Important notice from the GRAMMAR POLICE. Plz read. This means you.
J. M. Pescado:
Quote from: Audrey on 2009 July 19, 19:27:30
Now, that is as true an observation as I have ever seen. Probably based on media-watching and not on experience. ;)
Actually, I've been there and encountered it personally.
Quote from: Roflganger on 2009 July 19, 15:14:22
There are plenty, and I mean *plenty*, of South Africans who are just as ignorant of what goes on outside SA's borders, and particularly within America's, as there are Americans with small worldviews. On a daily basis, I meet people who paint the very large country that is the USA with one broad brush, as if a few singular instances of ignorance define the entire country. How small minded is that?
Well, you have to remember: A group is always represented by its worst members. This is the rule. It doesn't matter that any individual member you may have encountered doesn't necessarily exhibit all of the worst behaviors, the fact remains that any group is represented by its worst members. That's just how things work: Whenever you evaluate something, you ALWAYS take the worst impression so as to maintain a balanced view of things. All those other instances are just statistical anomalies.
spaceface:
This is MATY. Noobs get sporked if they draw attention to themselves. I must say though, I never saw one give herself a schtick quite so efficiently before.
As far as South Africans' perception of the USA is concerned, it bears noting that one of, if not the, most popular USA TV show over here is a soap opera called "The Bold and The Beautiful". If anyone believes what they see on TV, I would love to know what they make of that.
Regarding the animals, for the record, there was a baboon in the road where I live, albeit last year more or less. It came from a forest nearby, my brother-in-law saw it. Other suburbs of Cape Town regularly get terrorized by maurauding troops. Google "Cape Town baboon" and some links will come up. On the other hand, flocks of cows and goats being informally pastured on the verges right next to the N2 freeway are an everyday occurrence.
Roflganger:
Quote from: J. M. Pescado on 2009 July 20, 11:29:06
Well, you have to remember: A group is always represented by its worst members. This is the rule. It doesn't matter that any individual member you may have encountered doesn't necessarily exhibit all of the worst behaviors, the fact remains that any group is represented by its worst members. That's just how things work: Whenever you evaluate something, you ALWAYS take the worst impression so as to maintain a balanced view of things. All those other instances are just statistical anomalies.
Even with that yardstick in play, even the worst Americans are no worse than the worst citizens of any other countries, so everyone should still end up on fairly equal footing. It's the people who compare the worst of one country with the best of another and (unsurprisingly) come away with unfavorable conclusions that I would like to see DIAF, is my point.
Quote from: tngrspacecadet on 2009 July 20, 12:17:06
Regarding the animals, for the record, there was a baboon in the road where I live, albeit last year more or less. It came from a forest nearby, my brother-in-law saw it. Other suburbs of Cape Town regularly get terrorized by maurauding troops. Google "Cape Town baboon" and some links will come up. On the other hand, flocks of cows and goats being informally pastured on the verges right next to the N2 freeway are an everyday occurrence.
What I think many South Africans forget is that from some perspectives, South Africa *does* have wildlife roaming in the streets. There's the aforementioned bush babies in my yard, the baboon that your brother in law saw, or the one that I saw a few months ago. There are sections of road nearby where meerkats will gleefully run in front of your car to see how hard they can make you swerve. When I lived in Cape Town, I'd take a morning walk to see the seals playing in the surf, or stand amongst the penguins just to feel tall for a while. To most people I know, that's about as wild as you get.
originalhalf:
Quote from: tngrspacecadet on 2009 July 20, 12:17:06
As far as South Africans' perception of the USA is concerned, it bears noting that one of, if not the, most popular USA TV show over here is a soap opera called "The Bold and The Beautiful". If anyone believes what they see on TV, I would love to know what they make of that.
That is disturbing as all get out. I've been watching Y&R since I was 10 6 and can't bring myself to watch B&B.
Kyna:
Quote from: Audrey on 2009 July 20, 11:04:20
Can I please stop being the butt of conversation around here? Don't you have somebody else to play with?
Stop posting pokeworthy stuff, and we'll stop poking.
Yes, it really is that simple. But you'd be surprised how many tards don't get it.
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