The BEST Guide to POLAND
Unanswered  |  Archives 
 
 
User: Guest

Posts by Matowy  

Joined: 4 Jul 2009 / Male ♂
Last Post: 5 Jul 2010
Threads: -
Posts: Total: 294 / Live: 229 / Archived: 65
From: United Kingdom.
Speaks Polish?: Only a little. Maybe 2% or so.
Interests: Few and far between.

Displayed posts: 229 / page 1 of 8
sort: Oldest first   Latest first
Matowy   
5 Jul 2009
Genealogy / Changing my name to a Polish one [35]

Not another one. How can someone be from so many different nationalities.

Even though this is crudely conveyed, the overall point of what he is saying is quite true. I do not understand why on earth one would want to go so far as to feel a "connection" to ones "heritage" or ancestors. Is the long dead past really so important to you today? People who are so hung up over ethnic/national ties are kind of pathetic in their pretentiousness, in my opinion =/ Whether every single one of your ancestors was born and raised in Poland, it doesn't change the fact that you were born and raised in America, with American citizenship, an American passport, and in an American culture. If you like Poland, then that's fine. Having some Polish "blood" doesn't make you any more or less Polish than anyone other non-Polak.

This is generally a really silly thing I've seen in Americans. They tend to over-emphasize their long lost irrelevant heritage and ethnic ties, so then they go about calling themselves "Irish" or "Polish" or whatever they feel like, when in reality they are no such thing. Ethnic origin does not = citizenship. Only Israel/the Jews is stupid enough for that kind of mind-numbingly limited ethnic-oriented thinking.
Matowy   
26 Jul 2009
Life / Bollywood in Poland [32]

Bollywood is atrocious. Actually physically sickening in its mediocrity. When I need the occasional toe-tapping tune, or even a semi-hard-on, I'll maybe YouTube a few Bollywood clips. Other than that, it's quite worthless. Even the ultra-idealized and oh-so-realistic Olympian beauties get boring after a while.
Matowy   
26 Jul 2009
Life / Bollywood in Poland [32]

dat

Reminds me of this:
grapheine.com/bombaytv/index.php?lang=uk
Matowy   
5 Aug 2009
History / WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [901]

Its hard not to get a biased answer about issues of war and history.

Hard? It's not hard. It's ******* impossible.

EDIT: I'm no history expert, but from what I recall nobody joined the war with the sole intention of "helping" Poland. They were all in it for themselves. Such is the nature of people.
Matowy   
5 Aug 2009
History / WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [901]

The thing is, nobody wanted to help Poland. Without all the modern-day alliances we have, countries would simply look out for themselves only and not care what happens anywhere else. If Germany had simply conquered Poland and left it at that, nobody would have cared to liberate Poland. Germany's campaign was a threat to the other European nations, and especially to the UK's dominance. That's why there was a war, not because anybody felt any sort of compassion for the oppressed people under Germany's heel.
Matowy   
6 Aug 2009
History / WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [901]

Europe, Russia and America (South and North) are the dominant influences on the world. Have they turned their back on Christ? Is He a joke to them?

Europe - mostly, yes. The most successful and influential countries in Europe are largely secular (UK, Sweden, Norway, Germany, France, etc).

Russia - Also quite secular.

America - LOL. Religion infects U.S politics like a cancer. The rest of the world, Europe especially, can only point and laugh at America's inability to separate Church and State... even though it's in their constitution.
Matowy   
17 Aug 2009
Life / Why are Poles in other countries called "Plastic Poles"? [168]

I am a stranger in a strange land wherever I go. Home or abroad. You've opened my eyes. Thank you.

That's not what he said at all. Like your own sense of self-perception, you have twisted it into something foolishly unrecognisable to serve your own limited viewpoints. You might see yourself as Polish(?), but any actual Polish or general European person will see you only as an American laughably trying to be something he is not.
Matowy   
17 Aug 2009
Life / Why are Poles in other countries called "Plastic Poles"? [168]

I have never mis-represented myself that I can remember.

Based on how defensive you're being, I'd say I'm correct in assuming you're one of those Americans who attempts to identify with a foreign country.

Do you presume to know what traditions or values my family practiced?

I don't care what your family did, and neither does anyone else. Doesn't change the fact that you and they are not Polish.

EDIT: And I note the fact that you're using past tense.

I have spaghetti several times a week. I guess I should start calling myself Italian.
Matowy   
20 Aug 2009
Life / Why are Poles in other countries called "Plastic Poles"? [168]

On the question of ethnicity, how is it that a Black person can refer to themselves/be referred to as African American (or Afro-Caribbean) or a "brown" or "yellow" (no racism intended) person can be referred to as British-Asian, Chinese etc (when they might never have gone to China, Africa, India etc)?

Those are actually classifications put in place by the government (or at least here it is so). Anyone of Asian ethnicity has to identify themselves as one of those on pretty much any form. Most East Asians are 100% East Asian anyway. Very few of them are born here as of yet. South Asians have also not really been here that long. Black people have term "Black" on the forms, unlike in the U.S where people refer to them as "African-American" for reasons as of yet inexplicable to me.

Personally, I will extend the same ridicule to "African"-Americans that I do to "Polish"-Americans. Neither are African or Polish.
Matowy   
28 Feb 2010
UK, Ireland / Time for the Poles from the UK to go home [437]

I'm against gross oversimplification, which is why I'm glad to say that the reality is that the British people as a whole do not care either way whether the Poles stay or not, with the silent majority drifting towards a positive view of the Poles being here.
Matowy   
28 Feb 2010
UK, Ireland / Time for the Poles from the UK to go home [437]

Can you back that up? With workers striking and Labour making promises on immigration that would make the BNP blush, it seems immigration is a major issue in the UK. Although as I am not a resident of the UK, I could be entirely wrong. Am I?

I cannot back it up with anything other than the fact that I live in the UK, and believe myself to have satisfactory political and social awareness to gauge such things based on individual merit with sufficient detachment and perspective.

Immigration is a HUGE issue in the UK at the moment. But really, when hasn't it been? It's been a hot topic all through the second half of the 20'th Century, and at points it has been much more heated than it is today. Just because it is discussed a lot does not mean it is a serious issue. British people simply love to complain about things which, had they even the slightest bit of world awareness, they should realise as being insignificant. For example, there is a ton of whining about how the current government is corrupt and dishonest and inefficient and blah blah blah. Is it? Yes, just like any other government. Is it also one of the most mobile, democratic, rewarding and transparent governments in the world? Also yes. British people are too busy focusing on how bad they have it and how oppressed and stifled they are, but the plain reality is that things are nowhere near as bad as the complaint level. Immigration will continue to be moaned about, and it will continue to be a non-issue, just as it has always been. This country has gone far too long without an invasion or a REAL oppressive regime that people have gotten soft.
Matowy   
28 Feb 2010
Genealogy / Polish looks? [1462]

I googled it, but I can't quite understand what an "epicanthic fold" is. Is it just an East Asian eye shape?
Matowy   
28 Feb 2010
News / Should 16-year-olds in Poland vote? [58]

I do not think 16-year-olds should be able to vote. Even if they do have superior knowledge of politics, they are still children and have an undeveloped and inexperienced view of things. Sure, there is the occasional teenager who is sensible, but the majority are simply not mature enough to influence politics.
Matowy   
28 Feb 2010
News / Should 16-year-olds in Poland vote? [58]

For a start, knowledge cannot be used as a criteria as many adults don't have a clue and would fail even basic tests.

I'm not saying they aren't aware or intelligent enough to vote, but that their votes can be more easily misplaced than an adult vote. At 16, teenagers are still influenced a lot by their family, are still in school, and presumably still live at home. Personally, I just don't think that's enough for someone to be able to vote clearly. They will be easily influenced by their family, or by their peers, or by their school system. I think adults are just as susceptible to such factors, but I don't think all of this needs to be further obfuscated by letting 16-year-olds vote as well. In another two years they potentially gain experience of the work system, further education, institutions the economy and all sorts of other things relevant to politics. A 16-year-old isn't typically going to have that experience, and will just vote by what they see on the surface (again, adults are terrible at this too, but they are a bit less susceptible).
Matowy   
28 Feb 2010
Genealogy / If your ancestors were in the "Wehrmacht"... [217]

You have a very naive viewpoint on this. The average person does not care about national prestige, medieval standards honour or pointless patriotism. The average person wants to survive, and get on with their lives as smoothly as possible, in comfort preferably. That's why it's much easier to conquer a first world country rather than a third world one; there is peace, stability, social status, class, etc. Nobody is going to bother fight an invading force unless that force is blatantly oppressive, which in this case it was. It's very common for the natives of the conquered country to start working for the conquerors. Don't get all mushy and sentimental about this; it's just how it goes. Put to sleep your childish concepts of honour, shame, cowardice, betrayal and all that crap. Grow up and learn some history.

As for your ancestors, nobody cares. What your ancestors did has no bearing on you at all. If it came to it, you wouldn't react in the same way they did, so stop trying to enhance your own self-image by attributing yourself to deeds you have no connection to. Someone just as naive as you, but with Polish ancestors who were in the resistance, could easily say "Well, YOUR ancestors were cowards because they simply stayed silent and got on with their lives without fighting the enemy. They were cowards and traitors because they did nothing, whereas MY ancestors did amazing things by joining the resistance and fighting!!!". See how much you can twist history to your liking when you use subjective terms like "cowardice", "traitors", and "enemy" ?
Matowy   
28 Feb 2010
News / Should 16-year-olds in Poland vote? [58]

So, for clearance, are they or are they not aware or intelligent enough to vote?

Ideally, voting would be a privilege that is earned through demonstrated understanding. Since that is not possible, though, we can only discriminate based on the factor that impacts maturity the most, which is age. Voting done by adults is nowhere near perfect, which is why I think it's not needed to further add to the frenzy with a new block of voters who have even less objectivity than an adult might have. Teenagers are impacted more by external influences, especially by a charismatic authority figure such as family member or teacher. Thus, we don't have a new section of voters, but merely an extension of the voters that already exist, which isn't necessary.
Matowy   
28 Feb 2010
News / Mass immigration to Poland - article and response [479]

That is true, but...

If it looks like a muslim and talks like a muslim....then it's probably....a muslim. (No matter what country they are from).

... that still does not mean they are a race. A loose ethno-cultural religious group perhaps, but not a "race". Then again, hardly anybody uses the word "race" in its correct usage, so I guess I'm just being pedantic. Also, how does someone "talk" like a Muslim? Is there a Muslim accent now?
Matowy   
28 Feb 2010
News / Should 16-year-olds in Poland vote? [58]

I certainly wouldn't be vehemently opposed to a 16-year-old voting age, it might even work out for the best, but as it stands I think it not a good idea due to the aforementioned reasons, damage control being the main one.
Matowy   
28 Feb 2010
Life / UK garage, do you get it in poland? [18]

Download utorrent and go to either isohunt.com or thepiratebay.com or as a last resort mininova.com to find your music.