Random Country Opinions Day 9: Belarus

[GMantis]

A misunderstood country. FC on balance, though they are too heavily dependent on Russia.

[GMantis]

Like many other Eastern European countries, Belarus scares me.

What's so scary about it? And which other Eastern European countries scare you?

[GMantis]

Like many other Eastern European countries, Belarus scares me.

What's so scary about it? And which other Eastern European countries scare you?

It just seems like Eastern Europe is one of the "darker" areas of the world. The languages scare me. The cultures seem very secretive (reminding me of the Soviet Union days).

Again you show your ignorance and xenophobia.
What is so scary about Slavic languages? They are certainly more melodious than English (though not Italian, I grant you).
Eastern Europeans are in general much more hospitable than Western Europeans for example. You shouldn't judge other countries by their former governing system (especially since you feel insulted when anyone mentions Italy's government).

[GMantis]

Again you show your ignorance and xenophobia.

Haha, dude, calm yourself. I'm certainly not ignorant of these countries or their cultures. I know a good deal.

I don't have Eastern Europeans. I'm used to them being portrayed (fairly or unfairly) a certain way. What I do actually know about them, I simply don't like. It doesn't make me ignorant or a xenophobe. Some people don't like specific cultures in Italy (Sicilians, for example). Big deal. I'm not necessarily calling those people xenophobes. Some people just don't like certain things.

You don't like their language because it sounds scary? This is a dictionary definition of Xenophobia.
And sorry, you are ignorant. Western society is far more "secretive" (whatever that's supposed to mean) than the one in Eastern Europe.

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I'm sure they are. I'm just afraid of they stereotype that I'm used to (especially among Eastern Europeans in my area). You know, like the stereotypes that I'm sure you have no problem feeding into with certain Americans. I'm sure it's ok for you to dislike the "Deep South hicks."

No, I don't feed into these kinds of stereotypes, as I've stated before. This is mostly because I can understand being unfairly stereotyped by people by you.

[GMantis]

You don't like their language because it sounds scary? This is a dictionary definition of Xenophobia.

I don't have an unconditional hatred for the places or people though. Sorry if my dislike for the sound of their language makes me a xenophobe. 

Phobia is generally defined as irrational fear or hatred. Xeno means foreign. Connect the dots yourself.

And sorry, you are ignorant. Western society is far more "secretive" (whatever that's supposed to mean) than the one in Eastern Europe.

I doubt that but there's no way for either of us to prove the other wrong. Again, it's all about how we see it on an individual level.

You know, I speak from a personal experience. I've lived for several years in Germany and the UK, probably much more than the entire time you've spent in Eastern Europe (have you actually ever been there? Or has someone close to you ever been there?) It is an individual opinion, I agree, but unless I'm very much mistaken, yours comes from woeful misinformation.

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You've never once felt that way towards a certain type of people ("hickish southern Americans" in particular)? Sorry but I find that very hard to believe. You may not feed into the stereotype vocally (I really don't either) but I'm sure you've felt a certain way before.

I've felt so sometimes, I admit, but I'm generally loath too believe too much in stereotypes. As I've told you, I have experienced them myself.

[GMantis]

I've been to Greece and Turkey (don't know if we can really consider those countries "Eastern" and/or "European"). I'm not getting the stereotypes from my experiences in those countries. I'm used to what I've personally seen in the media and from actual Eastern Europeans. Just don't call me ignorant.

I wouldn't call you ignorant, if you weren't inviting it. You are judging an enormous region on what you've seen on the media, which is rather ignorant on this issue and on a few Eastern Europeans, with most of them being unrepresentative of the average people in their home countries (where are most of these East Europeans you've seen, by the way?).
Sorry, I don't want to insult you, but this irrational attitude against Eastern Europe is very prevalent and very annoying. You could at least tell some things you dislike instead of using vage generalities.

[GMantis]

with most of them being unrepresentative of the average people in their home countries (where are most of these East Europeans you've seen, by the way?).

They're mainly Polish, Ukranian and Russian. NE Philly has a very strong Eastern European population in certain areas.

I do wish to note that plenty of others said that they aren't just "afraid" of countries like Belarus but come out and actually said that they hate the country. However, I'm the only one being called out. Just pointing that out.

You said you feared the whole region. Also they mostly refered to the government.