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Which nations do Poles like the most / the least? [150]
- I wonder how many such Poles you've met? I wonder if their number is large enough to make generalisations about all Poles? From my own experience - and I can back it up with tons of supporting evidence - many American educated people have a far more admiring attitude towards Russian culture than Poles. Yes, American Russophiles are Russophiles indeed.
You hit the nail on the head - we're generalizing, and that's never very accurate is it? We'd have to conduct a full-scale study to get any sort of reasonable results to talk about. I've never come across anything like that - I seem to remember a general study of national likes or dislikes, and Russia ranked pretty low, but again, it was Russia and not Russians, if I remember correctly. And anyways, educated people aren't representative of people in general in any country.
- Nope, it doesn't seem to be. - Suspicion denotes thinking ahead and the ability to act in one's defense; fear seems to denote lack of clear thinking and helplessness.
To me they're one and the same - the only reason you'd be suspicious of someone is if you were afraid of what they could do to you.
- Can you give any specific examples of this alleged 'weird' admiration? Well, yes, many of us (not me!) admire some of the things they make, such as cars, but you Americans also admire them, don't you? Would you call the American admiration 'weird' too?
I meant it was weird because it was mixed with fear (or if you like suspicion). I think many Poles admire German efficiency and wealth, though that's probably going to change when they get to know them better.
Regarding German phobias towards Poles - I never suggested they didn't have any. I definitely agree that Germans have a much more skewed view of Poles than the other way around.
As far as bureaucrats go, Polish ones are a special breed. I've never gotten quite the runaround in the US that I get on a routine visit to the meldunek office - not to mention the fact that in the US you just don't deal with public officials that much, and in Poland you need to file a permit application in triplicate to sneeze. Ask anyone who's had to apply for a residency permit (not counting EU citizens after accession, who I hear get special treatment now). Polish bureaucracy IS getting better, but it's still pretty damn bad. Anyway, this is completely OT.
