The things, people and places that annoy the hell out of you

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Damn! I really did not mean to come off as some bragging cheerleader ***** (it is everything I am NOT, in fact ). In the consequence:

- I annoy myself!

Oh, and youtube commenters who compare Villazon to Pavarotti.

 

I agree about the immigration thing. I always think that the Australians and New Zelanders have the right idea!

 

Funny how you seem to imply that there is no civilization outside the Western world.

Moving to a different country doesn't mean that you should leave your culture and whatever religious dogma you may endorse at the customs. I've lived abroad and I've had to "deal with the consequences" as you put it. Of course my main issue was cheese related but still...

What you seem to suggest is taking things even further, i.e. that foreigners or minorities (possibly originating from another country) who don't share the mainstream culture should be denied the right to openly practice their traditions (religious or otherwise). As far as I know, nobody is going to give a hard time to a billionaire for his religious practices or for wearing his traditional garb whereas a poor immigrant who flees his country because he could get killed has to deal with bigotry and intolerance everyday (something that sometimes can take the form of bigots who just love to "burn things/people").

By now it would seem pretty clear that I don't agree with anything you've posted. IMO ethnic diversity is a good thing if only from a cultural point of view. By your rationale there should be no mosques and no synagogues in Europe or in the Western ("civilized") world... Cathedrals and churches are fine but why not embrace some cultural diversity? What about religious freedom? What about Europeans/Americans (and other Westerners) who decide to embrace different religions? Should they be ostracized as well?

The irony is that Jesus never set foot in Europe or the US so we can say that Christianity is originally an imported religion. See where I'm going here?

You sure sound like one but I understand that it was some sort of a rant so I hope that you don't actually mean everything you've said.

I'll let you in on a little secret: they do it on purpose because that's the only way they can get back at women who use puny guys to do their chores and then only date jocks.

Carry your own bags lady!

Seriously, I don't mind helping out a damsel in distress but I sure hate being asked to especially when the woman seems to assume that I will be carrying the bags for her... Funny how gender equality gets thrown out of the window in such circumstances.

By the way, how come girls always have really heavy bags no matter what?

People still need a criminal record to go there?

 

Wanting to practise your own beliefs isn't the problem. It's the people who expect to practise their beliefs but find it offensive that the new society still practise theirs.

 

IMO there is a major difference between LKD's post and Runescarred's. What I don't like is suggesting that immigrants should be denied religious freedom because they don't follow the same rites as the "natives".

What LKD was referring to was people who feel entitled to receive a VIP treatment and take advantage of the system. That is not the same thing.

The truth is that society evolves everywhere. Europe is turning into a multicultural society whether we like it or not and assuming that everyone should live according to the same set of beliefs is no longer possible.

There is a fine line between resenting other people for having the gall to force their mores upon us and resenting them just because they don't follow the same creed or don't speak the same language as we do.

Think about Brits and Germans settling in Spain. That's almost the same problem as they tend to create communities of nationals who most of the time don't even bother to learn Spanish. The same thing could be said of Brits in France. I know a few of them who live in the city where I live and deal almost exclusively with other English speakers, they go out in English/Irish pubs where they know they won't have to speak French. It's only natural when you live abroad to associate with people who share the same background and when these communities become larger then you will always find "natives" who are annoyed by the fact that these communities display some sort of cultural difference.

 

YES! Tal is here, taking the reins again. This feels like BoM, re-birthed .

 

Sorry sir Taluntain, I do not know how to move a thread, so I will reply here, hoping Cara will manage to see it before it gets moderated. There are quite a few issues I need to clarify on.

It was supposed to be funny. This kind of discrimination would be purely ridiculous on my part, considering I am from Eastern Europe. Self-hate? No, thank you.

That was absolutely not what I meant. I do not believe that the immigrants should conform to whatever social norm the majority of people from the new country finds acceptable. I do believe, however, that they should conform to the political/social/religious/cultural circumstances of the place they found themselves in. That does not mean converting and accepting the said set of circumstances as one's own beliefs. That means, however, realizing other people will not convert, too.

To continue with the previous example: a Muslim immigrant will have to deal with having fewer places of worship (hence 'another mosque', not 'a mosque'); a Christian immigrant (while in a Muslim country) will have to deal with hearing the adhan five times a day, including at 5 AM.

You have evoked personal experiences... I shall add some of mine, as well. I am a pagan, have been one since eight years. 90% of Poles are Roman Catholics. There is no functioning temple in the whole country. There are no free days during the solstices and equinoxes. There are too few worshipers for the religion to be officially recognized. Do I believe I should convert just because the majority of the nation is monotheistic? No. Do I believe I should take it all into consideration, since I do not want to move to Iceland? Yes.

... while his few defenders can sometimes take the form of bigots who feel the need to resort to name-calling?

In all seriousness, as afore said: I do not care about his headwear, nor do I care about the quantity of his money. I was not complaining about immigrants who do not conform completely. I was complaining about immigrants who expect everyone else to conform to them... completely.

It is funny how you evoke the existence of a double standard. That is not the only one in existence. When in the Netherlands, every day I saw dozens of female citizens wearing head-scarves. How many women with their heads uncovered would be seen in Iran, post revolution?

For the record, I am not attacking this particular religion, just continuing with the example.

Yes, I do understand. The fact that I do not seem to agree with your views does not mean I am undereducated... or a Christian. I strongly believe in De Gaulle's concept of 'Europe des patries'. Cultural diversity? Yes. Diversity. Not a default, modern-made, PC memplex deprived of any shreds of individualism.

I mean every word - your interpretation is another story. Now, however, I do believe that there are no more misunderstandings? *goes off to the fields: 'Oy, Ma! Ya been feedin' 'em geese todae? Whaaa? 'Kay, oy'll ax Da, or Grandpa? What ya mean, they be the same? Blimey, ain't it strange.'*

*sighs*I must have been really unclear in my writings that day. Let me explain:

I was moving to another city. The bag was heavy because it contained everything I owned at the moment. When I say 'heavy', I do not mean 'it would ruin my perfect artificial nails and make my eyeliner run'. I mean 'it weighed 80-something pounds (checked later, I thought it weighed 60, lol), more than a half of my own weight, and despite my considerable strength I would not manage to pick it all up and put it into the train before getting in'.

When I say 'offered', I do not mean 'he was just standing there being male', I mean 'he came up to me and OFFERED his help'. It was the first time in years when I accepted such chivalry (in normal circumstances, I dislike it), and the first time in years when I actually needed to accept it.

Why was I annoyed? He assumed he was stronger than me (turns out he was not), and I really liked that cup! BTW, I find jocks unattractive, both intellectually (well, d'oh!) and sexually.

Again, sorry for the offtopic. I would just not look good with the 'intolerant bigot capitalistic female chauvinistic sow' brand across my face.

 

Well Robs ex-wife is boiling my water at the moment: she's one of those people that will take a comment that is not about them, turn it round so that it can offend her and then blame everyone else. I hate people like that. It drives me insane!
If you think that a comment is about you then ASK someone, don't just assume.
What's worse is that these people eventually realise that they're wrong and then avoid the people they've annoyed because they know they're going to look stupid

 

I hate the use of the expression "civilized world" as the implications are pretty bad (especially in such a context).

I read something that pissed me off and felt that I needed to say something about it. Now since it appears that I'm off topic I'll leave it at that.

 

On a lighter note, I think Rune's suitcase carrying incident needs further analysis ...

If the guy actually fell over in the process of trying to carry your case and breaking your cup, that would have to be just ... epic fail, as far as his ego goes. Despite whatever pretense we may try it under, guys usually do that stuff for attractive girls in order to make a he-man impression, not just to be decent. (We are being decent when we do it for seniors though.) Given that, I feel bad for him. Did he just run off afterwards? Doesn't seem like there would be much potential for recovering his pride there. (Especially if you laughed at him, which you probably did involuntarily until you realized your cup was broken.)

lol @ your perfect nails comment, btw.

 

You don't need to be a Christian immigrant to hate this. I saw lots of Muslims cursing the Imam when they hear the adhan.

And the "thing that annoys the hell out of me" is the mosque across the street which makes our windows shake 5 times a day. Though they turned down their speakers a little after my mom wrote a petition about it. Every neighbour we speak to whines about it but noone has the courage to do something. I guess everyone is afraid of radicals.

I am not against religious freedom, I just need to sleep peacefully for one day or be able to speak to someone during adhan.

Oh and I hate those people who say they don't like TV but watch the most stupid reality shows all day. And then they criticize me for playing too much PC games. Even the most stupid games response to you. You press a button and something happens on the screen. Then you go to game's forums and discuss about whose sword is bigger. What do these people do? They watch the trash that TV throws at them and let their brains zombified.

 

Whew! Glad someone got a lol out of it, as intended. As for the rest of your post, I believe the guy was really trying to be decent (id est, it was 5 AM, I looked anything but attractive). And no, I did not laugh in front of him.

Some Poles experience a similar problem with the churches. The bells start ringing as soon as 6 AM. In the case of larger temples, the mass can be heard outside, too (loud speakers). While no one is afraid of radical Christians, people usually choose not to do anything about it in fear of offending the devout worshipers.

- people who leave their cosmetics/other belongings in the common hotel bathrooms

 

You have to be wary though; there are plenty of times when you may not think you're looking your best but guys are still struck with the "Oh my god!" thing anyway. We can be very tunnel-vision-ish that way. (What do you expect? - we're guys.)

Then again, I'm sure your intuition usually points you in the right direction.

 

I was absolutely sure you were female. Not that it matters online, but - LOL!

 

It's interesting how people form impressions sometimes.

 

Must have been the very feminine ogre avatar that misled me.

 

It's a bugbear isn't it? The one from IWDII?

 

Yeah, I think so ... but he is very saucy, isn't he?

 

I just assumed the avatar could be gender-queer. See how tolerant I am?