LOL - I just went on a profile search and that was my first choice, and when I saw it had been banned too I knew it was right, the guy is such a dead giveaway.

So why was he banned another two times? He just can't help himself.

[xxxlionxxx]

What are those gray dots anyway?

[krypton]

Originally Posted by gilleshk

Where you are born may affect your values and your outlook on life but not so much your personality. Far more important than your nationality or ethnicity, your education, family, friends and sometimes religion shape who you are.

Isn't your outlook a big part of your personality?

[gilleshk]

Originally Posted by elle

North Korea is a very good example - those people are not communists by choice.

Maybe they are not communists at all in their minds or hearts but must follow the system... having to follow communism doesn't necessarily mean you believe in it. It can be a matter of survival. I don't believe you can truly brainwash a population but you can certainly misinform and "educate" although it's getting harder and harder to do thse days thanks to the internet. In most cases a choice remains, it may death or communism which isn't much of a choice but a choice nevertheless. Not so with ethnicity or birthplace. I am simply pointing out that if you truly believe in the definition of communism then you won't be individualistic. The reality is of course otherwise as many/most people can't stay true to their philosophy/religion.

[hullexile]

Originally Posted by gilleshk

Where you are born may affect your values and your outlook on life but not so much your personality. Far more important than your nationality or ethnicity, your education, family, friends and sometimes religion shape who you are.

But then again your education, family, friends and religion are likely to be influenced by the culture that they grew up / developed in.

I am only arguing to avoid typing a boring report, and generally Gilles I agree with you about hating stereotyping as I have said on previous threads - but there are generalisations one can make about cultures which are fine as long as they are not abused.

I am from the UK and my wife is from the Philippines, I can tell you there are generalisations that are possible to be made about cultural differences - for example acceptance of inequality, family strengths, the belief in absolute laws, etc. However, I would be the first to shout at someone for saying all Brits are the same, God forbid.

[gilleshk]

I agree that certain values are more prominent in different societies but when it goes too far when people start attributing personality traits to nationalities or ethnicities.

And even that is difficult in non homogenous societies... Nowadays, the typical brit, american, canadian isn't what it used to be. The wasps should not be the image that represents these countries...

[hullexile]

Originally Posted by gilleshk

I agree that certain values are more prominent in different societies but when it goes too far when people start attributing personality traits to nationalities or ethnicities.

And even that is difficult in non homogenous societies... Nowadays, the typical brit, american, canadian isn't what it used to be. The wasps should not be the image that represents these countries...

Damn you Gilles, not much I can argue on there so I'll have to go back to the report

[krypton]

Originally Posted by hullexile

Damn you Gilles, not much I can argue on there so I'll have to go back to the report

Yeah that was like the closing statement of a debate... all well said.

[tshirt0mania]

Originally Posted by XI_YAN

why does the term 'ugly american' exist and no similar phrase exist about other nationals - who I admit can also exhibit obnoxious behaviour but . . .

LOL - i've heard 'ugly singaporean' quite often during my stint there ;-)